"AFV Profile" Series Pictures

[Rob Beale]

I don't have hard evidence, but the first contracts for "Universal carriers" were dated 1 April 1939 according to David Fletcher in "Universal Carrier 1936-48"

The often quoted recommendations of the committee reviewing the performance of carriers in France in 1940 seem to have been pre-empted by the above contracts.

Probably only photographic evidence will determine if universals were with the BEF.

David Hayward may know more about delivery dates for the above contracts: presumably it took time to set up tooling and source materials and components from suppliers, but would it take a year???

Rob