WW 1 Canadian MVs

[J.P. Brescacin]

Would anyone on the forum have knowledge of Canadian used softskin MVs during WW1. In particular we're trying to find out if we had Ford Model TT trucks and how they were used. Also looking for anything re: Model Ts with ambulance or other bodies. Are there any good reference books on Canadian WW1 vehicles? Thanks in advance.

J.P. Brescacin

[Bob Carriere]

... he is currently preparing a book on this topic....and from the preview it will be quite the reference manual.


Clive.......... where is you???

Bob

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

Originally posted by Bob Carriere
Clive.......... where is you???

Bob

Busy leering at the pictures of Gracie's girl's legs... y'know, the ones he won't show us...

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

I know that US-supplied Ford T ambulances arrived in France by 1915, but I have never seen any evidence of any Canadian ambulances. However I am sure that there were shipped over Canadian Fords sourced from the Windsor plant.

The McLaughlin Motor Co in Oshawa produced the 1915-on McLaughlin (-Buick) model C4 and then 1916-on D4 vans which were very similar to the US Buicks vans. A reference in The Toronto Daily Star of 8th September 1915 mentions that the McLaughlin company exhibited at the CNE various cars as well as a Red Cross ambulance similar to those at the Front dealing with ‘our injured boys’. They may have continued on into 1917 with the D4, but by then Flint were offering the dedicated model 16AA Ambulance which was based on the D4, and I know that a large number came over and were then demobbed in England. I have details of a McL-Buick ambulance that was demobbed in 1919 in England and then used by the Canadian Red Cross in London for a short time. I suspect that it was used in France previously by the CRC.

I would be very interested to know who had the contract to purchase all the ex-Canadian vehicles in Europe. The US stocks were bought by Percival Perry but were then found to be water damaged. Perry was then involved with the "White Elephant" namely the Slough Depot that the WD built in Buckinghamshire that then became the Slough Trading Estate. For instance the Four Wheel Drive company acquired and rebuilt all FWD 4x4 and their license-built copies until they started building their own around 1925 under the Hardy name.....then AEC of course.

[Mike Timoshyk]

Hope this fits.....

[Mark W. Tonner]

See the earlier thread in the Softskin Forum entitled: 'First World War softskins' located here.

Cheers

[J.P. Brescacin]

Hi Mike,

All the pictures I have show Fords with straight axles while this one has a pronounced dip in the beam. The previous pic compares well with some other pics I have which may be some of the NcLaughlins that David told us about. Thanks for the effort.

J.P. Brescacin

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

I have always thought that this was a Buick 16AA, although I may well be wrong! Note the twin rear wheels. It had room for 8 patients, and is a British Red Cross/St John Ambulance vehicle outside the Church Army in London.

[mike mckinley]

Originally posted by J.P. Brescacin
Would anyone on the forum have knowledge of Canadian used softskin MVs during WW1. In particular we're trying to find out if we had Ford Model TT trucks and how they were used. Also looking for anything re: Model Ts with ambulance or other bodies. Are there any good reference books on Canadian WW1 vehicles? Thanks in advance.

J.P. Brescacin

hi J.P.

i have in front of me a book titled 100 years of ford in canada. ford canada did supply model t ambulances, and by the thousands judging by the production figures, the t ambulance also had a nickname...jumpin beadstead, which followed the vehicle through the war. as for the model tt one ton, they make mention of it saying that it was introduced in 1917 as a chassis and cab(from the dashboard foreward) and cost $750.00, fob ford, ontario. no mention of production numbers or military service, but if they were exporting t's, then they surely were exporting tt's.

mike

[servicepub (RIP)]

Here's an RAF Ford Model T truck at Camp Borden, north of Toronto.

[John McGillivray]

While I was searching for something else, I came across this photo of a First War Ambulance. The web site states that the unit, the Brant Military Hospital Group, Canadian Army Medical Corp, never served overseas. I don’t know what type it is so maybe someone else can provide the details.



Source
http://www.usgennet.org/usa/mo/count...s/crinnion.htm

[cmperry4]

RCA Museum at CFB Shilo, MB, has an FWD ammunition truck from WW1.

[Les Freathy]

David, just taken a closer look at that photo of of the Church Army ambulance i am convinced that is outside the organization HQ at Lee Green nr Blackheath in SE London, i remember going there years ago on a research mission about the vehicles used in WW2 and being in the celler archives with a sister Willbourne now thats a story to tell the grandchildren
cheers
Les

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

Yes I think it is Les! I have scans of their Church Army canteens. I am an Anglican but have had nothing to do with the CA before. There was also the Church of Scotland who had canteens.
I assume that it's a Buick 16AA but willing to be proven wrong!

[peter simundson]

I have a herd of WW1 Cdn. Truck photos. Mostly small wallet size from one guy. But since the mystery of posting escapes me,
only temporarliy, I would have to have an E mail address to scan and send them to. These are really good photos so I know I'll hear from someone soon.

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

Send them to me and I'll post them for you.
david@transpenninepublishing.co.uk