The Morris CDSW 6x4 was a six-wheeled
artillery tractor
An artillery tractor, also referred to as a gun tractor, is a specialized heavy-duty form of tractor unit used to tow artillery pieces of varying weights and calibres. It may be 6x6, wheeled, continuous track, tracked, or half-tracked.
Trac ...
brought into service in the early to mid-1930s by the
British Army
The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...
to tow its
field gun
A field gun is a field artillery piece. Originally the term referred to smaller guns that could accompany a field army on the march, that when in combat could be moved about the battlefield in response to changing circumstances ( field artille ...
s.
[Ventham, Philip and Fletcher, David (1990) ''Moving the guns: the mechanisation of the Royal Artillery, 1854-1939'', HMSO , ][Fletcher, David (1998)''British military transport, 1829-1956'', HM Stationery Office, , ]
Typically it was used to pull the
18-pounder field gun and the
4.5-inch howitzer, and later the
25-pounder gun-howitzer
Gun-howitzer (also referred to as gun howitzer) is a type of artillery weapon that is intended to fulfill both the role of ordinary cannon or field gun, and that of a howitzer. It is thus able to convey both direct and indirect fire. Modern gun-h ...
which replaced those two weapons. It was also used, with a modified body, for hauling the
40mm Bofors in the Light Anti-Aircraft (LAA) regiments. A version equipped with a crane was used for "breakdown" work. It was for the large part replaced in its primary role towing the 25 pdrs by the
Morris C8 "Quad".
CDSW indicated model "C", Double Axle rear "D", Six Cylinder Engine "S" and Winch "W".
Gallery
File:18pdrTowedByMorrisTractor1938.jpg, 18pdr Towed By Morris Tractor 1938
File:Battle of Egypt- the Retreat of the Eighth Army To New Positions E13780.jpg, Battle of Egypt- the Retreat of the Eighth Army To New Positions. Modified CDSW towing a Bofors gun
File:30cwt Morris‑Commercial CDSW 6x4 wrecker, H5191631 pic5.JPG, Morris CDSW Breakdown variant front
File:30cwt Morris‑Commercial CDSW 6x4 wrecker pic3.JPG, Morris CDSW Breakdown variant side
File:30cwt Morris‑Commercial CDSW 6x4 wrecker pic1.JPG, Morris CDSW Breakdown variant rear
References
{{WWIIBritishSoftVeh
C8
Military trucks of the United Kingdom
Artillery tractors
Soft-skinned vehicles
Military vehicles introduced in the 1930s
Vehicles introduced in 1933
World War II vehicles of the United Kingdom