Description
Object description
British private served with 4th Light Armoured Motor Bty, Motor Machine Gun Corps in GB and in East Africa, 1915-1917; officer served with Royal Flying Corps in Egypt, 1917-1919; civilian worked for Morris Motors Ltd and Morris Commercial Cars Ltd in GB, 1924-1947 including serving as Chairman of Cruiser Tank Production Panel and as member of Advisory Panel on Tank Production, 1939-1947
Content description
REEL 1 Recollections of period as private with Motor Machine Gun Corps in GB, 1915: reasons for enlistment in army; attraction of armoured cars; driving training with Army Service Corps prior to posting to unit; formation of Light Armoured Motor Batteries, 1915; motorcycle training at Bisley; naval influence on armoured car tactics; morale in unit. Recollections of operations as driver with 4th Light Armoured Motor Bty, Motor Machine Gun Corps in East Africa, 1915-1917: arrival in East Africa; issue of Rolls-Royce Armoured Car; problems of movement during rainy season; organisation of unit.
REEL 2 Continues: problems with malaria; problems of driving armoured cars in East Africa; rations available; operations against German East African Railway; disbandment of unit and move to Egypt; story of how he joined Royal Flying Corps as officer in Egypt. Memories of joining Morris Motors Ltd at Cowley after meeting William Morris, 1924. Composition of 4th Light Armoured Bty, Motor Machine Gun Corps in East Africa including vehicles used by unit and tactics.
REEL 3 Continues: Recollections of period as civilian working for Morris Motors Ltd in GB, 1924-1947 including serving as Chairman of Cruiser Tank Production Panel, 1939-1941 and as member of Advisory Panel on Tank Production, 1940-1947: question of cavalry's maintenance of armoured cars; lack of liaison between armoured fighting vehicle users and manufacturers; description of American tank production, 1942; tank engine specifications; Prime Minister Winston Churchill's comments on tank design leading to development of Tortoise Tank; lack of equipment storage space inside tanks; origins of Morris Commerical Cars Ltd's armoured fighting vehicle production; General Percy Hobart's ideas on specially adapted armoured vehicles.
REEL 4 Continues: character of Morris Commercial design team; attitude of cavalry and artillery towards tank design and performance; liaison procedure between industry, Army and Ministry of Supply; development of Gifford Martel's ideas; development of Bren Gun Carrier; foundation of Nuffield Mechanisation and Aero Ltd; William Morris' relations with government officials; members of Cruiser Tank Production Panel; development of Christie suspension; commercial success of armoured fighting vehicle production.
REEL 5 Continues: prior recollections of service with Light Armoured Motor Batteries in East Africa and Royal Flying Corps in Egypt; involvement in multi-wheeled or tracked debate; origins of William Morris's armoured fighting vehicle production; production panal members; Percy Hobart's tactical ideas; Gifford Le Quesne Martel's design ideas; liaison with War Office on Crusader and Cruiser Tank production.
REEL 6 Continues: liaison with users during tank design stage; problems of design by committee; duties as chairman of Cruiser Tank Production Panel; American armoured fighting vehicle production techniques; reasons for choice of British engines; problem of slowing down production towards end of Second World War; reasons for purchasing US tanks; failure of Stern Committee; lack of pre-war collaboration amongst armoured fighting vehicle production.