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  #1  
Old 25-07-18, 01:00
Lang Lang is offline
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Default Welfare Vehicles

Well, I will start what could be a huge thread.

We need pictures and info on any welfare vehicles. This includes but not restricted to:

YMCA
Salvation Army
American Red Cross
NAAFI
Army/Navy/Welfare Organisations
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Dodge RC.jpg   Welfare1.jpg  
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Last edited by Lang; 25-07-18 at 01:05.
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  #2  
Old 25-07-18, 01:07
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A few more Red Cross
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Welfare3.jpg   Welfare4.jpg  
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  #3  
Old 25-07-18, 01:17
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And another lot
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  #4  
Old 25-07-18, 01:19
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And the next group
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Welfare11.jpg   Welfare12.jpg   Welfare13.jpg   Welfare15.jpeg  
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  #5  
Old 25-07-18, 01:20
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Another bunch here
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Welfare20.jpg   Welfare21.jpg  
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  #6  
Old 25-07-18, 01:21
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Last lot here
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Welfare22.jpg   Welfare24.jpg  
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  #7  
Old 25-07-18, 03:23
maple_leaf_eh maple_leaf_eh is offline
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Default a literary equivalence

Prof Paul Fussell's book, "Wartime: Understanding and Behavior in the Second World War" https://books.google.ca/books/about/...page&q&f=false has a chapter on books and reading. He has a photo of men on parade being inspected by some dignitary. The caption notes that every man's leg pocket is suspiciously shaped like a softcover pocket book. He also uses the analogy of replacement troops arriving in line units only to be killed quickly. He likens them to unread books.
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  #8  
Old 25-07-18, 08:56
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A few More NAAFI
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Welfare22.jpg   Welfare23.jpg   Welfare24.jpg   Welfare25.jpg  
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  #9  
Old 25-07-18, 09:04
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And a few more American Red CRoss
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Welfare26.jpg   Welfare33.jpg   Welfare32.jpg   Welfare31.jpg  
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  #10  
Old 25-07-18, 09:07
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A few more ARC
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  #11  
Old 25-07-18, 12:49
Owen Evans Owen Evans is offline
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Default Food Flying Squad

Some more here:

http://hmvf.co.uk/topic/14010-guy-vi...ns-messengers/

Note the Guy Ant Water Trucks.

Owen.
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  #12  
Old 25-07-18, 13:28
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Lang,

Thank you for kicking off this thread. The focus of my research has been on the vehicles used by the British Council of Volunteer War Work (CVWW) an organizing body of philanthropic organizations consisting of the YMCA, the YWCA, Catholic Women’s League, the Church Army, Toc H, The Church of Scotland and The Salvation Army. I've been specifically seeking photographs and information on the mobiles that served with the troops with the MEF, in Italy and the BEF (pre-Dunkirk & post Normandy). Along the way I have come across and continue to catalog and file information on equipment used for supporting civil populations (responding to The Blitz and displaced persons), supporting military bases in Great Britain and of course the work of other commonwealth members.

Just as allied forces had to learn a different war in 1939-1940 from the static warfare of WW1 so did the welfare units. With that in back of mind one can chart the trajectory of change to equipment used. Early in the war the Australian Salvos were literally buying wood bodied station wagons in Cairo and pressing them into service. By the end they were equipped with custom built Ford panel trucks on Marmon Harrington 4wd chassis! It appears a similar path occurred in England as well, beginning with ambulance and delivery trucks, the last pictures I have turned up appear to have Bedford OYC trucks.

There are a few tell tales I've employed to help identify place and time in photographs. First, specifically in my field of study, the Salvation Army shield. Typically US and Canadian TSA have a 4 pointed shield, but England will use a 6 pointed one with the top points on each side distinctly squared off. Vehicles operating in NWE after D-Day typically will display an "Allied Star". This has helped me to pick out welfare trucks operating in France, Holland, Belgium or Germany as opposed to a gun emplacement or air field in England. Finally the CVWW wore a uniform that bears a resemblance to British battle dress or to WLA uniforms. Salvationists working within England are typically seen in Salvation Army uniforms, those working in The Middle East, India or in NWE (I haven't seen any photos from Italy yet) have usually been in military type uniforms. There are of course exceptions all over to the above tells. But those have helped me.

I'll post some photos soon.

Matt
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  #13  
Old 25-07-18, 14:03
Matthew P Matthew P is offline
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Here's an example of the "Allied Star" on a mobile canteen serving quite clearly on the continent. Specifically this is credited as being in Maromme/Rouen.

Matt
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SA France.jpg   Maromme, Rouen.jpg  
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  #14  
Old 25-07-18, 14:04
Matthew P Matthew P is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Owen Evans View Post
Some more here:

http://hmvf.co.uk/topic/14010-guy-vi...ns-messengers/

Note the Guy Ant Water Trucks.

Owen.
Owen,

That thread and the ones linked from it are why I joined this forum. No one else online has that information!

Matt
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  #15  
Old 26-07-18, 11:56
Lang Lang is offline
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What a great find. Full colour, many vehicles/
www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNyaX00T-X0
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  #16  
Old 26-07-18, 11:59
Lang Lang is offline
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A few more of the many
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welfare30.jpg   Welfare31.jpg   welfare32.jpg   welfare34.jpg  
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  #17  
Old 26-07-18, 12:00
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Another group
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welfare35.jpg   welfare37.JPG   welfare39.jpg  
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  #18  
Old 26-07-18, 15:18
Matthew P Matthew P is offline
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Lang,

Your picture "Welfare34" of The Salvation Army canteen in camouflage with several Salvation Army officers in uniform around it; Was taken in London. Specifically that's the William Booth College in Denmark Hill. It was the temporary home of the War Emergencies Department after TSA International Headquarters suffered from a bombing raid.

Of interest to me is that it appears very similar to a series of photos by TSA Major Wesley Grottick who commanded the canteen fleet in England in 1940/41. But it is not one of the photos in his album at the TSA Heritage Centre. Do you have the source information or any caption? I may reach out to you for the highest resolution scan you have.

Matt
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  #19  
Old 26-07-18, 17:28
maple_leaf_eh maple_leaf_eh is offline
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Default Ranks of Salvation Army volunteers? Answer Supervisor

http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/sh...ight=salvation
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- 74-????? M151A2
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- 53-71233 M100CDN trailer

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  #20  
Old 26-07-18, 22:56
Lang Lang is offline
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Sorry Mathew

What you see is what you get. I just plucked all these at random off the web and they do not have a connection to anything stored on my computer in higher resolution.

When looking for images on Google search I often just click on the thumbnail if it is what I want without going to the actual site source.

If I find a source for that photo I will let you know.

Lang
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  #21  
Old 27-07-18, 07:32
Matthew P Matthew P is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by maple_leaf_eh View Post
Terry thanks for that thread. I believe Supervisor was at least unofficially used by the British and Australians as well. I do know the Aussies referred to the role as a "Welfare Officer" but that may be position rather then rank/title.

Of note is the Supervisor being listed as an officer on D-day. When I'm home and have access to my book on the topic, I'll see what TSA has on Robin Turpett.


Matt
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  #22  
Old 27-07-18, 08:38
Lang Lang is offline
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I may be wrong but I have never heard any Welfare Officer called other than that as a third party reference but more commonly Fred Smith. It could be qualified by "the YMCA/Salvation Army/Red Cross Welfare Officer" You would use the terms in a situation like this: "Take this box over to the Welfare Officer" or more likely " the YMCA bloke" and on arrival, Private Jones would say "Fred I have this box for you".

The Salvos were rarely sometimes referred to in formal written instructions by their Salvation Army rank but once again I never heard them addressed during personal contact by soldiers of any rank other than Fred Smith.

I think any welfare officer referring to himself as "Supervisor" or in the Salvos case "Major" would be pretty short of customers in the Australian Army. The social pygmies and there are a few in the mix usually struggle through because they have something the soldiers want but they are either the butt of jokes or lead lonely lives on the edge of the group.

Most military-attached Welfare people are popular because of their high social skills and personalities. I think they are special people in general who can maintain their personal high moral and social standards without preaching or judging the soldiers, many of whom have not attended Finishing School and have morals not encouraged by good Christian folk.


Lang

Last edited by Lang; 27-07-18 at 23:55.
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  #23  
Old 28-07-18, 13:45
Lang Lang is offline
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Found a few more
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Welfare45.jpg   Welfare46.jpg   Welfare47.jpg   Welfare48.jpg  
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  #24  
Old 29-07-18, 21:25
Alan McGuinness Alan McGuinness is offline
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Some more here (and possibly elsewhere on this forum):

http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/showthread.php?t=3247
http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/showthread.php?t=4746
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  #25  
Old 29-07-18, 21:45
Bruce Parker (RIP) Bruce Parker (RIP) is offline
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Default ...and their uniforms

YMCA Auxiliary Service battledress marked to the 3rd Division.

My father-in-law was in the Regina Rifles and had nothing good to say about the YMCA. He says the real comfort and effort came from the Salvation Army. His experience anyway.
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  #26  
Old 29-07-18, 22:42
Lang Lang is offline
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Alan

Those excellent threads were from 13 years ago, probably won't hurt the new boys who have only been on the forum for 10 years to get another dose. Thanks

Lang
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  #27  
Old 05-08-18, 12:42
Matthew P Matthew P is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by maple_leaf_eh View Post
Terry,

Robin Turpett was a Salvationist layperson who was attached to the Canadian forces on 12.7.42, went overseas (England) on 25.6.43 and returned 16.1.46. The following month he was discharged. I don't know exactly when he arrived in France. It would appear from the information I have that the Supervisors were shipboard for D-day and landed with the rear echelon/support troops a few days later. The first on the continent was actually attached to the RCAF and landed 9 June. The first movie was shown for the troops on 11 June!

The above information is from the book "Red Shield in Action: A record of Canadian Salvation Army War Services in the Second Great War." by Scott Young and published 1949.

Matt
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Old 02-10-18, 13:33
Matthew P Matthew P is offline
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Just returned from the Toronto area. While there I went to Scarborough where The Salvation Army Canada & Bermuda Territory archives are housed. I now have about 90 high resolution scans of mobile canteens and welfare vehicles of The Salvation Army Canadian War Services and British Red Shield Services during WW2. Many photos I've seen before and I now have high quality scans WITH CAPTIONS. Such as the interesting RHD Ford Panel with the bridge plate and black out lights? I now have where, when and who was driving! I also turned up a couple of photos of what I believe is a Bedford OXC in Salvation Army livery. If so that will make three photographs I've uncovered. Once I start processing the photographs I'll be posting on here and asking for help in positive ID.

Matt
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  #29  
Old 08-10-18, 05:54
Lang Lang is offline
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This is a rare one.
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  #30  
Old 08-10-18, 12:51
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Hanno Spoelstra Hanno Spoelstra is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lang View Post
This is a rare one.
It is indeed - ref. US Army Air Force CMP Fords in Tunisia:
Quote:
"Box body-type truck, probably a Chevrolet, with words on it that read "U. S. Army Air Force Mobile Canteen Service, Post Exchange Service, Delta Service Command." A serviceman is standing near the passenger door. North Africa (probably). 1942-43"
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