In February 1915, the
Landship Committee was formed under instructions by
First Lord of the Admiralty Winston Churchill to develop armoured fighting vehicles for use on the
Western Front.
R. E. B. Crompton, the appointed technical adviser of the committee, was tasked with producing "alternative designs for the wheeled and tracked machines." However, no reliable tracks were available in Britain at the time, and an officer was sent to the
United States to locate suitable tracked vehicles. Between February and April, the
Admiralty was contacted by the
London agent of the American
Killen Strait Manufacturing Company. The company, based in
Appleton, Wisconsin, advised the Admiralty that a lightweight chain tractor, along with William Strait from the company, had arrived in the United Kingdom and hoped to give a demonstration. This information was forwarded to Crompton and a viewing was arranged. On 27 April, William Strait and the tractor arrived at the
Clément-Talbot works for testing. Crompton was impressed with the vehicle's design and engineering, and purchased the vehicle for £800. After a short while, Lt Kenneth Symes fitted the turretless armoured bodywork from a
Delaunay-Belleville armoured car onto the vehicle, creating the first tracked armoured vehicle. It was envisioned for this vehicle to join the
RNAS Armoured Car Section, but this was not realized due to the unit's imminent disbandment. The vehicle was transferred to the
RNAS Barrow Airship Station in September 1915, serving as a tow tractor there. The project itself was also abandoned, as the vehicle was unable to fulfil all-terrain warfare requirements and could not cross wide trenches. ==Design==