The Rolls-Royce Armoured Car Book Review

By David L. Veres

Review

Osprey offers a perfect companion to RODEN’s recent release.

The Rolls-Royce Armoured Car compactly chronicles this classy chassis.  Text traces the whole terrific tale from private venture through World War I service to post-war exploits – including early WWII Egyptian desert use.

And while desert locales certainly spice this absorbing account, David Fletcher also includes France, Gallipoli, India, Ireland, and China on his guided tour.  Throughout his terrific tome, he helpfully charts the bewildering design and production permutations of his celebrated subject.

After a fascinating preface on development, coverage courses through WWI operations with – among others – the Royal Navy, Machine Gun Corps, and Arab Revolt.  Contents then move to interwar incidents in Iraq, Palestine, and Ireland.

Amazing asides abound.  The author notes, for instance, the IRA’s “Moon Car” – a “yellow-painted tourer fitted with two Lewis guns” that awkwardly ended life in a bog.  Not truly a “Rolls-Royce Armoured Car”, yet extremely intriguing.  And that’s the trouble with Fletcher’s book: gripping tangents like that leave readers screaming for more than just 48 pleasing pages!

Maybe David Fletcher will eventually pen a more extensive history.  Until then, photos, extended captions, and informative illustrations supplement his neat little Osprey study.  Bibliography and index complete coverage.  Have some fun.  Get this entertaining effort.

Robustly recommended.

My sincere thanks to Osprey Publishing for this review sample!