The Blitz wagons of Warrah creek.

Luke, Enid, Audrey, and Arthur, in the city. 1945.

This great story about Luke Barwick's Blitz wagon, plus Arthur Barwick's other Blitz, was sent to me by Julie Jones, Luke's daughter.

 Luke and Enid Barwick, with children Rhodney and Julie, lived on the property now owned by Neville and Margaret Watts. It's now called "Lumeah Park", but when owned by the Barwick's it was called "Trillowee".

Arthur and Audrey Barwick lived next door. Their daughter was Joy, now Joy Maunder, of Quirindi.

Luke Barwick bought an ex-army Chevrolet blitz wagon in October 1948. This proved to be a very useful vehicle in Luke’s hilly country where he had much fencing and timber work to do.

It was a great old truck and was used for many and various jobs. It moved logs for milling and then the sawn timber to where it was to be used. Luke made changes to the blitz depending on what it was needed for. There were times when he removed the tray, built up the truck bed with square milled timber, added a jinker and used it to cart extra long tree trunks. He also changed it from a single wheel to dual wheel back drive.

It was used to cart wool, wheat, hay for cocking and then in bails and for general work around the farm. The blitz was used as a people mover when a picnic in the Cedar Brush was organised.  Everyone would climb on the back and be bumped around during the trip up the mountain. 

Luke used the blitz as transport between "Trillowee" Warrah Ck, and "Daffodil" Sparkes Creek, his property on the other side of the range.

Luke Barwick, Tom Green, Bernie Howard, moving Kelahers hut.

Kelahers Hut was towed on a trailer behind the blitz to Ashcroft at the head of Warrah Creek. Steel beams from Mt Helen were carted for people around the district so they could use the steel for building sheds etc. Luke’s blitz was even involved in assisting Gwyn Whitley over a flooded creek on her way to hospital to give birth.

From the earliest photo,and the very large photo collection available, Luke did never have the door on the drivers side. This made for easy access to the cab as the doors were rather difficult to open and close.

Arthur and Luke Barwick carting wool to Willow Tree. 1950.

In December, 1949, Ern Brecht and Arthur Barwick, went to Sydney to bring hame a three ton Ford V8 Blitz wagon. The Ford Blitz looks a little different to the chevrolet Blitz. It has a distictively different front.

The following information is from The "Life of Arthur Barwick", as recorded by him.

"We used this vehicle for quite a number of years, carting timber from Ashcroft, carrying wool to the rail at Willow Tree and general farm work.  Being four-wheel drive, it took a lot of stopping in mud and on steep hills.  In those days, a four-wheel drive vehicle was not common".

"On 18^th  June 1955 I became involved in the moving of Jim and Beryl Meredith’s house from Beaumont to where it is now.  It being a wet time, the transporter carrying the house became bogged on leaving the Warrah Creek Road.  This was before tractors had become so big and powerful, so Luke and I took down our blitz wagons.  We hooked these in tandem onto one towing hook on the “White” lorry, and Foster Carter and Bill Meredith hitched their tractors onto the other hook.  At a given signal, with all engines roaring, the five clutches engaged and the house was moved to its planned site".