Minerva Armoured Car
Almost as soon as the Germans invaded Belgium in August 1914, the Belgians soon took to using the mobility of the motor car as a counter against superior German numbers.
By the end of August 1914 two Minerva touring cars were provided with improvised armour at the Cockerill works at Hoboken. These early cars were commercial models with sheets of 4mm armour plating around the engine and sides, and with the top left open for for a Hotchkiss machine gun mount.
Further examples with a more formal armoured hull but retaining the same basic layout. With this small force the Belgians demonstration the first capabilities of "motorised Cavalry" which included long range reconnaissance missions, intelligence gathering on enemy movements, fire and other support to infantry attacks and when possible long disruption missions behind enemy lines.
This period of mobility did not last long and by October 1914 the line of trenches had reached the Yser region, and there the Belgian Army remained until 1918, for which the area was too wet and boggy for armoured cars.
However, this brief period of activity demonstrated enormous potential for future conflicts and the Belgian example was copied by the British Royal Naval Air Squadrons.
The use of armoured car units was limited on the western front, howeverm a special Belgian armoured car unit was formed for service in Russia against the Germans until shipped home in 1918.
Once back in Belgium the units re-equipped, and in 1919 there appeared yet another version of the basic minerva armoured car, this time with an armoured turret. The old 1914 Minervas were retained in service, however, usually for use by the Gendarmerie, some were still in use as late as 1933.
Almost as soon as the Germans invaded Belgium in August 1914, the Belgians soon took to using the mobility of the motor car as a counter against superior German numbers.
By the end of August 1914 two Minerva touring cars were provided with improvised armour at the Cockerill works at Hoboken. These early cars were commercial models with sheets of 4mm armour plating around the engine and sides, and with the top left open for for a Hotchkiss machine gun mount.
Further examples with a more formal armoured hull but retaining the same basic layout. With this small force the Belgians demonstration the first capabilities of "motorised Cavalry" which included long range reconnaissance missions, intelligence gathering on enemy movements, fire and other support to infantry attacks and when possible long disruption missions behind enemy lines.
This period of mobility did not last long and by October 1914 the line of trenches had reached the Yser region, and there the Belgian Army remained until 1918, for which the area was too wet and boggy for armoured cars.
However, this brief period of activity demonstrated enormous potential for future conflicts and the Belgian example was copied by the British Royal Naval Air Squadrons.
The use of armoured car units was limited on the western front, howeverm a special Belgian armoured car unit was formed for service in Russia against the Germans until shipped home in 1918.
Once back in Belgium the units re-equipped, and in 1919 there appeared yet another version of the basic minerva armoured car, this time with an armoured turret. The old 1914 Minervas were retained in service, however, usually for use by the Gendarmerie, some were still in use as late as 1933.
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