Australian Army Ambulances

[Richard Coutts-Smith]

Hi Alastair,
That is a great photo, terrific colour quality as well. Two Humbers in the background is a bonus,
Not sure about the aerodynamics....
Rich.

[lynx42]

This jeep ambulance is one of many in New Guinea which were converted to ambulance mode.

Jeep Ambulance.jpg

My father was in charge of the vehicles with the 2/7th Independent Co (Commandos) in New Guinea and Papua and I remember him saying that it was an official order to convert all jeeps to carry stretcher patients, so I guess that this is how it was done.

Over to you Mike C.

Regards Rick

[Alastair Thomas]

I'm not good at interpreting insignia and was hoping someone would help. I do remember my Father accompanying both the 6th RTR and the Green Howards on desert trips.
On one trip a Bedford 3 tonner ran a big end South of El Agheila so they left a sergent REME and a driver with it with the promise that they would pick them up on the way back if the truck could not be fixed. When they got back the truck had already left and got back to Tripoli. They had used cigarette packet foil as a temporary repair to the big end bearing.

[Mike Cecil]

Interesting, Rick,

From part 1 of my article:

"While both the No.1 and No.2 ambulances were very capable, they simply could not operate far enough forward in jungle operations to retrieve the wounded. The answer was to adapt the ubiquitous ‘Truck ¼ ton’ as a forward
ambulance. Able to negotiate narrow, muddy jungle tracks like no other vehicle on the inventory, the humble jeep became the ambulance of choice in jungle operations. Various configurations, both official and unofficial, were designed for the jeep, the final one being a two-tiered tubular framework that converted the standard jeep into a three-stretcher ambulance. It was officially designated the ‘Gear, Supporting Stretchers Light (Aust) No.3’, and was easily installed by a forward area workshop. The ‘jeep ambulance’ literally performed life-saving work – many a wounded Digger was transported to the primary care of a casualty clearing station by a jeep ambulance."

The image looks similar to a No.3 stretcher frame, as mentioned above, with the external stowage on the jeep adapted to fit.

Mike