The Military Austin Ten

The military Austin Ten, also known as the Austin Ten ‘Tilly’ Light Utility Truck, accompanied British forces during the evacuation of Northern France in 1940 to D-Day and from Northern Europe to North Africa during the Second World War. Although it would be overshadowed by the more adaptable American Jeep, with its 4x4 off-road capabilities, the military Austin Ten carried out a wide range of duties for the British armed forces. It was one of the vehicles on which the young Princess Elizabeth learned her mechanic skills in the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS).

This fascinating book charts the development of both the Austin Ten saloon car and the military specification vehicle that was developed from it, to produce a robust and dependable vehicle. Author and owner of both vehicles, Arjan van der Hoek shows how the roles of the military Austin Ten ranged from light deliveries to message-carrying, and even as a makeshift ambulance. They carried on in military service into the late 1950s with armies across Europe. It was so popular that, after the war, many were auctioned off and bought for civilian use by farmers and shopkeepers, as well as general runarounds.

Accompanied by both archive and modern photographs of both original and restored vehicles, this is an indispensable concise guide to one of the British armed forces’ most-loved Second World War vehicles.