The entrance of their nation into the First World War on August 4, 1914 appalled many British citizens. The country had joined with France and Russia in opposing the Central Powers only after the invasion of neutral Belgium by German armies on August 3. Two weeks later Percival Perry himself wrote to Norval Hawkins, sales manager of the American company, that Britain had passed through “a period of panic and paralysis.” The English Ford Times commented with bitter regret on what had occurred. “There is war,” it proclaimed. “The greatest human agent of devastation, swollen and malignant as never before … is sweeping across Europe with fire and sword.” The little house organ saw the event as maniacal. “There is no brain in a fist. … Force is no argument.”

These sentiments anticipated those of Henry Ford himself, who some months later was to launch a year and a half of war-against-war. But they represented an emotional outburst and not a declaration of policy, and by August 18th Perry was loyally supporting the British cabinet and working “to secure orders from the Government for our Chassis for war purposes and for ambulance work.” He was successful. On September 28 company records show a War Office order for “9 van ambulances,” and others followed. The company was also selling Model T touring cars for war use.