The Morris Light Reconnaissance Car model is here

In England, in the summer of 1940, after the losses at Dunkirk and faced with the threat of German invasion, models of armored cars were designed in a hurry. The firms Standard Motor Company and Humber were solicited and produced two models of light armored cars (beaverettes and Humberettes). These vehicles were quickly made from civilian cars and poorly adapted to the intended use. In January 1941, the production of the new armored cars increasing, the beaverettes and Humberettes became more available and equipped the new reconnaissance corps with the denomination of Cars, 4X2, light reconnaissance. To increase production, a new firm – Morris – was integrated into the project, and manufactured the Car, 4X2, light reconnaissance, Morris Mark I. This vehicle was then renamed Morris LRC (light reconnaissance car) and manufactured in two versions from 1942. Adapted from a light truck chassis, it was more successful than the two previous models. It should be noted that in 1944, the reconnaissance corps was amalgamated by the Royal armored corps and that at that time only, the vehicle was the subject of a serious examination by armored specialists and even if some improvements were proposed , most vehicles were already built.

Technical description :

Based on a light truck chassis (Morris light truck), the Morris LRC was a light and compact vehicle well suited to its mission.
The body made up of riveted plates offered light protection, 14 mm for the superstructure, 12 mm for the turret and 8 mm for the roof only.
The underbody had been planned smooth and offering no roughness in order to improve off-road performance.
The first version (mark I) was a 4X2 with rear-wheel drive but the second (mark II) a 4X4.
The suspensions were classic leaf rear but independent springs at the front.
The interior layout was unusual with three men side by side, the driver in the middle with the captain/gunner to his right in the small turret armed with a 7.7mm Bren gun and a grenade launcher. 101.6 mm, and to his left a radio operator who also wielded the 13.97 mm Boys anti-tank rifle.

Weight: 3.7t.
Length: 4.06 m / width: 2.03 m / height: 1.88 m
Engine: Morris 4 cylinder 3.52L. to 72hp
max speed: 80km/h
range: 385 km

 

Production :

mark I: around 1000 from early 1942 to mid 1943
225 under separate contract were allocated to the RAF for the protection of grounds
mark II: about 1050 from late 1943
some artillery observation vehicles (Mark I OP) were manufactured with instead of the turret two rangefinders.
A prototype with 6 pounder gun called Morris Firefly was also produced.
By June 1945, 2274 vehicles had been produced of which 30 had not yet been delivered.

 

Use :

In general, these vehicles were used first in the Home Defense, then by the RAF and the Reconnaissance Corps, as staff vehicles by different units. They were not designed to replace other more suitable reconnaissance vehicles but to complement them.
The Morris LRC was first used from the beginning of 1942 in Egypt then in Tunisia and Italy, finally in Normandy and in the European campaign until the end of the war first in the reconnaissance corps then in the royal armored corps and in the Royal Engineers Corps. The RAF regiment also used about 200 vehicles to secure its airfields and other bases.
Note that the 2nd Polish Corps (12th Podolsk rgt and 15th Poznan rgt) also used these vehicles in Africa and that the 1st Polish Armored Division also used them in Normandy.