'Military Lessons of the Arab Rebellion in Palestine 1936' [‎52v] (109/294)

and effective fire up to 600 yds. would have been a great aoset. Hand
grenades proved effective against attackers within close range of the cars
- again more often at night.
The 11th Hussars found that belted ammunition resulted in bad cross
feedings owing to rounds loosening during the continuous jolting of the
car. This might have been obviated by the issue of stripless ammunition.
Improvised Armoured Vehicles
The uses of these vehicles have already been referred to in the pre
ceding chapter: they consisted of the "Fighting Motor fehicies" described
below and a few armoured lorries for troop-carrying in special areas.
Armour protection varied according to the particular requirements of the
vehicle, and was often confined to the driver's cab. Sandbags were tried
at first, but proved too heavy and bulky. The best form of armour was
found to be double sheets of l/8-in. steel plate with 1^ inches of wood
between them, and this proved both to be light enough and at the same
time sufficiently bullet-proof to stand up to the sort of fire encountered;
but to give genuine protection against heavy small arms fire the weight
of steel required - particularly of the quality obtainable locally -
would have been prohibitive. Even the light armour provided was a strain
on engines and chassis and made steering heavy on mountain roads, while
it is uncertain how long the vehicles would have stood up to it if sub
jected to continuous hard service.
FIGHTING MOTOR VEHICLES
Vehicles mounting automatic weapons
There were three categories of vehicles which mounted automatic
weapons for firing from the vehicle either while stationary or when on
the move, and all were used widely for road patrols and escorts. Vickers
guns were mounted on tripods in both civilian lorries and 15-cwt. Morris
trucks in the manner shown in Appendix IX, and it was found useful to
have four vehicles per battalion fitted for this purpose. Vickers-
Berthier guns were fitted in each of the Ford pick-ups of the 8th Hussars
on a specially designed mounting placed centrally and slightly to the rear
in the body of the truck. The third category consisted of various vehicles
mounting Lewis guns. The R.A.F. tenders and the Commers of the T.J.F.F.
carried them in a Scarfe ring on top of the driver's cab, and this method
proved entirely successful. In the Army vehicles they were usually car
ried in a^central position in the body either on an anti-aircraft mounting
or on an inprovised mounting devised by the R.A.S.C., which amounted to
li .tie more than a piece of piping set vertically at a height slightly
e j 01 ^ noriTla ^ A*A* mounting. Both methods were successful
and i. was found to be advantageous to adapt all unit trucks to take a
Where sufficient mountings are available it is
b f y, t0 p* t ^ ree t0 each vehicle - on the centre of each side
^ tailboard. This arrangement gives better protection to the gun-
f 1 en f es m fi re sitting or kneeling, and leaves more room
for the remainder of the section when the gun is in action.
Vehicles mounting guns
mou n tin^ S infantry t mortars he 3 Th» SrstT* 1 P0 ’ I '' p0m lorries and vehicles
lorries bnf -f-v^ * -,. 3 ^ f irst tw o required at least Syton
15-cwt/Morri" truck ar T C ° carried and fired comfortably in a
station^ duHn. ? *- ^ thrSe cases the vehicle had of course to be
inruns *»»« ■ *
bo> » d In „„ of £ £ ZSis’S.
44816-1
80