Stalwart Development timeline Evidence

This page sets out the time line of the Alvis Stalwart, using clippings from newspapers and magazines of the day.

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The prototype of a new military vehicle was demonstrated to Gen. Norstad, Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, when he visited Coventry last week. It was the Stalwart, a six-wheel driven heavy cargo carrier designed and built by Alvis, Ltd.

Also shown to Gen. Norstad was a turbo unit which Alvis plans to fit to the Stalwart so that it can navigate rivers at a speed of some five knots.

The Stalwart is shortly to undergo land trials for the War Office. It is similar to the existing 6 x 6 Salamander, powered by a Rolls-Royce petrol engine and having the front four wheels steered.

A road speed of 54 m.p.h. with a load of 5 tons is claimed for the Stalwart.

During the year extensive trials were carried out with the Stalwart, a new multi wheeled cross-country cargo carrier designed for civil and military use. Up to date experience of it has been very promising. We believe it to be unique in its class and further development is proceeding.

The outstanding recent event in this part of our business has been the successful development and progress of the Stalwart 5-ton load carrier, of which prototypes have been extensively demonstrated in the United Kingdom and abroad. With further improvements in transmission systems, it has been possible greatly to exceed the cross country performance of the original 600 series from which it derived, and there is now the additional ability to go straight into deep water without any preparation. An outstanding feature of the trials has been the extreme stability of the vehicle under conditions of heavy swell, and we are satisfied that it is now under consideration for a variety of military roles in addition to its original conception as a cargo carrier.

THE Minister of Defence has revealed that an order worth nearly £2m has been placed for 125 of the production version of the Alvis Stalwart amphibious high-mobility 5-ton load carrier. This first production order by the British Army follows successful evaluation trials carried out with the prototype ordered last October.

In April of this year the Stalwart was ordered for the Royal Swedish Marines and Alvis, Ltd. state that negotiations are now in hand with a number of N.A.T.O. and other overseas countries.

Progress of the Stalwart amphibious high mobility load carrier continued favourably. Two foreign governments have ordered or taken delivery of vehicles for evaluation purposes, and the British War Office has recently placed a production order for a substantial quantity. The Stalwart vehicle was exhibited at St. Erik's Fair, Stockholm, and at the British Commercial Motor Show at Earls Court this year, resulting in an encouraging number of new overseas enquiries.

Production deliveries of the Stalwart for the British Army have now commenced. The amphibious High-mobility load carrier presents a new concept of logistic cargo-handling, competing with marine craft, conventional trucks and tracked cargo-carriers. This means that it has to be evaluated under tactical conditions in comparison with a combination of other vehicles to enable the potential user to determine its overall value and his eventual requirements.

In addition to those vehicles undergoing extended trials by the Swedish Coastal Artillery, test vehicles have been purchased by the French, German and Italian military authorities. Trials have also been carried out by the Canadian Army and are in progress in the United States by the U.S. Army and U.S. Marines.

Alvis Ltd., Holyhead Road, Coventry

At the last Commercial Show Alvis introduced the Stalwart amphibious 5-ton load carrier as a civilian vehicle. The same model is being shown again.

The Stalwart was designed primarily for military applications and is a six-wheel drive machine with all-independent suspension and steering on the first and second pairs c wheels. A Rolls-Royce B81 6.52-litre, eight-cylinder, in-lit petrol engine with a gross output of 220 b.h.p. is used in the Stalwart, driving through a Meadows five-speed synchromesh gearbox and independent bevel-gearboxes at each of the wheels. Suspension is by longitudinal torsion bar. with the wheels carried on pairs of wishbones. As well as a complete vehicle, a sectioned Stalwart is featured to show the working parts.

A new departure for Alvis is represented by the showing of a Berliet breakdown vehicle, Alvis having recently been appointed U.K. distributor for this French concern.

Among other forward-looking events in this connection, an agreement was concluded at the beginning of the year with Automobiles M. Berliet, of Lyon, France, whereby our two companies will coordinate technical and commercial efforts and will give assistance to each other for the manufacture and sale of the other company's present and future series of military and special purpose vehicles.

The Swedish Government have ordered them for their coastal defence service. Trials vehicles have also been purchased by Germany, France and Italy, and a vehicle is under evaluation in the United States. It has also completed very successful trials in Canada.

The Ministry of Defence has announced that following intensive trials, the Alvis Stalwart has been accepted as a high-mobility load carrier for the British Army.

The Stalwart has also been ordered by the Swedish Government for Coastal Defence Services. Trial vehicles have also been purchased by Germany, France and Italy, and the vehicle has completed successful trials in Canada. It has undergone service evaluation in Aden and is now being tested out in the U.S.A.

Designed as a private venture by Alvis Ltd. the Stalwart is a 6 x 6 5-Conner and is amphibious and air-portable.

Using the British Army's MERLIN database, we can see where the vehicles to other countries fit in, and when the Mark 1s were made.

First and last numbers of British Army Vehicle Registration Number groups of the Mark 2 Stalwarts. There might be the occasional number that was missed from the sequences.

Prices from Army Code Number 60503, of 1966 and 1972

Estimated numbers of British Army Alvis Stalwarts, based on presumption that registration numbers continued consecutively, as did Asset code and Contract number.

The end of service - 1993

Hundreds of Stalwarts parked up in a field at Mönchengladbach.

Units were issued with Bedford TM RNX 6x6 or TM WMV 4x4 trucks in places of the Stalwarts.