Automitrailleuse Minerva

 

Automitrailleuse Minerva

I've made this armored car as a Christmas present for my father-in-law whose grand-father, Théophile "Théo" Halleux, was a member of the Belgian Expeditionary Corps in Russia during World War I. 

The Corps arrived in Russia in late 1915 and fought with distinction in Galicia. The unit was trapped in hostile territory after the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 and the men had to destroy their armored cars in order to prevent their capture by the Bolsheviks.

As the route through the territories of the central powers was blocked, they had to return to Belgium through Siberia, China, the United States and England, thus completing an involuntary World tour.

For some reason, he seemed more interested in the instruction manual...