GPW Holden Ambulance?

[Mike Cecil]

Gents,

I've just been reading the latest CMV, and noted the comment on page 68 by Nigel Hay, about the 'hyper rare ex-USMC, Holden bodied ambulance jeep'. Ex-USMC and hyper rare I have no qualms about, but 'Holden Bodied'?

Can't say a quick scan of the research library yielded anything useful to identify that Holden carried out conversions for the USMC of jeeps into Ambulances. Does anyone have anything concrete about this in the way of documentation, design specs, or anything to irrefutably tie this conversion back to GMH, please?

These are not the Australian Army's ambulance jeep conversions, but something quite different.

Curious....


Mike C

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Mike,

Indeed they did. Do a google search to find more info, like from http://www.film.queensu.ca/cj3b/fire...bulances.htmIl

Perhaps the most famous WWII ambulance jeeps were those used by the U.S. Marines in the Pacific, beginning at Guadalcanal. Known as the "Holden" ambulances because the first 200 or so conversions were done by the General Motors-Holden factory in Melbourne, Australia, very few are known to survive. Additional similar conversions were done in the U.S., and some Holdens were still in service in Korea.

The Royal Netherlands Marines, trained and equipped by the USMC, used them in Indonesia after WW2.

Hanno

[Mike Cecil]

Thanks Hanno,

I took a look at that and the entry is based upon the MVPA magazine article that states the conversion was done by GMH, but that article doesn't provide any evidence for the claim.

I know the conversion has been reported as being carried out by GMH - it has become one of those commonly accepted views we all just 'know'. But curiosity led me to have a look and see if there was any hard evidence to support that, and so far, I've come up short, hence my query here to MLU.

Mike C

[Mike K]

Hi Mike

It is mentioned in the WW2 GMH 'war record' . Do you have a copy of the excellent book, published by GMH themselves ?

I will find the relevant page and post it here later tonight

[Mike Cecil]

Mike

Thanks: found it! Page 31.

The story refers to the US Forces at Buna-Sanananda, which I thought were US Army. Have to check further.

Mike C

[Lionelgee]

Originally Posted by Mike Kelly

Hi Mike

It is mentioned in the WW2 GMH 'war record' . Do you have a copy of the excellent book, published by GMH themselves ?

I will find the relevant page and post it here later tonight

G'day the two Mike's,

Could you please post the full title of the book and the ISBN number please?

I have typed in a couple of different versions of the title and have had no luck so far in a couple of library catalogues.

Kind Regards
Lionel

[Lionelgee]

Hello Two Mikes and other MLU People,

Firstly - Happy 2013 to everyone.

I had a bit of a dig and found a link on the internet from a group by the name of G503.com - the name of the thread is "Do I have a USMC Holden Ambulance Jeep?"

http://g503.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=84&t=152844

Plus some rather bouncy video image of one in action http://www.armyjeepsforsale.net/usmc...lance-jeep.php

This link then goes to a couple of other links.

I am not sure if these are the same vehcile as your mentions Mike C?

Kind Regards
Lionel

[Lionelgee]

Hello All,

I found a Youtube video from Iwo Jima colour and silent. The first half of the shot makes me think that the photographer had a bit of a wheel fetish as that is all that is visible. Or maybe it was "arty" things do improve later with decent footage taken of various vehicles including the "Holden Ambulances"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDBxvT54ZOc

Plus some more footage of this type of vehicle but as per following description ... "US 22nd Marine Regiment, 6th Division advances in Okinawa. Jeep wheel gets stuck in mud. Hills in background. Marine Corps Ambulance jeep (a "Holden" with spare tire on hood) driven through deep mud followed by other vehicles, trucks and jeeps. Jeep with a sign 'convoy' on it, passes by on a muddy road followed by a convoy of International 6x6 trucks." Accessed 1st January 2013 from http://www.criticalpast.com/video/65...s-stuck-in-mud

Kind Regards
Lionel

[Mike K]

Originally Posted by Lionelgee

G'day the two Mike's,

Could you please post the full title of the book and the ISBN number please?

I have typed in a couple of different versions of the title and have had no luck so far in a couple of library catalogues.

Kind Regards
Lionel

hi Lionel

Just after WW2 the 'war record' book was apparently printed for the executives of GMH , each copy was to be signed by the new owner . There are a few copies around , but it isn't a common book . The print run would have been rather low , maybe 500 copies ?

You might get lucky on ebay one day .

Mike

[motto (RIP)]

H.V.McKay of Sunshine Harvester fame produced a large format, magazine style publication after the war showing their contribution to the war effort. The range of products they turned out was quite extensive and mostly unrecognised today but I suppose that's true of many large companies.

David

[Mike K]

Originally Posted by motto

H.V.McKay of Sunshine Harvester fame produced a large format, magazine style publication after the war showing their contribution to the war effort. The range of products they turned out was quite extensive and mostly unrecognised today but I suppose that's true of many large companies.

David

There was a similar publication produced by the Australian wireless industry . It details all of the projects undertaken during WW2 e.g., the 19 set ( Aust.) , made by AWA during 1943 . I have seen a copy, but sadly I do not own a copy.

Mike

[Duane Leiker]

The Holden Jeep in the photo is/was owned by Kevin Kronlund in Spooner Wisconsin. Since my friend Kevins passing last year, much of his collection is for sale. The Jeep is in excellent condition with all the bells and whistles. A true rarity.

[Snowy]

The first use of the term 'Holden Ambulance' appears to originate from the book 'JEEPS over the Pacific' by Yasuo Ohtsuka and Darcy Miller, published 1994.
At the start of the chapter on ambulance jeeps, page 20 states that of the many jeep ambulances the only mass-produced conversion by an auto manufacturer was General Motors Holden Co of Melbourne, Australia who contracted with the US Marine Corps.
It also mentions 'In this book we will call them the "HOLDEN AMBULANCE".

Steve.

[Jeff Gordon]

There was one in the back shed at the MVPA Convention 2010 at Topika.
It was embarrassing to see just how bodgy the job was. Look at the rear door hindge and the welds. But that is how they all were.
Cheers
Jeff

[Mike K]

............................oops wrong pic

[Mike K]

Found this interesting pic on the slatt grill facebook page. Is that a little door cut into the rear panel ?

Utube action https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_c...ature=emb_logo

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Mike Kelly

Found this interesting pic on the slatt grill facebook page. Is that a little door cut into the rear panel ?

Yes it is. Part of a quite elaborate conversion by GM Holden for the USMC.

(Merged your thread with an earlier on on the same topic.)

[Mike Cecil]

There are a few more images in Lloyd White's Evolution of the W/O MB Jeep, Volume 2.

Mike

[Alex van de Wetering]

I believe there is an original restored one here in Holland, but sadly I haven't seen it at an event yet.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Alex van de Wetering

I believe there is an original restored one here in Holland, but sadly I haven't seen it at an event yet.

Indeed there is, saw it back in 2014 during the XXX Corps event (it didn't take part). It is a superbly restored example, see an album with pictures of its restoration here:
https://s759.photobucket.com/user/ma...?sort=3&page=1

[gjamo]

Mike,s stretcher pic is at Melbourne Showgrounds.

[Mike K]

Originally Posted by gjamo

Mike,s stretcher pic is at Melbourne Showgrounds.

Well spotted . I thought the background was familiar ... Is that a blurry Ford staff car ? Can remember when the showbags were 2 shillings ��

[gjamo]

GMH ex employees club have many pics of this ambulance conversion.

[Mike Cecil]

I thought the images were taken behind the stands at the MCG? The building to the right in the vintage image seems to curve around in the background.

Mike

[David Dunlop]

I wondered about that also, Mike, but it might just be a change in the pitch of the roof producing that illusion.

That mod is quite extensive on the part of GMH. I wonder if it was an extensive rework of the existing bodies, or a complete new build rear body section that was swapped in?

David

[Mike Cecil]

Not definitive, of course, but no mention of the RAS Showgrounds in this article:

http://history.unimelb.edu.au/overhe...TALOGUE_P6.pdf

David, the body in the first image has 'Willys' pressed into it, so I think these were re-works of existing jeeps to fulfill a need at short notice.

Mike

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Mike Cecil

David, the body in the first image has 'Willys' pressed into it, so I think these were re-works of existing jeeps to fulfill a need at short notice.

Yes, they converted existing jeeps (which may not even have been brand new ones?)

Holden converted 200 for use in the Pacific TO, more were converted in the US - read more here: https://www.cj3b.info/Fire/MilitaryAmbulances.html

This is a webpage with the Dutch example: http://www.yankreenactment.nl/jeep/the-holden-jeep/

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

Indeed there is, saw it back in 2014 during the XXX Corps event (it didn't take part).

I knew I had a pic somewhere - at Valkenswaard, 2014: