were assigned to the colonial policing role, one in which they served until the outbreak of World War Two. Deployment history In January 1929 the first Lanchesters (and Rolls-Royce armoured cars transferred from Navy and Air force stocks) were received by the 11th Hussars regiment as part of its mechanization from horse-mounted cavalry. Because of slow rate of delivery, it took until 1934 to fully equip the unit. In November the regiment was relocated to Egypt to relieve the 12th Royal Lancers, which returned to Britain and took over the cars. In January–February 1935 a provisional D squadron of the 12th Lancers with eight armoured cars served as a peacekeeping force in the Saar region. On 31 December B and C squadrons were sent again to Egypt with 29 armoured cars as a response to the Italian invasion of Abyssinia and strengthening garrisons in Libya. They were used in patrolling the western frontier. By the end of 1936 the squadrons were returned to Britain, where the regiment was re-equipped with Morris Light Reconnaissance Cars. By 1939, most Lanchesters (13 Mk I; 1 Mk IA; 5 Mk II; and 3 Mk IIA) were sent to the Far East and assigned to the Selangor and Perak battalions of Federated Malay States Volunteer Force, the Singapore Volunteer Corps, Straits Settlements Volunteer Force and the 2nd battalion of Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders in Malay, some of which took part in the Malayan Campaign (December 1941 - 15 February 1942) against Japan. 10 Lanchesters were given to the Territorial Army (23rd London Armoured Car Company and 1st Derbyshire Yeomanry) and in 1940 one was converted to provide protected transportation for use by Cabinet ministers and other VIPs. In 1941 two were given to the 1st Belgian armoured car squadron. The only surviving vehicle is a Mk II on display at the Bovington Tank Museum. Variants Mk I (18 built) - dual rear tyres Mk IA (4 built) - command version Mk II (7 built) - single tyres, turret cupola with sloped sides Mk IIA (6 built) - command version References Raymond Surlemont - Lanchester Six Wheel Armored Cars warwheels.net Lanchester 6x4 Armoured Car prototypes and Mk I ww2photo.mimerswell.com External links Lanchester 6x4 Armoured Car Mk II at warwheels.net Lanchester Armoured Car 6x4 Wheeled Fighting Vehicle Lanchester 6x4 armoured car World War II armoured fighting vehicles of the United Kingdom Armoured cars of the interwar period