Royal Tank Corps

Armoured Motor Units with British and Indian crews 1915-1917

Armoured Motor Batteries and Armoured Motor Brigades of the Machine Gun Corps, British Army

Armoured Car Companies and Light Tank Companies of the Royal Tanks Corps, British Army

In 1920, twelve Armoured Car Companies were set up as part of the Tank Corps, (later Royal Tank Corps), absorbing units from the Machine Gun Corps; eight were later converted into independent Light Tank Companies. All disbanded before the outbreak of the Second World War.

By 1936 most armoured cars in service in India had been replaced by light tanks and the cars were distributed to volunteer forces in India and neighbouring countries.

On 18 October 1923 the Tank Corps was officially given the title Royal making it the Royal Tank Corps (RTC). On 4 April 1939, the Royal Tank Corps was renamed the Royal Tank Regiment and became a wing of the newly-created Royal Armoured Corps.

Crossley Armoured Car 'Cachy', North West Frontier near Peshawar 1933

Online records

Findmypast now has the database "Royal Tank Corps Enlistment Records, 1919-1934" (released in December 2013). These records are available with Britain Full and World Subscriptions, or credits may be purchased. Searching is free, and you can search by keyword (a name is not compulsory)

These records are for other ranks soldiers. No officers are included.
The records cover men who enlisted between 1919 and 1934. The enlistments are either: transfers from the Dragoons, Hussars, Lancers or Machine Gun Corps, direct enlistments and re-enlistments.
The records usually include a combination of the following information

• Service history (Date of enlistment, details of previous service, including any First World War service, service number, campaigns fought in, medals awarded, date of discharge and reason for it) and
• Biographical information (Name, age, date and place of birth, place of residence, occupation, name and address of next of kin, marriage details, names and dates of birth of any children)

The Tank Museum Archive & Reference Library holds the original enlistment and transfers-in ledgers (Army Book 358)

British Library holdings

• Machine Guns, their History and Tactical Employment (being also a History of the Machine Gun Corps, 1916-1922) by Graham Seton Hutchison; published Macmillan, London in 1938.
• War Cars: British Armoured Cars in the First World War by David Fletcher, published by HMSO in 1987. This book has a lot of good photographs of armoured cars all over India and Persia in locations like Kohat. "The backgrounds are very interesting because they show forts, uniforms etc. Fletcher also describes very well and briefly the campaigns in the area from 1914 to about 1925."
• Mechanised Force: British Tanks Between the Wars, by David Fletcher published by HMSO in 1991. It a good basic summary of the history of armoured cars.

Armoured Motor Batteries and Armoured Motor Brigades MGC 1915-1921

In the operation from Shabkadar (North West Frontier) on 8 October 1915 "armoured cars were used for the first time in action in India and proved of great value".

"Armoured Motor Units began to form in Spring of 1915 utilising vehicles donated by rich Indians and Europeans. This was overseen by Colonel Lord Montagu (Inspector of Motor Vehicles, India and later Brigadier General, Advisor on Mechanical Transport Services, India). Only No 1 AMU had reliable vehicles - three Rolls Royces which, like the other cars were armour-plated by Indian Railway Workshops, and this unit acted as a Brigade HQ for Nos 1, 2 & 3 AMUs. Most of the other vehicles were unsuitable and it was not until 1918 that improved cars were made available.

The Units were re-designated Armoured Motor Batteries in 1917 and during this period, British and Indian crews were gradually replaced by MGC personnel. The British crews had originally been provided by Territorials from garrisons in India. By 1919, Nos 2 & 3 Armoured Motor Brigades were formed from Nos 4 - 12 AMBs, whilst Nos 13 - 16 AMBs remained un-brigaded. At the commencement of the 3rd Afghan War, No 1 Armoured Motor Brigade was reorganised into five Regular and three Auxiliary AMBs which served in the Khyber and Chitral areas. HQ No 10 Armoured Motor Brigade, formed in the UK, commanded Nos 5, 6, 7 & 16 AMBs and operated in Waziristan and Mahsud"..

The following War Diaries are available at the National Archives, Kew

• North West Frontier Force
  • WO 95/5392: 1919 May - 1920 Feb: Lines of Communication Defence: 1 Armoured Motor Brigade: Headquarters
  • WO 95/5392: 1919 May - July: Kohat-Kurram Force: Force Troops: 4 Armoured Motor Battery
• Waziristan Force
  • WO 95/5399 10 Armoured Motor Brigade Machine Gun Corps
  • WO 95/5399: 1919 June - 1921 Feb: 10 Armoured Motor Brigade Machine Gun Corps: Headquarters
  • WO 95/5399: 1919 Aug. - 1921 Aug: 10 Armoured Motor Brigade Machine Gun Corps: 5 Armoured Motor Battery
  • WO 95/5399: 1919 July - 1921 Sept: 10 Armoured Motor Brigade Machine Gun Corps: 7 Armoured Motor Battery
  • WO 95/5399: 1920 Aug. - 1921 Oct: 10 Armoured Motor Brigade Machine Gun Corps: 16 Armoured Motor Battery
  • WO 95/5399: 1921 Nov. - 1922 Feb: 10 Armoured Motor Brigade Machine Gun Corps: Brigade Armoured Car Company

6th Armoured Motor Battery, MGC
The 6th Machine Gun Company, served in Waziristan 1919-1921 as No. 6 Armoured Motor Battery with the No. 3 Echelon of the Tochi Column in November 1919. This column under the command of Maj Gen A. Skeen, CMG, began the advance toward Datta Kehl on 12 Nov 1919. Later No. 6 Armoured Motor Battery served with No. 1 Section of the Tank Line of Communications Defences from Dera Ismail Khan, commanded by Brig Gen R B Worgan, DSO, which had an operational area from Darya Khan to Hathala and later to half way between Khirgi and Jandola.

7th Armoured Motor Battery, MGC

• July 1915 - formed in Dera Ismail Khan with Indian crews and served in India with Derajat Brigade. Took part in operation on the North West Frontier with 10 Armoured Motor Brigade during the Third Afghan War.
• 12 October 1920 - Death and burial at Dera Ismail Khan: Major Dean Farquhar age 31
• 13 March 1921 and 20 April 1921- Deaths, and burials at Peshawar: Private W F Atkinson, and Private George Mansell age 19.
• October 1921 - transferred to 10th Armoured Car Company

16th Armoured Car Bty Machine Gun Corps (Motors)

• 24 June 1919 - Death and burial at Trimulgherry: Lance Corporal A Brace, age 27.
• 1921-- transferred to 10th Armoured Car Company

External links

• Machine Gun Corps Wikipedia. The Motor Branch of the Machine Gun Corps formed several types of units: motor cycle batteries, light armoured motor batteries (LAMB) and light car patrols.

Note in India, the units were known as Armoured Motor Batteries (AMB)

• The Machine Gun Corps Old Comrades' Association
• Machine Gun Corps Pack compiled by Jim Parker, now an archived webpage. Multiple pages, keep scrolling past some blank sections at the bottom of sections. Research and detailed background information, including details of uniforms, from Machine Gun Corps Research, now archived.
• The 1st Armoured Motor Battery cap badge (arcticmedals.com) and 1st Armoured Motor Battery Officers cap badge whartonmilitaria
• The Battle of Ctesiphon [in Mesopotamia on 23/24th November 1915] by David Fletcher 14th August 2013 tankmuseum.org. The battle included two armoured cars, possibly sent from India
• From Jose Luis Castillo‘s blog "Armoured Cars in the WWI"
  • Jeffery-Russell Armoured Cars of the 7th Armoured Motor Battery (AMB). Waziristan, ca. 1920 (archive.org link)
    • Advises that on transfer to the 10th Armoured Car Co in 1921
      • 5th AMB: 3 x Jeffery-Russell
      • 7th AMB: 4 x Jeffery-Russell
      • 13th AMB: 3 x Wolseley 12/16
      • 15th AMB: 3 x Cadillac ???
      • 16th AMB: 3 x Wolseley 24/30
    • Distribution of Troops in Waziristan on 6th May 1919.
      • Bannu. Nos. 5 & 6 Armoured Motor Batteries
      • Dera Ismail Khan. No. 7 Armoured Motor Battery.
    • Troops Comprising Waziristan Force, 1919-20.
      • Headquarters:Dera Ismail Khan (later in Tank) Machine Gun Corps: Nos. 6 and 7 Armoured Motor Batteries.
  • Standard Armoured Car 'Indian Pattern', 10 AMB (10th Armoured Motor Battery) Ferozepore, Punjab, India 1915
  • Napier Armoured Car 'Indian Pattern', 10 AMB (10th Armoured Motor Battery) Ferozepore, Punjab, India 1915.
  • Straker-Squire Armoured Cars 'Indian Pattern', 11th AMB. 1915, Ambala, India. Note the photograph is elsewhere (see below) identified as Number 3 Armoured Motor Unit stationed at Peshawar.
  • Cadillac Armoured Car 'Indian Pattern', Calcutta, India, 1916 15th Armoured Motor Battery (15 AMB) formed by three Cadillac Armoured Cars (type closed roof) Calcutta 1915 Rebuilt in 1916 by the East Indian Railway Workshops at Lilooah, near Calcutta. Was called Noah’s Ark by the special form of the roof (closed and high), designed for street fighting.
  • Fiat Armoured Car ‘Indian Pattern’. North-West Frontier, c. 1918
• Tank Museum page (now archived) showing a photograph of Number 3 Armoured Motor Unit stationed at Peshawar on the North West Frontier c 1915 which was equipped with three Straker-Squire armoured cars. Number 11 Armoured Motor Unit, stationed at Ambala from 1916 to 1918 had three Straker-Squires , most likely the same cars. There is also a photograph of Number 1 Armoured Motor Unit
• Photographs: Armoured Cars on the North West Frontier 1918-1919 taken by Captain Maurice Mendes, 1st Battalion, 103rd Mahratta Light Infantry. king-emperor.com (archive.org link)
• Listen to the 1976 interview with Raymond Briggs Reel 1...Aspects of training and operations with 16th Armoured Motor Battery in India, 1918-1919: reasons for volunteering for armoured car service, 1918; driver training at Peshawar; character of vehicles, crews and unit; internal security duties. Reel 3... Period as instructor with Ahmednagar Tank School, c1921-1925: duties; problems of using armoured cars in aid of civil power. Imperial War Museum
• Photograph: A motor cycle machine gun team, c 1919 North West Frontier National Army Museum. "Two Motor Machine Gun Batteries, numbers 19 and 22, served during the 3rd Afghan War (1919) and the revolt in Waziristan (1919-1920). They were equipped with Matchless, Premier, Zenith, Enfield and Clyno motorcycles, many of which were fitted with Vickers machine-guns mounted on sidecars. Both units also had armoured car sections".
• The King’s College London, Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives website has a catalogue reference " Douglas-Scott-Montagu 7/1-67 Memoranda, Articles and Reports, mainly concerning Indian transport, also includes material on …. armoured vehicles, 1914 – 28". Contains several items on Armoured Cars including "Douglas-Scott-Montagu 7/27 1917 Jan 17 Memoranda, Articles and Reports: Proposal by Montagu for the formation of a school of instruction in Armoured Car and Motor Machine Gun duties, and for the better organization of Armoured Car Units".

Royal Tank Corps

Service in India

The Bill Green collection of medals, in 2004 contained the following medals awarded to members of the Tank Corps. Generally details of the Company were not given. Being from one collection only, the list may not be exhaustive

• India General Service 1908-35 with clasps
  • Malabar 1921-22 this was awarded for the Moplah Uprising and the 8th Armoured Car Company was involved
  • Waziristan 1921-24
  • North West Frontier 1930-31
  • Mohmand 1933
  • North West Frontier 1935
• India General Service 1936-39 with clasps
  • North West Frontier 1936-37
  • North West Frontier 1937-39

Medal Rolls

India General Service Medal Rolls for the Royal Tank Corps may be found at the National Archives, catalogue references WO 100/479 1920-1935 and also WO 100/485, 487, 492, 496, 497, 499, 500. All these medal rolls may be downloaded for free. This data is also available on the pay website Ancestry.

Royal Tank Corps School, Ahmednagar

• Since armoured cars were fitted with machine guns, the Machine Gun School was co-located at Ahmednagar.
• Listen to the 1976 interview with Raymond Briggs Reel 3... Period as instructor with Ahmednagar Tank School, c 1921-1925: duties; problems of using armoured cars in aid of civil power. Imperial War Museum.
• Photograph of Sgts Mess, Royal Tank Corps School, Ahmednagar 1926 from Thread, Army Rumour Service
• Listen to the 1985 interview with Sidney Albert Amatt Reel 16... attending course in armoured car tactics at RTC School, Ahmednagar. Reel 19... attending advanced driving and maintenance course driving Crossley armoured cars at RTC School, Ahmednagar (during the period 1923-1928) Imperial War Museum.
• The National Archives catalogue entry WO 305/4338/54 Royal Tank Corps School India, Ahmednagar 1924-38

1st Armoured Car Company

• The 1st Armoured Car Co. equipped with Rolls Royce cars was sent to Iraq in March 1920 to help put down a rebellion
• A Great War Forum post indicates that 6 LAMB became part of the 1st Armoured Car Co. of the Tank Corps at the end of 1920. 6 LAMB had a Rolls-Royce armoured car called Cleopatra in 1920. Others were called Harvester, Avenger and Chatham. This comes from the unit war diary of the time, which is found under WO 95/5206 at Kew. 6 LAMB were under 17th Indian Division at the time and was based at Ramadi, Iraq.

A LAMB soldier in Mesopotamia wore a sun helmet with a flash/badge showing a lamb.

• A War Office communiqué concerning the movement of troops, reported in The Straits Times of 14 August 1922, “1st and 2nd Armoured Car Companies, Iraq to India”
• Listen to the 1985 interview with Sidney Albert Amatt Reels 13-14 Recollections of period with No 1 and No 2 Armoured Car Coys, TC in Iraq, 1922-1923. Imperial War Museum. Sidney Amatt advised the duties in Iraq were taken over by the RAF in 1923 and the men sent to Armoured Car Companies in India, or back to England. Although not specified, in the context of the interview it appears likely that the Cars were transferred to the RAF.
• The 1st Armoured Car Co. was re-formed in England and had arrived in India by 1925
• Private Harold Bryant’s gravestone at Peshawar reads: "Private Harold Bryant. 1st Armoured Car Company. Royal Tank Corps. Killed 23rd April 1930. Aged 25 years. Erected by the officers, NCOs and men of the 1st Armoured Car Company, Royal Tank Corps." He was a despatch rider who was knocked from his machine during a riot situation in Peshawar, had a petrol soaked carpet thrown over him and was burnt alive.
  • Photographs from the National Army Museum:
    • Riots in Peshawar, 1930 A despatch rider was killed and set on fire, (refer above), his body igniting the armoured car seen burning in this photograph.
    • Troops and armoured car during 1930 riots
  • Information may be found in "Peshawar District 1930", Chapter 10, page 253 Imperial Policing by Major-General Sir Charles W Gwynn 1939 Archive.org, Digital Library of India Collection. The Armoured Cars involved were Bray, Bullicourt, Bethune and Bapaume.
• A member of the 1st Armoured Car Company gained the India General Service Medal with clasp North West Frontier 1930-31 Pte P J Goodard R Tank C charliesmedals.co.uk
• C 1933, the 1st Armoured Car Co. was at Cawnpore and Calcutta. .
• The 1st Light Tank Co took part in operations in Waziristan during 1937.
• Although redesignated "Light Tank Company", the 1st remained equipped with armoured cars.
• "Brought to notice for distinguished services rendered in connection with the operations in Waziristan, North West Frontier of India, 25th November, 1936, to 16th January, 1937":— le Maistre, Capt. R. G., 1st Light Tank Company, Royal Tank Corps.
• The 1st Light Tank Company took part in operations in Waziristan in 1938.
• Grave at Rawalpindi - "No. 7887086 L.E.W. Scammell. 1st Light Tank Company, Royal Tank Regiment. Died Rawalpindi 19 May 1939. Aged 23 yrs."
• Disbanded at Peshawar c September 1939, handing over armoured cars to Indian cavalry

2nd Armoured Car Company

• The 2nd Armoured Car Co. equipped with Rolls Royce cars was sent to Iraq in March 1920 to help put down a rebellion
• A War Office communiqué concerning the movement of troops, reported in The Straits Times of 14 August 1922, “1st and 2nd Armoured Car Companies, Iraq to India”..
• Listen to the 1985 interview with Sidney Albert Amatt Reels 13-14 Recollections of period with No 1 and No 2 Armoured Car Coys, TC in Iraq, 1922-1923. Imperial War Museum. Sidney Amatt advised the duties in Iraq were taken over by the RAF in 1923 and the men sent to Armoured Car Companies in India, or back to England. Although not specified, in the context of the interview it appears likely that the Cars were transferred to the RAF.
• The 2nd Armoured Car Co. was re-formed in England and had arrived in India by 1925
• C 1933, the 2nd Light Tank Co. was at Peshawar.
• Photograph 7th May 1934: An officer of the 2nd Light Tank Company on patrol near the Khyber Pass in Afridi tribal territory. In the background is the Safed Koh range of mountains with the entrance to the pass itself. Getty Images
• No.7882203 Private William Chatterton, and No.7879367 Lance-Serjeant Harold Ernest Whittington, both of the 2nd Light Tank Company, Royal Tank Corps were awarded the Military Medal for bravery in the field during the Mohmand Operations, North West Frontier of India, 15th/16th August to 15th/16th October,1935
• Page 6 of this link has a photograph captioned: Light Tank Mk IIB Indian Pattern of the 2nd Light Tank Company RTC, crossing the Nahakki Pass by mule track, Mohmand Operations, North West Frontier, September 1935
• Grave at Quetta - "In memory of No. 7883491 Private W.B. Ingram. 2nd Light Tank Company, Royal Tank Corps, who died Quetta 20 Jan. 1937. Aged 22 yrs. Erected by his sorrowing father and comrades."
• Disbanded 1939, handing over tanks to Indian cavalry
• 2nd Armoured Car Company Royal Tank Corps Badge cultmancollectables.com

6th Armoured Car Company

• 1921 - Formed in Baghdad from spare personnel of 1st & 2nd Armd Car Coys (ex-4th Bn Tank Corps). They took over the Austin armoured cars and personnel of 7th Light Armoured Motor Battery, Machine Gun Corps until they got new Rolls-Royces. At the end of 1921 the 6th went to India to join the 7th-11th Coys.
• Cica 1933 stationed at Peshawar (for Razmak). Two sections of the 6th Armoured Car Company (Royal Tank Corps) took part in the Mohmand operations, one of very few British units present.
• 1937 - 6th Light Tank Co. took part in operations in Waziristan during 1937. Although redesignated "Light Tank Company", the 6th remained equipped with armoured cars. However it appears the Company also had tanks.
• 1937 - "Brought to notice for distinguished services rendered in connection with the operations in Waziristan, North West Frontier of India, 25th November, 1936, to 16th January, 1937":—Heyland, Maj. H. M., D.S.O., 6th Light Tank Company, Royal Tank Corps. Awards to members of the 6th Light Tank Company for gallant and distinguished service in action in connection with the operations on the North-West Frontier of India, 1937: —
  • The Military Cross. Lieutenant Harry Osborn Stibbard.
  • The Military Medal for bravery in the Field. No. 7883052 Private Phillip Henry Carroll
• 1939 - Disbanded at Delhi, handing over armoured cars/[tanks] to Indian cavalry

7th Armoured Car Company

• A Great War Forum post indicates the Rolls-Royce Armoured Car "Silver Snipe" served during the 1920s in India as part of the 7th Armoured Car Co. A further Great War Forum post refers to photographs in respect of the 7th Armoured Car Co. which "include Rolls Royce armoured cars with spoked wheels, these are named as Silver Knight, Silver Dart and Silver Cloud. There is also a Rolls Royce 40/50 tender which looks like a de-armoured car, a Rolls Royce Admiralty pattern motorcycle, an Albion A10 3 tonner, a Bristol F2B Fighter Plane, a Ford 7 Tourer and some Crossley 1923 India Pattern Armoured Cars, one of which is named "Arion" and written on the back is "One which escorted the Viceroy to the Frontier and back""
• The 7th Armoured Car Co Tank Corps arrived in India in February 1921 with Rolls Royce Cars. They went to Peshawar and then to the Frontier. They formed protection picquets. In 1922 a section was sent to Malakand to assist the Chitral Relief Column and in May 1924 to Kohat for the Ellis murders. Pte P Donegan R Tank Corps was awarded the Indian General Service Medal with clasp Wazaristan 1921-24 charliesmedals.co.uk
• Listen to the 1976 interview with George Warren Richards Reel 3... Period as officer with 7th Armoured Car Coy, Tanks Corps in India, 1921-1924: posting to Peshawar; mechanical problems encountered; patrol duties. Imperial War Museum.
• Listen to the 1985 interview with Sidney Albert Amatt Reel 12 ...Period with 7th Armoured Car Coy, TC based at Peshawar cantonment, ca 1923-1925: Reels 14-20 ...Recollections of period with 7th Armoured Car Coy, TC based at Peshawar cantonment, ca 1923-1925: Waziristan, periods at Peshawar and Lahore, 1923-1928. Discharged 1928 Imperial War Museum.
• Photograph: 7th Armoured Car Co. in Peshawar, late 1920s/early 1930s
• Owen Payne Whawell died on 2 November 1931, aged 21, of gunshot wounds to the stomach, at the Combined Indian Military Hospital, Wana, Waziristan, North-West Frontier Province. He was awarded a 'casualty' I G S 1908-35 medal with clasp, North West Frontier 1930-31. Private Whawell was driver of a lorry of the 7th Armoured Car Company, charged with carrying Lieutenant T. M. Synge, who was returning from a few days leave. On this journey they stopped to take a photograph and were both shot by a disaffected Giga Khel Mahsud, acting as a Khassadar (local tribal policeman), who seized his rifle and shot both men from behind at about ten yards range. Both men succumbed to their wounds shortly afterwards.
• Listen to the 1976 interview with William Brian Blain Reel 3 Recollections of operations as officer with 7th Armoured Car Coy in India, 1932-1935: posting to unit at Razmak; nature of escort duties; introduction of Light Tank Mark IIB at Quetta. Reel 4 Continues: opinion of Light Tank Mark IIB; duties as adjutant; mechanical problems with Wilson gear box; attending tactical gunnery course at Royal Tank Corps School, Ahmadnagar. Imperial War Museum.
• C 1933, the 7th Light Tank Co. was at Quetta.
• In 1935 the 7th Light Tank Co. in Quetta was called out to patrol the streets after an earthquake to prevent looting. They also used their vehicles to pull down the damaged buildings.
• The 7th Light Tank Co. took part in operations in Waziristan during 1937
• The 7th Light Tank Co. took part in operations in Waziristan in 1938.
• Catalogue reference "...photographs... taken by John Mann, 1937-1938; during service on Crossley armoured cars and Vickers Light tanks on the North West Frontier with 7 Light Tank Company, Royal Armoured Corps".
• Disbanded at Peshawar c September 1939, handing over tanks to Indian cavalry

8th Armoured Car Company

• Captain George Archibald Rosser served in Malabar, in command of No 8 Armoured Car Co., later transferring to No 9 Armoured Car Unit, then serving in the Waziristan Campaign
• Page 108 The Mapilla Rebellion 1921-1922 Printed by the Superintendent Government Press Madras 1922 Archive.org, mentions the 8th Armoured Car Co. in the Moplah Uprising or Malabar Rebellion.
• The 8th Armoured Car Co. was in Kirkee in 1926, with commanding officer Lieut Colonel Charles Arthur Bolton
• This link refers to photographs taken by Private H J Dibble No 2 section 8th Armoured Car Company, Royal Tank Corps taken in India from October 1925 to January 1930.
• Listen to the 1976 Interview with Nigel William Duncan Reel 7 Aspects of period as officer with 8th Armoured Car Company, Royal Tank Corps in India, 1931-1932: posting to unit in Dehli, 1931; crowd control duties including electrification of armoured cars; crowd control duties at Chandi Chowk; question of suitability of armoured cars for policing role; health problems in India; character of Crossley Armoured Car. Imperial War Museum.

Note: No. 2 Section 8th Armoured Car Company may have operated independently, as it appears it was on the North West Frontier in 1931, not in Delhi.

• Photographs North-West Frontier Province, 1930s and some additional photographs. The photographer was possibly a member of the 8th Armoured Car Company, Royal Tank Corps, but other Companies and Regiments are also mentioned. From "Andrew M Brownhill" (archive.org links 1 and 2)
• C 1933 , the 8th Armoured Car Co. was at Delhi (for Peshawar).
• Landships WW1 Forum thread about a grandfather who served in the 8th Armoured Car Company in the 1930s with a photograph of Armoured Car 'Agincourt', a Crossley (in original and restored versions).
• The 8th Light Tank Co. took part in operations in Waziristan during 1937
• Awards to soldiers of the 8th Light Tank Company, Royal Tank Corps for "gallant and distinguished service in action in connection with the operations on the North West Frontier of India, 1937"
  • The Distinguished Conduct Medal. No. 1069998 Lance-Corporal Albert Williams.
  • The Military Medal. No. 7879515 Corporal Thomas Morton. Corporal Morton commanded Armoured Car "Crecy"

Newspaper item Cairns Post Friday 8 October 1937 trove.nla.gov.au

• The Company does not appear on a listing for 1937 indicating it had been disbanded and/or absorbed after its action in Waziristan However another reference advises disbanded March 1938, handing over tanks to Indian cavalry

9th Armoured Car Company

• The 9th Armoured Car Company arrived in India in April 1921, with the 10th ACC.
• This link (scroll down) describes the Rolls Royce Indian Pattern armoured cars, dating from 1922, issued to the 9th Armoured Car Company, Royal Tank Corps
• Landships WW1 Forum thread thread which states that the Tank Museum advised that Rolls-Royces only ever served with 9th Armoured Car Company, they could only afford enough of them for one company. (archive.org link)
• In late 1931 "The 9th Armoured Car Company, commanded by Major Simpson, recently left Kirkee and proceeded to Belgaum, where it linked up with the 6th Armoured Car Company and engaged in technical training for a week...” (more details)
• C 1933, the 9th Armoured Car Co. was at Razmak (for Delhi).
• The 9th Light Tank Co. took part in operations in Waziristan during 1937
• Information concerning the medals of Squadron Quartermaster Sergeant E. L. Parkin contains an image of a certificate for “Devotion to duty” awarded to L/Corpl E L Parkin 9th Light Tank Company during Waziristan Operations 1936-37 (Final Phase).
• Disbanded at Lahore c September 1939 handing over tanks to Indian cavalry

10th Armoured Car Company

• WA Moore was appointed to raise the 10th Armoured Car Company on 22nd January 1921 in Wareham and took the Company to India as their Commanding Officer. The 10th ACC arrived in India with the 9th ACC in April 1921. They proceeded to Bareilly for training with Ford Box bodies. At the end of 1921 they went up to NW Frontier and there absorbed the 5th, 7th & 16th Armoured Motor Batteries of the Machine Gun Corps now all called the 10th Armoured Motor Brigade. They were armed with Jeffrey Quads. They were awarded the Indian General Service Medal with clasp Waziristan 1919-21

The Company were operating on both the Takki Zam Line and in the Tochi Valley, and were daily in active patrols with the picqueting infantry. Two noteworthy events happened.

1) March 1922 at Idak a pigeon carried by the cars reported an ambush, flying five miles in five minutes.

Later in year the Company was in action against a raiding party at Hinnis Tangai Ridge.

In July 1923 six cars moved 140 miles in 17 1/12 hours taking part in the surrounding of the Hisa Mahal Nabha State. The Maharaja received an ultimatum and soon afterwards was dethroned. Colonel K Wigram congratulated the cars on their performance.

• 5563458 Private J Warmer passed an examination held in April 1924 at the Fort, Delhi and was awarded the Army Certificate of Education Second Class, signed by EA Lovesher (?) Walker, Major Commanding 10th (A. C.) Company, Royal Tank Corps and confirmed at the Fort Delhi 20 May 1924. The same website shows four photographs, labelled Jack Warner, North West Frontier, 1920s/late 1920s, Crossley Armoured Car. One is labelled Practice Range. These photographs are also available on flickr.com labelled Armoured Car 1 North West Frontier - c 1925, Armoured Car 2, Armoured Car 3, Armoured Car 4 PeteBoro’s photostream . Elsewhere, in respect of the same photographs it is stated "These photos are in my possession and are from my Uncle Fred Wilkinson who served on the NWF. Photos show his company Crossley ACs (LION and TIGER were names of two of them). Near Peshawar".
• Grave at Quetta - "In memory of No. 7878958 Private P.C. Griffiths. 10th Armoured Car Company. Royal Tank Corps who died at Quetta 15 June 1930."
• Listen to the 1976 Interview with Henry Maughan 'Bill' Liardet Reel 2: Recollections of period as officer with 10th Armoured Car Coy, Royal Tank Corps in India, 1930-1935: posting to unit, 1930; character of Guy Armoured Car; comparison between home and Indian service; operating with cavalry; opinion of Crossley Armoured Cars; posting to Razmak; duties protecting road builders; gunnery and maintenance courses at Ahmednagar; problems with supply of spares; character of Ahmednagar course. Reel 3 Continues: armoured car tactical training; Percy Hobart's visit to Razmak. Imperial War Museum.
• C 1933, the 10th Armoured Car Co. was at Kirkee.
• Obituary of Captain Frank Naughton, GC who as a private in the 10th Light Tank Company, based at Kirkee, saved a colleague from drowning August 5 1936 and was awarded the Empire Gallantry Medal. The Telegraph 22 Jun 2004 There is a photo of him in this link
• The Company does not appear on a listing for 1937 indicating it had been disbanded and/or absorbed. . However another reference advises disbanded March 1938, handing over tanks to Indian cavalry

11th Armoured Car Company

• 1985 interview with Sidney Albert Amatt Reel 10 ...posting to newly formed No 11 Armoured Car Coy; Reel 11... Recollections of initial acclimatisation period at Deolali Camp, ca 1/1922-2/1922: Reel 12 ...Period with 7th Armoured Car Coy, TC based at Peshawar cantonment, ca 1923-1925. Recollections of period at Cantspur, Rawalpindi, 1923. Imperial War Museum
• C 1933, the 11th Armoured Car Co. was at Lahore.
• The 11th Light Tank Co. took part in operations in Waziristan during 1937
• Although redesignated "Light Tank Company", the 11th remained equipped with armoured cars
• "Brought to notice for distinguished services rendered in connection with the operations in Waziristan, North West Frontier of India, 25th November, 1936, to 16th January, 1937":—Pike, No. 7870476, C/Sjt. (C.Q.M.S.) A., 11 th Light Tank Company, Royal Tank Corps. He is mentioned in this dnw.co.uk link. "Colour-Sergeant Pike served as C.Q.M.S. with the 11th Armoured Car (later Light Tank) Company between 1936 and 1938. The unit was stationed at Peshawar and took part in the operations along the North West Frontier against tribesmen led by the Fakir of Ipi. Pike later transferred to the 4th Royal Tank Regiment"
• The 11th Light Tank Co. took part in operations in Waziristan in 1938.
  • The Military Medal was awarded for distinguished services rendered in the field in connection with the operations in Waziristan, during the period 16th December, 1937, to 31st December, 1938 to No. 7877605 Sergeant William Vincent, Royal Tank Regiment. He is also mentioned in this link dnw.co.uk
• The 11th Light Tank Co. was part of the Razmak Brigade in Waziristan in 1939
• Disbanded at Mir Ali c September 1939, handing over tanks to Indian cavalry

Regimental journal

The Tank Corps Journal, first published 1919-1920. The title changed in 1923 to The Royal Tank Corps Journal. There were twelve monthly journals each year, for a total of about 350 pages. "Every conceivable aspect of the corp to date is covered, every unit is covered in each volume including the armoured car battalions".

The Tank Museum Bovington (refer External links below) have advised they have a complete set of journals, (which are scanned, but unfortunately not available on their website) . The British Library appears to have holdings 1919- vol. 5, no. 55 (Nov. 1923), (probably when the title changed) but it would be worthwhile enquiring if they have copies past this date. The National Army Museum, London, catalogue lists volumes from No 1 1919–1920 to No 15 1933-1934 (missing No 11-12) . Imperial War Museums list this journal in the catalogue, but there is no information about the volumes in the collection. Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives, Kings College London holds " No.77-209, 1925-1936 Lacks :No.79(1925); 100(1927); 107(1928); 109(1928)", together with Jan.1937-July 1939. Australian War Memorial Research Centre, Canberra ACT Australia have volume 8, no. 85 (May 1926)-v.18,209 (Sept. 1936) and Nos. 1-3, Jan. 1937-Jan. 1938.

Several articles on the campaigns in Waziristan 1921-24 were published in the Tank Corps Journal in the early 1920s.

An article "Tanks in India" by General Sir John Crocker appeared in the Royal Tank Corps Journal of July 1925.

Jeffrey Armoured Cars

• Jeffery armored car Wikipedia
• 1915 Jeffery-Quad Armored Car No. 1 (warwheels.net) advises a number were purchased by the British for use in India in 1916. (archive.org link)
• Jeffery quad armoured car (irishmilitaryonline) indicates: twenty sent to India originated in an order originally made for Canadian troops in 1915. However only sixteen arriving in India after four had been lost along with most of the spare parts when the cargo ship SS Shirala was torpedo by a German U boat U-57 on the 2nd of July 1918. Fifteen of the Indian Jeffery’s can be accounted for, serving with the A.M.B (armoured motor batteries) 4th 5th 7th 8th & 10th three Jeffery’s in each A.M.B during the 3rd Afghan War February to August of 1919. Further cars from the Canadian order may have been sent to India after use in Ireland in the early 1920s. (archive.org link)
• From Jose Luis Castillo‘s blog "Armoured Cars in the WWI"
  • Jeffery-Russell Armoured Car. India, ca.1919 (archive.org link)
  • Jeffery-Russell Armoured Cars of the 7th Armoured Motor Battery (AMB). Waziristan, ca. 1920 (archive.org link)
• Photograph: Jeffery Quad armoured cars on reconnaissance in Waziristan, 1920 National Army Museum (archive.org link)

Rolls-Royce Armoured Cars

• Rolls-Royce Armoured Cars Wikipedia
• Rolls-Royce Armoured Cars rrec.org.uk
  • Scroll down to "Memories of times spent as a young Lance Corporal (fitter) in a Rolls-Royce armoured car company in India 1929-36" by J R Chapman
• Rolls-Royce Armored Car: The Bulletproof Ghost by Jim Motavalli. historynet.com The comments section at the end has some links to some photographs taken at the Tank Museum at Ahmednagar
• This link (scroll down) describes the Rolls Royce Indian Pattern armoured cars, dating from 1922, issued to the 9th Armoured Car Company, Royal Tank Corps
• Rolls-Royce Indian Pattern 9th Armoured Car Co. RTC c 1925 Description page 32, with illustration on page 33 from The Rolls-Royce Armoured Car by David Fletcher Preview Google Books
• Photograph: Rolls Royce Armoured Car course after the First World War from a Army Rumour Service thread. Location not known.
• Photograph: 1920 Pattern Rolls Royce armoured cars of 5th Armoured Car Co. RTC in Shanghai during the late 1920s WW2 Talk, originally from the Tank Museum’s Facebook feed. The 5th Armoured Car Co. does not appear to have served in India.
• Equipment Used By the Armoured Car Regiments by Ian A Paterson, now an archived webpage. Includes a section "Rolls Royce Armoured Car"
• Landships WW1 Forum thread Service History for Rolls Royce Armoured Cars has two attachments (scroll down) called 'RR AC Units and Numbers 3-20-2007.xls' and 'Identified Rolls Royce Armoured Cars 3-12-2007.xls' . These however are viewable only if you are a member of this Forum

Crossley Armoured Cars

After the First World War, the British Army in India had a requirement for Armoured Cars for areas such as the North West frontier. A delegation was despatched to Britain to see what was on offer and particularly to look at the offerings from Rolls-Royce as their wartime models had performed well. As well as being expensive they surprisingly were unable to get over the gradient test on the cross country trial. There was also at the trials a 1 1/2 ton Crossley based on the chassis that had been intended for a Russian contract that came to nothing because of the Revolution. This was the chassis that was under consideration as a medium truck for India and eventually became the IGL1. It sailed through the trials. An order for 32 followed with bodies by Vickers and these were designated IGA1 by Crossley. These were delivered in 1923 and a further order followed. Total deliveries were about 450. All of these vehicles were fitted with solid tyres presumably to remove the risk of punctures but these were never very successful when used off road as their narrow profile inevitably led to the vehicle sinking up to its axles.

Crossley armoured cars did not prove popular with their crews who found them underpowered and underbraked due to the weight of the armoured body. Brakes were fitted to the rear wheels only which made handling these cars on the mountainous roads of the North-West Frontier of India a tricky business.

In 1933 Crossley armoured cars had solid tyres to avoid punctures. This had made them very rough to ride in, and caused them to be very prone to turning over. These cars operated in Peshawar at this time in a campaign against the Red Shirts. Several of the cars were trapped in the streets by rioters, and at least one was burned out. A system was installed inside the cars that electrified the hulls so that rioters couldn't climb on top of the cars. There were a few 6 wheeled armoured cars with the same Crossley turret… Very few photos of these cars survive.

Although it is not certain in all cases, at this time following a precedent started in World War I, the names on tanks tend to denote the battalion, so any car name starting with C is likely to have been on a car in the 3rd Battalion, or third company of the Royal Tank Corps.

There were ... about 100 of these armoured cars. They rotated to the NWFP for about 6 months each in turn..

• Video: Tank Chats #10 Crossley Chevrolet Armoured Car The Tank Museum on YouTube.
• Crossley Military Vehicles after WW1 crossley-motors.org.uk
• Armoured Car, Crossley and (Crossley) Chevrolet (Indian Pattern) Tank Museum. The body design for the Crossley included a dome-shaped turret, with four machine-gun mounts, which was designed to deflect rifle shots from snipers in ambush positions in the high passes.
• Crossley Indian Pattern Armored Car warwheels.net
  • One of the references quoted is "Crossley Armoured Cars: Inter-War Years" December 2007 issue of Military Machines International Magazine. This issue may be bought online from the publisher
• Crossley-Chevrolet M1939 Indian Pattern Armored Car warwheels.net
• Photograph: Vickers Crossley Armoured Car, taken in Northern India from Great Britain-Other Vehicles from Tanks
• Photograph: strange military vehicle, India Subsequently stated to be a be a Crossley Armoured Car, built between 1923 and 1928 approximately. Flickr.com. A lighter version of the photograph, which shows more detail
• Photographs: Armoured Car 1 North West Frontier - c 1925, Armoured Car 2, Armoured Car 3, Armoured Car 4 PeteBoro’s photostream on flickr.com. These are labelled elsewhere Jack Warner, 10th Armoured Car Co., Crossley Armoured Car, North West Frontier 1920s/late 1920s .One is labelled Practice Range.
• Photograph: Armoured Car 'Agincourt' which is stated to be a Crossley. (Restored version of the photograph, original here). From a Landships WW1 Forum thread. (archive.org link, which does not include the photograph)
• Photograph: 1930s Crossley India Pattern Armoured Car on the North West Frontier flickr.com
• Two photographs taken by Sergeant Harry Ewin with the Royal Artillery in India during the early 1930s. Imperial War Museum
  • Scenes with a marching column on the North West Frontier of India: Crossley (India pattern) armoured cars and crews parked-up during the march. All crewmen are wearing Royal Tank Corps issue overalls
  • Scenes with a marching column on the North West Frontier of India: Crossley (India pattern) armoured car and crew parked-up during the march.
• Photograph: Crossley-Chevrolet Armoured Car flickr.com
• The photograph at the top of this page shows Crossley Armoured Car 'Cachy'

Light Tanks

• By c 1933, the 2nd and 7th Armoured Car Companies had become the 2nd Light Tank Co. based at Peshawar and the 7th Light Tank Co. based at Quetta
• By 1936 most armoured cars in service in India had been replaced by light tanks and the cars were distributed to volunteer forces in India and neighbouring countries
• Article "Light Tanks for General Utility" by Edmond C Fleming New York National Guardsman November 1937 pages 4-5, 18, 22, 24, computer pages 6-7, 20,24, 26. The North West Frontier of India with many quotes from the Royal Tank Corps Journal
• Light Tanks for India by David Fletcher 17 April 2014 tankmuseum.org. Retrieved 11 October 2014.
• Light Tanks Mark I-VI by Major General N W Duncan www.scribd.com
• Photograph: Light Tank Mark II flickr.com
• Photograph of Tank Light Mk IIA flickr.com A comment under the photograph advises this type of tank was in service in the 1930s on the North West Frontier of India .
• Photograph of Light Tank Mark IVA Indian Pattern The description says "This tank was only used in India so was probably at Ahmednagar, in the mid 1930s"
• Photograph: Light Tanks, Lahore New Years Day 1936 'old model'. Photograph: Lahore, 1st January 1937 'Proclamation Day', Lahore 'Two man tanks. 35 to 40 mph fairly modern'. flickr.com
• Armoured Carrier, Wheeled, India Pattern Mark II/IIA/IIB/IIC 1940-1944 warwheels.net
• Scroll down Incredible Ahmednagar, for details of the Tank Museum, established by the Armored Corps Centre and School, Ahmednagar in February 1994. Photographs on picasaweb rahul m’s Gallery, morakhandi v’s Gallery. Article "Tanks down the years" by Rajendra Rajan, tribuneindia.com Sunday, May 24, 2009

External links

• Royal Tank Regiment Wikipedia
• The Royal Tank Regiment 1916–1998 army.mod.uk
• The Tank Museum at Bovington Dorset
  • Archive and Reference Library.The Tank Museum has a lot of diaries and photo albums from the 1930s period.
• The Royal Tank Regiment Association
• 1st-12th Armoured Car Companies, Royal Tank Corps 1920-1939 Regiments.org, an archived website. Includes some details about the formation of the Companies.
• The History of the 4th and 7th Royal Tank Regiments: 1918-1939
• Early Armoured Cars (Shire Album 209, 1988) by E. Bartholomew, scribd.com
• India: Armoured Cars and Tanks from Tanks
• Details of a mid 1930s film Trial at Chaklala Military Testing Ground of Armoured Cars/Light tanks. colonialfilm.org.uk. Chaklala is an area in Rawalpindi. (The owner of the film, the British Empire & Commonwealth Museum has closed and it is intended the collection be given to Bristol City Museum)
• India and Pakistan from the Vickers Machine Gun website

Photographs and video

• Postcard: Data Khel [Datta Khel] fort, Tochi Valley, Waziristan, with Armoured Car Dated 1920, but possibly some years later. imagesofasia.com (archive.org link)
• Photographs North-West Frontier Province, 1930s and some additional photographs. The photographer was possibly a member of the 8th Armoured Car Company, Royal Tank Corps, but other Companies and Regiments are also mentioned. From "Andrew M Brownhill" (archive.org links 1 and 2)
• Photographs of Royal Tank Corps armoured cars in India 1920s, from ‘through their eyes' photostream flickr.com
• Photograph of Crew 1, tagged India 1930s flickr.com, Photograph of Crew 2, tagged India 1930s flickr.com
• The following photographs were possibly taken during the Waziristan Campaign 1936-37
  • Christmas Day celebrations at Khaisora Camp. "Note the determined look on Howells & Lewellyn's faces as they open the bottle. None of them remember me taking this". flickr.com
  • The night before the Coy. moved into Khaisora Camp. Most of the lads were fed-up! flickr.com
  • British Army Khaisora Camp- North West Frontier - 1930s Includes Tank Corps personnel. flickr.com
  • A Vickers Light Tank Mk 11A - Royal Tank Corps - North West Frontier - 1930s shown crossing a river flickr.com
• Waziristan In 1937 AD.Flv YouTube video. The description of the video says North-West Frontier, South Waziristan in 1937 AD. Footage at 1.20 minutes shows armoured cars at Miranshah.

Historical books online

• Statistics of the military effort of the British Empire during the Great War, 1914-1920 published by HMSO 1922 Archive.org
  • "Formation and Growth of the Machine-Gun Corps (May 1920)" page 174
  • "Formation and Growth of the Tank Corps (May 1920)" page 178
• There is a short chapter "Royal Tank Corps", pages 113-115 in The Army in India and Its Evolution: Including an account of the establishment of the Royal Air Force in India 1924. Compiled Officially. Digital Repository of GIPE (Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics [Pune, India]). A pdf download to your computer.
• War Establishment of an Armoured Car Company, R.T.C. at December 1927 html version pdf warestablishments.net. Attachment "Issued with A.C.I. 500 of 10th December 1927". "This establishment supersedes W.E. No. XXVa/30 in Provisional War Establshments, Part XXVa, for Non-divisional Units 1st June, 1923". Retrieved 12 October 2014. Note: this is probably a transcription, not an original document. A.C.I.= Army Council Instructions, probably the relevant National Archives record is WO 293/17.
• Tanks during the First World War
  • The "Tanks" : (by request, and with permission) by Colonel E.D. Swinton, Royal Engineers. 1918. Reprinted from The World’s Work (a monthly magazine, published in New York). Same title, reprinted from the Strand Magazine 1925 Archive.org.

  Eyewitness. Being Personal Reminiscences of Certain Phases of the Great War, Including the Genesis of the Tank by Major-General Sir Ernest D Swinton, R E (Retired) 1933 Hathi Trust Digital Library

  Life in a Tank by Richard Haigh, Captain of the Tank Corps 1918 Archive.org

  Tanks, 1914-1918; the Log-Book of a Pioneer by Liuetenant-Colonel Sir Albert G Stern 1919. Missing at least the first illustration. 2nd file Both Archive.org

  Tanks in the Great War, 1914-1918 by Brevet-Colonel J F C Fuller (Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry) 1920 Archive.org

  A Company of Tanks by Major WHL Watson, 1920 Archive.org

  The Tank in Action by Captain D G Browne 1920 Archive.org

• The Fighting Tanks since 1916 by Ralph Ernest Jones, Robert Joseph Icks and George Howard Rarey 1933. Hathi Trust Digital Library. Also available as a pdf download, Digital Library of India. Archive.org version