War on Wheels: The Mechanisation of the British Army in the Second World War

The story of the British Army’s transformation into a fully mechanised force in World War Two During the Second World War the British Army underwent a complete transformation as the number of vehicles grew from 40,000 to 1.5 million, ranging from tanks and giant tank transporters to jeeps, mobile baths and offices, and scout cars. At the same time the way in which the Army was provided with all it needed was transformed, arms and ammunition, radio, clothing and places to sleep and wash. ‘War on Wheels’ follows the people who mechanised the British Army from early days at Chilwell factory near Nottingham, through the near disaster of the BEF, desert war and Italian invasion, Ordnance assistance from the US, and preparations for D-Day and war in Japan. AUTHOR: Philip Hamlyn Williams sourced much of his material for from the papers kept by his father, major-general Sir Leslie Williams who commanded the RAOC in World War two. These papers have been supplemented by extensive research including at the Royal Logistics Corps Museum, The IWM, the British Library, the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu and the National Archives. He lives in Lincoln. SELLING POINTS: . The driving force behind mechanisation was the Royal Army Ordnance Corps and the 250,000 soldiers, ATS, motor companies and civilian volunteers . A story of the clash of modern business methods and the army - the origins of 21st- century logistics . New research and unpublished illustrations collated by author with unprecedented access to records, whose father commanded the RAOC . On D-Day, some 375 million items were packed for the invasion force to use. The driving force behind mechanisation was the Royal Army Ordnance Corps and the 250,000 soldiers, ATS and civilians who worked for them 125 b/w illustrations