'Naval "Pom-Pom" which joined us for convoy duty', 1936

Photograph, Palestine, 1936.

British military operations in Palestine during this period were mainly directed against militant Arab groups which were opposed to continued colonial rule and mass Jewish immigration. Violence reached a height with the Arab Revolt (1936-1939).

Naval personnel from HMS Durban and HMS Sussex operated three customised civilian trucks in Palestine in 1936, providing much needed security for road transport. Two were mounted with guns and one was equipped with a searchlight. The vehicles were nicknamed 'Pip', 'Squeak' and 'Wilfred', after the popular cartoon characters created by Bertram Lamb for the 'Daily Mirror'. This 'gun truck', probably 'Pip', has a 2 pounder pom-pom gun mounted in the truck bed. A contemporary photograph shows sailors from HMS Sussex manning another Pom-Pom gun, mounted on a train in Palestine.

From an album of photographs associated with Ernest Edward (Ted) Senior, Dorsetshire Regiment, 1936-1945.