13 Cab Chev Ambulance Question?

[Ken Hughes]

A friend and i were talking tonight about rifles in cabs and owing to fire arms laws, making up totaly dummy wooden 303 copies and bolt them in the cab to make them a permanent fixture.
The question is what was the commonwealth ruling on ambulances having fire arms,ie the driver and his mate,did they have them there for the protection of the patients,or was a non armed position maintained.
thanks in advance ken Hughes

[warren brown]

Good question Ken! Hugh Thompson in Victoria has a fully kitted out Cab 13 ambulance - Jan (of Corowa fame - Hugh's daughter!) are you out there?
At a guess I'd reckon they were unarmed - that's why when hospital ships displaying the red cross were sunk there was always furore because it signalled no arms on board. It'd be some Geneva Convention thing probably.
I have a copy of 'Ice Cold in Alex' - I don't think the ambulance is armed - only John Mills and Anthony Quayle who are blow-ins on the ambulance have weaponry from what I remember. I'll have a look
Cheers Warren

[Little Jo]

Originally Posted by warren brown

Good question Ken! Hugh Thompson in Victoria has a fully kitted out Cab 13 ambulance - Jan (of Corowa fame - Hugh's daughter!) are you out there?

I have a copy of 'Ice Cold in Alex' - I don't think the ambulance is armed - only John Mills and Anthony Quayle who are blow-ins on the ambulance have weaponry from what I remember. I'll have a look
Cheers Warren

Hi Warren and Kenny

As far as I recall, medics were non combatants and did not carry arms. Though in the movie "Ice Cold in Alex" John Mills and Anthony Quayle wore side arms in the ambulance and if I remember correctly, they hid them when the were stopped by the German troops. You are correct ships and hospitals buildings bearing the Red Cross and all lit up were off limits, but this was not always adhered too at times. I believe in Hillegom, the village my family lived in Holland under 4 years of German occupation there were a couple of incidents where ambulances and civillian vehicles were straffed by allied planes. So non combatants were still at risk.

Cheers

Tony

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

My father was in the RAMC 1946-48 in Greece and then Trans-Jordan, Palestine, and finally Egypt. I think that in the latter they had Bedford QLs but they certainly had trucks in Greece, as Dad used to run into town from the military hospital where he was a postal orderly in a borrowed truck with the mail. He certainly had a revolver for personal protection and when on guard duty had a rifle.

[Jan Thompson]

Hi Warren,
I don't recall dad's Ford Blitz Ambulance being armed but i will ask him for you.

[Ken Hughes]

thanks for your replies so far,this gets interesting and i couldnt remember the name of that movie,i have been trying to remember it for quiet a while.