M38CDN Ambulance

[donjunior]

Thank you for the comments, a pressure washer will be the first step in the restoration. I agree, it should take off a lot of the flaking paint, perhaps even revealing some additional markings. A friend forwarded me a copy of the Manual of Vehicle and Aircraft Painting and Markings and the red over blue suggests RHQ. I thought ambulance until one of you learned individuals pointed out that it wouldn't have a tailgate and rear seat. It also does not appear to have ever had any radio kit installed (the C42 mount sitting on the rear seat in one of the pictures is a false flag). Both of the rear fender wells are pristine, not only do they not have any additional holes, they bear no dents or signs of wear. It's possible that it was refitted at some point, however, the tailgate and rear seat look to be original to the vehicle (the various layers of paint match). Maybe RHQ makes sense and would explain the overall excellent condition of the sheet metal?

[Ed Storey]

There appears to be some confusion over artillery vehicle markings. The red over blue marking found on the M38CDN windshield is the arm of service sign and it signifies an artillery unit. The white number in the middle of this sign would have been assigned to the specific artillery unit based on the brigade or division order of battle and the number did not usually relate specifically to the unit it represented, so 15 would not necessarily have been assigned to 15th Fd RCA in Vancouver.

The red over blue RHQ marking you have talked about is the tactical sign and was part of a system employed by artillery units to identify the various vehicles and guns within an artillery unit. These smaller tactical signs would have been painted on the sides of vehicles, such as the doors.

If your intent is to replicate a 15 RCA vehicle and its markings from the 1960s era, then your best bet is to research a photograph of a vehicle from that particular unit and replicate it rather than trying to fabricate ficticious markings.

[rob love]

There are 2 or 3 of the main ambulance stretcher platforms at our local scrapyard in mb if you decided to install the kit.

[David Dunlop]

Hi Don.

It is unfortunate we have not yet discovered documentation stating when the 1952 M38CDN series of jeeps were converted to ambulance pattern, and how long that lasted before they were all restored to standard configuration.

My gut tells me it was probably a short lived experiment, but then I drink a lot of wine on weekends.

Assuming the ambulance idea ran its course early in the M38CDN service life, and they were all restored to standard, it makes sense all subsequent paint jobs applied to the vehicle would easily blend in a replaced rear seat and tailgate to the point they looked as it they had always been there.

You should check to see of the CFR Number for the jeep was ever stamped onto the drivers side front frame, just aft of the bumper assembly and see if it matches what appears painted on the sides. Post what you find and also the serial number from the data plates if they have survived on the dash. Somebody here might know something.

Also look for changes in the font style of the CFR Number on the sides. Original and first few years of service had Roman style font with lots of curves. Then a slightly smaller Gothic font was adopted with all straight edged numbers, and that ran right up until disposal of the fleet. Also check the flat sides of the hood closely for signs of the CFR Number having been applied there. It was not always on the sides.


David

[Ed Storey]

The M38CDN Ambulance was in service until at least 1970, as one is in this photograph of Canadian vehicles being loaded onto HMCS Bonaventure.

BV70-50 copy.jpg

[David Dunlop]

Wow! Good to know, Ed.

Any idea when they were introduced?

That looks a bit like the old Mobile Command decal on the lower right side of the windscreen.


David

[Ed Storey]

Photographs show the M38CDN Ambulance in use from the mid-1950s. Yes, that is a Mobile Command formation sign on the Jeep, although in this case the Canadian units involved had been on a ACE Mobile Force exercise in Europe.