Mobile Canteen

[Les Freathy]

Pictures a bit murky but heres a 12cwt Bedford canteen of the Church army

[Les Freathy]

Finally another guess on this coverted saloon operating in Whitechapel London

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

A Bristol rego, around November 1928 I gather.

[Les Freathy]

Are we running out of steam on some of the threads guys this one was last used in July last year so heres a revival. first photo of a i think 37 or 38 Ford car coverted to a canteen, the old tin chapel stood little chance from the bomb blast

the second shows another of the Ford 83w emergency canteens doing the job it was built for
cheers
Les

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

I fully intend todo the pictorial piece on the Church Army ones in VINTAGE ROADSCEMNE as the CA sent me several photos to use. Incidentally, don't forget that I am running the CMP story or a very abridged version in the magazine!

[ted angus]

Originally Posted by Les Freathy

evevning all
A Chevrolet mobile canteen in the UK, open to sugestions as to who operated it
Les

Hi Les just found this thread : this vehicle was operated on behalf of the NFS in London by the FANY . The number stencilled to the rear of the back wheel is its NFS fleet serial. Its Reg Number was GGC746, I am led to believe its based on a Studebaker. It took part in the 1946 Victory parade alongside the NAAFI Fordson 7V.
TED

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

GGC 746 would appear to be a 1940-on London County Council one. I would quite happily affirm that the canteen appears to me to be a 1940 Chevrolet WA. I can't tell if it's lhd or rhd. I have numerous chassis numbers off 1940 WAs used by the Red Cross, St John Ambulance, hospitals et al. They were all Tarrytown-built, mostly June build with some July build, and may have been diverted cargos from ex-French or Belgian orders, and all were chassis with flat-face cowl as the intended assembly plant was supposed to produce a cab. I know that Duples did a hard cab similar to the US one, but they could have produced a utility cab as well: see WHEELS & TRACKS for a photo of an ATS/FANY '40 WA ambulance.

[ted angus]

David many thanks I will amend my notes to reflect Chev WA. It certainly looks lhd ??
regards TED

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

We know that the ATS trucks were lhd, and they had a similar utility cab. There are one or two shots of these trucks on the IWM website as well.

[Bill Murray]

Les:

Your canteen vehicle next to the crashed church is a 1935 Ford, last one with wire wheels. It appears to be a standard panel van with the roof and rear doors removed and the canteen "top" was added on.

Bill

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

Apparently a 1935 Model 50? Does that make sense in the Dagenham line-up?

[Bill Murray]

David:

Not really sure, I have never found a good book/reference source on the history of Ford Dagenham.

The photo is "in the right direction" as you can read the YMCA logo and it certainly is RHD. As I have no evidence to help me out, it could have been manufactured/assembled in Dagenham or imported from Canada. I just don't know.

All I do know is it is a 1935 model.

Bill

[Les Freathy]

Another Ford canteen based on i think the 20cwt chassis and the forerunner of the 7V, again a YMCA canteen, cant make out the gift badge on the side but it starts with word allied and USA is quite plain to see
cheers
Les

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

..it's an E83W myself. Well I did initially. I am no expert and checked my ID chart. They did a chassis-only, van, mobile canteen. However I believe it's actually an E88W 25/30-cwt. The lighter brother of the 7V.

[servicepub (RIP)]

More mobile canteens. I wil add whatever caption material was found with the photos;

Caption - One of three mobile tea cars handed over to the Canadians at Aldershot. 19 Jan 1940.


Caption - Mobile Canteen handed over to Pembroke, Wales. A gift of the Toronto Evening Telegram readers. 10 June 1943.


Caption - Mrs Massey (wife of Canadian High Commissioner) and Maj-Gen Montague (GOC CMHQ) at hand-over of Mobile Canteen, a gift of the Women's Wartime Assoc, Campbellton, NB. 4 May 1944, London.

[Les Freathy]

that top photo of the Morris Commercial is unusual Clive i have not seen many pics of this type, it would appear to have been converted from a 30cwt or 2 ton standard delivery van
cheers
Les

hows the book on canadian vehicles progressing

[Dawn]

Wow - great thread, lads! I'm currently converting a broken E83W van into a mobile canteen to make a working Ford Emergency Food Van. I have good photo references for the exterior of the van and the interior of the cab, but nothing much for the inside.

Thanks for sharing so many wonderful photos - I've joined the forum so I can say 'thank you' to you all!