Description
Prior to the outbreak of WWII, the British Army was planning a wheeled armoured command vehicle to provide the armoured troop commander and staff an appropriate command post. The Associated Equipment Company, best known for building London's buses, was contracted by the Ministry of War Transport in April 1940 to produce a ‘Matador' 4x4 artillery tractor and an armoured command version based on the ‘Matador'. By 1941, AEC devoted itself to military requirements, and the armoured command vehicle entered mass production. With armour up to 10-12 mm thick and weighting 12.2 tons, the vehicle was able to accommodate up to 7-8 personnel. High Power and Low Power versions were built, with different radio equipment. A total of 415 were produced. It was nicknamed ‘Dorchester' by the troops, after the luxury hotel in London. The AEC Armoured Command Vehicle first saw service with the British Army in the North Africa Campaigns and throughout the war. Seven vehicles were handed to the Australian troops.
Early in 1941, commander of Deutsches Afrika Korps (DAK) Lieutenant General Erwin Rommel deployed to North Africa to support the Italian army. Rommel initiated his offensive against the British army in late March 1941. After part of the British Western Desert Force garrisoned in Egypt had transferred to Greece, the British defence of Cyrenaica in eastern Libya was weakened. After encounters with DAK, the British were forced to retreat several times. On the night of 6 April 1941, command vehicles of the Western Desert Force were lost in the darkness and met a German Panzer Division recce unit. Three AEC command vehicles were captured and became Rommel's trophies. The Germans nicknamed the AEC command vehicles ‘Mammoth' due to the tall body. They were modified with German diesel engines and two were named ‘Moritz' and ‘Max' after characters in a German children's story. The third one was sent to service with 5 Leichte Division. These AEC command vehicles served with DAK throughout the war in North Africa. After German Heeresgruppe Afrika surrendered to the Allies in May 1943, the command vehicles were found deserted in Cap Bon, in the northeast corner of Tunisia.
1:35 scale plastic model kit from AFV Club, requires paint and glue.
