Places - Leyland - Leyland Motors in the Great War
Excerpt from Leyland Truck and Bus - 80 Years of Progress - 1914-1925 war and peace
J. G. Parry Thomas designed this eight-cylinder aero engine during World War 1. It incorporated many unusual features, including leaf-valve springs. Note the position of the sparking plugs.
In shell-tortured Arras the famous RAF type Leyland on war service
A typical RAF workshop lorry with one side open ready for use
In the housing shortage the followed World War I, Leyland motors produced their own housing scheme. Construction of permanent houses was well advanced in May 1920 when this photograph was taken
Re-conditioned Leyland RAF chassis at the Kingston works. They were re-sold with a two years' guarantee
|
An observer who was in the heart of London during the first few days of August 1914 has recorded that the only event that he personally remembered clearly was the assembling in London, from all quarters of Great Britain, of Waring and Gillow's fine fleet of subsidy lorries, their hasty stripping, in pouring rain, of civilian trimmings, and their equally hasty fitting with accessories of war.
Waring's fleet then consisted of Leyland subsidy-type lorries, later to become famous as the "RAF" type. Like many other transport concerns, the famous furnishing company prided themselves on their ample interpretation of the Government's subsidy scheme. Within twenty-four hours of the declaration of war, their fleet of subsidy vehicles and many others had been recalled to headquarters and equipped, and within another twenty-four hours were on their way to the embarkation depot at Avonmouth. Thus in the first hours of war the Leyland vehicle began its contribution to the national effort. The total of subsidised vehicles on which the Government had first call was nothing like the complete requirements of our 'contemptible little army,' so that an early war recollection of many Leylands, other than subsidy models, must have been of a visit from a Government impressment officer. Armed with lists of the various makes of vehicle which were to be taken preferentially is they could be found, these officers were dispatched all over the country by the War Office. So well did they do their work that, very soon, industry was left with far fewer vehicles than it liked. So great was the call for vehicles that even a 1908 Leyland - six years old at that time - was impressed from Hamptons, the house furnishers. Impressment continued until well into 1915; a party despatched from Leyland to the Avonmouth depot helped to get the vehicles in order for shipment. At Leyland itself the force of authority was very soon felt. Army officers swooped down on the factory and stopped all civilian deliveries. Buses, covered vans, platform lorries and all other kinds of vehicles passing through the shops were hurriedly shorn of their bodies, and speedily-built high-sided WD pattern bodywork was substituted. Pumps were removed from fire-engine chassis even, which were then converted into lorries for Army service - defence against hostile aircraft attacks on home industry did not enter into calculations in those days. Meanwhile the works were being quickly reorganised for the production of subsidy vehicles for the services only and a new type of military officer made his appearance - the resident inspection officer. The first wartime military vehicle was delivered on August 14. Up to March 1915, output was divided between the Army Service Corps (not yet 'Royal') and the Royal Flying Corps. This young aviation branch had just realised that its mechanical transport requirements were going to be much larger and it was decided that the whole Leyland output should be allocated to the Royal Air Force, as it afterwards became. The subsequent wartime story of Leyland is, therefore, with minor exceptions, one of steady productions of RAF type machines. An accompanying table summarises War Office output from August 1914 to November 1918, inclusive. Even before the war, soon after the Leyland models had been adopted for subsidy by the War Office, classes had been instituted at Leyland to train officers of the ASC in mechanical transport. With the decision to concentrate on production for the Air Force, a training centre for Air Force equipment officers and air mechanics was instituted, and earned the written gratitude of the Director-General of Military Aeronautics. As the figures in the table show, the principal type delivered was the heavy render, which carried a 3-ton load plus certain equipment, and was intended for general aircraft service. It took a driver, armed guard and a party of air mechanics in the main part of the body, the rear part being sheeted in to give weather-proof accommodation for breakdown work and any necessary replacement parts. Leyland were probably the first company to produce travelling workshops in quantities. The vehicles were fitted with special bodies which opened out all round to form platforms and canopies, very much like those of World War II. They carried a full range of workshop equipment, including a petrol-electric generating and lighting set which provided power for electrically driven lathes and other equipment. Among the multitude of other special types for the RAF were bomb carriers, radio transmitting vehicles, dentists' vans, X-ray vans, photographic vans, bacteriological laboratories, kite balloon vehicles, mobile anti-aircraft gun platforms, portable searchlight outfits, petrol tankers and aircraft carriers. In connection with the delivery of all these vehicles Leyland were able to render a valued service to the hard-pressed transport facilities of the country. When the new vehicles rolled southwards from Lancashire they carried full loads of surgical dressings, textiles and other Lancashire products. A side-light of 1916 was the building of an experimental 18-cylinder aero engine, with three banks of six cylinders each, not to be confused with Parry Thomas' eight-cylinder aero engine. Unfortunately, something vital gave way in the engine on its first run, and pressure of other work prevented the company reconstructing it. Had they done so, this history of the company might well have taken a very different form. Another relief from the RAF monopoly of Leyland output was the production of a fleet of special heavy armoured cars fitted with quick-firing guns and searchlight equipment. These were specially built for the expedition led by Sir John Willoughby, their cost being privately subscribed as a gift to the nation. The years of war were a period of vast extensions under government direction. By the end of the war the company had double their payroll and trebled their pre-war capacity for civilian output. This had been achieved by large-scale land purchases, factory extensions and additions to plant. A new body-shop and the present three-storey canteen building (with a canteen capable of seating 1500 at once) had now arisen. The nucleus of the present Chorley organisation appeared in the purchase of a weaving shed there (intended in the first place to continue the production of steam wagons shouldered out of Leyland); at Farington, as the nucleus of a number of new buildings which eventually surrounded it, there was now a steelworks with a power plant capable of supplying current not only for its own electric furnaces but also for the remainder of the works. Major problems of the day were the depletion of the ranks of labour and a shortage of materials. These factors had accounted for a fall in output in 1917 and 1918, but when the Armistice came it was reasonably held that they would soon cease to operate; in every other respect the plant was all set for peace-time production eclipsing even the war record of the company. The photographs on the left of this article are also taken from the same book. |
Photographs from the IWM collections
THE HUNDRED DAYS OFFENSIVE, AUGUST-NOVEMBER 1918
Motor convoy of American, British and Australian trucks (Leyland) bringing ammunition up to the front at Bellicourt, crossing the Hindenburg Line, which was broken by American and Australian troops on 29 September 1918. The photograph shows congestion on the road between Hargicourt, Aisne and Bellicourt, 5 October 1918. © IWM (Q 70709)
|
THE GERMAN SPRING OFFENSIVE, MARCH-JULY 1918
A "First Aid" lorry about to tow out a Leyland lorry that has gone over the steep side of the road. Bruay, 9 April 1918. © IWM (Q 10886)
|
THE BATTLE OF THE SOMME, JULY-NOVEMBER 1916
A British Army travelling workshop in a Leyland lorry at Contay, 6 September 1916. © IWM (Q 1327)
|
IWM Interviews
This is reel 1 of an IWM interview with Air Mechanic 1st Class Grice. Particular interest is on REEL 1, where the interviewee describes and rates various vehicles that he used, including Leyland lorries. There is a transcript of a section of particular interest below
Grice, <Air Mechanic 1st Class> (IWM interview)
Catalogue number - 23154
Production date - 1971
Subject period - First World War
Alternative Names - object category: IWM interview
Creator – IWM (Production company) Grey, Barrington (recorder) Grice, <Air Mechanic 1st Class> (interviewee / speaker)
Category – sound
http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/80021539
Grice, <Air Mechanic 1st Class> (IWM interview)
Catalogue number - 23154
Production date - 1971
Subject period - First World War
Alternative Names - object category: IWM interview
Creator – IWM (Production company) Grey, Barrington (recorder) Grice, <Air Mechanic 1st Class> (interviewee / speaker)
Category – sound
http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/80021539
© IWM
Recorder (R): What did the squadron transport consist of in those days, in early 16?
Interviewee (I): You had twenty-four Leylands
R: What tonnage were they?
I: Three-tonners, the standard subsidised Leyland, it was one of the better ones. In that, It had a good cab, a cape pulled over. The rear was hooded, it had a hood over, but the Leylands had at the side a small door with a ladder, an iron ladder up to it so you could get in without dropping the tailboard. All the others you had to drop the tailboard, or climb over the tailboard. And the Leylands were a pretty high-sided lorry, and inside they had a long tool locker, which was a seat as well and they had lockers underneath. They had a spare petrol can holder – carried three, two gallon tins on the side and they were a wonderful vehicle – there was nothing in the service to compete with them.
R: What other makes were common?
I: Erm, starting with AEC, Maudslay, Thorneycroft, Albion – Albion were chain drive, Saurer – there were seven of those, Thorneycroft, all British cars. Albion – they were all different sizes, but we did see a few, er, older types that came out with the original expeditionary force, but the majority of them was on this, er, all of the subsidy type.
R: The ones that went out with the original Flying Corps, they were sort of like Maples furniture vans, and things like that?
I: I’m not sure of that. All I saw was Leylands, of course, and the AEC.
R: They were ordinary vans?
I: Yeah, but all that I saw in the R.F.C were the subsidy Leyland, built in Lancashire, and Horwich railway wagons built the bodies.
R: Did you see any steam cars at all? Any steam cars?
I: There were a few Fodens, the A.S.C. had a few Fodens, but not many – I didn’t see many.
R: What were they used for, mainly?
I: Pardon?
R: What were they used for, pulling guns?
I: Eh, no, no, they couldn’t help pulling guns, the ones I saw pull heavy guns was a Holt caterpillar, a big American tractor, a great heavy thing, and Clayton, there were Clayton steam, one or two Marshalls like traction engines – I saw one or two that were pulling those big heavy naval guns, manned by the Royal Marines Artillery as it was then, you know? See now, it’s just Royal Marines incorporating everything, but then there was a Royal Marines Artillery and Royal Marines Infantry, you see? And they were different.
R: What about the smaller vehicles?
I: We had the Crossleys, eh, they were standard in the R.A.F. The Crossley, with wire wheels and twin wire wheels at the back, the tyres were a plain and a steel studded tyre on each side and just ordinary tyres on the front. They were good vehicles, force feed, eight-chain.
R: What were they used for?
I: Eh, for just, eh, light haulage. They carried light loads and some carried personnel around. On the aerodromes, they had a rack that you could put a stretcher on and you could use them as an ambulance. But, erm, and of course we took them up the line with a light trailer on, a trailer for bringing machines down, sometimes they were used with the tail end of a machine put inside when the tail plane had been shot off, and odd times, I saw them brought back on wheels, the aeroplanes on their own wheels, see? Just towed back, like a trailer. But usually we had a two-wheel trailer, a light trailer that we lifted the machines on to and you could put the engine in the back, you had a tub stand for a mono engine and you could stand it on them … (?)
R: What about the, erm, C.O., did he have his own vehicle?
I: Pardon?
R: C.O. have his own vehicle, did he?
I: Yes, they had a tender, a Crossley tourer, he got the Colonel’s, they had … … on the wings. The headquarters had one or two Crossley … …
R: They were smarter?
I: Yes, a bit smarter - but the C.O.s car was a touring car with a caped hood and side screens, side plates on, er, they weren’t weather proof, but they were reasonably so.
R: What about motorcycles?
I: We had B & M motorcycles, made at Cleckheaton, in Yorkshire. … … , two-speed gearing, two chains and … clutch …
R: Leather belt?
I: No, they were chain drives. Triumphs were a chain and belt, but B & M’s were chain drive only.
R: Did they have side cars on those?
I: Yes, we had side cars, on the left hand side, unfortunately. So that when you had a sidecar on and you get off the … on to the side of the road, the sidecar wanted to be up in the air, because the angle was wrong, you see? You had them on the wrong side of the road, on the wrong side of the vehicle for a right hand road.
Interviewee (I): You had twenty-four Leylands
R: What tonnage were they?
I: Three-tonners, the standard subsidised Leyland, it was one of the better ones. In that, It had a good cab, a cape pulled over. The rear was hooded, it had a hood over, but the Leylands had at the side a small door with a ladder, an iron ladder up to it so you could get in without dropping the tailboard. All the others you had to drop the tailboard, or climb over the tailboard. And the Leylands were a pretty high-sided lorry, and inside they had a long tool locker, which was a seat as well and they had lockers underneath. They had a spare petrol can holder – carried three, two gallon tins on the side and they were a wonderful vehicle – there was nothing in the service to compete with them.
R: What other makes were common?
I: Erm, starting with AEC, Maudslay, Thorneycroft, Albion – Albion were chain drive, Saurer – there were seven of those, Thorneycroft, all British cars. Albion – they were all different sizes, but we did see a few, er, older types that came out with the original expeditionary force, but the majority of them was on this, er, all of the subsidy type.
R: The ones that went out with the original Flying Corps, they were sort of like Maples furniture vans, and things like that?
I: I’m not sure of that. All I saw was Leylands, of course, and the AEC.
R: They were ordinary vans?
I: Yeah, but all that I saw in the R.F.C were the subsidy Leyland, built in Lancashire, and Horwich railway wagons built the bodies.
R: Did you see any steam cars at all? Any steam cars?
I: There were a few Fodens, the A.S.C. had a few Fodens, but not many – I didn’t see many.
R: What were they used for, mainly?
I: Pardon?
R: What were they used for, pulling guns?
I: Eh, no, no, they couldn’t help pulling guns, the ones I saw pull heavy guns was a Holt caterpillar, a big American tractor, a great heavy thing, and Clayton, there were Clayton steam, one or two Marshalls like traction engines – I saw one or two that were pulling those big heavy naval guns, manned by the Royal Marines Artillery as it was then, you know? See now, it’s just Royal Marines incorporating everything, but then there was a Royal Marines Artillery and Royal Marines Infantry, you see? And they were different.
R: What about the smaller vehicles?
I: We had the Crossleys, eh, they were standard in the R.A.F. The Crossley, with wire wheels and twin wire wheels at the back, the tyres were a plain and a steel studded tyre on each side and just ordinary tyres on the front. They were good vehicles, force feed, eight-chain.
R: What were they used for?
I: Eh, for just, eh, light haulage. They carried light loads and some carried personnel around. On the aerodromes, they had a rack that you could put a stretcher on and you could use them as an ambulance. But, erm, and of course we took them up the line with a light trailer on, a trailer for bringing machines down, sometimes they were used with the tail end of a machine put inside when the tail plane had been shot off, and odd times, I saw them brought back on wheels, the aeroplanes on their own wheels, see? Just towed back, like a trailer. But usually we had a two-wheel trailer, a light trailer that we lifted the machines on to and you could put the engine in the back, you had a tub stand for a mono engine and you could stand it on them … (?)
R: What about the, erm, C.O., did he have his own vehicle?
I: Pardon?
R: C.O. have his own vehicle, did he?
I: Yes, they had a tender, a Crossley tourer, he got the Colonel’s, they had … … on the wings. The headquarters had one or two Crossley … …
R: They were smarter?
I: Yes, a bit smarter - but the C.O.s car was a touring car with a caped hood and side screens, side plates on, er, they weren’t weather proof, but they were reasonably so.
R: What about motorcycles?
I: We had B & M motorcycles, made at Cleckheaton, in Yorkshire. … … , two-speed gearing, two chains and … clutch …
R: Leather belt?
I: No, they were chain drives. Triumphs were a chain and belt, but B & M’s were chain drive only.
R: Did they have side cars on those?
I: Yes, we had side cars, on the left hand side, unfortunately. So that when you had a sidecar on and you get off the … on to the side of the road, the sidecar wanted to be up in the air, because the angle was wrong, you see? You had them on the wrong side of the road, on the wrong side of the vehicle for a right hand road.