The Land-Rover modelled was built on October 18th, 1951, finished in green, and despatched to ‘The War Department’ one week later. It was one of 1900 ordered for the Army priced at £560 each, and referred to in Army paperwork as, ‘Truck 1/4 ton 4x4 General Service Land-Rover MkII’. The current owner, West Midlands-based Sue Cummings, has traced its history and, almost by chance, found a picture of it on the internet being used as an RMP Escort Vehicle in Berlin, in 1956.
It had by then been painted black, as most escort vehicles were, and fitted with whitewall tyres and other accessories, including a combined siren/lamp unit on the nearside front wing. While based in Berlin it was part of 247 Provost Company, Royal Military Police, and used for escorting VIPs, an important role in the divided Cold War Germany.