13 Cab Chev Ambulance Question?

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by derk derin

I am glad this question came up as I was wondering the same thing.I am currently starting the restoration of my Ford 3 ton cab 13 ambulance and would like to know if the rifles would be proper.One thing to consider is that medical personel did not drive the trucks but service corps personel which would have been armed and although there were no arms in the back of the ambulance where the medics were,the service corps may have had the rifles in the cab with them for their protection.Any thoughts on this?
Regards,Derk.

Derk,

I think I am correct in saying, that if a vehicle is bearing Red Cross markings, then according to the Geneva Convention, no arms should be carried on it. Open to correction here though.

[Mike K]

Originally Posted by Richard Farrant

Derk,

I think I am correct in saying, that if a vehicle is bearing Red Cross markings, then according to the Geneva Convention, no arms should be carried on it. Open to correction here though.

Reminds of the sinking of the hospital ship CENTAUR off the Queensland coast with many lives lost. She was clearly marked with a red cross .

[Little Jo]

Mike

The sinking of the CENTAUR of the Queensland coast by the Japanese should never have happened as she was painted White with Large Red Crosses painted on her and she had all her lights on. Made no difference to the Japanese sub commander as Japan was not, as I recal, a signatory of the Geneva Convention. Shame Shame Shame.

Tony

[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