Humber Super Snipe (Monty's Victory Car)
Name: Super Snipe
Make: Humber
Year: 1943
During the Second World War, many of Coventry’s car makers turned to the manufacture of aircraft, vehicles and armaments for the war effort. Daimler and Humber were prominent in the manufacture of scout, armoured and staff cars.
This open top tourer based on the Humber Super Snipe chassis, with body work by Thrupp and Maberly, was used by Field Marshal Montgomery from the D-Day landings until the end of the war in Europe. Montgomery preferred Humber staff cars, as he had used a very similar vehicle in the North African campaign, and it had proved so reliable he called it ‘Old Faithful’.
This car became known as the ‘Victory Car’ for obvious reasons. Monty’s preference for this model was shown when this car fell into the sea off Mulberry Harbour just after the D-Day landings. Monty ordered it to be salvaged and prepared for his use, and within 24 hours the car was running again.
In the campaign this car covered over 60,000 miles in just under 6 months and needed no servicing other than the normal routine maintenance.
After the war it was returned to the Rootes Group, who owned Humber, and was used in numerous victory parades around the country. In 1947 it was again seen around the country in parades celebrating 50 years of the British motor industry.
This vehicle has been generously loaned to the Museum by the Peugeot Motor Company.