Within a month of the start of WW1 in August 1914 the government dictated that the total output of 3-tonners from the most British builders was to be ‘taken over.’ The makes affected were: Albion, British Berna, Commer, Daimler, Dennis, Hallford, Halley, Karrier, Leyland, Maudslay, Pagefield, Straker-Squire, Thornycroft and Wolseley.
Many of the vehicles built under the subsidy scheme had already been taken by the military, along with a host of other less suitable vehicles commandeered. Some users reverted to the horse, but they were also in great demand.
Over in America an increasing number of new companies were finding there was money to make building trucks and a host of assemblers joined the growing ranks. The introduction of the Pierce Arrow truck in January 1911, designed by British engineers and featuring a David Brown worm-drive axle, soon proved a great success and paved the way to the gradual abandonment of chain drive in the
