I haven't read the book so maybe I'm missing a point, but where did `Devlin' come by these? He was parachuted into Ireland incognito and found his way to mainland Britain alone. Yet lo-and-behold he seems to have acquired a 7.5-tonner and a jeep. And also the fuel to run them.
shareThere was a thriving Black Market in stolen/reclaimed fuel at inflated prices during the war, so it's a small leap to believe with the right contacts and ready cash you could get hold of stolen army vehicles.
HTH
"Well I... Well I thought she was a sandwich, 'til she went spare on me finger."
Yeah, sure. I heard that the army fought a constant rearguard action against battle-tanks disappearing out the rear gates of their depots. You just turned your back for a second and they were gone. In fact there was an attempt to steal the Ark Royal piecemeal, but the war ended before anyone noticed.
shareYou are correct that the book is the key.
There is an entire sub plot in the book that is cut out of the film, in which Devlin deals with the local black market to acquire the truck and jeep.
"Cleverly disguised as a functioning adult"
When the vehicles arrive, they are driven by men who speak Gaelic to Devlin. Devlin belonged to the IRA, and I always assumed these men were IRA operatives, contacts that Devlin had in England.
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