Army motorisation was not well anticipated and the lack of military utility vehicles was cruelly felt in the run-up to the Second World War . In particular, versatile trucks were required for all-purpose transport (TTN), adaptable to whatever they were transporting: horses, equipment, men etc.
Renault AGK 1 truck with tarpaulin for the air force photographed on 10 October 1939
Renault offered the AGK 1 with a payload of 5000 kg, which could be general purpose with tarpaulin, all-purpose (TTN) or panelled, offering a forward control cab. Initially unsure of this concept, chiefs of staff ended by being convinced of its worth: smaller turning radius, more comfortable to drive, reduced overall length, larger platform. Orders increased progressively: 260 vehicles for the land army and 180 for the air force in 1939. By the end of April 1940, 600 vehicles had been released.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION…
Book : Tous les Renault militaires 1914-1940, collection Vauvillier, histoire et collections (All the Renault military vehicles 1914-1940), 2018.
Video : (11e mn04) "Vehicle handover to a Train unit", Journal de guerre N°23, Semaine du 10 mars 1940 (War journal no. 23, Week commencing 10 March 1940). ECPAD : http://archives.ecpad.fr/journal-de-guerre-23-semaine-du-10-mars-1940/