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Remembered Today:

WW1 Military Motors - 1916 set x 50 cards


Lancashire Fusilier

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As was the case with the Crossley 20/25 Tender, the Crossley Ambulance was much used during WW1, both by the British military and the Red Cross.

There were various Ambulance body designs and two different chassis, the Crossley 20/25 chassis and the Crossley 15 hp motorcar chassis.

The attached photograph shows a superb example of the ' Crossley ' Ambulance using the 20/25 chassis, this particular ambulance was in service with the British Red Cross and was photographed in the ASC ( Army Service Corps ) vehicle park in the Northern French Channel Port town of Boulogne in 1916.

Of note, is the Acetylene Generator mounted on the Crossley's running board, which powered the headlamps, the Ambulance's solid metal wheel covers/ wheels, and also the Red Cross uniform being worn by the Red Cross Ambulance driver.

 

LF

 

 

IWM This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

Crossley Red X Amb Boul 1916 use.jpg

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The ' Crossley ' Ambulance shown in the previous post has a ' RA 411 '  Vehicle Census marking painted on bonnet, with ' RA ' being the designation for a Red Cross Ambulance, and 411 being the vehicle's census serial number.

Also of note, is the ' Red Cross ' insignia painted on the Crossley's radiator.

 

LF

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5 hours ago, Lancashire Fusilier said:

...and also the Red Cross uniform being worn by the Red Cross Ambulance driver....

 

 

Pretty certain the badge and uniform makes him a member of the Friends Ambulance Unit (which came under the jurisdiction of the Red Cross) -  eg:

 

 

http://www.merseyside-at-war.org/story/william-olaf-stapledon-in-the-friends-ambulance-unit/

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18 hours ago, Andrew Upton said:

Pretty certain the badge and uniform makes him a member of the Friends Ambulance Unit (which came under the jurisdiction of the Red Cross) 

 

Andrew,

 

The driver of the Red Cross Ambulance shown in post #5276 could certainly have been a member of the Friends Ambulance Unit (FAU ), a Quaker, and or a Conscientious Objector, as the majority of FAU members were, however by the time that photograph was taken in 1916, he would have been part of the ' British Red Cross ' into which members of the FAU were transferred, and he is wearing the insignia of the British Red Cross, not that of the FAU.

 

The British Red Cross provided the Ambulance Drivers for their Red Cross Society Ambulances and the staff for the Red Cross Ambulance Trains, all of whom wore uniforms bearing the Red Cross insignia, not the FAU insignia, with the vast majority of those ' Red Cross ' personnel being members of the FAU, Quakers and or Conscientious Objectors.

 

Some of the early FAU photographs, particularly those dated 1914/15, show similar military style uniforms, with a different cap badge, which rather than being the ' Red Cross ' insignia as in post #5276, was a metal badge with ' FAU ' in the centre, and the wording ' Friends Ambulance Unit ' around the edge of the badge, as shown in the attached photograph of an ' FAU ' Ambulance Unit photographed in Dunkerque in late 1914 with their ' Renault ' Ambulance.

 

Regards,

LF

 

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

 

FAU Dunkirk 1914.jpg

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Personnel of a Red Cross Ambulance Train, many of whom were Quakers and or Conscientious Objectors, and all are wearing the same ' Red Cross ' uniform and insignia as that worn by the Red Cross Ambulance Driver in post #5276 irrespective of their being FAU members or not.

 

LF

 

 

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

Red X AMB Train CO use.jpg

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An RAF ' Crossley ' Ambulance mounted on a Crossley 20/25 chassis, also of note, is the guard tower with a searchlight in the background.

 

LF

 

 

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

Crossley RAF Amb with tower use rev..jpg

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A very unusual and seldom seen version of an RAF ' Crossley ' Ambulance, with a white painted wood framed ambulance body mounted on a Crossley 20/25 chassis.

 

LF

 

 

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

Crossley RAF amb rev use.jpg

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An example of a donated ' Australian Imperial Forces ' Ambulance, mounted on a Crossley 20/25 chassis, photographed prior to going into service with the AIF.

With many of the AIF Ambulances accompanying Australian troops to the Middle East, the AIF Ambulances used in the Middle East were typically painted white to help reflect the sun from the Ambulance's body work, particularly the patient's and driver's compartments.

Although illegible in this photograph, details relating the the Ambulance's donor, are painted in the bottom left side of the Ambulance's white bodywork.

 

LF

 

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

Crossley AIF White donated amb use.jpg

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Here is another extremely interesting ' Crossley AIF Ambulance ', with the patient's compartment being a very unusual design which was probably unique to the Australian Imperial Forces ( AIF ), and consisted of an ' A ' frame with patient bench seating on either side of the frame's base. It would appear that this style of Ambulance was designed to accommodate only seated patients rather than those on stretchers. There was also a canvas tarpaulin, which would be used to cover the seated patients if required.

 

This particular ' Crossley ' ambulance again utilized the Crossley 20/25 chassis, and a point of note, is that this Ambulance was ' donated ', with the donor's presentation plaque painted on the driver's compartment and reads " Presented by Mrs. G. A. Jury, Adelaide, South Australia ".  Mrs. Jury was the wife of Mr. George Arthur Jury, who was a prominent and wealthy Adelaide businessman, and a Director of G. & R. Wills & Co.Ltd. of Adelaide, South Australia.

 

This Crossley also has an Acetylene Generator mounted on the running board, which powered the headlamps.

 

LF

 

 

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

 

 

Crossley AIF Jury Donated AMB use..jpg

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With reference to the previous post, here is an excellent example of such a ' Crossley ' Ambulance in actual service with the Australian Imperial Forces ( AIF ).
This seldom seen ' Crossley ' Ambulance design was photographed at Harefield Park, Middlesex, which was the location of the No.1 Australian Auxiliary Hospital.
 
This interesting photograph confirms the Ambulance's seating arrangement, which allowed for 5 men to be seated on each side of the ' A ' frame.
In this particular photograph, those men seated appear to be other AIF Ambulance drivers wearing driving goggles, rather than being actual patients, and it may be they are posing in this photograph to show the Ambulance's seating arrangement, or perhaps the Ambulance had a dual role of both transporting patients and also other members of the AIF Ambulance Service.
 
The AIF's No.1 Australian Auxiliary Hospital, which was the only purely Australian Hospital in England during WW1, was set up in November 1914 at Harefield Park in Middlesex, which was the home of ex-pat Australians Mr. & Mrs. Charles Billyard-Leake who offered their home, it's out-buildings and it's extensive 250 acre grounds as a hospital and convalescent home for wounded Australian troops, with the first AIF patients arriving on 2nd June 1915.
The No.1 Australian Auxiliary Hospital eventually closed in January 1919.
 
Those Australian troops who subsequently died at the Harefield, were buried in the local graveyard of St. Mary the Virgin, Harefield's local parish church, with an ANZAC military cemetery being established at Harefield in 1924.
 
LF
 
 

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

 

 

 

Crossley ambs AIF Harefield Parl AAH No.1 use..jpg

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The exterior of Harefield Park in Middlesex, which was the home of ex-pat Australians Mr. & Mrs. Charles Billyard-Leake who offered their home, it's out-buildings and it's extensive 250 acre grounds as a hospital and convalescent home for wounded Australian troops, with the first Australian Imperial Forces patients arriving on 2nd June 1915.
The hospital, to be known as No.1 Australian Auxiliary Hospital, was the only hospital in Britain set aside exclusively for Australian troops during WW1
To accommodate the patients, an extensive network of wooden huts were erected on the 250 acre grounds of Harefield Park.
The No.1 Australian Auxiliary Hospital eventually closed in January 1919.
 
LF
 
 

AWM This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

 

 

Harefield Ext WW1 use.jpg

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Harefield Parish Church in Middlesex, circa 1915, the graveyard of which was initially used for the burial of Australian troops who died of their wounds at the nearby No.1 Australian Auxiliary Hospital, with the first burials taking place after the hospital opened in June 1915.

 

LF

 

 

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

 

Harefield PC WW1 use.jpg

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The military funeral at Harefield Parish Church, Middlesex, of two Australian servicemen who died of their wounds at the nearby No.1 Australian Auxiliary Hospital.

 

LF

 

 

AWM This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

 

Harefield DOW Aus funeral use.jpg

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Those Australian troops who subsequently died of their wounds at Harefield's No.1 Australian Auxiliary Hospital, were buried in the local graveyard of St. Mary the Virgin, Harefield's local parish church, with an ANZAC military cemetery subsequently being established at Harefield in 1924.
This photograph, circa 1915, shows the original section of the Harefield Parish Church's graveyard used for the burial of Australian troops, with their white gravestones being provided by private Australian donations.
 
LF
 
 

AWM This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

Harefield PC early dow Aus graves use.jpg

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The following are a series of 3 photographs showing the extensive network of wooden huts which were erected in the grounds of Harefield Park in Middlesex starting in early 1915, which made up the facilities for the No.1 Australian Auxiliary Hospital, with the AAH eventually closing in January 1919.

 

The first photograph dated 1917, shows the exterior of Harefield Park and some of the AAH's wooden huts.

 

LF

 

IWM This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

 

 

 

Harefield with huts 1917 use.jpg

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Part of the extensive network of  AAH wooden huts, which were erected in the grounds of Harefield Park during WW1.

 

LF

 

 

AWM This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

Harefield huts ext use.jpg

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The exterior of Harefield Park and some of the AAH's wooden huts, note the convalescing Australian troops playing croquet.

 

LF

 

 

AWM This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

Harefield with huts croquet use.jpg

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In addition to the ' Crossley ' Ambulance being used by the British Forces, the Empire's Forces, and the British Red Cross, both Overseas and on the Home Front during WW1, it was also used on the Home Front in London by the London County County ( L.C.C. ) Ambulance Service, with London's first motor ambulance going into service in 1904.

The Metropolitan Ambulance Act of 1909, authorized the L.C.C. to establish an emergency ambulance service in London, and the attached photograph shows a ' Crossley ' L.C.C. Ambulance utilizing a Crossley 20/25 chassis, along with the ambulance's uniformed crew.

 

LF

 

 

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

 

 

 

Crossley LCC AMB use.jpg

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Although the most commonly used ' Crossley ' chassis during WW1 was the Crossley 20/25 chassis, there is photographic evidence of the Crossley 15 hp  2613 cc. chassis with it's distinctive ' V ' shaped radiator, also being used on both British and Canadian Military Ambulances.
 
The Crossley 15 hp motorcar was introduced in 1911, and in 1913 was upgraded to a 2613 cc engine.
The first photograph shows a 1914 Crossley 15 hp Tourer with it's distinctive ' V ' shaped radiator rather than the ' flat ' radiator seen on the Crossley 20/25, this particular motorcar was fitted with steel ' Artillery ' wheels instead of the typical ' Crossley ' spoked wheels.
 
LF
 
 

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

 

Crossley 1914 15 hp tourer rev use.jpg

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A nicely detailed photograph showing an example of a British Army Ambulance mounted on a ' Crossley 15 hp ' chassis, with it's distinctive ' V ' shaped radiator. Note the petrol tank fitted to the side of the ambulance's rear body, and also the driver's cab canopy, which was attached to a frame that could either be pivoted forward over the driver, or as in this photograph, pivoted back to rest atop the main rear tarpaulin when not in use.

This particular ambulance was in service with the Army Service Corps ' 613 Coy ', as marked on the bonnet, which was formed in January 1916 and remained in service in Liverpool as ' 25 Local Auxiliary Coy '.

This ambulance was fitted with a civilian style number plate mounted on the vehicle's scuttle, rather than being issued with a ' W^D Census ' number, indicating this vehicle was in service on the Home Front.

 

LF

 

 

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

Crossley 15hp_ambulance rev use..jpg

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This excellent photograph, which is full of detail, shows a convoy of ambulances somewhere on the Western Front, collecting wounded soldiers for transportation.

The convoy is made up of both military and Red Cross ambulances, with the lead ambulance being a ' Crossley 15 hp ' Ambulance belonging to the Canadian Red Cross Society, with the Crossley 15 hp's distinctive ' V ' shaped radiator clearly detailed.

Alongside the ambulance convoy, are several two-wheeled stretcher carriers and a stack of empty stretchers which were used to bring the wounded to the ambulances. On the left are several tents, which may have been those of a Field Dressing Station.

The lead ' Crossley 15 hp ' Ambulance's bonnet is painted with it's W^D Census Number ' RA 273 ' indicating it is a Red Cross Ambulance in service overseas, also of note is the Red Cross insignia painted on the Crossley's radiator, and the ' Canadian Red Cross Society ' marking painted on the Crossley's tarpaulin cover.

In all, a superb and rare photograph showing the Crossley 15 hp Ambulance in service on the Western Front.

 

LF

 

 

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

Crossley 15 hp Amb with V Rad larger view use..jpg

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Here is an enlargement of the ' Crossley 15 hp ' Ambulance shown in the previous post, giving excellent details of the Crossley's ' V ' shaped radiator.

 

LF

 

 

 

 

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

Crossley 15 hp Amb details..jpg

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Before moving on to the Crossley Staff Car, I wanted to return briefly to the Crossley 20/25 Tender and present 3 remarkable and rare photographs which show an RFC/RAF Crossley 20/25 Tender mounted with the rarely photographed recoilless ' Davis Gun '.

 
    The ' Davis Gun ' was invented by American Navy Commander Cleland Davis, and was designed to be the first artillery piece capable of being fired from an aircraft in flight.
    Commander Davis filed the Patent for his recoilless artillery piece, on 22nd August 1911.
    The Davis Gun was made from a single barrel which was open at both ends, and his ' recoilless action ' was based on the principal that the recoil from the projectile fired from the gun's barrel would be cancelled out by the recoil from a counterweight made up of heavy grease packed with shot, leaving the back end of the gun.
    The lack of recoil when the ' Davis Gun ' was fired, made it highly suitable for fitting into an aircraft.
 
    The American Navy were extremely interested in Commander Davis' recoilless gun and saw it as an effective aircraft mounted aerial weapon, to be used against enemy ships and submarines.
    The American Navy initially tested the ' Davis Gun ' mounted in the nose of Seaplanes, using 3 different calibres, 47 mm, 65 mm and 75 mm.
    For those aircraft mounted aerial tests, a unique and novel gun sighting method was used. A Lewis Gun was fastened to the top of the of the Davis Gun's barrel midway between both ends of the barrel, and as the aircraft approached within range of the target, the aircraft's Gunner fired the Lewis Gun so he could observe where the Lewis Gun's bullets were striking. The Gunner could then correct his aim until he felt he was on target, at which time, he fired the Davis Gun at the target.
 
    The Americans made the ' Davis Gun ' available in limited numbers to both the British and the French, and it would appear that the British envisaged the ' Davis Gun ' solely as an aerial weapon suitable for use by the RFC/RAF, and apparently, the Davis Gun did see service with the RFC/RAF during WW1 typically for anti-submarine warfare.
 
    It is also known that the War Department authorised the construction of a prototype ' Aerial Gun Carrier ' which was to be armed with two Davis Guns, and there is also photographic evidence of an RE8 aircraft fitted with a Davis Gun.
 
    The following series of 3 photographs, show a recoilless ' Davis Gun ' mounted on a RFC/RAF Crossley 20/25 Tender, which is probably being used for gunnery practice by RFC/RAF Airman.
    In one of the photographs, we can see the Crossley 20/25 Tender parked on an airfield's perimeter with the Davis Gun removed and fitted to a wooden mount for firing practice.
 
    The first photograph, shows the ' Davis Gun ' mounted in the rear of an RFC/RAF Crossley 20/25 Tender, with RFC/RAF Airman undergoing gunnery practice.
 
LF
 
 

IWM This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

Davis Gun mounted on Crossley back use..jpg

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An alternative view of the ' Davis Gun ' mounted in the rear of an RFC/RAF Crossley 20/25 Tender.

 

LF

 

IWM This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

 

 

 

Davis Gun mounted on Crossley use 2..jpg

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In this interesting photograph, the ' Davis Gun ' has been removed from the back of the Crossley 20/25 Tender which is seen in the background parked on an airfield's perimeter, and the Davis Gun has been fitted on a firing mount while RFC/RAF Airmen undergo gunnery practice with the Davis Gun.

 

LF 

 

 

IWM This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

Davis Gun testing AF perim on support use.jpg

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