From the Rolls-Royce experimental archive: a quarter of a million communications from Rolls-Royce, 1906 to 1960's. Documents from the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation (SHRMF).
Car testing arrangements and managing local suspicion in Chateauroux, France.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 181\M10\ img019 | |
| Date | 21th August 1924 guessed | |
| contd:- -2- would only have increased the suspicion and if the cars had remained in France, they would have undoubtedly been traced. We therefore arranged with Col. Hawkins at the Paris Depot to go down to Chateauroux to interview the Chief of Police and explain to him the circumstances. Col. Hawkins' visit had the desired effect - the men now have Cartes de Identite and have obtained French Driving Licenses and are quite friendly with the Police in the district. The cars have become known in the district and now no notice is taken. We have had in mind, that if we could create the right atmosphere in Chateauroux and district, and get the people used to seeing the cars running about, we could then at any time replace a car with an EAC.11. without arousing the least interest, whereas, if we have to go to a fresh district, how-ever much we try and camouflage it, we could not avoid considerable interest being taken in the car. We consider that we are in a very fortunate position in connection with the tests to be carried out on EAC.11. in having prepared the way with the tests on the EAC.111. cars, so that no great interest will be taken in them. Having our own Garage has proved to be a wonderful asset; work can be done on the cars without any interference or outside people knowing what is going on. As regards the papers which were taken from the car contd:- | ||