MTFCA Forum

This photo has appeared on ebay, it shows women and men working on Model T's at what appears to be an emergency assembly line during or after the first world war.
Any one have an idea as to what is the story beind this? Possibly Model T Ford ambulances being rescued for reuse, what country might the soldiers be from?

The 2 soldiers in the bottom right appear to be in US uniform. The Dodge touring behind them was a popular
WW 1 staff car.

I know that in World War II they had crude assembly lines that would receive the vehicles and airplanes as a kit per se and they would set up assembly lines to put the vehicles and airplanes together. They would be shipped overseas broken down into units to save space on the Liberty ships. Maybe they are doing something similar here putting them together in the field or depots. There are some sort of large crates in the background.
They also could be rebuilding them at a depot. In wwii, when the vehicles and supplies were limited they would collect a bunch of broken down vehicles and rebuild them in depots on makeshift assembly lines. I've really only heard of that in World War II with jeeps and two and a half trucks but maybe they had something similar for the model t's in WWI?

https://youtu.be/63-pHXv8jDo?si=4b8S-uPW0SVz_dZV
This is WWII not WWI but the same idea.

Adding to the mystery, the mark in lower left hand corner appears to be "Signal Corps - USA"

Right above the radiator cap in the background is what looks like a short fan palm. Could be California or somewhere around Georgia or South Carolina costline. Maybe Florida. Since there a few Black people in the picture, I think it likely somewhere in the United States.
Norm

I thought that this photo looked familiar. It is exactly the same photo on page 75 of a book I have titled: " Forward-March ! ", volume one of a two volume set, The photographic record of America in the world war and the post war social upheaval. A distribution of The Disabled American Veterans Of The World War, Department of Rehabilitation. Published 1934-35-36-37 and 39. The same book has pictures of Model T ambulances, light delivery vehicles, and a vehicle knocked down for shipment in a crate.

Maybe it's a disassembly line in the states...

Terry, it would be interesting to see the photo of the vehicle being knocked down for shipment in a crate. Would you be able to scan and post it here on the forum?
From memory very few Model T's sent over for the war ever returned. after both wars (and others since) equipment has been left behind so bringing it back home and then disassembling it probably is not the answer. See the July - Aug Vintage Ford where Chris Martin gives a great account on what happened to Model T's in France after WW1 when the war ended.

The touring car in the background is a Cadillac, not a Dodge.

Have seen that image many times, but no source is known, can be found as posters avail on line, so the image is free to use. Only ref. found is on one seller’s site.

The location is France, WW, women in typical French clothing, including immigrants from French possessions, raised track with bare chassis being assembled as the rear units are bare of steering columns. Likely from crated shipments of T chassis, to be mated with US or French made ambulance bodies.


Unknown photographer, (20th century)
Medium
photograph
Date
1914 AD - 1918 AD (C20th AD)
Photo credit
Universal History Archive/UIG / Bridgeman Images
Image keywords
battle / France / Europe / First World War (1914-1918) / war / photography / photo / america / soldiers / war / world war i / doughboy / Photograph / Photography / Mzphoto



A very few have made their way back to the US after the war, can't remember for sure the one on the trailer, but think it was found in or around Syria, a French colony at that time.

The area in the photo looks more like a rail yard. With only three cars in the line and so many women with just wrenches, could it be re-assembling (fenders, etc) cars after being unloaded from a box car? Lead car has no fenders. --
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Lots of soldiers

Here is perhaps a sharper image...

You can zoom in even closer here... https://www.reddit.com/r/SnapshotHistor ... _assembly/

Thanks for all those who have added some input. A lot clearer what actually is the situation.
Interesting opinions by some of the photo.
The short fan palm is actually a person ( most probably a soldier , the clearer photo of Jerry's is great)
The rails are being used to make a assembly line but they are not an actual train line ( no sleepers just wood brackets to support the rails.)
Large crates in backgroumd similar to Ford crates but larger, probably because they have many parts of more than one Ford for assembly and they were able to be handled by the shipping agents delivering them.
I looked up the Books Terry mentioned "Forward March 1 - 2 " they look like great books to have, several on ebay I will see if I can get a set!!!

Jerry VanOoteghem wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 12, 2024 11:08 am

Here is perhaps a sharper image...

You can zoom in even closer here... https://www.reddit.com/r/SnapshotHistor ... _assembly/

Not all pictures are worth a thousand words. They can be misleading when there are words attached. Th US didn't declare War on Germany until April 1917 & the Armistice was Nov 11, 1918. The end of the Brass era was 1915 --
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Likely a staged photo, three cars and tool box tools

Frank, No the end of Brass era was 1916 and even when the black radiator Model was released, according to a period Ford times, Ford still was supplying brass model T chassis for overseas service, I suppose that was dispersing of old Model parts.

The woman on the left side, wearing the black top, looks a lot like my aunt Mary Jane. Spooky!

Luxford wrote: ↑

Wed Sep 11, 2024 11:58 pm

Terry, it would be interesting to see the photo of the vehicle being knocked down for shipment in a crate. Would you be able to scan and post it here on the forum?
From memory very few Model T's sent over for the war ever returned. after both wars (and others since) equipment has been left behind so bringing it back home and then disassembling it probably is not the answer. See the July - Aug Vintage Ford where Chris Martin gives a great account on what happened to Model T's in France after WW1 when the war ended.

Here's the photo of the crated vehicle. It's probably not Ford; radiator and wheels look too large, but it shows crating method. I wonder where motor is sandwiched in there?

More info
Looks like the USA only used 15,000 Model T's while the rest of the European Allies used chassis. After reading some articles it may be that these chassis in the original photo were being set-up for Ambulances.
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scroll to the year https://corporate.ford.com/about/histor ... eline.html
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https://www.curbsideclassic.com/automot ... rld-war-i/ --
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https://historyhub.history.gov/military ... ay-in-ww-1
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https://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Visit ... ambulance/
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Ford Model T Ambulance
During World War I, the Allies used thousands of Model T cars and trucks because of their low cost and ease of repair. The ambulance version's light weight made it well-suited for use on the muddy and shell-torn roads in forward combat areas. If stuck in a hole, a group of soldiers could lift one without much difficulty. By Nov. 1, 1918, 4,362 Model T ambulances had been shipped overseas.
The light wooden body was mounted on a standard Model T auto chassis. The 4-cylinder engine produced about 20 hp. There was no self-starter; the engine had to be cranked by hand. This vehicle was equipped with an early form of automatic transmission and could carry three litters or four seated patients and two more could sit with the driver. Canvas "pockets" covered the litter handles that stuck out beyond the tailgate. Many American field service and Red Cross volunteer drivers, including writers Ernest Hemingway and Bret Harte and cartoonist Walt Disney drove Model T ambulances.
"Hunka Tin," a poem written as a parody on Rudyard Kipling's "Gunga Din," appeared in the American Field Service Bulletin and was used in Ford dealers' advertising throughout the United States. The final stanza read:

Here is one Ford Ambulance which had it's wood crate turned in to an Ambulance body
I was reading earlier today about what happened to the Fords when the war ended I will see if it can be scanned and readable

Here is a mention of the Model T's after the war finished. It's from a "Ford Owner and Dealer" magazine from 1920.
Also some Model T's were altered to do other jobs beside the normal Ambulances and staff cars etc. such as turned into trains to move materials along small train track and even as a mobile winch to aid the removal of trucks, tanks and heavy artillary when stuck on the battle field.

Perhaps disassembly rather than assemble? Drive to rail yard, take apart and crate up?