'Military Lessons of the Arab Rebellion in Palestine 1936' [‎48v] (101/294)

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The lorries used were mostly 3-ton trucks of high-powered American
make* They carried 15 men and were very last and handy on the main
roads, while their performance on rough tracks was remarkable. They
needed some simple fitting for a Lewis gun, and also a spotlight on a
wandering lead which could be used for the examination of the road and
the vehicle. Additional high sides had to be fitted to those used
for transporting pack donkeys.
In addition to troop-carrying vehicles a number of hired lorries
were adapted for special purposes* 50—cwt or 2- l ;on trucks of the fast
Federal,’Chevrolet and Ford types were fitted with W/T, Vickers guns,
and naval searchlights, all designed to be operated from the vehicle;
while 5y-ton six-wheelers were used to mount naval pom-poms and the
3-pdr gun. Most of these carried armour for the protection of the
driver, and some had in addition armoured sides to the bodies.
Mortars, and some of the Vickers guns, were mounted in V.D. 15-cwt trucks,
A few of the troop-carrying lorries were fitted with amour for use in
special districts to act as substitutes for amoured cars, and for this
purpose they were of value, though the armour tended, to make them too
heavy and unwieldy for normal purposes. Their use was practically
confined to the level roads lined by dense orange groves, where night
ambushes took a heavy toll of troops in unarmoured vehicles, and to
places where only amoured vehicles could halt with safety.
SERVICE M.T.
Technical points regarding service vehicles, which came to light durii:
1936 are described in the following chapter on ’’Weapons and Equipment",
and it is necessary here only to refer to their uses, advantages and
dis advantages.
As regards cars, it was found that the 2-seater was suited neither
to the country nor to the tactical requirements, which demanded an
amed escort an every vehicle in addition to the driver. The disadvant
ages of saloon bodies have already been referred to, and undoubtedly the
best car was an open four-seater which could carry the driver and his
escort in front and the passengers behind and from which a. quick descent
could be made from both sides of the car. In this direction, the normal
-pattern body is not always conveniently designed, and an open
oody without doors - such as used by the German Army for instance -
would have been better. The Austin 18’s and 20 r s supplied to the any
nad insufficient clearance and not enough liveliness of engine to suit
the country: the Hillmans were better, and the Ford V8’s best of all.
use for troops-carrying were the Morris 15-cwt CS.3.I,
trucks of the R.A.F. Lifting Coy and the 15 —curt Ford pick"
.ssars. All were fitted with 1050 x 16 sand tyres.
. there was considerable difference of opinion as to
The Morris was handy and had a very good perfomr
he comfort of the Fords, while its ca.Tying capacity
Tver was small though convenient for working on a secuici
Trucks in
the 2-ton Ford
ups of the 8th Hussars. All were fitted with 1050 x 16 sand tyres.
All were good and there was considerable difference of opinion as to
which was the best,
ance but lacked the
ox 7 men and a driver was small though convenient for working on
basis. xhe a.A.E. Ford carried 14 men find a driver or alternatively
3^ to 6 donkeys which gave it a considerable advantage. It was more
silent buunless handy than the Morris. The Gth Hussar pick-up was a
specially fitted vehicle carrying a mounted Vickers-Bertier gun and a
section of 4 men. The body was mounted on a standard car chassis and
was the fastest and most silent of all trucks.
^oC-cwt lorries were mostly either 4-wheeled or 6-wheeled Morris'*
The 4—wheeled OS.11. lorry, which was fitted with 1050 x 16 tyres, had
altogether a better performance particularly in sand than the 6-wheeler,