Page 80 - RADC 2016

MUSEUM
Army Dental Services Caravan
Anybody passing behind the AMS Museum may have noted a shrouded, wheeled box trailer languishing in the shadows for several years. Retired from active use in the late 1990’s, Army Dental Services Caravan No.1 was used to move the dental surgery to the patients; effectively being utilised on Exercises, during protracted range packages and
in locations, notably Germany (BAOR) and Northern Ireland, and often where no established dental service existed but a population was expected to serve for many months.
Whilst it had seen its dental armamentarium stripped in recent times, the caravan itself is in need of a great deal of TLC and this presented an opportunity to appraise its restorability and thus inform a decision as to whether a possible relocation with the AMS Museum would be viable. Whilst the ultimate aim would be to restore it to its former glories and display it as a standalone exhibit, its current predicament was doing nothing but hasten its demise.
Under the guidance of Col (Ret’d) Jim
Hardy, a group of half a dozen local RADC Of cers set to work to breathe a little life
into the caravan and rejuvenate what had become a somewhat sorry sight. A leaking roof had allowed a steady ingress of water with associated damp problems developing. It was scrubbed, inside and out, and assessed for future works that would be required to maintain it. Thoroughly cleaned, aired and made water-tight, Col Jim will now be able to gain an appreciation of the scale
of the task ahead and also areas of greatest concern. As the project to relocate the Museum gains traction we are now aware as to the likely worth of this caravan in telling the story of the RADC of old.
If any of you reading this report are caravan enthusiasts and would be willing to help in its restoration please do get in touch with the AMS Museum Director and let him know.
78 RADC BULLETIN 2016