Lightweight memories

I READ with interest your article on the Lightweight and recall seeing them being built at Solihull when I worked there. They were known as the Half Tonne and were built in batches, all with the same FS ignition key, so any key would fit another vehicle. I found out by chance that the same number FS key was used on many of the forklift trucks on site. (I won't disclose that number in case any owners still have the original ignition switch fitted).

In answer to the remark about the Series IIA being too heavy for the Royal Marines helicopters, see my photos that I took in Malaya when I was a young Royal Marine in 1966. Also my photo of the same Land Rovers on the deck of HMS Bulwark en-route to Hong Kong.

Tom Mccauley Thanks for sharing your recollections and evocative images. It would appear that car theft wasn’t taken so seriously back then – Ed.