At the outbreak of the Second World War, the United Kingdom was unable to meet the needs of the Commonwealth for armoured fighting vehicles.

It used Ford 3-ton Canadian Military Pattern truck chassis, either F60L or the shorter F60S.

A long narrow opening at the top of the hull earned the vehicle a nickname: "mobile slit trench".

Late in 1943 Australia started to receive US-made armoured cars and the Rover was soon declared obsolete.

The Rover was produced in two variants, with Mk II vehicles being built on shorter wheelbases in order to reduce weight.