Here's an interesting snippet. I wondered why I could find no record anywhere of the Australian Army's 400-vehicle purchase of the Austin "Truck, 1/4 ton, 4x4, CT" in the early 1950's. Every other major vehicle purchase by the AMF brought a fanfare in the Press.
I have been reliably informed, but I can't verify this without more cross-checking - that the 400 military Austins purchased by the Australian Army, were originally ordered by India - who cancelled the British order, just prior to delivery.
The British exerted pressure on the Australian politicians to take the cancelled Indian order - which they did. This was very obviously an unplanned and somewhat underhanded deal, that was no doubt thrust through by some top brass, without any notification to the Press - and probably also by doing some "creative accounting" in Defence Dept expenditure.
I could well imagine the British placing a great deal of pressure on the Aussie politicians, calling in "favours" and probably threatening to reduce Australian imports to Britain, if the deal wasn't taken up.
As a result, the pollies probably wanted the whole exercise quietly buried "in the books" - so that no repercussions would ensue, from a completely unplanned and decidedly dodgy Defence Dept purchase, that had not gone through the "normal channels" - of setting specifications, calling tenders, doing extensive independent testing, and comparing the products on offer.
If this normal procedure had been adhered to, the Austin "Truck, 1/4 ton, 4x4, CT", would never had been approved for purchase.