‘The Scout Car is a light armoured wheeled vehicle, of inconspicuous size, intended for purposes of reconnaissance and inter-communication. It must be fast and highly mobile, and be capable of offensive and defensive action within its role.’ These were the opening words of War Office Policy Statement 14, published in 1947, setting out the requirements for what was eventuallv to become the Ferret.
It would perhaps be unfair to point out that development of the Ferret had begun before WOPS 14 was published and that perhaps there was a degree of post-rationalisation. Nevertheless, the Ferret not only satisfied this definition, but also went on to meet the subsequent detailed specification issued by the War Office and the Fighting Vehicles Design Department of the Ministry of Supply in full.
Maybe it is testament to the soundness of the original design brief and the success with which the Daimler Company was able to fulfil it. Or, maybe it is witness to the fact that ‘real’ war, fought by men with mud on their boots, iron in their souls, and guns in their hands bas changed rather less since 1945 than the complex techno1ogy suggests, and the war gamers and strategists would have us believe.
76 pages
By Pat Ware
Language: English
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