Canadian Ferrets

[Colin Macgregor Stevens]

Thank you Ed.

This photo shows the 56 Canadian Reconnaissance Squadron Canadian Ferrets sent to UNEF (Egypt) in 1957 where they were landed at Port Said 25-26 March 1957 and before they were driven to Rafah in Eqypt on 1957 April 8.

Text for my "The Ferret in Canadian Service " book for Service Publications is now 99% complete.

I travelled a lot while researching the book - Kelowna, Vernon, Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa and Petawawa. Whew! Wish I could have gotten to other places like Valcartier and Oshawa. LdSH(RC) Archives and RCD Archives in particular have been most helpful.

One triple mystery - WHERE did Ferrets get sent when pulled out of Egypt (UNEF), when pulled out of Cyprus (UNFICYP and when pulled out of Germany (NATO)? Their arrival was news, but their departures was not.

Another mystery: I am looking for a cross-reference list (or even individual examples!) between UNEF fleet numbers and Canadian Army Registration Number (CAR, later called CFR). Early on, BOTH numbers were painted on vehicles, but later only the UNEF number shows. I have identified some from photos which show both numbers, and have CAR/CFR numbers for most if not all UNEF Ferrets, but I dearly want to know the CAR/CFR number for each UNEF number. This info was not found in War Diaries of the Recce Squadrons in UNEF (Library and Archives Canada in Ottawa) nor in UN Archives.



Colin Stevens