WW1 Military Motors - 1916 set x 50 cards

[GRANVILLE]

A fantastic series of workshop photographs!

David

[Lancashire Fusilier]

Lancashire Fusilier,

Have you ever seen any images of the post war military vehicle dump at Slough? At one point there were 17,000 vehicles there, cars, vans and trucks, all recovered from European operations. These were awaiting scrapping or rebuilding and re-sale into civilian ownership.

Had a book once, that covered the history of this vast area of 600 acres, now the Slough Trading Estate.

Mike.

Mike,

Following the Armistice, the WD conducted various large sales of ex-military vehicles in Britain, attached are 3 photographs showing such an ex-WD vehicle sale held at Kempton Park Racecourse in the winter of 1918.

Regards,

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.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

Ex-WD vehicle sale held at Kempton Park Racecourse in the winter of 1918.

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]

A fantastic series of workshop photographs!

David

David,

Pleased you found them interesting, there was much done behind the scenes to keep the British Army's vehicles on the road during WW1.

Regards,

LF

[MikeyH]

Lancashire Fusilier,

Thanks for the excellent Kempton Park disposal sale photos. Oddly enough I saw a photo only today at a Great War display of a preserved F.W.D. truck as shown in post #2252.

My late brother in laws father, worked for a brick producer in Lanacashire pre war, they were still using a Great War ex WD truck, Leyland I think, up to the mid thirties.

Mike.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

My late brother in laws father, worked for a brick producer in Lanacashire pre war, they were still using a Great War ex WD truck, Leyland I think, up to the mid thirties.

Mike.

Mike,

As you say, many ex-WD vehicles remained in civilian use for many years after the end of WW1, and attached is a photograph of ex-WD lorries, including a Leyland and a Daimler, in commercial use post WW1.

Regards,

LF

[Lancashire Fusilier]

An interesting photograph taken on the beach during the Gallipoli landings showing a group of Army Service Corps motorcyclists with their rear wheel belt-drive Triumph motorcycles, including one with an unusual sidecar box combination, the lid of which is open to hold a mirror while the rider uses a lull in the fighting to take a quick shave.

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]

A Royal Engineer ( Signals ) Despatch Rider appears to have is own mobile militaria business selling/ trading German war souvenirs, his German booty laden motorcycle is a rear-wheel belt-drive Triumph.

Interestingly, this Despatch Rider is armed with a Lee-Enfield rifle, rather than the usual service revolver.

LF

IWM26294 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]

There was a crucial need for trained motor mechanics to help keep the Army's vast fleet of vehicles on the road, this photograph shows Army Service Corps instructors working with trainee mechanics servicing lorry chassis at the ASC Motor Transport Depot in Chantiers, Northern France,

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.

[Scalyback]

More fantastic photos LF. The chap with the booty probably has rifle via the same way. Be it from being found in a British area, this is conjecture but he does have the wheeler dealer apperance of him.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

The chap with the booty probably has rifle via the same way. Be it from being found in a British area, this is conjecture but he does have the wheeler dealer apperance of him.

Scalyback,

I suspect that the reason he is carrying the Lee-Enfield rifle on his back rather than having the usual service revolver on his belt, is that his belt, is jammed full of German war souvenirs.

Regards,

LF

[Scalyback]

He should of obtained a sidecar!

Do keep up the good work.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

Army Service Corps drivers prepare to set off from the town square of Hazebrouck, taking a group of War Reporters on a tour of the area, which three months earlier had been the scene of the Battle of Hazebrouck ( 4th Ypres ) 12th - 15th April, 1918.

The first 3 vehicles nearest the camera, are 25 ph. Vauxhall ' D-Type ' Staff cars, the others are ' Sunbeam ' Staff Cars.

This photograph, shows just how keen War Reporters were to tour a battle area once the area had been secured.

Hazebrouck is located in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of Northern France, and the photograph is dated 28th July, 1918.

LF

IWM10373 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]

Whilst most of Britain's overseas Dominions enjoyed peace and stability during WW1, India on the other hand continued to have internal security problems which had existed long before the start of WW1. Of particular concern was the North West Frontier region, where Mohmand tribesman with German and Turkish support, had declared ' Holy War ' on the British.

To deal with this growing internal security problem, and because the British garrisons in India had been depleted with troops being sent to the Western Front, it was decided to form a number of Armoured Motor Units ( AMUs ), which would provide troops in armoured vehicles the mobility and firepower to deal with internal security or conflict within the large areas covered by their command.

In early 1915, the Viceroy of India approved the formation of a number of AMUs, however, with the general shortage of armoured vehicles which existed at that time within the British Army, very few armoured vehicles were available for issue to the Indian Armoured Motor Units. It was therefore decided to acquire vehicles with suitable chassis locally, and then convert those chassis into armoured vehicles.

The first Armoured Motor Unit to be formed ( 1 AMU ) based at Peshawar at the gateway to the Khyber Pass, was formed using several Rolls-Royce motorcars donated or purchased locally, with the armouring of the vehicles being carried out at the Great Indian Peninsular Railway's workshops in Bombay.

The converted Rolls-Royce armoured cars of 1 AMU were armed with older .45 calibre Maxim machine guns, which again were sourced from existing local Army stores.

Identified by their long sloping bonnets, metal wheel covers and double rear wheels, the Rolls-Royce armoured cars of 1 AMU were produced both with flat sides to the vehicles, and also others with semi-circular bugles in the vehicle's side panels to provide the machine gunners with additional space to traverse their guns. Armoured shields were also originally fitted to the Maxim machine guns, however, these were soon removed to lighten the vehicle's overall weight. 1 AMU., was used to patrol along the North West Frontier region.

Attached are 3 photographs of 1 AMU's converted Rolls-Royce Armoured Cars on patrol in the North West Frontier region.

LF

Part information from ' War Cars ' - 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]

' Indian Pattern ' Armoured Cars of 1 Armoured Motor Unit based in Peshawar, on patrol in India's North West Frontier region.

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]

' Indian Pattern ' Rolls-Royce and Fiat Armoured Cars of 1 Armoured Motor Unit based in Peshawar, on patrol in India's North West Frontier region.

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]

At the start of WW1, the War Office's preference for the supply of armoured vehicles to the British Army in India, was for the Indian General Staff to acquire suitable vehicles locally and then convert them into armoured vehicles, with the vehicle's armoured fabrication work being undertaken in the metal workshops of local railway companies. Unfortunately, those local railway companies could only provide steel boilerplate, which was usually just under a quarter of an inch thick.

Eventually, arrangements were made for supplies of proper ' Beardmore ' armour plate to be shipped to India, which was then used by the local railway company's metal workshops to fabricate the armoured bodywork for the ' Indian Pattern ' armoured vehicles.

One such example of ' Indian Pattern ' armoured vehicles fitted with ' Beardmore ' armour plating shipped from Britain, was the British Army's acquisition of several Italian Fiat Model 15 30 cwt trucks, which had an excellent record of being highly suitable for the hot climates of India and the Middle East. The chassis from these Fiat 30 cwt trucks was used in their conversion to armoured vehicles using the much thicker British ' Beardmore ' armour plating.

The ' Indian Pattern ' Fiat armoured vehicles had an armoured driver's cab, and an open back which could be used as an armoured troop carrier, and or mounted with a machine gun. The rear bodywork was fitted with side firing ports for offensive or defensive rifle or small arms fire, there was also a forward firing armoured machine gun hatch to the left of the driver's position.

One of these converted Fiat armoured vehicles was later sent to Mesopotamia, where it was modified and fitted with flanged rail wheels and used as an armoured railway patrol vehicle.

Attached are 3 photographs of the ' Indian Pattern ' Fiat Armoured Vehicles.

LF

IWM64490 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]

3 ' Indian pattern ' Fiat Armoured Vehicles.

LF

C/o War Cars - 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]

' Indian Pattern ' Fiat Armoured Vehicles fitted with machine guns, on patrol in India's North West Frontier Region.

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]

Here is a photograph of the ' Indian Pattern ' Fiat armoured vehicle sent to Mesopotamia, where it was modified, fitted with flanged rail wheels and used as an armoured railway patrol vehicle.

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]

Because of the vast expanse of desolate and hostile territory that needed to be patrolled by the British Army's AMUs ( Armoured Motor Units ), later known as Armoured Motor Brigades, in India, and that territory's hostile climate and terrain, which often took its heavy toll on the vehicles, the risk of those armoured vehicles breaking down in those desolate areas needed to be covered. Also, it was necessary to ensure the safety of the mechanics being dispatched to those hostile areas to carry out vehicle repairs, to deal with these problems, a few Mobile Armoured Workshops were constructed using the Italian Fiat, and also the American Willys truck chassis.

These Mobile Armoured Workshops were fully equipped with a lathe, drill, grinder etc., all powered by a petrol-driven electric generator, which also powered the mobile wokshop's electric lighting and extractor fans. These mobile workshop vehicles also carried a large stock of spare parts, and also the tools necessary to fabricate spare parts.

Attached is a photograph of one of the British Army's Mobile Armoured Workshops, which were unique to India, this one being constructed using an American Willys truck chassis.

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.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

Two photographs of British troops off-loading an ' Indian Pattern ' Fiat Armoured Car, from what looks to be a barge.

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.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

2

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.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

Two photographs, which look to have been taken on the same day at the same barge off-loading as shown in the previous post, showing a British Army's Fiat Model 15 lorry also being unloaded. It was the chassis from the Fiat Model 15 lorry that was used in the manufacture of the ' Indian Pattern ' Fiat Armoured Cars.

The Fiat Model 15 lorry had an excellent reputation for durability in extremely hot climates, such as the climates of India and the Middle East.

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.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

A British Army's Fiat Model 15 Lorry on display at Duxford.

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.