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1936 Leyland Badger Truck

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ProvenanceThis truck and its most well-known driver, Tom Kruse, were made famous in 1954 when they featured in a scripted documentary, The Back of Beyond, filmed by John Heyer and the Shell Film Unit. This film won Australia's first International Grand Prix Assoluto at the Venice Biennale (1954).

The truck was first imported by local Outback transport operator and mail contractor Harry Ding. In 1936 Ding, his main base in Yunta, secured the Marree-to-Birdsville mail contract, a 1000 kilometre round trip to tiny towns and enormous cattle stations. One of his workers, the 21 year old Tom Kruse, began the first delivery run under Ding's contract on 1 January 1936. The track was a treacherous place, with steep sandhills, dust storms and rocky tracks to negotiate. After rain the track would often become boggy, causing more problems for drivers. Bush mechanic skills were used to repair damaged or broken truck parts - making do with bits of wire and metal to ensure the mail, fuel, supplies and occasional passenger, got through.

In August 1936 a family tragedy recalled Kruse to Yunta where he helped Ding operate a new venture - long distance livestock haulage. In 1942 he returned to Marree with his young wife Valma to manage and complete the fortnightly Birdsville mail runs. Every second Thursday Kruse would load the Badger with supplies delivered by the Marree Mixed, a twice-weekly train from Quorn. The mail would arrive before dawn on Fridays aboard the Ghan train and was sorted by the postmaster by 11am ready for the bi-weekly trip.

In 1948 Kruse bought the mail contract from Ding and the Leyland Badger came as part of the business. Though there were a number of trucks used on the run the Badger was Kruse's favourite and he considered it the best truck available at the time for the difficult journey. Within six months of buying the contract, Cooper Creek flooded. For six months of the year supplies were ferried across the five kilometre stretch of water by punt to a truck waiting on the other side. This added many days to each trip and was back breaking work. This cycle continued for three consecutive years and nearly sent Kruse broke. To ensure their supplies continued to arrive, the Morton family from Pandie Pandie station helped Kruse establish an earth-moving and tank sinking business in the pastoral north. Kruse retained the mail contract until 1963, employing other drivers to complete the regular trips.

Kruse returned to the track to take part in the filming of The Back of Beyond in the early 1950s. The film followed Kruse and his off-sider William 'Henry' Butler on a trip along the Birdsville Track, and featured a series of vignettes depicting the lives and hardships faced by those living in remote areas of Australia. The film became an enormous success both in Australia and internationally, and Kruse and the Badger became national heroes. In the 1955 New Year’s Honours Kruse was awarded a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to the community in the Outback. He unfortunately missed the investiture, stranded by the floodwaters of Cooper Creek. He received the honour the following year from the Governor-General.

In 1958 the long service of the Badger came to an end, abandoned on Pandie Pandie Station, where it remained until a Mail Run Re-enactment Group returned in 1986 to recover Kruse's most recognisable truck. In 1999 the truck was restored by Kruse and a dedicated group of volunteers and in October the same year Tom and his trusty Badger departed Birdsville for an historic re-enactment of the mail run. 7000 letters were delivered, all marked with a commemorative postmark. A documentary, Last Mail from Birdsville: the story of Tom Kruse, chronicled this journey. The event finished at the National Motor Museum, where the truck has since resided. In 2008 Tom and Valma Kruse donated the truck to the people of South Australia, officially making it part of the Museum's collection. The truck and Kruse's story now feature on site in a permanent exhibition, SUNBURNT COUNTRY: ICONS OF AUSTRALIAN MOTORING.

Donated by Tom and Valma Kruse.SignificanceThe Leyland Badger has a significant social history as one of the most well-known trucks used along the infamous Birdsville Track between 1936 and 1958. First purchased by Harry Ding, and later owned by Tom Kruse, the story of the truck and the people who drove it depicts the difficulties and hardships faced by those living in remote areas of Australia in the early-to-mid twentieth century. Today both Tom Kruse and the Leyland Badger are recognised as national heroes.DescriptionEnglish made 1936 Leyland Badger truck chassis with locally built custom body. Transmission, rear axles and tail shaft were salvaged from a crashed Thornycroft truck and installed on the Leyland in 1939. There were numerous road-side repairs and adjustments made to this vehicle from found items such as bullet cases. The entire vehicle was restored and many parts replaced in 1999.Creator (person) Creator (organisation) Acknowledgement Date of CreationDate of UsageAccession NumberHT 2010.0301On DisplayNational Motor Museum

Vehicle Information

YearEngine No3764Chassis NoUnknownColourGreenModelBadgerMakeLeyland

Connections

PeopleTom KrusePlaceBirdwood, South AustraliaCollectionMotoringMotoring

Image Credits

Image FilenameHT2010-0301_CI47492.jpgCopyrightHistory Trust of South AustraliaLicenseCC-0PhotographerEpsom Rd Studios

Image Credits

Image FilenameHT2010-0300_CI7843.jpgCopyrightHistory Trust of South AustraliaLicenseCC-0PhotographerEpsom Rd Studios

Image Credits

Image FilenameHT2010-0300_CI7842.jpgCopyrightHistory Trust of South AustraliaLicenseCC-0PhotographerEpsom Rd Studios

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