Universal Carrier

This little, boxy vehicle is the most produced armoured fighting vehicle in history - some 113.000 of them were made. It was used in every theater of operations of World War II, from North Africa through Western Europe and the USSR to the Pacific Theatre.

Universal Carrier was a further developement of Carden-Lloyd's tankettes (which were popular, but generally unsuccesful), ment to be used as a mobile platform for Bren machine gun, thus resulting in its alternative name - Bren Gun Carrier. Other variants included Scout Carrier (for reconaissance), Cavalry Carrier (cavalry support vehicle) and Vickers Carrier (unofficial; for Vickers HMG).

However the British generals saw the little machine as an excellent, universal lightweigth vehicle to carry troops, supplies and weapons around. It was more mobile than cars, rather reliable and most importantly - inexpensive (which was a crucial adviantage in interwar Europe, where military spendings were cut down after World War I). Therefore the design was simplified, so that one vehicle could fullfill different roles. From that point on, Universal Carrier became its official name.

The Carrier was used by every major Allied nation of the war: the United Kingdom and its colonies, the United States, Polish Armed Forces in the West, Free French Forces, Australian and Canadian armies etc. 200 of these vehicles were sent to the USSR, of which ~50 were given to the People's Army of Poland. Even the Axis used captured vehicles, sometimes converting them to fully armoured "mini-tanks".

Aside from the weapons mentioned above, Carrier was used to ferry heavier weaponry as well. One version had a mortar installed so that it could fire from inside the vehicle; another towed 57 mm gun; and yet another (actually there were several variants) mounted a fully-traversing 2-pdr anti-tank gun on top of it. It also carried flamethrowers, Boys anti-tank rifles, and in Soviet service - DShK heavy machine guns and PTRD anti-tank rifles (sometimes several at once). The only limitation of the weaponry carried by the UC was its crew' imagination, and mixed ordnance was often used in a single machine. Some were even given slight anti-tank capabilities by carrying PIAT anti-tank launchers; and late in the war, it was not uncommon to see a captured Panzerfaust loaded in the carrier.

This particular Carrier had some engine and/or transmission problems during the reenactement, and the engine and transmission covers were taken off to repair it faster if something broke down.