The gentleman driving HAA in the photo is Mr R A Dodd and the Ambulance Station pictured is Aldershot.
At the time the picture was taken he was the 'Senior Head Driver' (SHD) and the rank marking was two gold bands around the cuff, a bit like a pilot. He was in charge of Hampshire's 'North East Area' ('Blue Area' if my memory serves me correctly). In the late 60's the title SHD was changed to 'Area Superintendent' but, that was long after Reg had left Hampshire to take up the position of Deputy Ambulance Officer, for Portsmouth, which was in 1961.
So, about the Welfarer vehicles themselves, a proto-type (van) version was launched in 1946 and the first production models in 1947. An ambulance version, designed to meet the requirements of the Worcestershire County Council, first appeared at the London Commercial Motor Vehicle Exhibition of 1949. That being the case the vehicles were ordered by a number of ambulance services (including Portsmouth and Hampshire) between 1949 to about 1953-4. In 1954, after a 4 to 5 year hold in the market, they were replaced by the newer, 'up and coming' LD1 and LD2.
Thanks to Ron Lilly for the information.
