ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈoːɹɾi ðə bɹˈɪɾɪʃ pˈɜːtʃɪsɪŋ kəmˈɪʃən, lˈʊkɪŋ tʊ ɪkwˈɪp ðə bɹˈɪɾɪʃ ˈɑːɹmi wɪð ɐ vˈiəkəl kˈeɪpəbəl ʌv tɹænspˈoːɹɾɪŋ lˈɑːɹdʒɚ ænd hˈɛviɚ tˈæŋks, ɐpɹˈoʊtʃt ɐ nˈʌmbɚɹ ʌv ɐmˈɛɹɪkən tɹˈʌk mˌænjuːfˈæktʃɚɹɚz tʊ ɐsˈɛs ðɛɹ mˈɑːdəlz.
In 1940 the British Purchasing Commission, looking to equip the British Army with a vehicle capable of transporting larger and heavier tanks, approached a number of American truck manufacturers to assess their models.