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Landships II -> Landships WW1 Forum -> Armoured Cars & other AFV's -> Service History for Rolls Royce Armoured Cars
Post Info TOPIC: Service History for Rolls Royce Armoured Cars
MarkV


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Service History for Rolls Royce Armoured Cars
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Hello,

I've been looking into the history of Rolls Royce Armoured Cars for a while now and have been struck by the lack of a complete service history for these fascinating and important vehicles. Having given up hope of ever finding an official history, I have been working on a timeline of my own showing the units that operated these vehicles, the numbers of cars used by each unit, the time periods they were in operation with each unit, and the locations they were used.

At the moment the timeline is limited to the period August 1914 through February 1921 (this was roughly the period covered in Fletcher's excellent book, Warcars.) At the bottom of the timeline you will find a key identifying the abbreviations used as well as a month-by-month running total of known or reasonably inferred Rolls Royce Armoured Cars in service.There are separate totals for the cars developed in India, the early Admiralty Pattern cars used in the Low Countries, and the more typical 1914 Admiralty Pattern cars. I hope to expand this to include the later model RR ACs and extend the timeline to date.

Concurrently, I have been developing a spreadsheet listing all of the Rolls Royce Armoured Cars that have appeared in historic photographs or books with distinguishing markings (serial numbers, license plates, vehicle names, unit designations, & etc.) My hope is to eventually unite these lists into as complete a vehicle-by-vehicle service history as can be managed at this late date.

Please take a look at these lists and feel free to provide comments to help fill in the blanks, extend the time period covered, make corrections, or suggest improvements in the layout. If you have access to any historical documentation regarding the disposition of these cars at any time in their history, please share it! I would also be very interested to see additional historic photos, particularly any that might reveal distinguishing markings or characteristics that could help identify individual cars.

MarkV



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MarkV


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OK - Would someone kindly tell me how I can attach my files?  When I click the "Attach File(s)" box in the editor, it opens a box where I can type the file name and location.  Unfortunately, the webpage then locks up and I am unable to upload the file or submit the post. 

What am I doing wrong?

MarkV


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Mark Hansen


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You don't appear to be doing anything wrong. If you would like, you can email a copy to me and I can post it for you. I've heard of people having various difficulties with the forum not accepting attachments, losing features, etc. but the only trouble I've ever had is the wandering attachment problem which seems to have been fixed *crosses fingers*.

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Phil R


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I would be very interested in reading this book; the Rolls Royce armoured car is a fascinating vehicle.

I do hope that you or Mark can get it attached.

I have been suggesting to Osprey for some time now, that they produce a book (probably in their New Vanguard series) on the Rolls Royce A/C. Have you thought of approaching them with your work?

Being in Mexico rather restricts the research I could do (even if I wasn't too busy teaching). When I go back home to London, I rather fancy spending some considerable time the libraries of Bovington (i know its not in London!), The Imperial War Museum and, most importantly, The Public Records Office. The PRO, I hope, will be very fruitful and will provide (I presume) a complete listing of F battalion (to resolve lingering arguments about Mk2 tanks) and more information on RR equipped units in the war and Ireland after the war. If you are near London, you would already have checked there, yes?

Good luck with this, I hope I get to read it soon.

Oh, one last thing, I assume you've looked at my collection of RR photos?

Phil

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MarkV


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Mark H.

Thank you for your offer of assistance.  If you would send your email address via personal message I'll send those files to you.

Thanks again,

MarkV


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MarkV


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Phil R.

I have seen you collection of photos. - Thank you very much for posting it.

I am collecting data on the Rolls Royce ACs but have not started on a book, mainly because I live in Austin, Texas, far away from potential sources of information. I'd be happy to share the information I have found with anyone who is in a position to write a book, though. Or, if the information was provided to me, I'd be happy to collaborate and help compile it into a book.

I have spoken with David Fletcher at Bovington about the prospects for his writing a book and found that he was quite discouraged. Apparantly he has been told that there is little market for such a work.

With this I strongly disagree. There is not yet an authoratative work on this important ancestor of today's armoured cars and tanks and the hundredth anniversary of both WWI and this vehicle's creation is fast approaching. The Rolls Royce has many ties to historically significant and interesting characters including Churchill, Lawrence of Arabia, the Duke of Westminster, Kermit Roosevelt (Theodore Roosevelt's son), Locker-Lampson, and a number of others. I have even seen a photo of Rommel standing next to a knocked-out Rolls during WWII! There are interesting ties to be explored between the history of the armoured cars' use in Mesopotamia and current events in Iraq. Add to this the "magic" of the name "Rolls Royce" and I would expect a good market for such a work.

MarkV
(Descending from soap-box...)



-- Edited by MarkV at 19:53, 2007-04-03

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Tim R


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Hello Mark

  Check your Landships message box.

All the Best

Tim R



-- Edited by Tim R at 21:39, 2007-04-03

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Mark Hansen


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Here are MarkV's spreadsheets.

Attachments
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Nailcreek


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Nice work. For the record, Fordson A.117 of No.2 ACC was named "Thunderbolt".

I too would love to see Osprey come out with a book on the Rolls. With Roden due to release a kit sometime this year (keeping my fingers crossed), it would be a great topic.

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MarkV


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Nailcreek,

Thank you for the information about "Thunderbolt".  I'll update my copy of the spreadsheet, but it is a pain trying to post the updated file so I'll hold off until I can make any other changes or additions that might come up related to this thread. 

Thanks again and please let me know if you or anyone else have any other suggestions, corrections, or additions!

MarkV


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Nailcreek


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MarkV ... I assume that you've seen my msn group? Most of the photos of the later cars were from No.1 ACC, stationed at Habb.

The name Thunderbolt was penciled on the side of the engine cover, so it wasn't exactly an "official" name, per se.

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Ironsides


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Nailcreek wrote:

MarkV ... I assume that you've seen my msn group? Most of the photos of the later cars were from No.1 ACC, stationed at Habb.

Hi Nailcreek please post a link to your site as I'm quite interested in Armour at Habbaniya.....cheers



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Nailcreek


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http://groups.msn.com/RAFArmdCarCompanies

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