WW1 Military Motors - 1916 set x 50 cards

[johnboy]

Back to the Seabrooks. It would have been cheaper in shipping costs to import the chassis with the wheels strapped on top. That way they would have been stackable. The bodies could be made at the London factory ready for bolting on. It would be interesting to know where the engines were sourced.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

Back to the Seabrooks. It would have been cheaper in shipping costs to import the chassis with the wheels strapped on top. That way they would have been stackable. The bodies could be made at the London factory ready for bolting on. It would be interesting to know where the engines were sourced.

The ' Continental ' engines were made in America, as were the ' Seabrook-Standard's ' chassis including their American made wooden wheels.

With the complete chassis, engine, and wheels already coming from America, it must have been financially advantageous for Seabrook to have imported the remaining truck parts, which were only the driver's cab fittings and truck lights, and then just assemble them in their East London works, as they had already been doing for several years previous with the American ' Regal ' cars, which they imported and assembled, so Seabrook were geared up for assembly, rather than manufacture.

LF

[Lancashire Fusilier]

It would be interesting to know where the engines were sourced.

The American Company which manufactured the ' Continental ' engine was founded in Chicago, U.S.A. in 1902 by Ross W. Judson and his brother-in-law, Arthur W. Tobin. They originally called their Company ' Teledyne Continental Motors ', then in 1905, after a very successful start to their business, they moved to a larger factory in Detroit, Michigan and changed the name of their Company to ' Continental Motor Manufacturing Company '.

By 1914, ' Continental ' were building customized motorcar engines for most of the large American motorcar companies, and had become the largest engine building company in the world..

During WW1 ' Continental ' signed a lucrative agreement with the U.S. War Department to develop and build a mass-produced standardized truck engine, probably the type used in the Seabrook-Standard lorry, in return for a contract to provide 50% of all the vehicle engines the War Department needed.

LF

[Lancashire Fusilier]

1914 ' Continental ' engine advertisement, and a photograph of a 1914 ' Continental ' motorcar engine.

LF

[Lancashire Fusilier]

Another nice photograph of the R.N.A.S. ' Seabrook ' Armoured Car and crew, along with 2 R.N.A.S. motorcyclists riding their Douglas motorcycles. This photograph, was probably taken in Belgium while the ' Seabrook ' Armoured Cars were on active service in Ypres.

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.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

By the 1920s, Ross W. Judson the President of Continental had become a multi-millionaire and like many of the American Auto-Barons who had made vast fortunes from the motor industry, Ross Judson built himself a luxurious yacht, the ' Comoco ', presumably based on Continental Motor Company. Today, his yacht would have cost several million pounds to build.

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.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

another armoured car from a well known name today of Leyland

The Leyland Armoured Car.

The story of the ' Leyland ' Armoured Cars ( only 4 were ever made ) starts with Sir John Willoughby, a colourful and adventurous career soldier in the Royal Horse Guards, who as a Major, had spent time in Holloway Jail, following his conviction for having taken part in the unlawful ' Jameson Raid '.

The ' Jameson Raid ' was named after Dr. Leander Starr Jameson (1853–1917) the then British administrator of Rhodesia. He and Cecil Rhodes, premier of Cape Colony, were concerned about the rights of British settlers, called ' uitlanders ' (foreigners) by the Boers, in the Transvaal.

Rhodes, Jameson, and others conspired to overthrow the Transvaal government, but a planned uprising, scheduled for December, 1895, was postponed. Jameson, however, ignoring instructions from London, led some 500 men, including Major Sir John Willoughby, into the Transvaal on December 29 in an attempt to oust the Transvaal government by force.

The raid was ill-prepared, and failed, Jameson and his troops were captured. Jameson was turned over to the British, returned to England and was briefly imprisoned in Holloway Jail, as was Major Sir John Willoughby who received a 10 months prison term for his part in the botched raid.

After being released from prison, Sir John Willoughby resumed his military career and on the outbreak of WW1, and given his expert knowledge of Africa and also his previous military transport experience in Africa, Sir John Willoughby was asked by the War Office to return to Africa with a force to fight the Germans in East Africa.

For this assignment, Willoughby decided to create a mobile armoured unit to be known as No.1 ( Willoughby's ) Armoured Motor Battery, which was to consist of 4 Armoured Cars, 4 Leyland 3-ton lorries, 7 cars and light lorries, a mobile workshop lorry, and 18 Douglas motorcycles.

To supply his Armoured Cars, Willoughby turned to Leyland, who were also supplying his force with their 3-ton lorries, and it was decided that just 4 ' Leyland ' Armoured Cars would be built using the chassis from the Leyland 3-ton lorry. Leyland's 3-ton lorry already had an excellent reputation for quality and reliability, and had been used extensively by the R.F.C.

The ' Leyland ' Armoured Car's 14 foot chassis with semi-elliptic leaf springs both front and rear, was powered by a 4-cylinder engine developing 30-40 h.p. and had a 4-speed gearbox. The armoured car's wheels had pressed steel discs and solid rubber tyres were fitted all round, which were later to prove significant. The armoured hull was ' Beardmore ' armour plate of between 3/16 and 1/4 inch thickness.

The ' Leyland ' Armoured Car's armament consisted of 2 Vickers .303 water-cooled machine guns, one mounted in a revolving turret on the hull roof, and the other through a machine gun port in the hull's rear. Additional equipment included a large searchlight mounted on the turret roof, and a semaphore signalling arm on the hull top.

To assist in getting out of soft ground, the armoured cars carried an ' unditching ' board attached to the left side of the hull, and for active service, the front wheels were fitted with wide flanges to help prevent wheel sinkage.

The Leyland Armoured Car had a crew of 6 men, including a second driver who would operate the duplicate rear steering wheel when driving the armoured car in reverse in an emergency.

Willoughby's No.1 Armoured Motor Battery, a force of some 120/130 men plus their vehicles embarked from Devonport on 7th February, 1916 aboard HMT ' Huntsgreen ' and disembarked at Kilindini, British East Africa, on 16th March 1916.

It was soon discovered that the very heavy Leyland Armoured Cars were highly unsuitable for the muddy East African terrain and were prone to sink easily into the mud.

Despite being stripped of some of their armoured bodywork to reduce their weight, problems with negotiating the East African terrain continued, and as a result of these problems, Willoughby's Armoured Motor Battery was moved to Egypt later in the year.

Also, and against Willoughby's wishes, his Armoured Motor Battery was placed under the control of the Army Service Corps ( A.S.C. ) and as a result of this decision, Willoughy resigned.

The 4 Leyland Armoured Cars were subsequently transferred to Mesopotamia to be converted into Anti-Aircraft lorries, after having had their armour plating removed.

Sir John Willoughby was awarded the Distinguished Service Order, on 4th June, 1917, and died on 16th April, 1918.

The attached photograph shows the newly built ' Leyland ' Armoured Cars leaving the Leyland factory.

LF

Information from various sources including some from Tanks and other Armoured Fighting Vehicles 1900-1918 by B.T. White and Warcars by D. Fletcher.

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.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

Sir John Willoughby, leaning against one of his No.1 Armoured Motor Battery's ' Leyland ' Armoured Cars outside the Leyland factory. The photograph provides excellent details of the ' Leyland ' Armoured Car and its equipment, note the semaphore signalling arm on the hull top.

LF

C/o Warcars by D. Fletcher - 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.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

The No.1 ( Willoughby's ) Armoured Motor Battery's 4 ' Leyland ' Armoured Cars and their other support vehicles including the Leyland 3-ton lorries and the force's motorcycles assembled outside the Leyland factory.

Sir John Willoughby, is on the far right of the photograph.

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.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

The ' Leyland ' Armoured Car.

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.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

The Leyland 3-ton lorry, 4 such lorries were part of the No.1 ( Willoughby's ) Armoured Motor Battery's vehicles. The chassis of the Leyland 3-ton lorry, was also used for the 4 ' Leyland ' Armoured Cars.

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.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

The Leyland 3-ton lorry, photographed in Africa.

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.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

The ' Leyland ' Armoured Cars of No.1 ( Willoughby's ) Armoured Motor Battery and other support vehicles, heading out after having arrived in Africa.

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.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

As unfortunately often happened, a ' Leyland ' Armoured Car gets stuck in the muddy terrain of East Africa.

LF

C/o Warcars by D. Fletcher - 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.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

Cap badge of the No.1 ( Willoughby's ) Armoured Motor Battery, showing a depiction of the ' Leyland ' Armoured Car.

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.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

Newspaper account of the ' Jameson Raid ' participants prison terms in Holloway Jail.

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.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

The stripped down ' Leyland ' Armoured Cars, arrive in Egypt after having been transferred from East Africa.

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.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

Sir John Willoughby's Distinguished Service Order ( D.S.O. ) recipient's book entry, giving details of his interesting and illustrious military career.

WILLOUGHBY, Sir J.C., Bart. ( D.S.O. London Gazette 4.6.1917 ); born 20.2.1859 ; son of 4th Bart. and second wife, Maria Elizabeth, daughter of T. Fawkes, of Hemley House, Staffs ; educated Eton ; Trinity College, Cambridge ; Lt. 3rd Battalion Oxford Light Infantry, 1879 ; 2nd Lt. 6th Dragoon Guards, and entered Royal Horse Guards, 1880 ; Major 18.1.1895 ; served Egyptian Exp., 1882 ; Battle of Tel-el-Kebir ; medal with clasp ; Bronze Star ; Sudan Exp., 1884-85 ; Nile ; employed on Transport Duties ; Despatches ; Clasp ; Second-in-Command of Forces of Imperial British South Africa Co., Matabeleland, 1890-91 ; Matabeleland Conquest, 1893 accompanied Dr. Jameson, C.B., into the Transvaal, 1896 ; served South African War, 1899-1900 ; was in Ladysmith with Cavalry Headquarters Staff during the siege, and appointed Major under General Hunter in command of the transport of the flying column for the relief of Mafeking, also employed on the Intelligence Department ; Queen's Medal, 2 clasps ; Despatches ; served Europ. War, 1914-17 ; T/Major, A.S.C. ( now R.A.S.C. ) ; Despatches. He died on 16.4.1918.

LF

[Lancashire Fusilier]

Keith

Keith,

With your knowledge of WW1 Mesopotamia and Anti-Aircraft Units generally, do you have any information on the ' Leyland ' Armoured Cars after they arrived in Mesopotamia and were converted to Anti-Aircraft Gun lorries.

Regards,

LF

[Lancashire Fusilier]

The ex-German passenger ship ' Derfflinger ', was captured by the British in 1914 at Port Said, and re-named HMT ' Huntsgreen ', and was operated by the British Navy as a troopship until 1923.

HMT ' Huntsgreen ' transported Sir John Willoughby and his No.1 Armoured Motor Battery from Devonport to Kilindini, East Africa ( February 7 to March 16, 1916 ).

The ' Derfflinger ' was sold back to her previous German owners, and was eventually scrapped in 1932.

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.

[Scalyback]

Ref the "stuck in the mud", how did the Leyland cars obtain traction? I can't see how they would get purchase on a metalled road let alone some mud. Every invention/innovation needs it's time. Would what we consider off road tyres solved the problems for the armourd cars operating in off road conditions?

[Lancashire Fusilier]

Would what we consider off road tyres solved the problems for the armourd cars operating in off road conditions?

Yes, 100 years later, we can see the problem. Back then, vehicle tyres were typically made without any ' tread ', although towards the end of WW1 the Americans were using tyres with a tread pattern, and from the attached ' Dunlop ' tyres advertisement we can see tyres with treads appearing, however, the advertisement is dated 1922.

Even using an early form of tyre with a tread pattern, I am still not sure it would have solved many of those vehicle weight problems, and even today 100 years later, cars are still getting stuck in the mud.

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.

[Rockdoc]

Keith,

With your knowledge of WW1 Mesopotamia and Anti-Aircraft Units generally, do you have any information on the ' Leyland ' Armoured Cars after they arrived in Mesopotamia and were converted to Anti-Aircraft Gun lorries.

Regards,

LF

No, sorry LF. I've not come across anything like that. My detailed knowledge is of the Salonika AA Sections and the only work I've done on Mespot is up to Kut, where two of my Grandfather's first cousins, brothers in the OBLI, were captured.

Keith

[Lancashire Fusilier]

No, sorry LF. I've not come across anything like that. My detailed knowledge is of the Salonika AA Sections and the only work I've done on Mespot is up to Kut, where two of my Grandfather's first cousins, brothers in the OBLI, were captured.

Keith

Keith,

Thank you for following up.

Regards,

LF

[Lancashire Fusilier]

With reference to my post dated 10th October, 2013 showing 2 German soldiers in a Field Wireless Section using a tandem bicycle powered generator, here we see a British soldier trying out a captured German tandem bicycle powered generator.

LF

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