Congratulations to Robin Craig on repatriating these two ex-Canadian Ferrets! I had seen them on eBay and was trying to get information from the owner on their identity and fate.
Robin Craig wrote: "they are 337.8.4.4 and 447.8.8.4 They were built in 1951 under contract 6/FV/4267 and interestingly were assigned British military registration numbers 36 BA 11 and 37 BA 21 which I presume is some kind of foreign military sales scheme before being transfered to Canada."
My response:
The contract may have been let in 1951 but they were both built in 1954 not 1951. The hull numbers confirm this.
The Hull numbers are both wrong so you will want to confirm them when you receive the Ferrets. They are probably 337.B.4.4 and 447.B.8.4. They translate as 337th hull; B (not 8) for Build date; 4th month; 1954 and the second as 447th hull; B (not 8) for Build date; 8th month, 1954.
1. Hull # 337 (assuming that part of number is correct) would be 36 BA 11 which was CAR/CFR 54-82569 This Ferret served in Cyprus with UNFICYP. This photo is an RCD photo and is identified as 54-82569 by Darrell Zinck.
The CAR is stencilled in white numbers about 1" high above the driver's head. If you can find the original photo you kight be able to confirm the CAR number. It would also have been on both sides (behind the spare wheel on port side) and possibly on the rear. The unit sign has a black (presumably) 5 (though it looks like a 3) on the armoured corps flash of red and yellow. Note the D Squadron tactical sign on the side. The UNITED NATIONS decal (split for application here) appears to be white on UN blue, though early UN decals used in UNFICYP on Ferrets were yellow reflective letters on UN blue (as found on Grant McAvoy's ex-UNFICYP Ferret in BC).
Ferrets in Cyprus and Egypt had special racks on the rear for a pair of Jerricans. Ferrets in Canada tended to have two regular Jerrican brackets bolted to the rear of the Ferret.
It was sold surplus out of Valcartier, Quebec on order CADCI 50800 in May 1981
2. Hull # 447 is a mystery as it was out of the DND system before the lists I have were created. By process of elimination it was likely 54-82615. Other possibilities are 54-82596 (which served in UNEF); 54-82579 (though that was destined for CFB Gagetown and may be there) and 54-82525 (which served in UNFICYP).
The British War Department numbers 36 BA 11 and 36 BA 21 were the British Army numbers. These numbers were stamped onto a large aluminum dataplate which was mounted inside the the fighting compartment behind the driver's right shoulder. The Canadian Army used this British WD number as the Canadian serial number (today called a VIN) instead of the actual VIN, the hull number. Sadly these special dataplates were almost always stolen. I have come across only three for Canadian Ferrets and none are attached to the vehicles. The British were better at keeping these data plates with the Ferrets and I have seen several surplus British Ferrets with the data plates still in place. The British WD number was replaced by a Canadian Army Registration (CAR) number (later renamed the CFR - Canadian Forces Registration number).
For more info on Canadian Ferrets, see my web site at
http://bcoy1cpb.pacdat.net/ferret.htm and just released is my book on "The Ferret Scout Car in Canadian Service" by Service Publications. It may be ordered direct from the publisher at
http://www.servicepub.com or from me for an autographed copy at
seaforth72@gmail.com
