Saw this parked behind a barber shop on a country road yesterday. I don't know what the markings on it mean or what that white thing next to it is. Maybe Russian?
The white thing is a Humber Pig, best known for its service in Ulster. I don't know why the Royal Tank Regiment badge on the Ferret has been drawn with a King's crown, though.
Nice. You have to wonder at the journey taken by a Ferret and Pig to end up there. Ex British squaddie. Film on 'the troubles'. Entirely accurate German vehicles for an 80s TV movie...
Nope, Tom, no mistake. Definitely the sort of thing Hollywood has been using to represent German gear since the war.
A lot of British vehicles would have been based at BATUS near Calgary in Canada and as replaced by later vehicles some may have been disposed of locally
If anyone is around the next time I'm in that part of the state I'll see if I can get any more info on how they came to be here. The barber shop looked like it might have gone out of business.
Looks like they tried to pass them off as a lot of things http://www.imcdb.org/vehicles_make-Daimler_model-Ferret.html
02 DA 74? Sadly nothing specific noted on the Ferret register: http://www.ferret-fv701.co.uk/vehicle_register_page_2.htm Might well be wrong on the numbers. Hard to read.
1. The Canadians indeed had Ferrets, but would not have marked them with British markings and the RTR badge. 2. Since units only spend a month or so at BATUS, they do not put unit markings on the vehicles. 3. The formation sign on the left mudguard of that Ferret is that of Cyrenaica District in Libya. . As far as I can find out in a short search session, 2RTR were in Libya 1959-1961, so that Ferret was probably cast then. We left Libya altogether in 1970 4. That Pig is a Mk II - must have seen service in Northern Ireland ; I would have thought somewhat after 1970. I've seen plenty with white splodges where cans of paint were thrown at them in an attempt to block the driver's view, but never one so well painted in white! Hope this helps Chris
Idler All war time vehicles - including Tanks et al - wore the Kings crown - only after the Queen was crowned were the badges changed to the Queens crown when Charles takes over - the badges will change once more to a Kings Crown Cheers
The Ferret didnt enter service until 1952. I doubt if any of them ever had a King's Crown. Even if it did it'd have been repainted very quickly.
Owen Just cleaned my glasses and had another shufti -looks very like a King's Crown to me - and at a guess would venture 2nd RTR - who were in the desert during and before Monty -the "Fear Naught" gives that away... Cheers
File number: PA-1599-382d-61 Title: Soldiers of permanent force regiments at Mewata Stadium, Calgary, Alberta. Date: [ca. June 4, 1955] Remarks: Getting ready to march through streets in celebration of Alberta's 50th anniversary. In front are Ferret armored cars which led the parade. I may have a possible explanation for the Kings Crown on the aforementioned ferret. The King's Own Calgary Regiment (RCAC) was and is still based in Calgary. Maybe this was one of their Ferrets that went South for the winter. The KOCR's battle honours, which includes the Dieppe Raid, is shown below: The King's Own Calgary Regiment (RCAC) Active 1 April 1910 – present Country Canada Branch Primary Reserve (Militia) Type Mounted infantry Role Reconnaissance Size One regiment Part of 41 Canadian Brigade Group Garrison/HQ Calgary Patron World War I World War II Battle honours Ypres, 1915, '17; Festubert, 1915; Mount Sorrel; Somme, 1916; Ancre Heights; Ancre, 1916; Arras, 1917, '18; Vimy, 1917; Hill 70; Passchendaele; Amiens; Scarpe, 1918; Drocourt-Quéant; Hindenburg Line; Canal du Nord; Valenciennes; France and Flanders, 1915–18; Dieppe; Sicily, 1943; Motta Montecorvino; San Leonardo; The Gully; Cassino II; Gustav Line; Pignataro; Liri Valley; Aquino; Trasimene Line; Arezzo; Advance to Florence; Cerrone; Italy, 1943–1945; North-West Europe, 1942, 1945 Website http://www.kingsown.ca Commanders Colonel-in-Chief HM The Queen Abbreviation KOCR
I'm not surprised they are there. After replacement with hardened Land Rovers in NI. the Pigs were stored in case they were needed for emergency IS duty. Generally considered too small and inflexible, they were however conveniently small enough not to be referred to as 'Tanks' on the streets. They were sold off in bulk in the late 80's early 90's and were cheap as chips. The same time as turreted Ferrets, FV432s and Abbots began appearing on the market - the UK hobby AFV market got a bit flooded - just as the internet got going. I think all was a result of the 'Options For Change' and 'Frontline First' political initiatives that closed a lot of the depots and contracted out services.