Willoughby's Armoured Battery

[KONDOA]

Evening

I believe the above mentioned unit was also known as the 5th Light Armoured Battery and served in East Africa. I therefore assume this must be part of the RN armoured car /light car division.

Can a Chum enlighten me further or correct me please.

Roop

[charlesmessenger]

It was actually an army unit and was formed privately as 1 (Willougby's) Armoured Motor Battery by Sir John Willoughby in February 1915 and equipped with four Leyland armoured cars. It was taken on by the Army as 322 Coy ASC and sent out to East Africa. It was disbanded here in July 1917. To my knowledge it had no connection with 5 LAB, although this also served in East Africa and was likewise disbanded in Aug 1917.

Charles M

[KONDOA]

Thank you again Charles, I now need to establish then who the light armoured mob were ie Indian or British.

Roop

[charlesmessenger]

Roop

The only armoured car units to serve in East Africa were Willoughby's, 4 and 5 LABs and 10(RN) AMB, which was originally a section of No 1 Sqn RNACD. All were British rather than Indian. Indeed, I don't think that any of the Indian AMBs ever left the sub-continent.

Charles M

[michaeldr]

Col Michael Young’s history, the ‘ASC 1902-1918,’ gives much the same info as Charles M, but adds that they had ‘four heavy armoured cars …..actually converted Leyland lorries…’

There is a good photograph of one here, see

http://mailer.fsu.edu/~akirk/tanks/GreatBr...erVehicles.html

and scroll down to

“Leyland Armored Car

Leyland Motors manufactured 4 heavy armored cars in 1915 for service in East Africa. The cars had no mud guards and had solid rubber tires. Drawbacks included a high center of gravity and a narrow wheel base. Later they were fitted with flanged wheels that allowed them to be driven on railroad tracks.”

Regards

Michael D.R.

[KONDOA]

Michael,

Many thanks for that link, great little website. Have a fair few references to them in war diaries and orders etc but little else, thanks again.

Roop

[KONDOA]

Thankyou Charles, forgive my delay but had missed your post for some reason.

As an extension of the armoured car theme and having found this picture in the OZ archives. Can the pictured vehicles/previous unit be identified?? They are allegedly from East Africa and are shown in Abyssinian.

Additionally the 4th Light Armoured Battery mentioned in the above posts was an RNAS section,arriving along with 1st & 5th March 1915. What vehicles did they use???

Much appreciate any information.

Roop