DESCRIPTION

Bedford MWD 2 Corps, 1/7th Middlesex Reg., France 1940

The Bedford MWD was a 15 cwt 4 x 2 general service vehicle which formed the backbone of British Army transportation during WWII. Built to carry 10 soldiers and all their equipment, the Bedford MWD had been introduced into the military in 1937. Here we see it as deployed by the 1/7th Middlesex Regiment (The Duke of Cambridge's Own), a line infantry regiment which had been formed in 1881 with two regular, two militia and four territorial battalions. In 1938, one of these territorial battalions became the 1/7th, deployed to France in the early hostilities in 1940.

This camouflaged Bedford is a replica of one of the transportation vehicles used by the Regiment's 2 Corps, whose formation badge featuring a fish and waves appears on the front mudguard and also on the rear. The lower body, wheels, chassis, front wings, mudguards and interior are coloured a dark olive green with olive grey camouflage, while the roof and canvas back are painted a light olive green with dark olive camouflage finish. Military lettering is printed in white, with the Arm of Service No. 47 on the front and rear of the truck in white out of red, with a white top bar indicating it as having Corps troop status.