CANADIAN FERRETS IN UNITED NATIONS EMERGENCY FORCE (UNEF)
There were 29 Canadian Ferrets with the UNEF, with 23 actively assigned to the unit and 6 as spares. There seem to be more vehicles, so some replacements may have been sent over. The replacements my be the higher UNEF numbers outside of the main block of numbers assigned. After UNEF, some (maybe all) went to Germany for duty with Canadian NATO troops and some later went to Cyprus for UNFICYP duty.
WANTED! Photos from UNEF that show BOTH the CAR number and the UNEF number!
Special thanks to L/Cpl Kevin Langille, with the Archives of the Royal Canadian Dragoons at CFB Petawawa, Ontario. Also Shawn McNicholl, son of a 56 Canadian Reconnaissance Squadron veteran.
The UNEF operated between the Egyptians and the Israelis as a buffer in the Sinai Desert in the late 1956-1967.
START DATE | END DATE | UNIT | UNIT SIGN | COMMENTS |
---|---|---|---|---|
Jan. 1957 | Jan. 1958 | 56 Canadian Reconnaissance Sqn. | 56 | Made up from RCD & LdSH(RC) |
Jan. 1958 | Jan. 1959 | 1/8 CH Recce Sqn. | 52 | |
Jan. 1959 | Jan. 1960 | RCD Recce Sqn. | 50 ? | |
Jan. 1960 | Jan. 1961 | FGH Recce Sqn | 53 | Ferrets withdrawn Aug 1960. Changed to jeeps. |
Jan. 1961 | Jan. 1962 | LdSH(RC) | ||
Jan. 1962 | Jan. 1963 | RCD | ||
Jan. 1963 | Jan. 1964 | LdSH(RC) | ||
Jan. 1964 | Jan. 1965 | 8 CH |
United Nations Emergency Force (UNEF) Canada delivered a squadron of 29 Ferret Scout Cars plus some unarmoured “B” vehicles, to Egypt. These Ferrets were apparently withdrawn from Militia units which had been tasked with reconnaissance duties. The 56th Canadian Reconnaissance Squadron (so named as it was formed in 1956) consisted of Royal Canadian Dragoon and Lord Strathcona Horse (Royal Canadians). It was commanded by Major R. B. Tackaberry [I would like to talk with this officer is anyone knows him. Colin Stevens seaforth72 (at) gmail.com ]
Looking at the numbers, I deduced that most of the Canadian Ferrets were issued in a block between UNEF 1201 and UNEF 1229. UNEF 1597 and 1598 are not part of that series and so they were possibly shipped to Egypt as replacement vehicles.
54-82524 MAY be a UNEF one as the owner (2007 in New Mexico) found white paint in various areas under the later green.
Any additional info, photos or corrections would be appreciated.
Colin Stevens seaforth72 (at) gmail.com
Some photos of Canadian Ferrets with UNEF
Documents relating to Canadian UNEF Ferrets
caption id="attachment_10603" align="aligncenter" width="629"] Document of UNEF Ferrets - Repairs by CAR number. War Diary of 56 Reconnaissance Squadron, Appendix "C" to 56 Recce / 7000-1 dated 14 Jun 57 (Library and Archives Canada)[/caption] |
UNEF Ferrets by Canadian Army Registration (CAR) Number
UNEF Ferrets
Photos | CAR # | UNEF # | Comments |
---|---|---|---|
NO PHOTOS AVAILABLE | 54-82502 | UNKNOWN | On Table of Mileages 8 APR - 8 JUN 57 56 Recce. |
NO PHOTOS AVAILABLE | 54-82504 | UNKNOWN | On Table of Mileages 8 APR - 8 JUN 57 56 Recce. Owner: Ontario Regiment |
54-82506 | UNKNOWN | Photographic evidence. NOT on Table of Mileages 8 APR - 8 JUN 57 56 Recce.Owner: Was Ontario Regiment, now Allan Duffy and restored. 54-82508 appears on Repairs list 14 Jun 57. | |
54-82507 | UNKNOWN | On Table of Mileages 8 APR - 8 JUN 57 56 Recce. | |
54-82508 54-82608 ? | 54-82508 | UNKNOWN | NOT on Table of Mileages 8 APR - 8 JUN 57 56 Recce. 54-82508 appears on Repairs list 14 Jun 57. |
NO PHOTOS AVAILABLE | 54-82515 | UNKNOWN | On Table of Mileages 8 APR - 8 JUN 57 56 Recce. |
NO PHOTOS AVAILABLE | 54-82516 | UNKNOWN | On Table of Mileages 8 APR - 8 JUN 57 56 Recce. |
NO PHOTOS AVAILABLE | 54-82517 | UNKNOWN | On Table of Mileages 8 APR - 8 JUN 57 56 Recce. |
54-82518 | UNEF 1222 | On Table of Mileages 8 APR - 8 JUN 57 56 Recce. | |
54-82519 | UNEF 1225 | On Table of Mileages 8 APR - 8 JUN 57 56 Recce. Owner: Ontario Regiment UN photo 142100 |
|
54-82526 | UNEF 1217 ? | On Table of Mileages 8 APR - 8 JUN 57 56 Recce. | |
54-82527 | UNEF 1223 | On Table of Mileages 8 APR - 8 JUN 57 56 Recce. | |
54-82534 | UNEF 1207 | On Table of Mileages 8 APR - 8 JUN 57 56 Recce. Owner: Confusion as Les Branson in Texas believe he has it, but so does another collector. Mentioned in the War Diary 18 Aug 57. | |
54-82537 | UNKNOWN | On Table of Mileages 8 APR - 8 JUN 57 56 Recce. Owner: Canadian War Museum. Painted white but incorrect markings. Incorr3ecdt markings. More photos available of details as it was in 2007. | |
NO PHOTOS AVAILABLE | 54-82538 | UNKNOWN | On Table of Mileages 8 APR - 8 JUN 57 56 Recce. |
NO PHOTOS AVAILABLE | 54-82541 | UNKNOWN | NOT on Table of Mileages 8 APR - 8 JUN 57 56 Recce. |
54-82542 | UNEF 1218 ? | NOT on Table of Mileages 8 APR - 8 JUN 57 56 Recce. | |
54-82547 | UNEF 1218 ? | On Table of Mileages 8 APR - 8 JUN 57 56 Recce. Photo is indistinct. | |
54-82567 | UNKNOWN | ||
NO PHOTOS AVAILABLE | 54-82571 | UNKNOWN | |
54-82575 | UNKNOWN | Owned by CWM. Now a monument in front of Building F-104 at CFB Petawawa. Gen Radley-Walters presentation Ferret. (War Diary 18 Aug 57) | |
54-82585 | UNEF 1215 | War Diary 18 Aug 57 | |
NO PHOTOS AVAILABLE | 54-82586 | UNKNOWN | On Table of Mileages 8 APR - 8 JUN 57 56 Recce. |
54-82587 | UNKNOWN | On Table of Mileages 8 APR - 8 JUN 57 56 Recce. | |
NO PHOTOS AVAILABLE | 54-82588 | UNKNOWN | NOT on Table of Mileages 8 APR - 8 JUN 57 56 Recce. |
NO PHOTOS AVAILABLE | 54-82589 | UNKNOWN | On Table of Mileages 8 APR - 8 JUN 57 56 Recce. |
54-82590 | UNKNOWN | On Table of Mileages 8 APR - 8 JUN 57 56 Recce. Owner: Ontario Regiment | |
54-82596 | UNEF 2010 | On Table of Mileages 8 APR - 8 JUN 57 56 Recce. | |
54-82601 | UNKNOWN | On Table of Mileages 8 APR - 8 JUN 57 56 Recce. | |
54-82602 | UNKNOWN | On Table of Mileages 8 APR - 8 JUN 57 56 Recce. | |
54-82603 | UNKNOWN | On Table of Mileages 8 APR - 8 JUN 57 56 Recce. | |
NO PHOTOS AVAILABLE | UNKNOWN | UNEF 1201 | War Diary 18 Aug 57. 54-82506 is painted as UNEF 1201 but the owner knows that the UNEF number for his Ferret is not known at this time. |
NO PHOTOS AVAILABLE | UNKNOWN | UNEF 1202 | War Diary 18 Aug 57 |
NO PHOTOS AVAILABLE | UNKNOWN | UNEF 1205 | War Diary 18 Aug 57 |
UNKNOWN | UNEF 1208 | ||
UNKNOWN | UNEF 1209 | War Diary 18 Aug 57 & beer photo with RCD | |
UNKNOWN | UNEF 1212 | ||
UNKNOWN | UNEF 1213 | War Diary 18 Aug 57 | |
UNKNOWN | UNEF 1214 | War Diary 18 Aug 57 | |
UNKNOWN | UNEF 1215 | PHOTO 54-82585 shows UNEF1215 WHERE DID UNEF1206 come from? | |
UNKNOWN | UNEF 1216 | War Diary 18 Aug 57 | |
UNKNOWN | UNEF 1221 | ||
NO PHOTOS AVAILABLE | UNKNOWN | UNEF 1224 | War Diary 18 Aug 57 |
UNKNOWN | UNEF 1226 | ||
NO PHOTOS AVAILABLE | UNKNOWN | UNEF 1228 | |
UNKNOWN | UNEF 1229 | ||
UNKNOWN | UNEF 1597 | The high UNEF number suggests that this was a replacement vehicle brought in later in the UNEF Mission. | |
UNKNOWN | UNEF 1598 | The high UNEF number suggests that this was a replacement vehicle brought in later in the UNEF Mission. |
UNEF Ferrets by UNEF Number
UNEF # | CAR # | COMMENTS |
---|---|---|
UNEF 1201 | ||
UNEF 1202 | ||
UNEF 1203 ? | ||
UNEF 1204 ? | ||
UNEF 1205 | ||
UNEF 1206 | 54-82575 | |
UNEF 1207 | 54-82534 | Hull 315 |
UNEF 1208 | 54-82587 | Hull 383 |
UNEF 1209 | ||
UNEF 1210 | 54-82596 | Destroyed in a hanger fire. |
UNEF 1211 ? | ||
UNEF 1212 | ||
UNEF 1213 | Nicknamed "PAT" 1957 before repainted in white. One crewmember was Cpl. McNicholl. | |
UNEF 1214 | ||
UNEF 1215 | 54-82585 | |
UNEF 1216 | ||
UNEF 1217 | 54-82526 ? | |
UNEF 1218 | 54-82542 ? or 547 ? | |
UNEF 2019 ? | ||
UNEF 1220 | ||
UNEF 1221 | ||
UNEF 1222 | 54-82518 | Hull 304 |
UNEF 1223 | 54-82527 | Hull 308 |
UNEF 1224 | ||
UNEF 1225 | 54-82519 | Hull 411 |
UNEF 1226 | ||
UNEF 1227 ? | Possibly cannibalized for parts, thus not seen in photos. | |
UNEF 1228 | ||
UNEF 1229 | 29 Ferrets landed at Port Said on 28 March 1957. It appears a solid, or nearly solid, block of numbers was assigned. | |
UNEF 1230 ? | ||
UNEF 1231 | 54-82527 | |
UNEF 1597 | ||
UNEF 1598 |