13 Cab Chev Ambulance Question?

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

My father advises that in post-war Palestine the drivers were indeed RASC personnel initially, and the RAMC men rode 'shotgun'. However, so many accidents were caused by RASC personnnel who had been from all manner of trades. that invites went out to ther RAMC for drivers. It turned out that many had been long-distance drivers in civvy street.

Now, ambulances he said did not have arms because of the Geneva Convention BUT the Jewish gangs did not recognise the Convention and deliberately shot at ambulances. Thus all guys on the ambulances had side arms as a consequence. They probably had rifles as well.

This might be relevant to wartime CMP ambulances in the Palestine/Transjordan region and may have applied to Sinai as well. I hope that this is of some interest!

[Ken Hughes]

Thanks you guys so far for the info,very interesting.

[Noel Burgess]

My understanding is that, during the second world war, all ranks of RAMC (and Army Dental Corps) did not carry weapons BUT Ambulances were driven by men of the RASC who would carry persmal weapons.
Similarly Stretcher Bearers were members of the parent unit (not RAMC men) and carried personal weapons for self defence.

Noel