Yeah, I know... you're blown away with strangeness that I, Matthew, the INFAMOUS "Double-Decker Bus Guy" would blog about a bus...

Picture credit to The Imperial War Museum

Meet "Old Bill". A London "B" Type bus that was used for the war effort for England... in fact, "Old Bill" was not simply an advertiser or the like... "Old Bill" was near the front line of battle!

London Transport (or London General as it was known back then,) saw a need for transporting troops during the "Great War" of 1914 through 1918 and heeded the call.

Not only did drivers enlist, but three-hundred "B" type buses and three-hundred and thirty-three drivers went to the lines to shuttle soldiers back and forth in the style and grace of old London town.

In fact, the first of these buses were delivered with their red and white livery, ads, and destination boards still attached! (This of course changed over time...)

At a tip-top speed of a whopping twenty-miles per hour, "Old Bill" could carry twenty-five equipped soldiers to their destination.

According to London Transport's Museum website...

The most famous bus of the First World War was a B-type called 'Old Bill', which saw action in the Somme, Antwerp, the Ancre, Amiens and Ypres. One driver single-handedly captured 12 German troops near Armentires and drove back to his army camp with them on the top deck.

Yup, "Old Bill" was a true trooper.

I can't help but wonder two things... first of all if seeing an old London bus was a morale boost to the troops considering the horrors of WWI trench warfare... and if they loathed travelling on them again after the war?

From written accounts I found, "Old Bill" was well loved... and the troops did get a kick out of their transport from home.

Sadly, the work is never done for an old warrior like "Old Bill"...

"Old Bill", the one at the top, is now a resting safely in The Imperial War Museum... (note the side destination panels...) This is one old soldier that hasn't faded away... and hopefully won't. A wonderful machine and a wonderful (and a little tragic) history.

Old Bill delivering men to the front - Artist Unknown

Thanks to the London Transport Museum, The Imperial War Museum, and the Bruce Bairnsfather and Old Bill Dugout Website for information and images...

To the Bruce Bairnsfather and Old Bill Dugout Website folks, if you see this, I tried to e-mail you, but my mail "bounced" back. If there is any issue with the images or information used, please contact me via my personal blog... link below...

If you like old buses, please stop by my "personal" blog and the family "dream" blog, One Old Green Bus