This tinplate clockwork toy was manufactured by Mettoy Playcraft Ltd. Although most famous for their die-cast Corgi Toys vehicles, Mettoy made their name in the United Kingdom from the manufacture of tin plate toys from 1933 onwards. This particular truck would have been made post-World War II, as manufacture of tin toys was discontinued through the war because of the need for raw materials in the war effort. Its military design would have captured the imagination of post-war children and included the use of battery power to light a searchlight from the back of the truck. The truck is reasonably detailed in design, but the army personnel figures, however, are unusually small and out of proportion for this vehicle.