Some of the most important military vehicles of the Second World War didn't feature huge main guns, neither were they bedecked with ever thicker armour plating, but are no less fascinating to study. One of the most crucial abilities on any battlefield is to be able to transport your wounded troops quickly and efficiently from the front line, to field medical stations some distance behind the fighting, where they could receive the medical attention they needed and potentially save their lives. Although clearly any vehicle could be used for this task, a dedicated ambulance would often allow the wounded to start receiving care straight away and if you were ever in need of one's services, you would no doubt class these as the most important vehicles on the battlefield.

One of the most famous vehicles of its type, the Austin K2/Y Ambulance was used extensively by British and Commonwealth forces throughout WWII, both in the combat zones of the world and on the home front. Built around the chassis of the Austin K30 light truck, the casualty compartment was developed in conjunction with the Royal Army Medical Corps and therefore proved to be highly functional. Able to carry either four stretcher cases or ten seated casualties, one of the main reasons why the K2/Y was so successful was because it was so rugged and reliable, requiring only a minimum of maintenance - an ambulance should always be ready when you need it.

The rear cabin was typically constructed of painted canvas on a timber frame, with the highly visible red cross on a white disk positioned prominently on all sides to hopefully ensure the vehicles occupants didn't come under fire. Once the K2/Y had delivered its latest casualty load to the field station, it would invariably head straight back into the combat zone, at speeds on open roads approaching 50 mph.

An extremely popular vehicle with British, Commonwealth and American troops, the Austin K2/Y was viewed as something as an angel on the troops shoulders. Hopefully, they would never need to see the inside of the ambulance, but if they did 'Katy' would be ready and waiting for them. With over 13,000 examples built, these would have been a familiar sight on the battlefields of the world and it is thought that around fifty examples still survive to this day, some having undergone restoration back to something close to their original wartime configuration.

The Sd.Kfz.167 Sturmgeschütz IV was a development from an incredibly successful series of armoured mobile assault guns produced by the Germans during WWII, which were initially intended to provide fire support for infantry units coming across particularly stubborn areas of resistance during their advance, particularly those in fortified positions. The early short barrelled L/24 75 mm gun was later replaced with the longer L/43 and L/48 guns, which were devastatingly effective anti-tank weapons, which when combined with the low profile of these vehicles, made them a fearsome adversary for Allied tank commanders and could easily be concealed in ambush positions on the battlefield.

Following the Allied bombing of the Stug III factory in November 1943, the serious production disruption this caused forced the Germans to adapt the casemate superstructure of the Stug onto the larger chassis of the Panzer IV tank, retaining the low profile anti-tank killing capabilities of its predecessor, but resulting in the re-classification of these new vehicles as the Sturmgeschütz IV. Quick and relatively cheap to make compared to the mighty German heavy tanks of the period, the Sturmgeschütz where arguably Germany's most effective armoured vehicles during the latter stages of the war and whilst production numbers of Panther and Tiger tanks steadily diminished as the war progressed, many more Sturmgeschütz vehicles were rolling off the production lines to make up the shortfall.

One of the most famous tanks of the Second World War, the Panzer III was actually only available in relatively small numbers at the time of the German invasion of Poland, with around 180 tanks supplementing the more numerous, faster and lighter Panzer I and II tanks. Despite the popular misconception that Germany began the war having placed huge investment in tank production, much of the early burden of mechanized Blitzkrieg was born by smaller, lighter tanks and captured vehicles pressed into Wehrmacht service.

The Panzer III Ausf (model) J was a later production development of this famous tank and one which represented quite an advancement over earlier models. A slightly redesigned hull allowed for the addition of increased armour protection and a new gun mantlet facilitated the installation of the more powerful 50 mm KwK 38 L42 gun, although these modifications did take far too long in development. By the time this variant of Panzer III entered service with Panzer Divisions on the Eastern Front, they were struggling to match the heavily armed Soviet KV-1 and T-34 tanks they were facing, and in addition to this, the larger ammunition used by the new gun reduced the internal stowage capacity from 90 to 84 rounds. Although the Ausf. J was the most heavily produced variant of this famous tank, by 1943, the Panzer III was outclassed on the battlefield and not produced as a tank any more, although the main chassis was still used in the production of the excellent Sturmgeschütz III assault gun/tank destroyers.

After a successful series of light armoured reconnaissance and liaison vehicles, the Ferret Scout Car saw widespread British and Commonwealth military service from the 1950s onwards, with later variants of the Ferret taking part in the Gulf War of 1990. 

A vehicle type which can trace its lineage back to the successful Daimler Dingo scout car of the Second World War, the Ferret was designed with stealth in mind, a light and fast armoured vehicle which could probe enemy positions, reporting any discovered weak points back to commanders, with their own forces moving to exploit what they found.

Weighing in at around 4 tons operational weight, the Ferret was of all welded construction and featured armour protection capable of withstanding most small arms fire, but nothing much heavier, although it was not intended that the vehicle would be operating in direct opposition to heavy enemy armour. 

If it did find itself in a bit of trouble, the 4 wheel drive Ferret was powered by a reliable 6 cylinder Rolls Royce engine which gave it a top speed of 45 mph, a speed it could also achieve in reverse if required, something which could prove extremely useful if the crew found themselves in a tight spot.

As Britain prepared for war in the late 1930s, the military weren't just desperately in need of vast numbers of aircraft, tanks and guns, they also needed many thousands of trucks and general utility vehicles to support all kinds of operations. 

The ability to effectively supply modern, mechanized armies with the huge amounts of fuel, ammunition, food and other commodities they would need was crucial to the success of any military campaign and as the speed of war increased, so these supply lines began to lengthen. Rugged, reliable and adaptable, these trucks would have a vital role to play in the coming conflict.

One of the most distinctive military vehicles to see British military service, the Alvis Stalwart was a capable amphibious 6x6 cargo truck, introduced to keep Army units supplied with fuel, ammunition and general supplies during conflict. 

Initially developed as a private venture, the Stalwart can trace its lineage back through a series of successful 6x6 vehicles, most of which saw British military service, such as the Saladin armoured car and Saracen armoured personnel carrier. The Stalwart shared many components with its predecessors but was charged with performing a very different role.

Entering service from 1966 onwards, the Stalwart lived up to its name, with its impressive off-road performance giving it a go-anywhere, fear-nothing reputation. Featuring an intricate drive and suspension system, the Stalwart afforded its crew a comfortable ride when operating over uneven terrain. 

However, even though the vehicle could reach speeds approaching 40mph on open roads, handling the Stalwart could be challenging, with each bank of wheels constantly trying to outpace those on the opposite side.

A true amphibian, the Stalwart boasted watertight seals to protect all vital components, enabling it to deliver its vital cargo across bodies of water not served by bridges or temporary crossings, climbing out of the water on the other side if the ground was shallow or compact enough to support its weight. 

In the water, the Stalwart Mk.2 featured improved waterjet power and could reach speeds of 16km/h in optimum conditions.

Although armoured, the Ferret Scout Car was never intended to face enemy heavy armour, relying on its low profile, speed and stealth to make contact with enemy units, some of which were engaged in similar reconnaissance roles. Creeping into contested territory, the Ferret was built for sniffing out the enemy, but not to cause trouble in an offensive sense. 

Their role was to send real-time radio reports back to HQ and, should their scouting take them out of radio range, to utilise a second HQ Ferret to relay messages back. They provided military planners with information and, if detected, the Ferret would extricate the crew away from any combat situation at speed. 

As long as they were only targeted by small arms fire, they would have adequate protection until their driver could get them out of harm’s way, speeding back towards more friendly territory.