A military armored ( also spelled armoured ) car is a wheeled armoured fighting vehicle , historically employed for reconnaissance , internal security , armed escort, and other subordinate battlefield tasks. With the gradual decline of mounted cavalry , armored cars were developed for carrying out duties formerly assigned to light cavalry . Following the invention of the tank , the armoured car remained popular due to its faster speed, comparatively simple maintenance and low production cost. It also found favor with several colonial armies as a cheaper weapon for use in underdeveloped regions. During World War II , most armoured cars were engineered for reconnaissance and passive observation, while others were devoted to communications tasks. Some equipped with heavier armament could even substitute for tracked combat vehicles in favorable conditions—such as pursuit or flanking maneuvers during the North African campaign .
61-511: The FV601 Saladin is a six-wheeled armoured car developed by Crossley Motors and later manufactured by Alvis . Designed in 1954, it replaced the AEC armoured car in service with the British Army from 1958 onward. The vehicle weighed 11 tonnes, offered a top speed of 72 km/h, and had a crew of three. Saladins were noted for their excellent performance in desert conditions, and found favour with
122-903: A Fordson truck in Egypt . By the start of the new war, the German army possessed some highly effective reconnaissance vehicles, such as the Schwerer Panzerspähwagen . The Soviet BA-64 was influenced by a captured Leichter Panzerspähwagen before it was first tested in January 1942. In the second half of the war, the American M8 Greyhound and the British Daimler Armoured Cars featured turrets mounting light guns (40 mm or less). As with other wartime armored cars, their reconnaissance roles emphasized greater speed and stealth than
183-561: A German-built Daimler motor in 1899. and a single prototype was ordered in April 1899 The prototype was finished in 1902, too late to be used during the Boer War . The vehicle had Vickers armor, 6 mm (0.24 in) thick, and was powered by a four-cylinder 3.3 L (200 cu in) 16 hp (12 kW) Cannstatt Daimler engine, giving it a maximum speed of around 9 mph (14 km/h). The armament, consisting of two Maxim guns ,
244-520: A Mannesmann-MULAG [ de ] armored car to break through the Germans' lines and force the Germans to retreat. The British Royal Air Force (RAF) in the Middle East was equipped with Rolls-Royce Armoured Cars and Morris tenders. Some of these vehicles were among the last of a consignment of ex- Royal Navy armored cars that had been serving in the Middle East since 1915. In September 1940
305-500: A $ 7 million deal negotiated through Honduran defence contractor Gerard Latchinian. Honduran Saladins could be seen in the streets of Tegucigalpa in the 2009 coup against President Manuel Zelaya . There is a Saladin on display as a gate guard at Episkopi Garrison, British Sovereign Base, Cyprus. It is dedicated to the memory of L/Cpl Nicholas Stokes, who died in a training accident in October 1992. A decommissioned Lebanese Army Saladin
366-657: A Browning M2 Machine Gun top mounted on authentic US Mark 93 mounting hardware and gun shield plate. There is a privately owned Saladin in the Hurst-Euless-Bedford area of Texas. There is a Saladin as gate guardian at King Phraya Damrong Rajanupam Camp of the Royal Thai Border Police in Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand. There is a privately owned Saladin in the Vancouver, British Columbia area of Canada. There
427-629: A Saladin on display at the Kent and Sharpshooters Yeomanry Museum at Hever Castle in Kent. There is a Saladin at the Dunmore Park base of the B Squadron " North Irish Horse " SNIY Scottish and North Irish Yeomanry , an Army Reserve regiment. There is a Saladin at the Aldershot Army Museum There is also a non-functioning Alvis Saladin displayed outside the Lebanese Army's military outpost in
488-588: A few cars with heavier guns. As air power became a factor, armored cars offered a mobile platform for antiaircraft guns. The first effective use of an armored vehicle in combat was achieved by the Belgian Army in August–September 1914. They had placed Cockerill armour plating and a Hotchkiss machine gun on Minerva touring cars, creating the Minerva Armored Car . Their successes in the early days of
549-458: A four-cylinder 35 hp (26 kW) 4.4 L (270 cu in) engine giving it average cross country performance. Both the driver and co-driver had adjustable seats enabling them to raise them to see out of the roof of the drive compartment as needed. The Spanish Schneider-Brillié was the first armored vehicle to be used in combat, being first used in the Kert Campaign . The vehicle
610-748: A less threatening vehicle such as an armored car is more likely to be attacked. Many modern forces now have their dedicated armored car designs, to exploit the advantages noted above. Examples would be the M1117 armored security vehicle of the USA or Alvis Saladin of the post-World War II era in the United Kingdom. Alternatively, civilian vehicles may be modified into improvised armored cars in ad hoc fashion. Many militias and irregular forces adapt civilian vehicles into AFVs (armored fighting vehicles) and troop carriers, and in some regional conflicts these "technicals" are
671-655: A new 76 mm low-pressure gun . Design work on the FV601B was subcontracted to Crossley Motors , which engineered and manufactured six pre-production models. After further modifications by Alvis, the FV601C entered mass production in 1958 as the Alvis Saladin . Production of the FV601C and its variants continued at the Alvis factory at Coventry until 1972. A special variant known as the FV601D
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#1732856192219732-514: A number of Middle Eastern armies accordingly. They were armed with a 76 mm low-pressure rifled gun which fired the same ammunition as that mounted on the FV101 Scorpion . The Saladin also spawned an armoured personnel carrier counterpart, the Alvis Saracen . Despite the vehicle's age and dated design, it is still in use in a number of countries in secondary roles. Following the end of
793-770: A section of the No. 2 Squadron RAF Regiment Company was detached to General Wavell's ground forces during the first offensive against the Italians in Egypt. During the actions in the October of that year the company was employed on convoy escort tasks, airfield defense, fighting reconnaissance patrols and screening operations. During the 1941 Anglo-Iraqi War , some of the units located in the British Mandate of Palestine were sent to Iraq and drove Fordson armored cars. "Fordson" armored cars were Rolls-Royce armored cars which received new chassis from
854-500: A tracked vehicle could provide, so their limited armor, armament and off-road capabilities were seen as acceptable compromises. A military armored car is a type of armored fighting vehicle having wheels (from four to ten large, off-road wheels) instead of tracks , and usually light armor . Armored cars are typically less expensive and on roads have better speed and range than tracked military vehicles. They do however have less mobility as they have less off-road capabilities because of
915-504: A trusteeship council comprising one of the brothers of the Sultan and two sons of his uncles. The system of the trusteeship council shall be issued by a Royal Decree. Article (7) states that a Royal Order shall be issued on the appointment of the Heir Apparent to assume power and the prerogatives and duties to be assigned to him. The Heir Apparent shall be sworn in before
976-731: Is a Saladin at the Inniskillings Museum in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. There is a Saladin at Ryak Airfield in Lebanon. Numerous Saladin survive in Australia, one example is on display at the RAAC Memorial and Tank Museum Puckapunyal, Victoria. and another complete operational, privately owned ex-British Saladin exists in the outer metropolitan region of Sydney . Many ex- Australian Army Saladins remain turretless because of
1037-581: Is currently part of the "Hope for Peace" monument in Yarze , Lebanon. There is an FV 601 Saladin in Yad la-Shiryon museum, Latrun. There is an Alvis Saladin at Sri Lanka Armoured Corps Training Centre, Anuradhapura – a gate guard. Several Saladins are parked at a tank garage at The Indonesian Army 4th Cavalry Battalion. There are three surviving Saladins in The Tank Museum , Dorset, England. One, in all over green,
1098-465: Is displayed in the tank story exhibition. The second, in all over tan, is in operational condition and used in events. The third, in a tan and green camouflage pattern, is part of the museum's reserve collection and is stored in the vehicle conservation centre. There is a Saladin in the Muckleburgh Collection , Norfolk, England. It can be seen running at various time during the year. There is
1159-453: Is said to be more compatible with tight urban spaces designed for wheeled vehicles. However, they do have a larger turning radius compared to tracked vehicles which can turn on the spot and their tires are vulnerable and are less capable in climbing and crushing obstacles. Further, when there is true combat they are easily outgunned and lightly armored. The threatening appearance of a tank is often enough to keep an opponent from attacking, whereas
1220-709: Is the country's ruling sultan. Haitham has two sons and two daughters. On 12 January 2021, the current Sultan, Haitham bin Tariq officially changed the Basic Law of the State, stipulating the creation of the post for the Crown Prince of Oman and appointed his first son, Theyazin bin Haitham as the apparent successor, making him the first Crown Prince of the Sultanate. On 11 January 2021,
1281-717: The B1 Centauro , the Panhard AML , the AMX-10 RC and EE-9 Cascavel , to carry a large cannon capable of threatening many tanks. During the Middle Ages, war wagons covered with steel plate, and crewed by men armed with primitive hand cannon , flails and muskets , were used by the Hussite rebels in Bohemia. These were deployed in formations where the horses and oxen were at the centre, and
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#17328561922191342-602: The Royal Naval Armoured Car Division reaching a strength of 20 squadrons before disbanded in 1915. and the armoured cars passing to the army as part of the Machine Gun Corps. Only NO.1 Squadron was retained; it was sent to Russia. As the Western Front turned to trench warfare unsuitable to wheeled vehicles, the armoured cars were moved to other areas. The 2nd Duke of Westminster took No. 2 Squadron of
1403-630: The Second Sudanese Civil War , some being captured by the SPLA . Nearly 100 Saladins were exported to the Federal Republic of Germany as part of a British assistance programme for the fledgling Bundesgrenzschutz in the mid to late 1950s. In German service they were designated Geschützter Sonderwagen III and utilised for border patrols. All but 25, along with the entire German inventory of spare parts, were later resold to Honduras as part of
1464-538: The Second World War , the British Army issued a requirement for a new, 6×6 wheeled armoured vehicle to replace the obsolete AEC armoured car . Design work began in 1947 and a contract was awarded to Alvis Cars to build two prototypes for trials. The new armoured car was designated FV601A and armed with an Ordnance QF 2-pounder gun. Alvis also proposed a much heavier fire support variant designated FV601B armed with
1525-571: The Sultan's Armoured Car Squadron consisted of an estimated 36 Saladins. They saw extensive action supporting troops from the British SAS, Oman Firqa , Oman regulars, and Iranian forces in their war with the Adoo . The squadron's vehicles were regularly attacked by Katyusha rockets , anti-tank mines, rocket propelled grenades , and light and heavy machine gun fire. Many vehicles were mined and repaired, and after
1586-590: The 1980s in the early stages of the Sri Lankan Civil War , with its 76 mm gun being effective in countering insurgents. However, the wheeled vehicles had limited cross country capabilities and suffered damage from IEDs and RPGs in urban areas. In one case, in July 1987 during an insurgent attack on an army encampment in Jaffna, a Saladin was knocked out when an RPG entered through the drivers viewing portal, killing
1647-582: The Basic Law of the State. It is also stated the Heir apparent must be a Muslim and legitimate son of Omani Muslim parents. Article (3) of the Law states that if the transfer of power is made to a person aged under 21, then the power of the Sultan shall be undertaken by a trusteeship council appointed by a Royal Will and in case of non-appointment of such a council before his death, the Royal Family Council will appoint
1708-524: The British Ferret are armed with just a machine gun. Heavier vehicles are armed with autocannon or a large caliber gun. The heaviest armored cars, such as the German, World War II era Sd.Kfz. 234 or the modern, US M1128 mobile gun system , mount the same guns that arm medium tanks. Armored cars are popular for peacekeeping or internal security duties. Their appearance is less confrontational and threatening than tanks, and their size and maneuverability
1769-568: The British military or any export customers. The Federal Republic of Germany was the first country to express an interest in the Saladin, specifically the FV601D. When production began, export customers such as Australia , Indonesia , and Ghana also placed large orders for the vehicle. By the late 1960s, the British Army was beginning to dispose of second-hand Saladins as military aid for various Commonwealth member states. The Saladin performed well on
1830-552: The Omani royal family including paternal uncles and their families. Using same-generation primogeniture , the successor to Qaboos would appear to be the children of his late uncle Sayyid Tariq bin Taimur , Oman's first prime minister and the Sultan's former father-in-law. Oman watchers believed the top contenders to succeed Qaboos were three of Tariq's sons: Asa'ad bin Tariq , Deputy Prime Minister for International Relations and Cooperation and
1891-534: The Persian Gulf , Qaboos did not publicly name an heir . Article 6 of the constitution says the Royal Family Council has three days to choose a new sultan from the date the position falls vacant. If the Royal Family Council fails to agree, a letter containing a name penned by Sultan Qaboos should be opened in the presence of the Defence Council of military and security officials, supreme court chiefs, and heads of
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1952-1157: The RNAS to France in March 1915 in time to make a noted contribution to the Second Battle of Ypres , and thereafter the cars with their master were sent to the Middle East to play a part in the British campaign in Palestine and elsewhere The Duke led a motorised convoy including nine armoured cars across the Western Desert in North Africa to rescue the survivors of the sinking of the SS Tara which had been kidnapped and taken to Bir Hakiem. In Africa, Rolls Royce armoured cars were active in German South West Africa and Lanchester Armoured Cars in British East Africa against German forces to
2013-558: The Sultan's special representative; Shihab bin Tariq , a retired commander of the Royal Navy of Oman ; and Haitham bin Tariq, Minister of Heritage and National Culture. On 11 January 2020, Oman state TV said the Royal Family Council, in a letter to the Defense Council, had decided to defer to the choice that Qaboos named in his will, and thus had opened the letter by Qaboos naming his successor, announcing shortly that Haitham bin Tariq
2074-476: The Sultanate of Oman ( Arabic : سلطان سلطنة عمان ) is the monarchical head of state and head of government of Oman . It is the most powerful position in the country. The sultans of Oman are members of the Busaid dynasty, which has been the ruling family of Oman since the mid-18th century. Haitham bin Tariq is the current sultan, reigning since 11 January 2020. Unlike the heads of other Arab states of
2135-582: The UK in 2019 and is currently under restoration. Armored car (military) Since World War II the traditional functions of the armored car have been occasionally combined with that of the armoured personnel carrier , resulting in such multipurpose designs as the BTR-40 or the Cadillac Gage Commando . Postwar advances in recoil control technology have also made it possible for a few armoured cars, including
2196-438: The banner of the UN. Saladins were also employed by the British Army in Northern Ireland during The Troubles . In 1975 Saladins of B Squadron 1RTR were moved from Pergamos Eastern SBA to assist with the defence of Nicosia Airport, this was a stand off with Turkish forces and UN forces. The Royal Australian Armoured Corps (RAAC) modified Saladin turrets, and fitted them onto M113A1 tracked personnel carriers; this combination
2257-510: The driver and a sergeant inside. The LTTE mounted the turret of a captured Saladin on to a captured YW531 turning it into a light tank , which was later captured by the Sri Lankan Army at the end of the civil war. The Sri Lankan Army phased out its Saladins from its A list in the 1990's due to a lack of spares from the United Kingdom and replaced it with BMP-1 IFV after an order for Cadillac Gage Commandos fell though. It retained one for ceremonial use. Saladins remained in reserve status till
2318-411: The eldest of his brothers. In Case the heir apparent has no brothers, then the powers shall transfer to the son of the eldest of his brothers and so on as per the sequence of the ages of the brothers. In case there exists no brothers or sons of brothers to the Heir Apparent, then the rule shall transfer to the uncles (only from the fathers' side) and their sons as per the order set by the paragraph (2) of
2379-430: The end of the war in 1976 the Saladin remained in service until the early 1980s. An unpublished account called The Tinned Equivalent was written in 1977, and details many of the events of that war. The Ceylon Army received several ex-British Army Saladins following the outbreak of the 1971 JVP insurrection and were deployed counter-insurgency operations. These were used extensively by the Sri Lanka Armoured Corps in
2440-415: The end of the war in 2009. It forms the tank crew pin of the Sri Lanka Armoured Corps . During the 1990 invasion of Kuwait , Saladins were filmed on the streets of Kuwait City during Battle of Dasman Palace against Iraqi forces. The Indonesian Army (TNI AD) uses the Saladin for "KOSTRAD Cavalry Battalion", "KOSTRAD Recon Company" and Armoured Car Company. In 2014, the Indonesian Army confirmed that it
2501-447: The export market but was not as successful as its primary competitor, the French Panhard AML -90, which was much more heavily armed, and cheaper. The Saladin shared many common components with the Saracen armoured personnel carrier, Stalwart high mobility load carrier and Salamander fire tender. The Saladin was used by B Sqn 16/5 Lancers during their defence of Nicosia airport in 1974 and subsequent armed recce operations under
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2562-407: The fitting of Saladin turrets on M113 carriers to make the Fire Support Vehicle (M113-A1 FSV) used in the Vietnam war. Two Saladins are on display at the Australian Armour and Artillery Museum located in Cairns, Queensland. One as the Gate Guard and the second (on display) is in running condition. There is a privately owned Saladin in North San Diego County, California, USA, that was imported from
2623-418: The gunner. One of the first operational armored cars with four wheel (4x4) drive and partly enclosed rotating turret, was the Austro-Daimler Panzerwagen built by Austro-Daimler in 1904. It was armored with 3–3.5 mm (0.12–0.14 in) thick curved plates over the body (drive space and engine) and had a 4 mm (0.16 in) thick dome-shaped rotating turret that housed one or two machine-guns. It had
2684-575: The higher ground pressure. They also have less obstacle climbing capabilities than tracked vehicles. Wheels are more vulnerable to enemy fire than tracks, they have a higher signature and in most cases less armor than comparable tracked vehicles. As a result, they are not intended for heavy fighting; their normal use is for reconnaissance , command, control, and communications, or for use against lightly armed insurgents or rioters. Only some are intended to enter close combat, often accompanying convoys to protect soft-skinned vehicles. Light armored cars, such as
2745-401: The mountain region of Baabda located between Hammana and Chbaniyeh. An American college sports enthusiasts club in Knoxville, Tennessee, the "Big Orange Army" operates a Saladin painted orange as an advertising device. There is another privately owned and fully operational restored 1959 Saladin AFV in Knoxville Tennessee. It has a live L5A1 76 mm main gun and a coaxial 1919A4 BMG with
2806-414: The new Sultan, Haitham bin Tariq changed the Basic law of the state and charted out the procedures for succession in the future. As per the new rules, the power shall be transferred from the Sultan to his eldest son. In case the eldest son of the sultan is no more, the power will be transferred to the eldest son of the Heir Apparent. If the Heir Apparent has no sons, then the power should be transferred to
2867-709: The only combat vehicles present. On occasion, even the soldiers of national militaries are forced to adapt their civilian-type vehicles for combat use, often using improvised armor and scrounged weapons. In the 1930s, a new sub-class of armored car emerged in the United States, known as the scout car . This was a compact light armored car which was either unarmed or armed only with machine guns for self-defense. Scout cars were designed as purpose-built reconnaissance vehicles for passive observation and intelligence gathering. Armored cars which carried large caliber, turreted weapons systems were not considered scout cars. The concept gained popularity worldwide during World War II and
2928-430: The south. Armored cars also saw action on the Eastern Front. From 18 February - 26 March 1915, the German army under General Max von Gallwitz attempted to break through the Russian lines in and around the town of Przasnysz , Poland, (about 110 km / 68 miles north of Warsaw) during the Battle of Przasnysz (Polish: Bitwa przasnyska ). Near the end of the battle, the Russians used four Russo-Balt armored cars and
2989-437: The surrounding wagons were chained together as protection from enemy cavalry. With the invention of the steam engine , Victorian inventors designed prototype self-propelled armored vehicles for use in sieges, although none were deployed in combat. H. G. Wells ' short story " The Land Ironclads " provides a fictionalized account of their use. The Motor Scout was designed and built by British inventor F.R. Simms in 1898. It
3050-429: The term is understood today, as they provided little protection for their crews from enemy fire. At the beginning of the 20th century, the first military armored vehicles were manufactured by adding armor and weapons to existing vehicles. The first armored car was the Simms' Motor War Car , designed by F.R. Simms and built by Vickers, Sons & Maxim of Barrow on a special Coventry -built Daimler chassis with
3111-470: The upper and lower houses of the consultative assemblies. Analysts saw the rules as an elaborate means of Qaboos securing his choice for successor without causing controversy by making it public during his lifetime, since it was considered unlikely that the royal family would be able to agree on a successor on its own. Qaboos had no children, and only one sister, Sayyida Umaima (who predeceased him in 2002), but no male siblings; there are other male members of
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#17328561922193172-416: The vehicles provided by a local shipbuilder. In London Murray Sueter ordered "fighting cars" based on Rolls-Royce, Talbot and Wolseley chassis. By the time Rolls-Royce Armoured Cars arrived in December 1914, the mobile period on the Western Front was already over. More tactically important was the development of formed units of armored cars, such as the Canadian Automobile Machine Gun Brigade , which
3233-544: The war convinced the Belgian GHQ to create a Corps of Armoured Cars , who would be sent to fight on the Eastern front once the western front immobilized after the Battle of the Yser . The British Royal Naval Air Service dispatched aircraft to Dunkirk to defend the UK from Zeppelins. The officers' cars followed them and these began to be used to rescue downed reconnaissance pilots in the battle areas. They mounted machine guns on them and as these excursions became increasingly dangerous, they improvised boiler plate armoring on
3294-437: Was carried in two turrets with 360° traverse. It had a crew of four. Simms' Motor War Car was presented at the Crystal Palace , London , in April 1902. Another early armored car of the period was the French Charron, Girardot et Voigt 1902 , presented at the Salon de l'Automobile et du cycle in Brussels , on 8 March 1902. The vehicle was equipped with a Hotchkiss machine gun , and with 7 mm (0.28 in) armour for
3355-424: Was continuing to deploy the Saladin in active operations. Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla charged state-owned arms manufacturer Pindad with developing a modernization package for the Saladin in early 2016, indicating the armoured car would continue to remain in service for some time. By the end of the year 16 Indonesian Army Saladins had been modernized by Pindad. The Sudanese Army deployed Saladins during
3416-448: Was developed for law enforcement agencies and internal security purposes; this model lacked a co-axial machine gun and had different lights and smoke dischargers. The FV601D was only adopted by the German Federal Bundesgrenzschutz , which designated it Geschützter Sonderwagen III . A Saladin was also offered with the same 30 mm RARDEN autocannon as found on the FV510 Warrior and FV721 Fox , but this model did not find favour with
3477-594: Was equipped with two machineguns and built from a bus chassis. An armored car known as the ''Death Special'' was built at the CFI plant in Pueblo and used by the Badlwin-Felts detective agency during the Colorado Coalfield War . A great variety of armored cars appeared on both sides during World War I and these were used in various ways. Generally, armored cars were used by more or less independent car commanders. However, sometimes they were used in larger units up to squadron size. The cars were primarily armed with light machine guns, but larger units usually employed
3538-426: Was especially favored in nations where reconnaissance theory emphasized passive observation over combat. Examples of armored cars also classified as scout cars include the Soviet BRDM series , the British Ferret , the Brazilian EE-3 Jararaca , the Hungarian D-442 FÚG , and the American Cadillac Gage Commando Scout . Sultan of Oman [REDACTED] Member State of the Arab League The Sultan of
3599-539: Was known as the Fire Support Vehicle (FSV). However, the same name was also used for a subsequent vehicle, based on the turret from the FV101 Scorpion (and accepted by the RAAC in 1976). This was later redesignated the Medium Reconnaissance Vehicle (MRV). The Saladin was widely used by the Sultan of Oman 's armed forces throughout the Omani Civil War , and saw extensive action during the period 1971 to 1976, supporting ground forces and on convoy patrol. Often crewed by British servicemen (loan soldiers) and Omani servicemen,
3660-477: Was the first armed petrol engine-powered vehicle ever built. The vehicle was a De Dion-Bouton quadricycle with a mounted Maxim machine gun on the front bar. An iron shield in front of the car protected the driver. Another early armed car was invented by Royal Page Davidson at Northwestern Military and Naval Academy in 1898 with the Davidson-Duryea gun carriage and the later Davidson Automobile Battery armored car . However, these were not "armored cars" as
3721-541: Was the first fully mechanized unit in the history. The brigade was established on September 2, 1914, in Ottawa , as Automobile Machine Gun Brigade No. 1 by Brigadier-General Raymond Brutinel . The brigade was originally equipped with eight Armoured Autocars mounting two machine guns. By 1918 Brutinel's force consisted of two motor machine gun brigades (each of five gun batteries containing eight weapons apiece). The brigade, and its armored cars, provided yeoman service in many battles, notably at Amiens. The RNAS section became
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