World War II armoured vehicles rust at city technology institute

The hulks of four armoured vehicles which were used in World War II by the Indian Army (under the British) to fight in the Burma War are in a state of despair at the Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (VJTI), Matunga.

These 1942 Chevrolet T17E2 Staghound armoured vehicles have stood neglected outside the institute for over three-and-a-half decades now.

The institute initially used them to educate students about the machinery used in World War II. However, today’s students are unaware of their importance.

“We have never been told about the significance of these armoured vehicles. We don’t have any lectures on them either,” said Vikram Kelkar, a second-year student of mechanical engineering.

These vehicles are not only kept in the open without any protective covering but all four of them are also missing parts like the Browning machine guns, headlights, taillights and periscopes. Because of exposure to the sun and rain, the vehicles have caught rust and they are falling apart.

“If the VJTI got these vehicles with good intentions but cannot maintain them, it would be prudent to hand them over to the army,” said Sharada Dwivedi, historian and researcher. Unfortunately, in India we do not confer heritage status on individual artefacts because of which it is not possible to take legal action against anybody if such items are neglected, she added.

“One cannot even complain about, say, a statue of goddess Laxmi deteriorating in the Prince of Wales museum, as the whole building is listed as a heritage site but not the individual items it houses,” explained Dwivedi.

Miraculously, the engines of these vehicles are rusty but still intact. When these vehicles were built in the 1940s, they were well known for their dual engines, which made them faster.

According to online information portal Wikipedia, the driver could start or switch off any of the two engines while driving, and continue driving on any one or both the engines, as required.
Also, the vehicles could be tow-started if the on-board batteries failed. They were designed to be long-range reconnaissance and convoy escort vehicles.