The story behind WEC12, like most Rolls-Royce of this era, is very interesting.
WEC12 was one of Lord Mountbatten’s staff cars. WEC12 was originally ordered by the Maharaja of Gwalior, this is supported by the original order form which has the Maharaja of Gwalior's name crossed out and replaced by the Ministry of War Transport.
The Maharaja’s order was cancelled due to the outbreak of World War II and WEC12 was placed in storage for use by the royal family should one of the royal vehicles be destroyed during the war.
WEC12 was ordered by the Maharaja of Gwalior on the 9th June 1939 as shown on the original Rolls-Royce order form.
On July 4th 1944 WEC12 was delivered to the Ministry of War Transport. It was then transported for use by the Naval Command in Malta. Lord Mountbatten, along with other Naval Commanders, used this vehicle while based in Malta.
We have identified, through various photo's, that the vehicle was in Malta from 1945 and the last image we have located shows WEC12 still in Malta in 1954.
WEC12 was also used by Princess Elizabeth when she visited Malta, and also following her Coronation when she became Queen, WEC12 is seen in various video clips by British Pathe News as well as photo's that form part of the Admiralty official collection.
In a news reel by 'British Pathe News' - Queen in Malta - British Pathe (1954) there is a shot of a very young Prince Charles and Princess Anne getting into WEC12 while in Malta.
At some point WEC12 was sold to a collector in USA who then sold it to Miles Miller in the late 1970’s.
In 2012 I purchased WEC12 through an agent in Las Vegas; it was then transported to Wellington New Zealand where it was immediately put in for full restoration. The restoration was completed in December 2023 by David Wilkins of Bristol Motors in Upper Hutt, New Zealand.
WEC12, as shown by the original order form from Rolls-Royce offices, was ordered by the Maharaja of Gwalior on June 9th 1939 through agents Hendry Brothers in Salisbury House, London.
This order is also showing as having been cancelled on 4th August 1942.
To support this fact, there is a letter dated 21 February 1984 from author John Fasal to Miles Miller, confirming that the vehicle was originally destined for the Maharaja of Gwalior.
We know by the very same records that the vehicle was delivered to the War Office on 4th July 1944.
WEC12 has a similar history to the vehicle that was used by Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery. Field Marshal Montgomery’s Rolls-Royce also had the Staff placed in the centre of the Spirit of Ecstasy. I am assuming that both WEC12 and WHC43 (Field Marshal Montgomery's Rolls-Royce) were stored together and were dispatched at similar times.
Above Video: Queen in Malta - British Pathe (1954). There is a shot of Prince Charles and Princess Anne getting into a Rolls-Royce while in Malta. While it is difficult to make out any clear shots of the vehicle, the rear appears to have the same lines, also the rear window and door handles appear to be of the same style as the Windover’s WEC12. (watch from 4.35 onwards to view WEC12)
Above Video: The then Prince Charles and Princess Anne at the end of this video 1954.
Lord Louis Mountbatten
Admiral of the Fleet Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, KG, GCB,
OM, GCSI, GCIE, GCVO, DSO, PC, FRS (born Prince Louis of Battenberg; 25 June 1900 – 27 August 1979) was a British Royal Navy officer and statesman, an uncle of the late Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and second cousin once removed of the late Queen Elizabeth II. During the Second World War, he was Supreme Allied Commander, South East Asia Command (1943–1946). He was the last Viceroy of India (1947) and the first Governor-General of independent India (1947–1948).
From 1954 to 1959. Mountbatten was First Sea Lord, a position that had been held by his father Prince Louis of Battenberg some forty years earlier. Thereafter he served as Chief of the Defence Staff until 1965, making him the longest-serving professional head of the British Armed Forces to date. During this period Mountbatten also served as Chairman of the NATO Military Committee for a year.
In 1979, Mountbatten, his grandson Nicholas, and two others were assassinated by a bomb set by members of the Provisional Irish Republican Army, hidden aboard his fishing boat in Mullaghmore, County Sligo, Ireland.
Source of information - Wikipedia
