Canadian Ferret 54-82598 Hull 392.B.5.4

[Colin Macgregor Stevens]

I own this Ferret 54-82598 and I am trying to find photos, paperwork mentioning it and former crewmembers from its time in military service 1954 - Jan 1980.

Sanding down I found the CAR / CFR number on the starbaord side of the hull and also above the driver's escape hatch. I also found Canada flags in colour, the outline of a Mobile Command decal,
1. LdSH(RC) markings
2. And underneath paint layers, Combat Arms School (two designs in two sizes - varying in Intfantry third and also placement of artillery third.)

As well there was camouflage paint pattern, and Bridge sign in black only as well as in yellow.

There was shipping information stencilled on the glacis plate.
25 CANADIAN FORCES SUPPLY
DEPOT 6565 (?) NOTRE DAME
ST MONTREAL QUE CANADA

Where was this depot? Does this tell us where the vehicle came from or was going?

COLIN STEVENS

Mission, BC

[rob love]

MOntreal depot was one of the two main depots in Canada. Just about everything ended up going through that depot at one time or another. In particular, when a vehicle got it's rebuilds at 202 workshop, it would have gone through this depot.

All cdn ferrets I have seen had the CFR stamped on the hull on the edge of the armour infront of the horn/drivers window.

[Colin Macgregor Stevens]

Rob

I have seen you and others mention this CAR/CFR number stamped into the hull. It is a wonderful feature to help identify Ferrets aven if they have been sandblasted (or blasted period on a range).

By the way for readers, most 1950s Cdn Army vehicles e.g. 1952 M38CDN, 1953 M38A1CDN Ford, M135CDN, and the 1950s Dodge M37CDN, M43CDN and M152CDN etc. have their CAR/CFR stamped into the top of the left frame rail between the grille and the front bumper. it is usually covered over by paint. When a winch is fitted, the mounting plates often cover part or all of that number.


We have two Canadian Ferrets here in BC that I know of (and three ex-British Ferrets). Mine 54-82598 (ex-Crown Surplus, ex-LdSH, ex-Cbt Arms School) and Grant McAvoy's (ex-MilArm Store in Edmonton, ex-LdSH "COYOTE", ex-UNFICYP we believe but CAR/CFR unknown).

I cannot find this stamped CAR/CFR number on either of our Ferrets!


On Grant's Ferret, which had an old yellow lettering UNITED NATIONS decal under the army paint on the starboard hull upper side of his, there are grind marks at the stamped CAR/CFR location and I have a theory that his is one of at least 2 Ferrets in Cyprus that had wire cutter bars welded on the flat area. 54-82507 had one on each side and another Ferret had a single wire cutter bar mounted. In welding these on and then removing the welds, this might have erased the stamped CAR/CFR.

If you can post a clear photo showing such a maarking and enough peripheral detail so that I can see EXACTLY where it was, I would appreciate it. I have a photo of a stamped CAR/CFR # from Nova Scotia, but it is hard to tell EXACTLY where it is located.



COLIN[

[rob love]

Colin
I just happenned to have a spare hull out in the shed (it belongs to the RHA Shilo Museum) on which I snapped this photo. Being armour plate, the numbers don't stamp in too deeply. Could you imagine if they tried this today with our Chinese steel stamps??



Check out my fancy graphics I added. No need for picart for this computir geak, when there is a piece of chalk around.

[Colin Macgregor Stevens]

Great photo Rob! Many thanks. It confirms the location. I put the photo (with credit) on my Ferret web page to help others. I note a slight variation of the location between 54-82511 and 54-82540.

I looked at my Ferret 54-82598 today and there is NO number stamped in there, though the number appears twice painted on the vehicle under layers of green paint. On mine the front edge of that flat plate is a convex weld seam, whereas on 511 it is concave. I wonder if mine was arsenal rebuilt and had this section of armour replaced?

To flesh out the identity of 54-82511, could you please tell me the hull humber as stamped on the data plate inside the hull (starboard side) e.g. 392.B.5.4 ?

Also you mention it is a spare hull so I am curious if you have another one you are working on. I would love to know the CAR/CFR of that other Ferret and its hull number too.

If you wish you may reach me at seaforth72@gmail.com



COLIN STEVENS

[Colin Macgregor Stevens]

Looking at the picture again - maybe I am mistaken about the weld seam?

At least it is not 30 below in the shed at this time of year! Or 40 above for that matter.

COLIN

[rob love]

Colin
The concave weld thing is an illusion. The weld protrudes outwards.

I guess the term spare hull is misleading. I am going to be sandblasting this hull this summer, and it will be getting the powertrain put back onto it. The museum has a newer (but out of a burnt vehicle) engine for it, so hopefully she will run again. When it was done up as a monument, it had every hatch and hinge welded closed, wheel nuts welded on, and even the steering linkages were welded.

The hull's serial no is 296.B.2.4

I last looked at the only remaining Canadian ferret hull on the Shilo ranges abot 5 years back. It had suffered some blast damage, and has several small arms (50 cal) holes in the armour. It was completely stripped of parts. If memory serves, it was CFR no 566. I had copied the hull serial number back then, but have since lost track of it. Since I am no longer in the forces, I am unlikely to be back in the impact area anytime in the future.

[Colin Macgregor Stevens]

Thank you Rob.

Would that mean that there would be two Ferret hulls on the ranges at Shilo? 54-82566 (apparently) and an ex-British (BATUS?) one which had been exchanged for a Canadian one that had been saved and removed?

Do you know the CFR, Hull # and present owner of that one which had been saved, rebuilt by you (Rob) and then eventually sold to a collector in the USA when Canadians passed up on the chance to buy it?

Does anyone know the identity of and what became of the ex-Shilo Ferret that Major Ian Newby and Capt. Johyn Hawthorne had saved for 15 Field Museum RCA and which they traded for the Field Artillery Tractor to Robert Rostecki? [That FAT by the way is the one owned and restored by 15 Fd Regt RCA Museum and it is theone that was used for the Smokey Smith, VC funeral] Although the Ferret had been removed with the permission of the Range Officer for a DND Museum, DND apparently later seized in. Maj. Newby and Capt. Hawthorne had actually saved 2 Ferrets with permission of the Range Officer. The other one came to BC and after suffering from vandalism in the 15 Fd Armoury, was eventually sold to a collector in the USA. This is not the one that ended up at CFB Chilliwack with the CME Museum. That one had been bought by Ian Newby from Crown Surplus in Calgary and was ex-LdSH(RC) apparently. I believe this one was Hull # 448.B.7.4 and had licence (BC Vintage?) 3311 and the fake CFR painted on the side 52-03311.

Many thanks

Colin Stevens seaforth72 (at) gmail.com

[rob love]

Colin
My ferret went to Jon Huddleston in Colorado. It has since been offerred up for sale again, so it is hard to say where it went now. The hull number and CFR (If I recall it ended in 560) are listed on the Ferret heaven website.

Bob Rosteckis ferret went to Texas almost 20 years ago. Hard to say where it is now.

There were 2 hulls remaining on the ranges in Shilo last time I was there, one Cdn and one Brit.



Also, looking at one of the Cypress ferret photos I have, the number 522 can be seen on the hull painted above the drivers hatch. This may solve the mystery on your webpage about whether it was 522 or 622 in Cypress.

[peter simundson]

Colin.
I have the complete list of where all the Ferrets were disposed to.Done in 1981 when they got rid of them.
Want a copy??
Peter Simundson

[Colin Macgregor Stevens]

Peter:

Years ago Rob Love in MB got me a copy of:


ANNEX A
TO: 12320-126-18 (DPSL 3-5)
DATED: 22 MAY 81
FERRET SCOUT CAR CURRENT DISPOSITION

which lists all 124 Canadian Ferrets. I have extracted the core information and put it on my web site. Legal size, 6 pages.

If your document is different then I would like a copy.



COLIN

[Colin Macgregor Stevens]

Today I found the CAR/CFR number stamped on my Ferret 54-82598 and it matches the two painted versions that we had previously found painted on the starboard side and over the driver's hatch. Mine served with LdSH and previously with Combat Arms School in Gagetown, NB. I do not yet know where is served between 1954 and c. 1968-70. I now know its DND recorded "Serial #" is actually a British War Department number 36 BA 66.

Last Sunday I found the stamped CAR/CFR number 54-82591 on Grant McAvoy's Ferret which was called COYOTE while in service with Lord Strathcona Horse (RC).



COLIN STEVENS
MVPA Member 954 (since 1977)
Mission, BC

[Colin Macgregor Stevens]

I have Rob's obsolete e-mail address on file. Please send Rob's current e-mail address off-list to Colin Stevens at seaforth72@gmail.com

Thank you


Colin Stevens