WW2 Motorcycles Only

It's a BSA WM20

C4865284 was built under contract C13290 dated 24/1/1942. However, commencement seems to have been delayed until early 1943.

This is likely to have been WM20 81307...

Did you post this on the gallery a few weeks ago and then remove it ? I saved it to file in order to enlarge and read the serial number so that I could post details but when I went back, it had gone !

Thanks for posting it. Can you add any background info ?

 

Hi Thanks for that Rich, yes I put it up but thought it out of place really, looks better on here..I had a feeling it was a BSA as my father had two in the back garden when I was growing up, then we moved house and the bikes went to the dump!!!!

I don't know when this pic was taken but he enlisted into the 56 mechanical equipment royal engineers, 879 coy, 1942-1945, did they have bikes ?

 

Aled, if only we could have saved all the motorcycles that we've seen go to the dump....BSA made much in their late-war advertising about how riders of their service machines would be looking for a BSA after the war (actually, all the WD manufacturers did this !)



Pretty well every unit of the British Army used motorcycles in one form or another.

The Trux sub-forum on this site gives some idea of War Establishments and vehicle allocations, but I'm not sure exactly how 879 Mechanical Equipment Company would have fitted in - That would take a little War Diary research, I suspect.

http://ww2talk.com/forums/topic/23776-chief-engineers-works-and-miscellaneous-engineer-units/

The bike looks quite well-used. I'd guess the summer of 1944 - Did he go to France ? This looks like a U.K. shot. The bike still has a black-out mask and he's not wearing a tie which suggests that it's not later than early 1945.

 

thanks Rich, early 44, 879 were in the Azores, then may-august at Newark and Burwood Camp in Weybridge before going to France...I suspect that it may be this time at Weybridge? !!!

 

It has the look of a pre-embarkation camp with no worries about air superiority. It looks a bit 'wild' for Weybridge...unless that's the Brooklands banking behind them ! Certainly not posh enough for Burwood Park. Perhaps Nottinghamshire ?

 

Nottinghamshire...that would make it circa may 1944 .

 

Can anyone identify this bike?


Chris

 

It's a Royal Enfield Model D. 'Rewdco' (What's in a name ?) will probably be along later with full details. Judging by the valanced front mudguard, I think this is a civilian type rather than a purpose-built (but very similar) WD/D. The serial number falls within the batch C62415 - C62685 - Impressed Motor-Cycles. Various makes. These were RASC impressed vehicles destined for 2nd echelon use.

The 'D' was a 250cc sidevalve intended for training and light communication duties.

It's a nice photo. Is it a family member ? At a guess, I'd say he's on a map reading exercise in Norfolk.

Is this 62478 ? Whatever it is, it's very close and the two machines may well once have stood in a row next to each other ! The civil chrome-trimmed horn is clearly visible. The headlamp mask is a proprietary type, probably later than the card cutout on the first photo.

 

Thanks Richard
you are spot on with the Norfolk reference, the flint cottages are a giveaway. Village called Trunch , outside North Walsham.Picture taken in 1942.
No not a relative, but someone on a local heritage site looking for information.
Thank you so much

 

Hi guys..can you tell me what the bike my dad is sat upon in this photo is......I have some paper work that may indicate its a Matchless...What do you think ??
Also he appears to have a sidearm was this normal for our bikers ??

 

Not Matchlesses. The later G3L had telescopic forks which these don't and the earlier girder-forked G3/WO always had a central speedo. Based on the mudguard shape and a few clues such as exhaust line etc., I'd say these are WM20 BSAs.

The serial number commencing C455 suggests a machine from contract C9310 - 9000 machines delivered late 1941.

A pistol was the standard weapon issued to motorcyclists, certainly in the early part of the war but stens are frequently seen later on.

Do you know your father's postings ? It's always interesting to know where the machines ended up.

 

Hi Rich.
Dad spent some time in Egypt, ( Cairo ) Which is where I believe the photo was taken...during which time I believe he was Captains escort, ( not sure of the captains name ).....he also did some d/r....he was with the RA, the 24th L/AA 88 baty I believe, but after several battery re-alignments through the Burma campaign he eventually wound up in the 82 A/tk in Burma
He was also prior to this I think a DEMS gunner...and was unfortunate enough to be aboard The Mohamed Ali El-kabir when it was torpedoed of the coast of Ireland,

hope that's of interest.
Regards Vic

 

I bought this photo a few weeks ago, is this a 350 matchless .
Keith

 

Keith, it's a WD16H Norton. C4587750 was delivered during the early part of 1942 under contract C10217. It would have had engine and frame numbered W49622.

The machine has been refinished - the stencilled census number is not original for this contract and the early type rear carrier is a puzzle as by this time, they should have had pillion and pannier bag equipment.

 

Thanks for the ID, Photo was from Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers [ REME ] 2 Base Workshops at Tel-EL-Kebir Egypt.
Keith

 

Doing some family research i came across this forum and picture, thought i would have a go at it for you, hope that ok. Here is the result.

 

BSA M20

 

Is this a british bike ?, light in the number plate and rear stand, with a Bedford MW in the background. Shame the guy is in front of it
Keith

 

Yes Keith, it's a 1940 Norton WD16H. From August to about the end of 1940 they had those odd panier tool boxes and then seem to have decided that they wanted to fit pillion equipment and gone back to the earlier toolbox. It still has the British Lucas MT110 rear lamp but headlamp looks to have been replaced by something German. Quite a lot of Nortons from around this period were lost in Greece and Crete in 1941. German registrations remain a bit of a mystery to me.