An Cosantóir

An Cosantóir March 2019 www.dfmagazine.ie 18 | A R M O U R E D C A R S in the War of Independence BY MICHAEL BARRY T he British forces had seen the ad- vantages of armoured cars in their effort to stamp out rebellion in Ire- land during the early 20th century. They reacted immediately during Easter Week: within a few days they had deployed the improvised armoured vehicles, made from locomotive smoke boxes, mounted on lorries borrowed from Guinness and fab- ricated in Inchicore railway works. Troops and equipment were rushed to Dublin during the rebellion. Amongst these were seven Rolls- Royce armoured cars that ar- rived just after the Rising ended. By 1919, Republicanism had regrouped and gone on the offensive; the War of Independence began, and gained in intensity. The British army sent tanks and armoured cars to Ireland. Tanks of that time were lumbering heavy beasts, more effective for intimidation than tactical use in low-intensity guerrilla warfare. Armoured cars were more useful for the dispersed form of warfare around Ireland. These amounted to a mixed bag; there were a variety of types, reflecting the vast amount of surplus left over from the just-ended WWI. In 1919, 20 Jeffery Quad armoured cars were shipped across. With armoured hulls mounted on US-made Jef- fery Quad four-wheel drive truck chassis, these had seen service with the Canadian Army in England. After the outbreak of war in 1914, the Imperial Russian Army had ordered ar- moured cars from the Austin Motor Com- pany, specifying a twin-turret design. In 1918 a batch of an upgraded variant could not be sent to Russia due to the revolu- tion. Purchased by the British Army, some were dispatched to Ireland, also in 1919. The British had obtained new territories, such as Mesopotamia and Palestine, in the carve-up of the Ottoman Empire after WWI. When they became increasingly involved in conflict in the Middle East and other lands, they began to run short of armoured cars, which were eminently suit- able for an 'imperial policing' role. As they had a surplus of thousands of US-made five-tonne Peerless trucks (highly regarded for strength and performance), it was de- cided to fit an Austin twin-turret armoured car body on a Peerless chassis. From July 1920, the Austin armoured cars were replaced in Ireland by the Peerless model. Again, like the Austin, it was armed with two .303 Hotchkiss machine guns. Weigh- ing over seven tonnes, the Peerless was ponderous and heavy. It had solid rubber tyres and could not easily travel on what were the many poor Irish country roads. It was also in danger of bogging down on softer ground – and was better suited only to more well paved urban roads. In January 1921, a batch of a modernised version of the Rolls Royce armoured car, which had been earmarked for Mesopo- tamia, was diverted to Ireland. This was a formidable machine - faster, quieter, more reliable and tougher than the Peerless. Manned by a crew of three, it was lighter, and with better wheels and suspension, was able to patrol the country roads. A Vickers .303 water-cooled machine gun was mounted in the single turret. The refined, reliable and smooth-running Silver Ghost six-cylinder 7.5 litre engine powered it. IRA ambushes escalated during 1920. The Crown forces had to travel more by road, as the railway workers refused to transport them during the 'Munitions Crisis'. The reliable and rugged light truck, known as the Crossley tender was 'up- armoured' - armour was added around the sides of the tender. A more sophisticated personnel carrier arrived in July 1920. These were Italian-made Lancia IZ model trucks, and had been surplus to the war effort. After arrival they were armoured all around. An angled front enclosed the drive with a sloped mesh fitted on top to repel grenades. In 1921 the RIC and the Auxiliary Division RIC operated these vehicles for patrols in town and country. A Peerless with twin turrets and Hotchkiss machine guns. A Lancia Armoured Personnel Carrier Jeffrey Larkin Armoured Car – 20 of which were sent to Ireland. Probably the most famous RR Armoured car Sliabh na Mban. Photo courtesy of South Dublin Libraries/David Power/wm_DSC_1120

• Cover