Humber Armoured Car

The Humber Armoured Car was one of the most widely produced British armoured cars of the Second World War. It supplemented the Humber Light Reconnaissance Car and remained in service until the end of the war.

Development
Made by the Rootes Group, the Humber was essentially a combination of the Karrier KT 4 artillery tractor chassis and the armoured body of the Guy Armoured Car. The KT4 was already in production for the Indian Army, and Guy were having problems with the production levels required. The Karrier name was dropped to avoid confusion.

The first order for 500 was placed in 1940. The first Humbers were more or less identical to the Guy down to the faults in armour but this was rectified. Production started in 1941.

The Mark III improved upon the Mark II by providing a three-man turret. Mark III production ended in 1942 after 1,650 had been built. With a possible replacement, the 2-pounder armed Coventry armoured car, on its way, the Mark IV was designed. This put the US 37 mm gun in the turret but at the cost of one crewman. The Coventry was not ordered as a replacement and so production of Mark IV continued, for a total of 2,000, despite its flaws.

Service history
The vehicle was used in the North African Campaign from late 1941 by the 11th Hussars and other units. It was also widely used in the European theatre by reconnaissance regiments of British and Canadian infantry divisions. A few vehicles were used for patrol duty along the Iran supply route. The Humber armoured car was also used in Burma.

A captured vehicle (a Mk IV) was used by the Aufklärungs Abt of the 9th SS Panzer Division Hohenstaufen at Arnhem.

After the Second World War, the Humber was employed by Egypt in 1948–49 as well as by Burma, Ceylon, Cyprus, Denmark, Mexico, the Netherlands, Portugal.

The Humber was used by the Hyderabad State Forces against the Indian Army during Operation Polo.

Survivors
Several static and operational cars are distributed through North America and Europe. There is a Mk I on display at the Bovington Tank Museum.

Variants

 * Mark I
 * Original version, based on the Guy Armoured Car body. Armed with one 15 mm and one 7.92 mm calibre Besa machine guns. Three man crew: driver, gunner, commander. About 300 units built.


 * Mark I AA / Quad AA
 * The Mark I fitted with a different turret mounting four 7.92 mm BESA machine guns able to elevate to near vertical and an AA sight. The vehicle was intended to provide anti-aircraft support for armoured car units, but the Allied air superiority meant they were needed less and less as the war progressed.


 * Mark II
 * Changes to the turret, better armour around driver and radiator. 440 units built.


 * Mark II OP
 * Observation post vehicle, armed with two 7.92 mm BESA MGs.


 * Mark III
 * Larger three-man turret with provisions for a wireless operator freeing up the wireless operation tasks of the commander.


 * "Rear Link" – gun replaced with dummy to allow installation of Wireless No. 19 High Power and its generator. Issued two per regiment for communication between front and HQ.
 * Mark IV
 * Equipped with the US M5 or M6 37 mm high velocity gun in place of the 15 mm BESA. The larger gun required the removal of the third crewman in the turret (the wireless operator). Turret hatches were rearranged with the new gun and crew layout. About 2,000 units built.