Number of British Military Vehicles
- Der Alte Fritz
- Member
- Posts: 2171
- Joined: 13 Dec 2007, 22:43
- Location: Kent United Kingdom
- Contact:
Number of British Military Vehicles
I am interested in the number and category of Military Vehicles broken down by service and deployment during the war. Likewise how many did each manufacturer produce?
I have a note that the British Armed Forces had 1,250,000 military vehicles in 1944.
I have a note that the British Armed Forces had 1,250,000 military vehicles in 1944.
- Der Alte Fritz
- Member
- Posts: 2171
- Joined: 13 Dec 2007, 22:43
- Location: Kent United Kingdom
- Contact:
Re: Number of British Military Vehicles
Hello,
A great source on British tank numbers and production runs is 'British Tank Production and the War Economy, 1934-1945' (2013) by Benjamin Coombs, published by Bloomsbury. Tons of stuff about numbers of each tank made and by which manufacturers. Very well researched. Dry as old biscuits mind but a great reference work! Can't help with other vehicle types I'm afraid.
Cheers.
A great source on British tank numbers and production runs is 'British Tank Production and the War Economy, 1934-1945' (2013) by Benjamin Coombs, published by Bloomsbury. Tons of stuff about numbers of each tank made and by which manufacturers. Very well researched. Dry as old biscuits mind but a great reference work! Can't help with other vehicle types I'm afraid.
Cheers.
"It was like Hungary being between Germany and the Soviet Union. What sort of choice was that? Which language would you like your firing squad to speak?" Tibor Fischer 'Under the Frog'.
- Der Alte Fritz
- Member
- Posts: 2171
- Joined: 13 Dec 2007, 22:43
- Location: Kent United Kingdom
- Contact:
Re: Number of British Military Vehicles
The Official History series are available here:
British War Production
https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/UN/UK/ ... index.html
British War Economy
https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/UN/UK/ ... index.html
and your book on Google (limited access but at least some)
https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=gXl ... 45&f=false
British War Production
https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/UN/UK/ ... index.html
British War Economy
https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/UN/UK/ ... index.html
and your book on Google (limited access but at least some)
https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=gXl ... 45&f=false
- Der Alte Fritz
- Member
- Posts: 2171
- Joined: 13 Dec 2007, 22:43
- Location: Kent United Kingdom
- Contact:
Re: Number of British Military Vehicles
Number of carriers produced in UK and in Empire:
Number of tanks produced:
Alternate number of tanks produced:
- Der Alte Fritz
- Member
- Posts: 2171
- Joined: 13 Dec 2007, 22:43
- Location: Kent United Kingdom
- Contact:
Re: Number of British Military Vehicles
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_a ... cite_ref-5
Producing a table from the information on this page shows that the Empire produced 32,967 tanks from the Matilda Mk1 to the Centurion I A41
28,699 armoured cars from the Lanchester to the Daimler Dingo and 4,230 SP guns from the Bishop to the Achillies.
The tank number does not include indigenous designs such as the Ram, Grizzy produced in Canada or the Australian production.
Similarly the tanks produced would not all be destined for the British Army but went to equip the armies of Empire and Commonwealth countries as well. Some went to equip other countries most notably the Soviet Union.
Producing a table from the information on this page shows that the Empire produced 32,967 tanks from the Matilda Mk1 to the Centurion I A41
28,699 armoured cars from the Lanchester to the Daimler Dingo and 4,230 SP guns from the Bishop to the Achillies.
The tank number does not include indigenous designs such as the Ram, Grizzy produced in Canada or the Australian production.
Similarly the tanks produced would not all be destined for the British Army but went to equip the armies of Empire and Commonwealth countries as well. Some went to equip other countries most notably the Soviet Union.
- Der Alte Fritz
- Member
- Posts: 2171
- Joined: 13 Dec 2007, 22:43
- Location: Kent United Kingdom
- Contact:
Re: Number of British Military Vehicles
Is there a list of the number of Lend Lease or USA produced vehicles available
- Der Alte Fritz
- Member
- Posts: 2171
- Joined: 13 Dec 2007, 22:43
- Location: Kent United Kingdom
- Contact:
- Der Alte Fritz
- Member
- Posts: 2171
- Joined: 13 Dec 2007, 22:43
- Location: Kent United Kingdom
- Contact:
Fighting with figures - HMSO
Fighting with Figures
A Statistical history of the Second World War
Table 7.19 Wheeled Vehicles delivered to British Armed Services
A Statistical history of the Second World War
Table 7.19 Wheeled Vehicles delivered to British Armed Services
- Der Alte Fritz
- Member
- Posts: 2171
- Joined: 13 Dec 2007, 22:43
- Location: Kent United Kingdom
- Contact:
Fighting with figures - HMSO
7.18 AFVs accepted by the British Armed Services
- Der Alte Fritz
- Member
- Posts: 2171
- Joined: 13 Dec 2007, 22:43
- Location: Kent United Kingdom
- Contact:
Fighting with figures - HMSO
Overall production of both military and civilian vehicles in UK (excludes imports from abroad)
- Der Alte Fritz
- Member
- Posts: 2171
- Joined: 13 Dec 2007, 22:43
- Location: Kent United Kingdom
- Contact:
Re: Number of British Military Vehicles
Canada produced 815,729 military vehicles of which 45,710 were armoured.
Over 800,000 transport vehicles 50,000 tanks, 40,000 guns (naval, AA and field).
Of the transport vehicles 168,000 were issued to the Canadian forces and 300,000 to British forces (38%)
Britain had 80,000 military vehicles in 1940 but lost 75,000 at Dunkirk
http://www.canadaatwar.ca/content-17/wo ... -industry/
Over 800,000 transport vehicles 50,000 tanks, 40,000 guns (naval, AA and field).
Of the transport vehicles 168,000 were issued to the Canadian forces and 300,000 to British forces (38%)
Britain had 80,000 military vehicles in 1940 but lost 75,000 at Dunkirk
http://www.canadaatwar.ca/content-17/wo ... -industry/
- Der Alte Fritz
- Member
- Posts: 2171
- Joined: 13 Dec 2007, 22:43
- Location: Kent United Kingdom
- Contact:
Re: Number of British Military Vehicles
George Forty's Companion to the British Army gives the following:
September 1939 British Army had 55,000 vehicles mainly raised from civilian sources and from two large forestry companies.
BY 1945 it had 1.25 million vehicles
Dominion production is given as:
Canada 857,970 soft skins (of which 409,936 were CMPs)and 50,000 AFVs
Australia 60,000 inc AFV
New Zealand 5,000
INdia 124,000 inc AFV
S Africa 35,000
note the difference in the Canada at war figures
September 1939 British Army had 55,000 vehicles mainly raised from civilian sources and from two large forestry companies.
BY 1945 it had 1.25 million vehicles
Dominion production is given as:
Canada 857,970 soft skins (of which 409,936 were CMPs)and 50,000 AFVs
Australia 60,000 inc AFV
New Zealand 5,000
INdia 124,000 inc AFV
S Africa 35,000
note the difference in the Canada at war figures
- Der Alte Fritz
- Member
- Posts: 2171
- Joined: 13 Dec 2007, 22:43
- Location: Kent United Kingdom
- Contact:
Re: Number of British Military Vehicles
Possible source for 'on hand' stock of British Army vehicles at:
Reference: WO 193/523
Description:
`A' and `B' vehicles and motor cycle combinations
Date: 1940 Feb.- 1943 Nov.
Held by: The National Archives, Kew
Reference: WO 193/524
Description:
`A' and `B' vehicles
Date: 1943 Dec.- 1945 June
Held by: The National Archives, Kew
The files in this series, maintained in the Office of the Director of Military Operations, give general information on a world-wide basis of military planning, operations, intelligence, statistics, etc.
Reference: WO 193/523
Description:
`A' and `B' vehicles and motor cycle combinations
Date: 1940 Feb.- 1943 Nov.
Held by: The National Archives, Kew
Reference: WO 193/524
Description:
`A' and `B' vehicles
Date: 1943 Dec.- 1945 June
Held by: The National Archives, Kew
The files in this series, maintained in the Office of the Director of Military Operations, give general information on a world-wide basis of military planning, operations, intelligence, statistics, etc.
Re: Number of British Military Vehicles
Out of interest, I've just come across a photo of a Bedford QL in a 1945 victory parade in Luton, carrying signs saying that 209,096 Bedfords were built for British and Commonwealth forces. The official Bedford history says that's likely to have been an underestimate, claiming 250,000+ trucks and 5640 Churchill tanks.