Mobile Canteen

ted angus · #1 25-08-08, 21:19

Quote:

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) · #2 25-08-08, 22:10

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 · #3 25-08-08, 22:17

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

David_Hayward (RIP) · #4 25-08-08, 23:31

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 · #5 25-08-08, 23:38

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) · #6 25-08-08, 23:48

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

Bill Murray · #7 26-08-08, 00:07

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