The Lanchester monobloc six-cylinder engine was retained from the Sporting Forty, it delivered a very useful 60 hp (45 kW) and had many advanced features for the era, including dual ignition and full pressure lubrication.

In September 1915 the Royal Navy handed all of their armoured cars over to the British Army, the latter decided to standardise on the Rolls-Royce to reduce the logistical demands of operating various types of vehicles, and the Lanchesters were withdrawn to Britain whilst some were also sold to Belgium and Imperial Russia.

The cars were found to have broken loose in the hold during the storms and were badly damaged, additionally many of their radiators had cracked in the freezing weather as they had not been drained prior to departure, so they were all returned to Britain for repair.

In November 1917 the Russian Revolution had overthrown the Imperial government, putting an end to the force's operations, so in January 1918 the entire unit was evacuated out of Archangel back to England.

[2][3][4] By the time they returned to Britain in 1918, the Lanchesters of Locker-Lampson's No 1 Squadron had driven over 53,000 miles (85,000 km), much further than any other vehicles of World War I, and in such varied terrain as mountains, desert and near arctic conditions, in service they proved to be reliable and fast.