ARMOURED MOTOR CARS

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17100, 24 February 1916, Page 8

ARMOURED MOTOR CARS

THRILLING DASH INTO ACTION. “ GRIM. MACHINES OF'DEATH.” EXPERIENCES OF AX AUSTRALIAN OFFICER. Mr Robin Cusscn. of Sheppartori, who two years ago left Australia for a holiday in England, arrived hack in Melbourne a few days ago with the rank of an officer in the British Army. He. also brought back with him vivid memories of some of the most thrilling incidents that have occurred during the present war. Air Cusscn was present with the British forces last May during the great, and terrible gas attack upon the Allies’ front at Yprcs. Ho saw men dying like flies from the poisonous fumes. He himself was ” gassed,” and in hod for four days in consequence, but he had the satisfaction before “going under’' of helping to stem the determined advance of the German host, and incidentally of making quite a respectable “bag” of Bodies on his own account..

To account for his presence at Ypros, it must be explained that Air Ciissen offered his services to the War Office in England immediately on the outbreak oi' war. For a short time Ahe served as a despatch driver, but after a few weeks of this work he succeeded in obtaining an appointment in the Armoured Car Division, which had just been formed at the instigation of Air Winston Churchill. The unit was launched' under the wing of the Navy, and, despite the fact that it all along was an arm of the cavalry, it remained under the direction and control of the Admiralty until last September. It. was then transferred to the Arniy a lid rechristened the Motor Machinegun Section. For over six months Mr Cusson served on the western front in command of a section of these armoured cars, -during which period he lived through a. nightmare of carnage and death. He is disinclined to talk, of his experiences. In view, however; of the local interest that is being taken in the manufacture of armoured cars, he was induced by tho “Age” to give a brief account of their work at the front. Mr Cusscn explains that armoured ears were originally employed with tile cavalry, and did invaluable work as patrols. Subsequently, however, it. was ascertained that they could be used with equal success in connection with ordinary trench warfare. All the cavalry leaders spoke in the highest terms of their value, and as a result of representations to the authorities it was decided to increase tho number of the machines, and to organise the unit on a definite basis. Mr Cusscn went to France with one of the first squadrons of these armoured oars. A squadron consists of twelve oars, and this unit is divided into sections of four curs, each. There are two types of cars—flic heavy and the light. The former .is actually an armour-plated motor lorry, and mounts a gun firing explosive shells. This machine lias proved invaluable in locating and destroying maxim gun emplacements, and it might well be named tho “ land destroyer.” Air Cusscn, however, found himself in charge of a section of four light cars, which carry a quick-firer in place of the gun carried by the heavy car, and are capable of attaining a speed of anything up to forty miles an hour. His unit was attached to the Ist Cavalry Division, and for' three months the cars wore carrying out the work of scouting patrols, making reconnaissances and exploring country too dangerous for the unprotected mounted man. One of their principal advantages, Mr Cusson explains, is that they can go whore' men could not live except for the protection afforded by the armour-plate. Each of these light cars carries a crew of three, comprising an officer or 'non-commissioned officer, the driver and a gunner. “GASSED” AT YPRES.

As an example of their usefulness, Air Cusson described the work which he was able to accomplish with his j section during a. gas. attack upon | Ypros. This was in May last year. The Germans let loose dense clouds of poisonous fumes, which they followed up by a general attack on the Men in road. The British troops .went through an agonising ordeal, and some of them were compelled to fall back. This presented the enemy with an. opportunity of outflanking a force still holding its ground-in the trenches, and launching an attack front the rear. The danger of this move was early perceived by the British commanders, and as a counter move it. was decided to send out a section of armoured cars to hold the line of communication. Mr Cussen was in charge of one of these cars, and the “ run ” through the enemy’s lines was productive of a complete lifetime’s thrills. Describing their experiences, Air Cussen remarked: “ We drove up the road, and the first thing we saw were two men carrying what I thought was a stretcher. We did not fire on them. Then wc got into the thick of it, and rifles and Maxim guns were pouring lead at us, but it splashed off the car like rain. A party of twelve Germans dashed for the ewer of a wood as they saw us approaching, and then it was our turn. We killed seven of. them with our Maxim before they could reach shelter. The enemy managed to put our Alaxim gun loader out of action, and, as the petrol tank was shot through, we returned; During the trip we were able to gather much useful information regarding the enemy’s dispositions, as a result, of which the commanders were able to rush up reinforcements, which saved the position on the right of the Alenin road/’ On another occasion Air Cussen was sent out to ascertain whether the enemy had occupied a certain trench. He had to try and draw their fire, and in this attempt, he was so successful that he narrowly escaped meeting with disaster. The enemy indulged in some point-blank target practice with the armoured car as their objeetiyc, and the machine came away 1 with a" good many spokes knocked out 1 0 f the wheels, but, fortunately, the crow escaped injury. On the, return journey they raked the bushes with Maxim fire, and occasioned considerable damage to the Germans. It was discovered the same night, after a successful counter-attack by the British, that, the gun crew had accounted for forty Germans, who were found dead behind the bushes. ft was during this action that Lieutenant Cussen . drove a captain of the Lancers three times through country riddled by the enemy’s fire in order to establish communication with outlying trenches. The car would lie driven as near the trenches as possible, when the captain would dash out and make for, safety. The enemy tumbled to the game at the third attempt, and the plucky British officer was nearly “winged.” A miss, however, is as gbod as a mile, and the captain lived to receive the distinguished service decoration for his bravery. It is hinted that Lieutenant Cussen may lie decorated too. but he declines to' say anything on this matter.

ANTHONY WILDING'S GRAVE. Mr Anthony Wilding, the great tennis player, was killed outside Nem e Ch a polio just prior to the incidents described above. He also was attached to the armoured ear division, and had command of a section of “ heavies. On tho clay lie was killed he had been working a gun for over twelve hours against the enemy—a gun which he had removed from an armoured car for the purpose of shelling a particular position. The enemy discovered his emplacement late in the afternoon, and commenced-to make things pretty hot for the firing party. Lieutenant Wilding decided therefore, to temporarily withdraw from his position, and he went off to have a cup of toil in a dugont occupied by two officers of the Suffolks. Ft - was while he was inside the diigout that a shell crashed straight into the structure, killing the whole party instantaneously., Air Cusscn has in his possession a photograph of Wilding's grave, which is situated in an orchard iust outside Neure 'Chapello. After his exciting experiences with the cavalry at Ynres, Lieutenant Cus.sen was attached with his section to an Indian cavalry division, operating with the third army near Amiens. He remained there until September, when ho contracted n severe chill, followed by a fever, which sent him' into hospital for two months. He is now home on six months’ leave, with orders to report for duty in England later.