The Morris Light Reconnaissance Car was a small, armored car used by Great Britain during World War II.
Description[]
The Morris LRC used a Morris four cylinder, gasoline engine which was capable of propelling it at speeds of up to 72 kilometers per hour.[1] The chassis of the vehicle was based upon that of the Morris light truck, another vehicle in production at the time. Perhaps the most unique aspect of the Morris LRC was its crew arrangement, with the machine gunner on the left, the driver in the middle, and the anti-tank gunner/radioman on the right.[2]
The Morris had a total weight of 3,760 kilograms and total length of just over 4 meters. It was armed with one .303 Bren machine gun and one .55 Boys Anti-Tank Rifle. However, as the war went on and tank armor became thicker, the Boys AT Rifle became more useful for combating light vehicles instead of actual tanks. Furthermore, the 8-14 mm of the Morris provided only marginal protection against anything larger than small arms fire. In the Mk. I model, the rear of the vehicle did not even have steel armor plate, but instead 76.2 mm of oak wood.
Variants[]
- Morris LRC Mk. I OP: Observation Post variant in which all armament was removed and instead replaced by two rangefinders for use by artillery observers.[2]
- Morris LRC Mk. II: Rear 76.2 mm oak armor replaced by 8 mm thick steel. The Mk. II also had a new 4x4 drive chassis to improve off-road handling.
- Morris LRC "Firefly": Prototype intended to feature an Ordnance QF 6-pounder anti-tank gun
History[]
The Morris LRC began its development in 1935 following the request for an interim 4x2 armored car that could be created before a new 4x4 chassis could be produced. With the loss of so much equipment in the days immediately following the Dunkirk Evacuation, the need for an armored car that could replace former stocks grew even stronger, and so the Morris design was promptly accepted and put into service in 1940. From then on, Morris LRCs were used in various theaters, sometimes serving with the Royal Air Force as airfield defense vehicles and at others, serving as reconnaissance vehicles for the army in North Africa, Sicily, and Normandy. LRCs were also sent to fight with the 2nd Polish Corps. In all, some 2,000 examples were produced from 1940 to 1945.
References[]
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