London buses on the Western Front drew on planning completed before the war. Civilian vehicles had been purchased with military requisition in mind, and a prewar exercise tested how quickly two London bus companies could carry troops to a hypothetical invasion point. The Army wanted to compare the buses and encourage future purchases of suitable models. Rival companies turned the deployment into a race, with buses rushing along rural roads to deliver the most men first. The exercise still established that requisitioned buses could provide troop transport and informed briefings for a dedicated military vehicle.
Chapter · 5:39-8:38
London buses were tested for military requisition before 1914
A prewar exercise tested rival London bus companies as troop carriers and fed practical lessons into British anti-invasion planning.