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Previous pages: A first Admiralty Pattern AC Rolls-Royce, Dunkirk, circa October 1914


Above: Samson’s party makes camp at Ostend, August 1914


Opposite, clockwise from top left: An armoured car nearing


completion at the Clement-Talbot works; the same car showing the driver’s compartment; a Silver Ghost chassis leaves Derby in


1914 en route to Erith, where its armoured body would be fitted


been refuelled and patched up to fly to join the squadron at Ostend. One pilot complained bitterly that at one time, in the teeth of a 50-knot wind, he was actually going backwards. Samson then ordered reconnaissance flights


over the area Bruges–Ghent–Ypres. These were carried out several times each day. The promised Royal Marine Brigade turned


out to consist of around 600 elderly reservists, hastily recalled to the colours. They had no artillery other than the guns of warships patrolling the coast. They were equipped with four early Maxim machine guns, which, like all their baggage, were transported on handcarts. They had no other transport on arrival. The Brigade Commander, General Aston,


with no means of reconnaissance except a few bicycles, asked Samson if he would organise a patrol to Thourout and Bruges. Felix Samson was told to take his Mercedes car and a Wolseley wagonette on which his Maxim (obtained by devious means from naval friends) was mounted. The cars were greeted with great enthusiasm by the inhabitants of both towns. They showed great relief and delight to see British “troops” in uniform. The Mayor of Thourout invited Felix to the Hotel de Ville for a glass of wine. He reported that a


50 A LEGACY OF LUXURY


German cyclist patrol had been seen approaching the town only an hour earlier. The cars patrolled the area but made no contact so returned via Bruges to Ostend to report. The Brigade Commander valued this patrol


so highly that he had discussions with Samson and his brother Felix on forming regular car patrols. Clearly old lessons were quickly being re-learned. A number of personally owned cars, including


the two Rolls-Royce tourers, were available and further patrolling was organised in conjunction with the continuing aircraft patrols. A few French Hotchkiss mitrailleuses [machine guns] were borrowed from a local French Territorial Infantry unit and mounted on tripods in the rear of several cars. Felix proposed removing all windscreen glass and substituting steel plates with slits. A few were so fitted, but so restricted the drivers’ vision that they were quietly removed; their need not yet obvious. Just as a useful force was being established, orders were received from the Admiralty to move to Dunkirk en route to the UK, as they were considered too valuable to risk. The French reacted strongly and the Area


Commander, General Bidon, telegraphed the Admiralty and pleaded for their retention, vastly overrating their proven value, but realising their


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