Major Anthony Peter Roylance Rolt, MC & Bar, 1919- 2008

[lowdrag]

It is with great sadness that the death is reported of Tony Rolt, a name for ever enshrined and entwined in the history of Jaguar and Le Mans. Born into a military family on the 16th October 1918, his career was never in question and he became a Lieutenant in the 1st Rifle Brigade being sent to Calais to defend it valiantly but hopelessly against General Guderian’s XIX Panzer corps. For his part in this action he was awarded the Military Cross. After his capture, not being one to sit out the war on his hands, he took part in numerous escape attempts, seven of which were at least partially successful (for which in 1946 he was awarded a bar to go with his MC) including trying to steal a German aircraft, walking out of a prison dressed as a plumber and others for which in the end he was sent to the infamous Colditz Castle. There he took part in the audacious attempt to escape by building a glider. Creating a false wall made of mud-covered mattress covers, a secret room was constructed in the attic of the castle and work commenced on the construction of the glider. Sadly it never flew because of the relief of the castle by the Allies in April 1945. However, a replica constructed 40 years later proved that indeed the aircraft could have flown.

Tony Rolt’s racing career started in an amusing way in 1936 at the Spa 24 hours when he raced a Triumph Southern Cross partnered by Jack Elliott. It is amusing because he raced with no license having lost it a short while before in the UK for speeding!
During 1937 he continued to race a Triumph before buying that most famous of old warhorses, the ERA Remus which belonged to the Siamese princes and is still to be seen racing today. Still at the tender age of 19 he won twice and came second twice at Donington plus numerous other notable places. Rolt grasped the need for excellent preparation and Freddie Dixon further developed the car; in 1939 he immediately won the 200-mile British Empire Trophy race at Donington.

For we Jaguar club members it is his post-war history for which he is known, taking part in the first ever Formula 1 race in 1950 at Silverstone partnered by Peter Walker in an ERA. They retired after four laps with a broken gearbox. Major Rolt was the last survivor of that first Formula 1 race and ran also in the 1953 and 1955 GP’s at the wheel of Rob Walker’s Connaught unfortunately securing no points in either race. But it is for his exploits at Le Mans that he is best remembered; in 1951, the first of the glorious Jaguar years, he finished sixth in a Nash-Healey and this brought him to the attention of Jaguar, so much so that he was offered a place in the team at the Dundrod race later that year. Taking over the wheel half-way he improved the car’s position from seventh to fourth and in doing so broke the lap record. 1952 found him again in the Sarthe this time partnering Duncan Hamilton at the wheel of the ill-fated aerodynamic C type, sometimes referred to as the Kettle cars. Due to lack of testing all three cars broke down, but in 1953 he will for ever be remembered for winning the Le Mans 24-Hour race at the wheel of the lightweight C type partnering once again Duncan Hamilton. 1954 saw he and Hamilton once again at Le Mans, this time in the D type, finishing second behind a Ferrari after numerous pit stops. Later that year they finished second in the Rheims 12 Hours.

Major Rolt retired from motor racing in 1955 following their forced retirement at Le Mans with gearbox problems to concentrate on his business interests specialising in four wheel drive and viscous couplings. It is also said that the tragic accident which claimed the lives of more than 80 spectators that year was also a contributing factor in his decision. His company, Rolt Dixon Research Ltd attracted the attention of the tractor magnate Harry Ferguson and the company went on to become FF developments Ltd., making the four-wheel drive system for the Jensen FF amongst others and gearboxes for racing cars, McLaren included. One must never forget either the Ferguson 4WD Formula 1 car that not only won a Grand Prix in 1960 with Stirling Moss at the wheel but also was the last front-engined car to do so. He then went on to build 4WD cars for Indianapolis and their technology was used by many makes including Shelby and Lotus. The company was finally sold to Ricardo in 1994.

Major Rolt passed away on the 6th February 2008 and is survived by two sons and a daughter. RIP.

Edited by lowdrag on Sunday 10th February 14:11

[cardigankid]

A true hero. Good innings though.

[crankedup]

Thank you for an excellent obitury history of the man. May he R.I.P.