Page 18 - the story of motoring
P. 18

The car at war




      As  soon  as  the  car  became  reliable  and  had  proved  it  was  here  to  stay,  the Army
      became  interested  in  it.

      The  first  amoured  vehicles  were  fitted  with  machine  guns,  like this  'motor  war
      car'  built  by  an  Englishman.  Simms  in  1902.  There  was  a  lot  of  interest  but  no-
      body  bought  it.
                                                                                                                       I
      FIRST  WORLD  WAR
                                                                                                                      i
     The  Belgians  are considered  to  be  the first to use  cars for attacking  in war.
     Troops  were  driven  in cars  at speed  for  hit  and  run  attacks  on  the advancing
      German  army  in  1914.  Many  countries  used  the frames  [chassisl  of  ordinary  large
      cars  and  built  an  armoured  vehicle  onto  it.  The  British  used  the Rolls  Royce
     Silver  Ghost  chassis  which  carried  a  machine  gun  turret  and  many  tons  of  armour
      plate.  This  Rolls  Royce  armoured  car  was  used  in the  deserts  of  Arabia  and  rarely
      broke  down.   This  was  a  great  achievement  because  of  the  dust,  heat,  rocky  ground
     and  heavy  weight.    On  the Western  Front  large  Edwardian  touring  cars  were  used  by                        I
     Generals  for transport.      Lorries  were  used  in  large  numbers  to  transport  goods  and
     troops  to the Front.


                                               Rolls-Royce
                                               Armoured
                                               car  1916






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                                                                           The  Simms  "Motor  War  Car"  1902
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