Neil Cameron MacNamara - early British armoured cars

A while back I wrote an article for the Vickers MG Collection and Research Association regarding the early development of armoured cars by the British, straying off slightly into other countries efforts.

Johnny Doyle, 'The Early Development of British Armoured Cars', Zero Post: The Journal of the Vickers MG Collection & Research Association, 1 (2024), 50-63

One mistake I made that those proofreading and checking wouldn't have been able to pick up was that I erroneously attributed the name Colin to Neil Cameron MacNamara. I was doing some work looking at Colin Gubbins at the time and think this was the source of my error.

MacNamara was the son of the UK Member of Parliament (MP) Thomas James MacNamara. As well as being an MP, he was also the Parliamentary and Financial Secretary to the Admiralty so well positioned to get his son involved in an Admiralty project, in the same fashion Churchill involved his cousin Lord Wimborne. 

Both Wimborne and MacNamara get a mention in Admiral Sueter's claim to the Inventions Commission but little real details about their involvement in the development of armoured cars sadly.

MacNamara junior would later serve in France with the Army Service Corps being Mentioned in Despatches 3 times and being awarded a Croix de Guerre. Nothing is mentioned about MacNamara's work with the Admiralty.

His Medal Index Card shows he entered France in early November 1914 so whatever work he did with the Admiralty did not last too long and perhaps wasn't enough to keep him in England.

In applying to be registered as an Engineer, he doesn't mention his work with the Admiralty but at least there is enough information to understand why he might be a good fit to be involved in the armoured car development given his work in the motor industry.

MacNamara would later become Chair and Managing Director of construction company Trollope & Colls Ltd.

Lord Wimborne moved on and shortly afterwards was in Ireland as the Viceroy. He would be there when Roll-Royce armoured cars would be sent to Ireland following the Easter Rising. 

A Rolls-Royce can be seen at approximately 45seconds in on this clip hosted by the Irish Film Institute, driving from left to right as the camera pans from right to left

Dublin Rebellion

The film clip is also available to view on the IWM site, ref  NTB 245-2 TOPICAL BUDGET 245-2.

Neil Cameron MacNamara's grandfather, another Thomas, was born in County Clare in 1830 and died in Devon in 1899. He enlisted in the British Army in May 1847 and served in Canada with the 47th Regiment of Foot at the time of the Fenian Raid, having served in Malta, Gribraltar and the Crimea (Crimea medal with Sevastapol clasp). An example of the Fenian Medal issued is available on the Australian War Memorial site, in this case another soldier of the same regiment. The 47th would later be renamed The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment.