Welfare Vehicles
 

Well, I will start what could be a huge thread.

We need pictures and info on any welfare vehicles. This includes but not restricted to:

YMCA
Salvation Army
American Red Cross
NAAFI
Army/Navy/Welfare Organisations

A few more Red Cross

And another lot

And the next group

Another bunch here

Last lot here

a literary equivalence
 

Prof Paul Fussell's book, "Wartime: Understanding and Behavior in the Second World War" https://books.google.ca/books/about/...page&q&f=false has a chapter on books and reading. He has a photo of men on parade being inspected by some dignitary. The caption notes that every man's leg pocket is suspiciously shaped like a softcover pocket book. He also uses the analogy of replacement troops arriving in line units only to be killed quickly. He likens them to unread books.

A few More NAAFI

And a few more American Red CRoss

A few more ARC

Food Flying Squad
 

Some more here:

http://hmvf.co.uk/topic/14010-guy-vi...ns-messengers/

Note the Guy Ant Water Trucks.;)

Owen.

Lang,

Thank you for kicking off this thread. The focus of my research has been on the vehicles used by the British Council of Volunteer War Work (CVWW) an organizing body of philanthropic organizations consisting of the YMCA, the YWCA, Catholic Women’s League, the Church Army, Toc H, The Church of Scotland and The Salvation Army. I've been specifically seeking photographs and information on the mobiles that served with the troops with the MEF, in Italy and the BEF (pre-Dunkirk & post Normandy). Along the way I have come across and continue to catalog and file information on equipment used for supporting civil populations (responding to The Blitz and displaced persons), supporting military bases in Great Britain and of course the work of other commonwealth members.

Just as allied forces had to learn a different war in 1939-1940 from the static warfare of WW1 so did the welfare units. With that in back of mind one can chart the trajectory of change to equipment used. Early in the war the Australian Salvos were literally buying wood bodied station wagons in Cairo and pressing them into service. By the end they were equipped with custom built Ford panel trucks on Marmon Harrington 4wd chassis! It appears a similar path occurred in England as well, beginning with ambulance and delivery trucks, the last pictures I have turned up appear to have Bedford OYC trucks.

There are a few tell tales I've employed to help identify place and time in photographs. First, specifically in my field of study, the Salvation Army shield. Typically US and Canadian TSA have a 4 pointed shield, but England will use a 6 pointed one with the top points on each side distinctly squared off. Vehicles operating in NWE after D-Day typically will display an "Allied Star". This has helped me to pick out welfare trucks operating in France, Holland, Belgium or Germany as opposed to a gun emplacement or air field in England. Finally the CVWW wore a uniform that bears a resemblance to British battle dress or to WLA uniforms. Salvationists working within England are typically seen in Salvation Army uniforms, those working in The Middle East, India or in NWE (I haven't seen any photos from Italy yet) have usually been in military type uniforms. There are of course exceptions all over to the above tells. But those have helped me.

I'll post some photos soon.

Matt

Here's an example of the "Allied Star" on a mobile canteen serving quite clearly on the continent. Specifically this is credited as being in Maromme/Rouen.

Matt

Owen,

That thread and the ones linked from it are why I joined this forum. No one else online has that information!

Matt

What a great find. Full colour, many vehicles/
www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNyaX00T-X0

A few more of the many

Another group

Lang,

Your picture "Welfare34" of The Salvation Army canteen in camouflage with several Salvation Army officers in uniform around it; Was taken in London. Specifically that's the William Booth College in Denmark Hill. It was the temporary home of the War Emergencies Department after TSA International Headquarters suffered from a bombing raid.

Of interest to me is that it appears very similar to a series of photos by TSA Major Wesley Grottick who commanded the canteen fleet in England in 1940/41. But it is not one of the photos in his album at the TSA Heritage Centre. Do you have the source information or any caption? I may reach out to you for the highest resolution scan you have.

Matt

Ranks of Salvation Army volunteers? Answer Supervisor
 

Sorry Mathew

What you see is what you get. I just plucked all these at random off the web and they do not have a connection to anything stored on my computer in higher resolution.

When looking for images on Google search I often just click on the thumbnail if it is what I want without going to the actual site source.

If I find a source for that photo I will let you know.

Lang

Terry thanks for that thread. I believe Supervisor was at least unofficially used by the British and Australians as well. I do know the Aussies referred to the role as a "Welfare Officer" but that may be position rather then rank/title.

Of note is the Supervisor being listed as an officer on D-day. When I'm home and have access to my book on the topic, I'll see what TSA has on Robin Turpett.


Matt

I may be wrong but I have never heard any Welfare Officer called other than that as a third party reference but more commonly Fred Smith. It could be qualified by "the YMCA/Salvation Army/Red Cross Welfare Officer" You would use the terms in a situation like this: "Take this box over to the Welfare Officer" or more likely " the YMCA bloke" and on arrival, Private Jones would say "Fred I have this box for you".

The Salvos were rarely sometimes referred to in formal written instructions by their Salvation Army rank but once again I never heard them addressed during personal contact by soldiers of any rank other than Fred Smith.

I think any welfare officer referring to himself as "Supervisor" or in the Salvos case "Major" would be pretty short of customers in the Australian Army. The social pygmies and there are a few in the mix usually struggle through because they have something the soldiers want but they are either the butt of jokes or lead lonely lives on the edge of the group.

Most military-attached Welfare people are popular because of their high social skills and personalities. I think they are special people in general who can maintain their personal high moral and social standards without preaching or judging the soldiers, many of whom have not attended Finishing School and have morals not encouraged by good Christian folk.


Lang

Found a few more

Some more here (and possibly elsewhere on this forum):

http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/showthread.php?t=3247
http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/showthread.php?t=4746

...and their uniforms
 

YMCA Auxiliary Service battledress marked to the 3rd Division.

My father-in-law was in the Regina Rifles and had nothing good to say about the YMCA. He says the real comfort and effort came from the Salvation Army. His experience anyway.

Alan

Those excellent threads were from 13 years ago, probably won't hurt the new boys who have only been on the forum for 10 years to get another dose. Thanks

Lang

Terry,

Robin Turpett was a Salvationist layperson who was attached to the Canadian forces on 12.7.42, went overseas (England) on 25.6.43 and returned 16.1.46. The following month he was discharged. I don't know exactly when he arrived in France. It would appear from the information I have that the Supervisors were shipboard for D-day and landed with the rear echelon/support troops a few days later. The first on the continent was actually attached to the RCAF and landed 9 June. The first movie was shown for the troops on 11 June!

The above information is from the book "Red Shield in Action: A record of Canadian Salvation Army War Services in the Second Great War." by Scott Young and published 1949.

Matt

Just returned from the Toronto area. While there I went to Scarborough where The Salvation Army Canada & Bermuda Territory archives are housed. I now have about 90 high resolution scans of mobile canteens and welfare vehicles of The Salvation Army Canadian War Services and British Red Shield Services during WW2. Many photos I've seen before and I now have high quality scans WITH CAPTIONS. Such as the interesting RHD Ford Panel with the bridge plate and black out lights? I now have where, when and who was driving! I also turned up a couple of photos of what I believe is a Bedford OXC in Salvation Army livery. If so that will make three photographs I've uncovered. Once I start processing the photographs I'll be posting on here and asking for help in positive ID.

Matt

This is a rare one.

It is indeed - ref. US Army Air Force CMP Fords in Tunisia: