Ferret CFR List

[Robin Craig]

What does the heading "HUIC" refer to on your first list?

As the current owner of two Canadian Ferrets I am very interested to figure out their real CFR etc etc.

One of the two may be for sale and you should contact me via a PM or via email (best option).

I am about to start rubbing the markings down and revealing what I find.

One of mine appears to be an exception that proves the rule.

Because the UK military registration is traceable, when I eventually get around to doing that we may become enlightened a bit more.

Now where is my Makita cordless day stretcher?

R

[Jim Gilmore]

In doing a bit of research on the Brit/CDN numbers it appears to be that the these "Canadian" Ferrets were delivered to the British Army on WD Contract 4/FV/4267 in 1951. They were given British Army registration numbers when delivered.

Then about 1954 they were transferred to the Canadian Army and given CDN numbers starting with 54-xxxxx.

I have always thought my ex-CDN Fieldmouse Mk-1 was a 1954 model year Ferret.

This is because I was told that CDN reg. numbers start with the year of the vehicle.

It now appears that it is instead, a 1951 built vehicle.

It also appears that the first numbers in a CDN Reg. number is the year the vehicle was accepted by the CDN Army and not always the year the vehicle was built.

It looks like the CDN Army received these vehicles second hand (used) from the WD.

Can anyone confirm this?

Jim Gilmore

Jim Thorpe, PA

[servicepub (RIP)]

According to Colin Stevens, in his book "The Ferret Scout Car in Canadian Service" (Service Publications) Canada, Australia and the UK shared an order for 593 MkI Ferrets in 1951, under contract number 6/FV/4267. But don't confuse a War Office contract with Britsh Army useage.
CLive

[Robin Craig]

Jim, I think I know you from the old Ferret Heaven, anyway here goes.

British made military vehicles usually had either an "MS" military sales designation registration or a conventional British Army style, so either lets say 01 MS 88 or 21 BA 35. Somewhere in the anals of officialdom there is a cross reference between all of these.

Anyhow, I have no clue why you refer to your vehicle as a "Fieldmouse", im presuming you have some rare prototype that I didnt know about obviously.

As fas as the "used" vehicle status you mention, I find that an interesting idea. The reason I say that is this, Colin mentions in his book that Canadian vehicles had square side hatches, yet one of mine, C/S 31, has sloped hatches but is such an obvious Canadian vehicle for many other reasons.

I suspect that somewhere along the timeline of production of Ferrets the side hatch changed from square to sloped and I think that the Canadian order was filled with vehicles of both types and at the time it was not a big deal to those at the factory so no special mention was made of it.

See what I mean?

Robin

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by Robin Craig

Anyhow, I have no clue why you refer to your vehicle as a "Fieldmouse", im presuming you have some rare prototype that I didnt know about obviously.

This was the name given to the Mk1 originally, it was used by the War Office in official documents at the time.

[Robin Craig]

Thanks Richard for that.


R

[Jim Gilmore]

Robin,

We know each other from the old Mil-Veh list and we have met before at Oshawa rally (remember your drive up Parliament Hill? :-) ...)......

The Ferret was originally designated "Fieldmouse Mk. 1"

I have an original WD manual (bought from Peter S. at the OMVS show many, many years ago) which has this right on the front page. Inside is "Change 1" to this manual which states " Change Fieldmouse Mk. 1 to Ferret Mk.1"

I'll dig this manual out of the boxes of manuals here and post the cover and change.

Only very early "Ferrets" were actually "Fieldmouses".

...and most CDN "Ferrets" are early....

As to the side hatches. The early Ferrets had square hatches...later this was changed to the angled or sloped type. It is a spotting feature for early vehicles.

Clive wrote:
".....Canada, Australia and the UK shared an order for 593 MkI Ferrets in 1951, under contract number 6/FV/4267....."

I don't believe the contract was actually divided up between the countries. If the CDN Ferrets were part of this contract they would have been delivered in 1951 or at the latest 1952. If so..then the CDN Reg. numbers would have been 51-xxxxx or 52-xxxxx and not 54-xxxxx.

As Robin has said.....the xxBAxx numbers on the CDN Ferrets would indicate that they were delivered to the British Army.

As soon as I can get the CDN number from my vehicle I will contact Bovington to see if they have the BA/WD record for it and maybe it will list if it was sent right to Canada or if it was in British service first.

As to Robin's vehicle with the sloped hatches....what is the BA number for this vehicle? It may have been a BA Ferret used by the BA for training in Canada and later transferred to CDN ownership.

Jim Gilmore

Jim Thorpe, PA.