1915-05-31kk

 

“Inhabitants of Hamilton received quite a surprise this morning, when a section of the Eaton machine gun battery arrived in the city with three armored cars and two emergency trucks.”

          Hamilton        May 31, 1915.

For Hamiltonians edgy because of the constant reports of warfare in Western Europe and other places, and with ongoing concerns about enemy aliens operating in and around the city, the sight of five large military vehicles rumbling along the streets was both noteworthy and unsettling.

About 10:30 in the morning of May 31, 1915, the convoy of armored trucks and emergency trucks of the most up-to-date design pulled into the Russell garage on Park Street south in the downtown core.

A Spectator reporter, alerted to the situation, described the armored cars and emergency trucks as follows :

“ The cars are of the latest type supplied by the Russell company to the government. They carry six men, two drivers, one signaler and three gunners, and are each fitted with a double drive with a driver at both the front and back of the car, so that they can be driven backwards without the use of a reverse gear. The body of the car is made of nickel steel, according to the government specifications, and underwent a grueling test at Niagara, where the cars were tested by both rifle and shell fire, the effects of which can be seen on their sides.

“The emergency trucks are taken along in case of an accident to one of the cars. If anything like this should happen, the armored car would be lifted from its truck, and placed on an emergency truck, which is exactly the same as the truck on the armored car.

“The cars are capable of making about 60 miles an hour, and made the run from Niagara to Toronto, with a stop of three-quarters of an hour, in less than seven hours.”¹

¹ “ Armored Cars : Section of the Eaton Machine Gun Battery Passed Through Here.”

Hamilton Spectator      May 31, 1915.

After a thorough inspection of the vehicles by the mechanics at the garage, public officials and members of the press, the military personnel went to lunch before leaving on the next leg of their journey.