The Crossley was simple, tough and cheap to produce. Its dome-shaped turret deflected rifle bullets from all angles, offering more protection to the commander. This was useful in places like the Khyber Pass, where the enemy could fire at vehicles from above.
Crossleys were used in India for nearly 20 years, but by 1938 the chassis were worn out, so the bodies were put on to the chassis of American Chevrolets. These served during the Second World War as ‘Crossley-Chevrolet’ cars.
The Crossley was designed to protect its crew from rifle and machine-gun fire. It was used by the Tank Corps for security patrols on the North West Frontier of India, an area where there was a constant threat of raids and ambushes. It also had an interesting feature – during riots or particularly close quarters fighting, the armour could be electrified to give shocks to anyone who tried to push the car over or climb on board!
The Tank Museum’s vehicle
Our vehicle, which has the Chevrolet chassis, was presented to the Tank Museum by the Government of Pakistan in 1951. It was painted silver/grey to reflect the heat of the sun.
