The Malta AEC Matador - Second World War

[@totalutternutter]

The ability of the Matador as a recovery vehicle became legendary during the war, especially as word got around of two incidents. The first involved a Matador “tow-starting” a Sherman tank while stuck on a steep incline. The second incident occurred at Bulli Pass in Australia, where a Matador carrying a Jeep and towing a three-ton truck it had recovered came across a 6X6 truck that had broken down while it was trying to recovery a similar-sized vehicle. Realizing they were miles from anywhere, the crew of the Matador, hitched the two trucks behind their vehicle and towed the whole lot some fifty miles to Sydney.

[@nigelsailing]

Thank you for saving this amazing vehicle and for your help in preserving artefacts from Malta's proudest period in recent history. I am an Englishman but loved everything about living and working in Malta many years ago. I felt very much at home and found many of the older generation in particular more British than the British, particularly in their manners and precise speech, (while also fiercely proud of their independence.) Also the Maltese English accent is as distinctive as Australian, Canadian, New Zealand and South African and is easily my favourite.

[@nextechsolutions5955]

The camouflage on those vehicles is sheer genius. 😎

[@nuttermecharena]

My grandfather was an anti aircraft gunner during the Second World War, I am told too that a allies plane crash landed near his artillery position and caught fire, he risked his life to get the unconscious airmen out before the plane blew up, after the siege of Malta was over, if that wasn’t bad enough he then fought in Africa A real hero. He worked for the RAF in the UK till he retired.

[@redknight1322]

Your vehicles' attention to historical detail is truly astounding. It is inspiring to find a channel that examines the significance of support vehicles during WWII, especially obscure vehicles like the Matador, which might otherwise be lost to time. Please keep up your restoration efforts, as they benefit and enrich our history and education on one of the most cathartic events of the mid-20th Century.

[@vote4carp]

What an awesome truck and tribute to Godwin. Congrats on your long, fruitful adventure!

[@peacefulpleb]

Fantastic to see your restoration. I had three happy years as a child living with my family at Pembroke Garrison. I revisited the island with my wife many years later. I loved Malta.

[@dovetonsturdee7033]

My dad's Regiment, 69th Medium, used AEC Matadors to tow their 4.5 inch guns from Second Alamein onwards.

[@antiochman8222]

My brother has the cartridge case from one of the anti-aircraft shells fired in the defence of Malta. He saw it in a house when he was a boy - not knowing the provenance of course - and years later the owner was downsizing and gave it to him with a note explaining where it came from.

[@jeremyliddiard3715]

Great video and great work restoring and saving this Matador!

[@andrewmacdonald4833]

Love the Matador...a great British truck and all rounder.

[@FlorentinoRebuildingCo.5644]

Excellent video. Excellent. I will be recommending and subscribing to your channel. And big shout out to Battlefront Malta Volunteers !!!!!

[@davidbarnsley8486]

Thank you for a bit of a history lesson about Malta and the truck They are a great truck 👍👍🇦🇺

[@praetorxian]

A beautiful piece. A beautiful restoration. A beautiful tribute to your friend and mentor. Well done! _ from Canada

[@RobertGott-c3f]

Excellent video 😊 Thanks for saving and showing us the truck😊😊 Thank you😮😮

[@andysvehiclehistorychannel]

Magnificent to see the supply line getting attention.

[@craigjones2878]

Great job mate, love the Matador.

[@mickgillen9809]

Lovely to see you have named it for Sgt. Godwin! Prosit!

[@NickRatnieks]

Your wonderful Matador is a bit of a globetrotter although it seems getting the vehicle to Malta was a huge effort but well done in achieving this epic!

[@andremaertens5964]

Years ago i used to drive a thornycroft 4 x 4 , in earthmoving , it kept going

[@JohnR1298]

What an amazing and fortuitous story how you got possession of this amazing beast! (I too have a friend and mentor named 'Godwin') Well done, congratulations and thank you 😊😊

[@meirionevans5137]

Very nice work, thank you.

[@flick22601]

Thanks for posting this. If you do a follow-up could you show the engine, powertrain and suspension.

[@MrOldmanjenkin1]

this guy has such a nice accent also that camo is really nice

[@davidlyon1899]

Thanks Godwin.

[@captaincool3329]

This restoration is amazing! Did all Matadors have a pale green cab interior or just vehicles in Malta camouflage? I'm a modeller but I'm not too well-versed on paint schemes as I'd like to be.

[@pcka12]

I think that all British equipment was finished in the standard 'kahki drab' then camouflage colours were applied according to the 'theatre' the equipment would operate in.

[@Goncalves50]

Any research done on history of the Vickers Light Tanks used in Malta, particularly MK Vic

[@ianwallett7438]

Lord Muck (KZbin) channel. He often has a guy on his channel that rebuilds Matadors, he might be able to help with parts.

[@SepticWhelk]

That is what a MAN'S wagon looks like , not a tosslar cyber can . Well done that man , respect from WALES .

[@w.w.2restorations.vehicles698]

Very nice video. Hello from Washington state, U.S.A. I would think that those screens would also be used to prevent hand grenades from being thrown into the bed while the truck was rolling. What do You think?

[@alangordon3283]

No.

[@navelriver]

Would be nice to see the engine!

[@philhawley1219]

AEC 7.7 litre 6 cylinder diesel, exactly the same engine as used in the London buses.

[@navelriver]

@@philhawley1219 Thanks!

[@AndreiTupolev]

That camouflage is remarkably effective. It looks like a moving wall even up close 🥸

[@zen4men]

============================ Malta - The George Cross Island! ============================

[@davec5153]

Maybe the stone camo was used at the start of the war and changed to the rubble pattern later in the war, after the bombings.

[@Mirko_C.]

0:28 " its pulling vehicle not a truck" one minute later 1:30 "we also have seen a kind of universal use of the TRUCK" So is it truck or not

[@philhawley1219]

It's a lorry in English. One of the best ever. Pull, carry and go anywhere. My dad used them in the army 70 years ago and the Matador was his favourite. It pulled a 3.7" anti aircraft gun and carried the gunners, ammunition, tents, food and water and everything else. A second Matador followed carrying more supplies and men and it also towed a large trailer mounted radar. Other types were built such as fuel tankers, mobile workshops and even some six wheeled variants. After military service they were sold off, most ended up as forestry winch tractors or breakdown recovery vehicles. Out of about 10,000 built only a few hundred remain. This Maltese example is a credit to the owner, I wish it was mine!