This truck was used by the American Army in France in World War 1 and was so tenacious in the muddy fields of France it was given the nick name of the "Bulldog" by the British soldiers and became the emblem that is part of the truck today. A couple of other interesting trucks with Army connotation that have been restored in operating condition are the "Government Road Train" and the "Rotinoff Viscount Cattle Transporter". The Government Road Train, as it became known in the outback, was designed by the British Overseas Mechanical Transport Committee for the special purpose of opening up under developed countries of the Commonwealth.

As early as 1929, The British Government was convinced a second world war was imminent and commissioned the construction of the "Road Train" as they required a heavy transport vehicle that could large quantities of supplies and cope with the rigours of desert warfare. Two Dyson self tracking trailers were designed to follow the tracks of the prime mover utilizing its turntable that was fashioned from old World War 1 gun turrets. The prime mover was an 8 x 8; all wheels drove through single wheels but only 2 of the axle steered, the extreme ones. Traction was through all 8 wheels through 4 differentials. It had 12 axles, all articulated and independently sprung. It arrived in Alice Springs in 1934 and certainly was a peculiar vehicle by the standard of those days, but soon proved itself capable of handling the bush and was literally the life blood of the remote and isolated communities in central Australia. It operated for many years until it was superseded by more modern vehicles after World War II.

The Rotinoff Viscount Cattle Transporter was built to the specific instructions of Lord Vestey, who ran enormous cattle stations in central Australia. By 1916 Vestey Brothers had acquired some 36,000 square miles of land and in 1917 opened the meat works at Bullocky Point in Darwin. It was rumoured that Vestey made an offer to the Government of some 5 million pounds to purchase all of the Northern Territory. This resulted in a scandal that led to widespread anger in Darwin resulting in riots, street rebellion and public demand that Dr. J.A. Gilruth, the first Administrator of the Territory, leave the northern Territory.

During this period in 1918, Vestey's are credited with slaughtering 19,000 beasts and 22,000 in 1919. In the late 1950's they purchased a Diamond T, ex Army road train and were very impressed with its performance so they purchased a couple of others. When Vestey's closed in 1967, they believed that each of them had covered more than 2 million miles at an average speed of 40- miles per hour on "good" roads. The trailers grossed up to 60 tons and could transport up to 140 steers on single decks. Their worth was said to be about 40,000 pounds each when purchased. The Road Transport Museum has to be congratulated on the condition and presentation of the many trucks housed their.

Jim certainly feels honoured at the recognition of his services to the Road Transport Industry and feels very lucky his Army service in the 11th Australian Adv Wksp in New Guinea stood him in good stead for his service in the road industry, especially in solving problems in the outback.. He well remembers the times when a tree log was towed behind a truck to scatter the undergrowth and smooth a track to get anywhere. Today, with well formed, sealed, all weather roads it's a different story.