Marmon-Herrington file photo [8188]

Marmon-Herrington Armored Car

CountrySouth Africa
Primary RoleArmored Car

Contributor:

ww2dbaseFollowing the evacuation at Dunkirk and the fall of France there was an urgent need to replace all the vehicles that had been lost in France. Consequently when the Italians launched their invasion of Egypt there were precious little, by way of armoured cars, that could be spared to be sent to North Africa. Fortunately, the South Africans had, since August 1938, been developing an armoured car design of their own. This design, which went by the name of, South African Reconnaissance Car Mk 1 had rapidly been put into production, and was based on a shortened and strengthened Ford truck chassis, but still with only two wheel drive. One hundred and thirteen of these SARC Mk.1s were built, with some seeing action with the South African armoured car companies against the Italians in East Africa.

ww2dbaseIn September 1939 production commenced on an improved Mk.11 version. The Ford chassis with a V8 engine at the front was modified by a four-wheel drive kit supplied by the American firm of Marmon-Herrington. The SARC Mk.II began to become available in November, and in an act of generocity the South African government agreed to supply the British Army with 400 of the 887 vehicles on order.

ww2dbaseThese cars would see considerable service in the Western Desert, providing much needed reconnaissance of Axis troop movements. Nevertheless, despite its South African pedigree, these armoured cars were, in British service, always known as the Marmon-Herrington Mk.11

Last Major Revision: Jun 2009

SPECIFICATIONS

Marmon-Herrington
MachineryOne Ford V8 gasoline engine rated at 95hp
SuspensionWheel, 4x4
Armament1x40mm QF 2-pdr gun, 1x7.62mm Browning machine gun or 2x7.62mm Browning machine gun
Armor20mm
Crew3
Length5.51 m
Width1.83 m
Height2.29 m
Weight6.4 t
Speed80 km/h
Range322 km

Photographs

A Marmon-Herrington Armored Car at Tobruk, Libya, 8 May 1941. Note the Italian Breda Model 35 anti-aircraft gun mounted on the top and the steel wheel ramps hanging over the rear wheels.




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Visitor Submitted Comments

1. Peter B Clarke says:
4 Jul 2019 11:25:20 AM

Looking for info on my grandfather who served in this unit and was captured at Tobruk. I think his service number was 214134
I think he was imprisoned in Stalag 8C or D Poland
2. Ephraim Chesler says:
8 Oct 2021 12:24:12 PM

The car shown in the attached picture has Hebrew writing on it. The SA government had promised lots of ex WW2 equipment to the new state of Israel, in 1948. With the change of political regime in 1948 in SA, the new government honoured the agreement and supplied Israel with all the equipment that had been promised. The car shown is obviously one of that lot.
3. Commenter identity confirmed David Stubblebine says:
8 Oct 2021 01:30:36 PM

Ephraim Chesler (above):
While I am pleased to learn about Israel being provided with surplus WWII equipment, I am at a loss to find any Hebrew characters on this armored car, no matter how large I blow up the image. The marking “F.22888” is clearly seen on the side, however, and the lettering on the hull directly beneath the gun mount reads, “LIVERPOOL.” This image is held at the British Imperial War Museum (photo # E 2872) including a type-written caption on the back acknowledging that it is mounted with an Italian antiaircraft gun and saying it was taken 8 May 1941 at Tobruk.
4. Sisay says:
29 Jun 2023 07:25:31 AM

as for the conversation above me, i'm sorry for being two years late, Ephraim confused the british marking F.22888 with an IDF marking of sorts, which starts with the letter צ, the marmon herrington armoured cars got to israeli hands by capture from the fighting arab forces in 1948, and not from the south african government, besides, the type of marmon herrington armoured car which israel used was the Mark 4F, completly different from the one shown in the photo.
5. Commenter identity confirmed David Stubblebine says:
29 Jun 2023 12:55:45 PM

Sisay (above):
If the Israeli marking “starts with the letter צ,” does that also mean the “צ” would be found at the right end of the character string? Thank you also for clearing up how these vehicles came to be in the Israeli inventory.
6. Sisay says:
30 Jun 2023 06:56:12 AM

David (above)

sometimes photos are flipped, this may explain it but yes the צ would be on the right side of the string, and it would have a dash not a dot, it may be also explained by the piece of metal covering about half of the back wheel, now that i think about it i dont know the name of that piece but it can be found on many 1948-9 israeli armoured cars.

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Marmon-Herrington Armored Car Photo Gallery
A Marmon-Herrington Armored Car at Tobruk, Libya, 8 May 1941. Note the Italian Breda Model 35 anti-aircraft gun mounted on the top and the steel wheel ramps hanging over the rear wheels.


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