Early ASC Motor Lorries.

[Richard Peskett]

Continuing from ' Photo second opinion' thread. Roy's comments on the early ASC lorries and their origins, the reference to Neustadt Daimlers obviously refers to the German Daimler subsidiary ' Osterreichische Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft, generally known as Austro-Daimler. Some of these lorries may well be ,Milnes may or may not had a part in the deal . The 1901 trials list one entry ( no. 4 ) from G.F.Milnes.

To start a list here goes:

ASC 1 AA .... Straker-Squire ambulance.

ASC 3 AA 1840 Straker-Squire ? ambulance

ASC 5 AA 1844 Wolseley ? ambulance

ASC 16 AA 2008 Milnes-Daimler ? lorry

ASC 29 AA 2339 Thornycroft lorry

AA 2329 Milnes-Daimler 3 ton lorry

AA 2330 Do.

AA 2331 ? Milnes-Daimler 3 ton lorry

AA 3178 Austro-Daimler ? 30cwt lorry

AA 3179 Do.

AA 3180 Do.

B 2382 Leyland 3 ton lorry

B 2383 Do.

B 2384 Do.

 

All of these vide photographic evidence.

Richard Peskett.

[railwaylad]

A page from a 1970 book (military transport of ww1) Probably not the same Daimlers as the Guinness 1916 Daimlers but may be of some interest to the thread.

[Runflat]

One of the early War Office Straker Squire ambulances is pictured here: http://www.stilltimecollection.co.uk/detail/904-tpt-transport-truck-lorry-wagon-straker-squire-ambulance-military-soldier-war-army.html

[Roy Larkin]

To quote Major P. Dwyer, RAMC Commanding Officer of 418 Coy ASC (1 MAC) on 2 February 1915

 

"There are 3 Straker-Squires attached to this convoy. They are quite useless for the conveyance of sick being more abit to lorries than ambulances."

 

And on 11 March 1915 "3 Straker-Squire ambulances came in from the 28th Division. They had been lent by the ADMS of that Division to the combatent authority for conveying stores ration to the trenches, the Red Cross being obliterated. These cars are not fit for ambulance work having solid tyres and light lorry chassis."

 

Major P. Evans, RAMC who was Deputy Assistant Director Motor Ambulance Convoys visited the 27th Division on 14 January 1915 after complaints about their 8 Straker-Squires and arranged to replace 5 immediately due to the "total unsuitability of the Straker-Squire as an ambulance".

 

So far, March 1915 is the latest date for Straker-Squires being mentioned for ambulance use and by then it seems their use as ambulances had been abandoned and they were being used as lorries.