Canadian officer's motor car 1914

[Moonraker]

There are some very knowledgeable Pals interested in the Canadians and I'm hoping one - or more - of them can give me some details of this officer's motor-car, pictured on Salisbury Plain in the terrible winter of 1914-15. Note the chains on the rear wheels to help the vehicle through the notorious Plain mud. (The Canadians even fabricated snow-ploughs to clear the mud off the local roads and tracks.)

The First Canadian Contingent was notoriously ill-equipped, but this car looks pretty primitive, though perhaps better able to cope with the chalk track of Wiltshire than some of the British staff cars I've seen in pre-WWI photographs.

Moonraker

[J T Gray]

At risk of making an ass of myself, it looks like a truck - I am racking my brains to think of the manufacturers name, only Autocarrier comes to mind, and google is not my friend today - fitted with a four-seater body, rather than being a car as such. Seems a strange use of the vehicle...

Adrian

[Rob Bulloch]

Moonraker.

Is this it??? this is a 1917 Ford artillery tractor, looks similar.

Cheers Rob

[asdarley]

At risk of making an ass of myself, it looks like a truck - I am racking my brains to think of the manufacturers name, only Autocarrier comes to mind, and google is not my friend today - fitted with a four-seater body, rather than being a car as such. Seems a strange use of the vehicle...

Adrian

I would agree, it looks like a lorry...could it be a Stanley steamer? I don't think its petrol driven...or the Ford. The driver is too far forwards. but what do I know!

[NORTHDUK]

There are some very knowledgeable Pals interested in the Canadians and I'm hoping one - or more - of them can give me some details of this officer's motor-car, pictured on Salisbury Plain in the terrible winter of 1914-15. Note the chains on the rear wheels to help the vehicle through the notorious Plain mud. (The Canadians even fabricated snow-ploughs to clear the mud off the local roads and tracks.)

The First Canadian Contingent was notoriously ill-equipped, but this car looks pretty primitive, though perhaps better able to cope with the chalk track of Wiltshire than some of the British staff cars I've seen in pre-WWI photographs.

Moonraker

This is an Autocar truck and is probably a UF21 30cwt. It is on a similar chassis to the armoured MG carriers used by the Canadians and may well belong to the same unit. Although their MG carriers were lightly armoured, their support vehicles were not and this looks as if it is one of those.

Gordon McLaughlin

[J T Gray]

This is an Autocar truck

Thank you Gordon! I wasn't going nuts!

In which case, it will have a flat engine - either a twin or a four - under the driving position, hence the apparent lack of engine.

Adrian

[Rob Bulloch]

Hello All!

Is this the vehicle. in question. One is armoured the other not as far as I know the Canadian Machine gun Corp. I don't beleive it is steam! driven.

Cheers Rob.

[Borden Battery]

Here is an excerpt from a recently transcribed interview of Brig-General Raymond Brutinel (CEF Retired) from October 1962 which deals with the selection of the Autocars. Thus, the 1st Canadian Motor Machine Gun Brigade may have become one of the first authorized units in the Commonwealth. Of course, the Borden Motor Machine Gun Battery was created at the same time.

Borden Battery

---------------------------------------------------------

TAPE 2.

Sir Clifford asked me to prepare for the following day, 2nd of August, 1914, a note concerning machine guns, their fire power and their employment, also a project I had mentioned to form a Machine Gun Motorised Unit of 16 Guns, this number being consistent with the ascertained capacity of the Colt Company to manufacture 303 machine guns within three or four weeks.

Sir Clifford took these papers to Sir Samuel Hugh[e]s then Minister of Militia and Defense and he explained to him that all the funds necessary for the contemplated Unit would be provided privately.

Sir Samuel Hughes gave at once his enthusiastic agreement to the formation of the Motorised Unit and granted prior right for its equipment with the Colt machine gun.

After considering the paper dealing with the machine gun and its fire power, he had extracts published in the Daily papers and made up his mind to endow each Infantry Battalion with 4 machine guns instead of two as provided in the establishment then in force.

He promptly secured an option on practically the entire production of the Colt Company.

---------------------------------------------------------

TAPE 3.

I contacted a few prominent citizens in Montreal. Mr. J. W. McConnell, Sir Andrew Holt, Sir Vincent Meredith, Mr. Blak of the Ogilvies and four other gentlemen joined Sir Clifford Sifton and myself in the subscription of the funds necessary for the Motorised Unit comtemplated.

Major Jack Sifton, the son of Sir Clifford, took charge of the relations with the Militia Department concerning establishments, recruiting of Officers, N.C.O.'s and men, small arms equipment, uniforms and of many details accruing to the formation of this extemporised Unit.

Thanks to him, I could hasten the manufacture of machine guns, the design and construction of motor trucks, the testing and making of steel to armour them.

The trucks of the Auto Car Company of Ardmore, Pen., were selected on account of their rugged strength and their flat horizontal motors. Mr. Clark and Mr. Odlum of the Auto Car Company fired their workers and the steel makers with the most helpful spirit, much to my satisfaction.

Twenty-seven days after being ordered, armoured and service trucks were ready for delivery in Ardmore. Miss Clark had the kindness to offer to the Brigade an ambulance and this fine gift, so appropriated, was gladly accepted and proved of great value in Salisbury Plains.

At the same time, the Colt machine guns were being made and tested. When ready they were removed by night from Holyoak on account of the hostile attitude of some workers of the Colt factory who were of German origin.

The first establishment concerning personnel provided: 1 Major, 3 Captains, 5 Subalterns, 4 Sergeants, 2 Sergeants' Artificers, 4 Corporals, 4 Corporals' Artificers and 101 Privates. It had been worked out by Major Jack Sifton in consultation with the Militia Department and was authorised by an Order in Council. Permission to recruit personnel was granted the 9th of September, 1914. This establishment proved inadequate and was promptly increased from 128 O.R. to 168 O.R. Thus the 1st Motorised Machine Gun Brigade was born.

It was, of course, a bedraggled outfit.

Variegate equipment of men did not lend itself to much beautification, but little attention was given to this aspect, sterner business being ahead.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Several high-minded citizens had financed the formation of small Motorised Units such as the :

Borden Machine Gun Battery 6 machine guns

Eaton Machine Gun Battery "

Yukon or Boyle Machine Gun Battery "

In 1916 they were attached to the 1st Canadian Motor Machine Gun Brigade and later, after the provision of light transport, they formed the 2nd Motor Machine Gun Brigade.

As such, they served with distinction till the end of the war.

[Moonraker]

Thanks to all for input. No doubt most of you spotted the scan that I added to an old topic at the same that I started this thread :

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/i...mp;#entry654702

The scan showed another view of the machine-gun version of the vehicle, included in the same letter-card that I mention in the other thread. But Rob Bulloch has trumped me by including a photo of both vehicles together. (Incidentally, Rob, can you tell me, please, where you got your pic from?)

Moonraker

[Great War Truck]

The Autocar UF21 had a 2 cylinder engine with the cylinders horizontally opposed. The officers command cars like that one were a very poor use of resources and the canadian ones were converted to GS trucks in France with very rudimentary body's. The US Army tested Autocars and a small number were purchased by the Penn National Guard. The British Army bought 454, of which 265 were used on the Western Front and the remainder in East Africa. Here is a picture of our GS version at Buckingham Palace earlier this year.

Tim Gosling

[asdarley]

Love the oil tray! Preventing the royal gravel from being besmirched. As a Series One Landrover owner I apppreciate the problem