Swedes fighting alongside Royal Tank Corps

[Nick Balmer]

Hello Stellan,

Thank you very much for an extremely swift and comprehensive reply to my query.

I have not been aware that there were both Danish and Finnish contingents in addition to the Swedish one.

You referred me to your earlier posting on the armoured forum.

I saw the photos, but was insufficiently sure of my information to venture a reply as to the type of armoured cars that they were.

However I beleive them to be Pierce Arrow armoured cars.

Locker Lampson and his RNAS Squadron operated several very similar cars in Russia during the First World War.

They had however a armoured half cab which protected the driver only. On the rear deck was an armoured rotating turret.

At least two of these were heavily modified in Russia with added rear bodies in lieu of turrets. Some sort of a small ships gun was added looking a bit like a Hotchkiss or similar gun.

I don't know if the British sent other Pierce Arrow armoured trucks to Russia, or what became of Locker Lampson's armoured cars after his unit left Russia.

It is quite possible that the vehicles shown are much modified RNAS trucks, taken into Red Army service and then captured by the Estonian's.

These 1918 and 1919 Campaigns fascinate me, but are virtually unknown in the West these days.

Yet carrier borne air power from HMS Furious was operating in support of armoured trains and tanks in a prototype Blitzkreig two decades before Poland and Sedan.

Are you aware of Scandinavian or Baltic websites about these events?

Thank you very much.

Regards

Nick Balmer