Gil Wortsmann in the US has kindly followed up with a better shot of himself as a young serviceman in front of that mystery truck. "Brian, my e-mail on the DUKW of Mon. Aug.24 left something to be desired in the top photo. Your reference seemed to imply befuddlement, because your question about the vehicle was 'er','er?' Well here's the complete photo and the answer to your prayers...but is it? I have NO idea of the make of this tractor. Do not know now... did not know then! Incidentally, our WILLYS jeeps were made by Willys and Ford. Parts were supposed to be interchangeable. The word is SUPPOSED. Not so all the time. Yours Gil. Note: Now you know what old retired men do. They annoy other retired persons!" Not of bit of it Gil and I'm delighted to have a full shot of the mystery truck. So come on BLB anorak army (military division)...what is it? Mack? Autocar? Oshkosh? Pacific? Someone PLEASE put me (and possibly Gil) out of our misery! And if you DO know what it is perhaps you could send me some more shots of it...?
I've just noticed that Dave Powell posted a comment first time around in which he says he thinks it's a GMC! Sorry Dave!
STOP PRESS THURSDAY:
Gi has e-mailed me to say:Brian, you and the boys may have jogged my memory. We never used "proper names" for equipment: M-1 for a rifle, DUKW (duck) for the amphibious craft, deuce and a half for the trucks,scout car for a different type of small vehicle, etc.
I remember the farm boys 'camping' with me calling these tall tractors 'cornbinders' because International Harvester manufactured them. Working backwards, these must have been INTERNATIONALS. I-H, as that name, no longer exists.I will submit the photo to the 'proper authority,' and see what they have to say (that is if they say anything.) Now,wasn't that fun? I guess it keeps this 83 year old from getting old. And so it will for you. Gil.
After looking into this in more depth, it definitely is not a GMC (these had a longer bonnet). I think that it is either an Autocar U7144 series or a Federal 94X43 series, with the Autocar being more likely, but these were the certainly the basis of M. Loheac's tractor units.
It is an International M 426 (IHC H-542-11) IHC stands for International Harvester Company. They were also produced bu Kenworth and Marmon herrington (source Barts bible page 72)
It was the common tractor for 5 ton semi trailers.
International Harvester M426