The first man to die at the wheel of a Formula 1 car was a little-known 29-year-old Anglo-American called Cameron Earl. He was an engineer and the team manager of Bob Gerard Racing. Earl had taken a pre-war ERA, updated to F1 spec, to the old Lindley aerodrome, better known today as the home of the Motor Industry Research Association (MIRA), for a test run one evening in June 1952. The car flipped at high speed and Earl was crushed. He survived until the following morning.
Earl is, however, rather more than a sad footnote in motor racing history and is seen by many as one of the key figures in the history of the British motorsport industry, thanks to a 141-page technical analysis he wrote of the 1930s German Grand Prix teams. This included a huge amount of detail, revealing the secrets of the Mercedes and Auto Union Grand Prix cars.
How did an unknown 25-year-old Army officer get to be the author of such an important document?
Well, like many great stories, it began in Scarborough. This is a Yorkshire seaside resort where an American soldier decided to settle with a Yorkshire girl after World War I. They had a child and when the young Cameron was 17, World War II broke out. He was called up and assigned to the Royal Armoured Corps. His technical abilities were soon spotted, however, and he so he was posted to the Department of Tank Design (DTD) in Chobham, Surrey, where he joined the School of Tank Technology. This analysed foreign machinery (allied and enemy) and wrote reports about the innovations, so that they could be used in future British tank designs. Earl was later sent on attachment to the Admiralty Research Laboratory in Teddington, where he met a young engineer called John Cooper, who was working on the secret design of a one-man submarine.
After the Normandy landings in 1944, Allied intelligence began to produce reports on the German military and industrial information that emerged. These were written by teams of scientists, working for the Combined Intelligence Objectives Sub-Committee (CIOS). Once Germany was defeated, the British created their own British Intelligence Objectives Sub-Committee (BIOS) and continued the same work, creating 2,000 reports on German technology. Earl co-authored a report on German infra-red technology and this led to him being given a hurried commission as a Second Lieutenant in July 1945 in order to give him officer status so that he could acquire more information from captured Germans.
He was keen on motorsport and proposed that BIOS look into Germany’s automobile industry – and the pre-war Grand Prix teams. He went to Germany for a month in April 1947, obtained access to all the required files and blueprints and even interviewed old engineers. He submitted his report in March 1948 and it was published by His Majesty’s Stationery Office six months later. It was entitled “An Investigation into the Development of German Grand Prix Cars 1934-1939”.
By the time the report came out, he had left the Army and was studying mechanical engineering. He would then set up his own consulting business – Earl Automotive Patents Ltd. He found time to take part in the 1950 Monte Carlo Rally, with a Standard Vanguard. The consulting business was slow and do he went to work with Gerard, developing a hydrostatic infinitely-variable transmission for the ERA.
Information is power, so they say, and Earl’s insights played an important role in shaping the thinking of a whole generation of young engineers who flooded into the sport after the war, looking for excitement. These included his pal John Cooper, who would lead the revolution that created Britain’s motorsport industry of today with his rear-engined cars.
A concept that the Germans had looked at in depth…
joeblogsf1 
Wow, I never expected to see my home town’s name crop up in your blog Joe! Whilst we are well known for Oliver’s Mount, which did host two F3 races in the 50s, I’ve never heard of any other connections (apart from a link to Ron Dennis’ catering business).
I believe Cameron Earl was involved in Oliver’s Mount as well, but I’m not sure
I’ll ask next time I see some of the Auto66 guys.
A copy of the B.I.O.S. report 1755 was in the Bodleian; don’t know if it’s still there. BTW, I believe it was 1934-1939
That’s what it should say
Can we look forward to a Fascinating Facts – Scarborough Edition – in the future?
Graham Gauld
Reference the three BIOS reports some of your readers may be interested to know that I have copies of the three original reports including the racing cars which will be coming up for auction at Richard Edmonds Auctions in Wiltshire in March. Keep up the good work and waiting for my subscription to start shortly..
Uncovering all these snippets must be taking you into hours of research, so presumably both past, and present.
Surely there must be a book in the offing? They are making great reading each day.
This is all old stuff…
That doesn’t stop it being an interesting read.
Most historical stuff is old stuff by nature.
This is truly fascinating stuff Joe, I’m intrigued to know how long you can keep these facts coming. This one was really a “well I never” moment for me!
I’m impressed how a squaddie had the ability to progress to such a significant role.
He had a Yorkshire lass t.’elp 😉
Ta from Lancs.
An interesting tale, thank you.
It set me to wondering if Mr Earl could have been the source of the reports which brought attention to the BMW twin OHC six that became a Bristol and ended up in such classics as the AC Ace.
Frazer Nash imported BMWs to the UK in the 1930s and tweaked them for UK buyers. Post 1945, Frazer Nash were the BMW experts and were first to view BMW’s intellectual property. Knowing that they did not have the engineering skill to replicate BMW’s engine, information was passed to a new company, Bristol Cars, which was derived from Bristol Aeroplane Company.
Frazer Nash used BMW-derived Bristol engines in their sports cars and there was supposed to be a partnership with Bristol Cars. Frazer Nash failed as a manufacturing car company but Bristol carried on, switching to American V8s for luxury “what on earth is that” exclusiveness.
When Bristol Cars folded a few years ago, the brand was purchased by the engineering part of Frazer Nash. The bit of Frazer Nash that sold cars had been renamed AFN — around about when it sold Porsches — and was eventually acquired by Porsche.
Thank you for that Phil. I wonder if you have any connection to Fraser Nash? I used to work in the aircraft industry (when we had one) and spent some time in a contract drawing office in Ashford (Middlesex) working on the Tornado. There were a couple of guys in the office who had worked at Fraser Nash at …. was it Feltham or Hanworth.
One of Joe Sawards’ predecessors as Continental Correspondent, Denis Jenkinson, wrote a cracking good book about Frazer Nash. DSJ wrote a memorable book.
Graham (see above) is the co-author of Mr Bob – The Life and Times of Bob Gerard published by Porter Press in 2013. The book has some interesting paragraphs about Cameron Earl including the lasting effect which witnessing the fatal accident had on Mr Bob’s wife Joan. There is also a photo of Cameron Earl speaking at one of the Rivers-Fletcher organised meetings at the Rembrandt Hotel during World War Two. The suggestion is that the ERA went out of control because of a failure in the experimental transmission.
Graham suggests that the ERA involved was R4A which could well be correct since this was the car which Mr Bob usually used in sprints and hillclimbs with a 2-litre engine although he did finish 6th in the 1950 Monaco Grand Prix with the 1.5 litre engine fitted to R4A. Both engines were supercharged at a time when Formula 1 catered for 1500 cc supercharged or 4500 cc unsupercharged cars. So on the basis that it was R4A in its usual 2-litre supercharged form which was involved in the accident, it was not a Formula 1 spec car. In 1952 of course F1 was no longer the World Drivers’ Championship category, being replaced by Formula 2 for unsupercharged 2-litre cars, although it continued to exist until the end of 1953.
In fact an earlier fatal accident befell St John ‘Jock’ Horsfall during the first BRDC Daily Express International Trophy at Silverstone on 20 August 1949. He was driving ERA R11B as a 1500 cc supercharged car and therefore in Formula 1 guise. Jock clipped a straw bale at Stowe Corner, causing the car to overturn and trap him underneath with fatal consequences. A few weeks earlier driving solo Jock had finished 4th overall and 2nd in class in the Spa 24 Hours at the wheel of his Aston Martin Speed Model which has since been known as the Spa Special. Paul Frere had been asked to share the driving with Jock, who had won the race the previous year with Leslie Johnson, but shortly before the race Jock decided to go it alone.
During World War Two Jock worked for the British Secret Service and was involved in Operation Mincemeat which was the basis for the 1956 film The Man Who Never Was.
If a hair needs to be split, there is a debate to be had about the date when Formula A was officially re-named (sorry, re-branded) Formula 1. The formula remained the same and only the name changed, probably some time during 1949. Certainly by the time of the first World Drivers’ Championship race (at Silverstone in May 1950) it was Formula 1.
You are sorely missed at Goodwood, Ian, especially the FoS. No-one provides all the relevant information or tells the ‘story’ of an event like you, which reminds me, I must book for the Silverstone Classic.
Wow Joe, you are certainly attracting the good and the great to post on your blog, Ian being the latest.
How do you classify the 1946-1949 cars? The specifications were identical until 1951 and I think they were universally called Formula 1 since 1948? Not 100% sure, though.
Wow Joe, this fascinating fact is the most fascinating yet. It also came a little close to home as I used to work in the Design Office at Department of Tank Design (DTD) in Chobham, Surrey or MVEE as it was known when I was there in the mid 1980’s.
I remember there was one ex Tyrell and one ex McLaren draughtsman working in the same office during my time there.
Joe – is that report available in print now?
No. The originals are very rare but it was reprinted a couple of years ago
“Are you going to Scarborough Fair ?” Nice tune…
And what a nice story, again, Joe (as every day, whatever part of it is known or not – thanks a lot for all of these).
According to all this information, would it be possible to tell that John Cooper transfers part of the technology he studied in submarines to its winning single-seaters ?
Your last words refers clearly to Auto-Union, and Ferdinand Porsche’s work, as far as I know (so few) this topic.
The T51 was some 25 years late in setting the mid engine trend.
In the Formula 1 (Formula A) class, Cisitalia had the first rear-engine car, but it took forever to actually go racing. I believe that the first rear-engine car taking part in a Grand Prix event was the Mono-JK Lancia at the 1949 Czechoslovak GP. Unfortunately, the car was heavily damaged in practice.
Wow amazing fact 👍
Yes, facts, and actual and correct facts at that.
I’m simply loving all these factual articles. Oh, not that I mean your “normal” writings aren’t factual as well! But this was the most interesting yet.
These facts are priceless, Joe, as are some of the add-on insights. Thank you.
Joe, I am constantly amazed at the depth and variety of infomation you come up with! I award you 11 out of 10 for that! The information you find is remarkable! Thanks a million.
Now you mention John Cooper building the first rear engined racing car, but I’ve wondered for a few years whether that is correct or not because there was 2 built here in Christchurch, NZ one by the Stanton brothers called the Cropduster because it had a Jipsey Moth aero engine behind the driver, and there was also another one built by Hec Green a brilliant ex millitary mechanic, using many aircraft components, e.g fuel injection, Oleo struts etc., and he cast his pistons from propeller alloy, his story i extremely interesting as is the Stanton’s story!
Regards,
PK.
We should perhaps keep in mind the difference between the first rear engined racing car and the first rear engined F1 car. I think Auto Union predated your examples above, Paul, much as I admire the ingenuity of the two persons you mentioned.
Prof Porsche…
Dr Eng Ferdinand Porsche, not only showed the way forward with the “MID-ENENED LAYOUT” and also with the “REAR ENGINED LAYOUT, But also with the only successful V16 EVER, and that regardless others having acquired all the secrets and blueprints.
And the Benz Tropfenwagen from the mid-1920s…
This report available online? Would love to peruse it. Love this series! Keep up the great work Joe.
Keep ’em coming Joe, I’m enthralled (and grateful)
Hey Joe, fascinating stuff. I’m sitting here looking at my late fathers copy of BIOS Final Report no 1755 Item no 19, ‘Investigation into the development of German Grand Prix racing cars between 1934 and 1939 (including a description of the Mercedes world’s land speed record contender)’ published by HMSO price £1 5s.
The whole book is (for those who really get beautiful engineering) shows ‘it’s all been thought of before!! Nitrogen filled tyres’ are even discussed..and the fold out drawings at the back are works of art!
So here I am contemplating the history of Dutch vandoorne transmissions- apparently he he nicked the idea…
Ian “titch” earlier mentioned my Bob Gerard book. The transmission Cameron Earl had designed and which Bob Gerard put on the ERA was a hydrostatic transmission. At the time the National Engineering Laboratory in Scotland were also working on a “liquid” hydrostatic transmission and they led me drive their prototype Triumph Herald. It was fun driving it up to 30 mph and then throwing it straight into reverse. It stopped dead in a cloud of blue tyre smoke. In the case of Cameron Earl the transmission locked up and the ERA barrel rolled.
Sir Saward, Sir Gauld, Gentlemen, I’m amazed and puzzled about your in depth passion and knowledge, reaching into Secret Service and Submarine stories and about any vehicle that had mounted an engine somewhere, with power that could be argued F1-condign. Chapeau ! Hut ab !
If you guys would write the next formula One, would there be high noses and rake, or rather something like the J191 ? Perhaps with some freedom in bodywork / wing design ? (so that they not all look the same — and to cater some theatric, dramatic rear wings like in 1984, maybe ? w simple front wings, self understood…)