Austin K2/Y
The Austin K2/Y is a British heavy military ambulance that was used by all Commonwealth services during the Second World War.
Built by Austin, it was based on the 1938 Austin K30 30-cwt light truck which, as the K2 chassis, was built during the war for many uses.
Design
The K2/Y could take ten casualties sitting or four stretcher cases. The rear body, known as No. 2 Mk I/L was developed by the Royal Army Medical Corps and built by coachbuilder Mann Egerton. Simple canvas closures were used in place of driver's cab doors.The interior dimensions were approximately 2.6 metres long, 2.0 metres wide and 1.7 metres high. At the rear of the vehicle there were two large doors. From the driver's cab the wounded could also be accessed through a small internal door with a seat. The exterior was mainly made from painted canvas.
The Austin K2/Y was generally regarded as having a widely spaced four-speed gearbox that needed to be "understood", but once mastered provided good service. It had two petrol tanks, one on each side. The top speed was around.
A total of 13,102 Austin K2/Y ambulances were built at the company's Longbridge plant almost continuously from 1940 until the war ended. An estimated 50 or more remain today. The Austin chassis was one of three main designs fitted with variations of the Mann Egerton built bodies, the others being Morris Commercial CS11/30F and Bedford ML 54. It is estimated there are two remaining Morris Commercials, but no Bedford examples are said to survive.
Service
One veteran of the North African Campaign stated he once managed to carry 27 wounded, with passengers seated on the wings, bonnet, rear steps, and in extra stretchers suspended by rifles across the rear walkway; he was mentioned in dispatches for this feat.Princess Elizabeth was trained to drive one during WW2 when serving with the Auxiliary Territorial Service.
The design was popular with British and Commonwealth troops, as well as American forces which received them in reverse Lend-Lease. The K2 was often affectionately nicknamed "Katy", also by British and US troopers in occupied Germany of the 1950s.
The K2/Y ambulance was also used in the Korean War.