The Imperial Ambulatory Hussar

The Ambulatory Hussar was hailed as a triumph of Imperial engineering and design upon its introduction. However, the reputation of this fighting machine was to descend into infamy following the shameful use of mechanised troops against a peaceful political meeting in St Peter's Field in Manchester in 1869.

This engraving from the Times shows the strength of the national outcry over the use of the troops. The Prime Minister was shouted down by Opposition members in the House of Commons during an emergency debate, and the Press was highly-critical of Imperial Army Command for allowing "the deployment of armoured titans against a legitimate assembly of the very people they were sworn to protect".

Further images of this infamous mechanical contraption may be viewed here.

B17 Walking Fortress of the US 7th Cavalry

In 1845 the seccession from Mexico of the territory of Texas, and its subsequent annexation by the United States, was to spark a bitter conflict. The war was to rage throughout California and northern Mexican territory for months, with neither side gaining the upper hand. However, the Battle of Monterrey was to see the tide begin to turn decisively in favour of US forces.

Initially unable to penetrate the walls of the numerous Mexican fortifications around the town, US commanders, increasingly-desperate to secure a morale-boosting victory, were to bring the newly-developed B17 "Walking Fortress" into the fray. Although untested and ponderous, the B17 was to prove practically unstoppable. Armed with chain-driven ripsaws and Gatling Cannons, they were to breach the walls with relative ease, inflicting horrific casualties on the Mexican defenders and creating a terrifying reputation.

Further photographs of this fearsome engine of war, many in colour, may be viewed here.

The Iron Fusiliers - Imperial Armoured Infantry

It was only with the abolition of the Board of Ordnance in 1891 that artillery and armoured infantry fell under the control of the Imperial War Office. Technical innovation, stifled under the notoriously-conservative Board, was to become a hallmark of Imperial Army Engineers in the following years.
One of the most famous developments of the time was the so-called "Iron Fusilier"; a steam-powered armour, giving the soldier inside great strength and excellent protection.
Despite the many advantages, and some proven (although admittedly small-scale) success on the battlefield, armoured infantry was never to become as widespread in Imperial forces as amongst Continental armies, notably the Prussian. The reasons as to why are many and varied, but it could be argued that such development fell foul of a deep-seated suspicion of mechanised warfare amongst senior Imperial officers. General Gascoyne, the flamboyant Cavalry commander, once remarked that he "would rather ride into battle astride a mule than be canned like a pilchard in one of those contraptions".
The particular model pictured is the Richards Version 2, and more illustrations may be perused at the reader's leisure here.

Sturmpanzer Shrittmaschine "Mecha 3"

With the introduction of the Mark 3 in 1885, the Prussian Mechanized Infantry became a real force to be reckoned with on the battlefield.
Whilst previous models of these walking-machines had been widely ridiculed by military commentators as both cumbersome and unreliable, the considerably lighter and faster Mark 3 was to prove itself agile and sure of foot on even the roughest terrain.
The stunning Prussian successes in the short conflict with Vulgaria in the Winter of 1886 were due, in no small measure, to the introduction of the Mark 3 and the lack of any established tactics to deal with the "Mechs" or "Mechas", as the walking-machines became popularly known.
The rapid increase in Prussian Mecha numbers was to become a particular worry to the Imperial Army Command in London and further poisoned the already uneasy relationship between Prussia and the Empire.
The interested reader is invited to peruse a larger collection of photographic images of the Mecha 3.