Second World War military vehicle brought back to life

The Friends of the Base Borden Military Museum have been working to restore an 80-year-old military vehicle that served in the Second World War.

The Ford F60S Canadian Military Pattern (CMP) truck was built at the Ford Windsor Plant in 1942 and shipped to Canadian troops in England during the Second World War. The three-ton military vehicle was operated by the Royal Canadian Army Service Corps Second Infantry Division.

“[It provided] ammunition, fuel, rations to frontline units when it went into northwest Europe,” said Dave Thompson, team lead of Base Borden Military Museum’s restoration projects.

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Following the war, the CMP truck was purchased by an English man in 1947, who used it as a farming vehicle. Then, 75 years later, he wanted it to be returned to Canada.

“He actually donated the vehicle to the museum,” recalled Thompson. “In November of 2022, it actually got shipped here.”

Since then, Thompson and other restoration volunteers have been working to keep the CMP truck running.

Its driver seat is on the right side instead of the left, and while its clutch is in the conventional far-left position, its gas and brake pedals are reversed. That means it is the middle pedal that pushes the CMP truck to its top speed of around 55 kilometres per hour.

“Lots of fun [to drive]. But it’s very different than what we’re used to here in Canada,” said Bill White, who served in the Canadian military as a vehicle tech and is currently a Base Borden Military Museum restoration projects volunteer. “It soldiers on to show the people of today what happened during the Second World War.”

The CMP truck has its safety certificate for the road but still needs to get insured. The list of repairs it underwent include brake and transmission work, cylinder replacement and an engine swap.

“The Royal Canadian Army Service Corps used this vehicle. Their home station is here in Borden,” added Thompson. “It brings it back home to the unit that used it.”

The Friends of the Base Borden Military Museum will continue driving the CMP truck to military events, and the hope is for it to be featured in CFB Borden’s Remembrance Day commemoration.