The Shorland Site - By Clive Elliott
Shorland Trooper
Armoured Personnel Vehicle
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The first attempt at an Armoured Personnel Vehicle was an ordinary Shorland with the turret removed. A flat steel roof was provided, and an armoured extractor fan fitted in the middle of the roof. The problem was that it could carry very few personnel and it was very difficult to de-bus from the vehicle. The logical move was to create a long rear section to accommodate the extra personnel and this concept was the basis of the Shorland Trooper. It is extremely doubtful if it was ever built, but a sales brochure was produced depicting the vehicle. However, it appears to be drawn on a photograph from the final prototype Armoured Patrol Car that appears below. The clues are the periscopes, certain dents and scratches that are common to both vehicles. The sales brochure reveals that 8 personnel could be seated in the rear with no rear door or 7 personnel when a 5mm thick-armoured steel door was fitted. The roof at the rear was to be canvas or thin steel, but the driver & co-driver were protected by 5mm thick roof. The engine was 6-cylinder petrol with 2625cc capacity. The vehicle must have been conceived after April 1967 as the 6 cylinder engine was not available before that date. Dimensions are quoted but not weight, as presumably there was no vehicle to actually weigh.
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