Why This 'Worthless' British Armoured Car Was The Most Feared Vehicle In Burma

Описание: The Humber Armoured Car. A seven-ton wheeled vehicle built on an artillery tractor chassis, dismissed as worthless for jungle warfare. Every expert said Burma needed tanks, not armoured cars. Reconnaissance units were abandoning their wheels for Jeeps and Universal Carriers. The 45th Reconnaissance Regiment converted entirely to Chindit infantry. Nobody wanted a wheeled vehicle in Burma.
Then the 16th Light Cavalry — India's oldest armoured regiment — drove their Humbers 3,500 miles from Quetta to the Irrawaddy in three weeks. They led "Tomforce" into the Battle of Meiktila, screened the 200-mile advance to Rangoon, and earned seven battle honours in the process.
Armed with the same 37mm gun as American light tanks, faster than any Japanese armoured vehicle by a wide margin, and able to operate over 200 miles without refueling, the Humber proved that wheels could dominate a theatre where everyone demanded tracks.
This is the story of a forgotten weapon from the Forgotten Army.
📌 In this video:

Why wheeled armoured cars were written off for Burma
The Humber's evolution from a flawed 15mm Besa platform to a lethal 37mm gunfighter
How Indian cavalry regiments used Humbers at Meiktila, Wetlet, and the road to Rangoon
Humber vs Japanese Type 95 Ha-Go — specification comparison
The vehicle's remarkable 32-year post-war service life, ending with the Portuguese Carnation Revolution in 1974

📚 Key sources referenced:

Bryan Perrett, "Tank Tracks to Rangoon" (Pen & Sword)
16th Light Cavalry regimental records and battle honours
Wartime intelligence assessments on Japanese roadblock tactics
British service reports on Humber reliability and crew feedback

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