Landships II

Here's a shot of the complete car with the square cupola.  Supposedly at Guillemont on the Somme in Sept 16, according to Mr Fletcher on the Bovington website.  But if that's a small white-red-white flash above the rear wheels then a later date is perhaps suggested.  Someone might be able to link a unit to the vehicle serial, which might help.  Somehow I don't imagine it's the Padre's transport (standing behind)!

This one is clearly a late 1930's or early WW2 photo in Egypt (Egyptian State Railway wagon), but shows what looks like an octagonal cupola on a 1914 pattern turret.  No telling when it was fitted, of course.  But look at the 2nd photo and it can be seen that the cupola seems to extend along much of the length of the turret.  1924 pattern cars either side.

Here's one of your extended roofs on what is clearly a Russian vehicle: cockade and uniforms.  The Russians did all sorts of things to armoured cars supplied to them.  I914 pattern car with later solid disc wheels. Is the high roof perhaps one of their mods?  There were 2 RR a/c's in Russia and one clearly had the high roof fitted (below).  But the 2 camouflaged cars have the barbed wire hook fitted at the front.  AFAIK this was only used on the Western Front and at Gallipoli.  The wider shot below of your photo shows a second car of identical configuration behind.  According to IWM, this is at Arras in 1917.

None of this helps you hugely except to add some time and location context to when and where these cars were.

If you don't have it, I suggest trying to get this book I have no connection with the seller, but I got the book some while ago.  It lists every chassis and the bodies fitted (and who built the bodies).

Lots of new (to me) photos from the club archive.

jh