Staghound Armored Car 1942-62 by Steven Zaloga

Author:Steven Zaloga
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Staghound Armored Car 1942–62
ISBN: 9781780962108
Publisher: Osprey Publishing
Published: 2011-11-23T05:00:00+00:00

The New Zealand Divisional Cavalry Regiment introduced a number of innovations on its Staghounds, including substitution of a 3in Mk I howitzer for the usual 37mm gun, and the addition of metal ammunition boxes on the front mudguards to carry tire chains. The Polish Staghound regiments in Italy followed suit, and this 3in Staghound can be identified both by the thicker gun tube and the blanked-off hull machine gun position. (Sikorski Institute)

The largest user of the Staghound in Italy eventually became the Polish II Corps, which used the type in most of its divisional reconnaissance regiments. These Staghounds are part of the Polish 15th Poznan Lancer Regiment, the divisional reconnaissance element of the 5th Kresowa Infantry Division in Italy. Their Staghounds typically received names, in this case Bystry (“Speedy”) and Dzielny (“Brave”), which were painted on the turret side above the regimental red-and-white swallowtailed lancer pennion. (Sikorski Institute)

Another issue was the performance of the Staghound in muddy and wintry conditions. The obvious solution to these traction problems was tire chains, but to facilitate their use chains had to be located, issued and properly stowed on the Staghounds. An alternative solution hit upon was to cut a rectangular opening in the front fenders and weld steel 25-pdr ammunition bins there for stowage of the chains until needed. This feature was adopted throughout the Mediterranean theater, but was later extended to some units in North-West Europe as well.

The first British Staghound armored-car regiment to deploy to Italy was the 27th Lancers, which replaced the 1st Household Cavalry as V Corps’ reconnaissance regiment starting in October 1943. The third Staghound regiment into Italy in the autumn of 1943 was the Polish Carpathian Lancers (Pułk ułanów karpackich, or PUK) which was initially the armored-car regiment of the Polish II Corps. Besides the units based upon the Staghound, other armored-car regiments equipped with the smaller Daimler or other armored cars were often allotted Staghounds for their headquarters since the latter vehicles’ more spacious interior was more satisfactory for staff and in terms of extra radios.

Unfortunately, the Staghound’s debut in Italy was not opportune due to weather and geography. The type had been designed with the lessons of the desert campaign in mind – here, endurance, durability and speed being paramount. On the Italian mountain roads and in Italy’s muddy winter fields, the Staghound was too large and cumbersome. The problem was not confined to the Staghound, but more broadly affected the role of the armored-car regiments and other light armored reconnaissance formations. During the Western Desert campaign the armored cars had played a vital role in probing enemy defenses. They could freely operate on a broad front using their speed and mobility to best effect, since virtually all the terrain was navigable. Along the Sangro front in Italy in the winter of 1943–44, they were confined to mountain roads and predictable approach routes which limited their tactical maneuverability and virtually negated their value in conducting deep reconnaissance for corps and divisions. Reconnaissance had to be conducted using dismounted troops or aircraft.

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