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War time motorcycles

R

rewdco

knowlegable brummie
Dear Forum,

I have already posted on the “first motorbike” thread, but thought that maybe I could reach more people when I started this new thread.

I am rebuilding a 1942 Royal Enfield WD/CO despatch riders motorcycle, and have become fascinated by the history of these motorcycles. I have been intensively researching the war time and post war period, but so far I haven’t found a lot of period pictures showing a WD/CO in active service. I know that they have often been used by the home guard, and the NFS (and AFS). But the only picture of a motorcycle in NFS livery I have shows a BSA, not an Enfield:
[img=https://img235.imageshack.us/img235/4459/mc4qz2.th.jpg]

The ATS also had Enfields, both the side valve model WD/C and the OHV WD/CO. This picture shows a couple of WD/Cs with a Norton 16H:
[img=https://img238.imageshack.us/img238/6719/wdcats11auxiliaryterritfx3.th.jpg]

This picture shows Major Frank Smith, the managing director of the Enfield Cycle Company. Here he’s seen on one of the first WD/CO’s, made in 1942.
[img=https://img103.imageshack.us/img103/5076/wdco1943majorfranksmithoa1.th.jpg]

I have the impression that most of the Enfields remained in Blighty during the war. This WD/CO was used by the London volunteer corps:
[img=https://img511.imageshack.us/img511/315/wdcovolunteerdrpw4.th.jpg]

For as far as I know, the motorcycles which were being used during the invasion were very often BSA’s (M20), Nortons (16H), Matchlesses (G3/L) and Ariels (W/NG). Would anybody have more wartime period pictures with any of these motorcycles? Or anecdotes? It would be great if you could share them on this forum. Thank you very much in advance!

REgards,
Jan
 
th_CA1WWB1X-1.jpg
This is a photo of an ex WD BSA M20 that my dad had in the 50s, he had ridden a lot of them as a DR in during the war and had a big regard for them for being very reliable. He bought this one from Grays motorcycle shop on the Coventry Rd. for £ 8 from a pile of old bikes at the back of the yard, they fetch a fortune these days on Ebay.
 
eric gibson.hi.jennyann posted a thread with a link.to the small corgie bikes.look in my first motor bike. pete
 
A real old war time M/Cycle, This is a 1912 Zenith Gradua 770cc. Zenith's were made in Finsbury Park in London from 1904 until the 1950s an unknown WW1 soldier is the rider. Len.
 
Don't know the make of this bike,but my uncle took care of it all through the war...for his mate who was in Burma.
 
It looks in excellent condition Nick.Uncle Jack did take good care of it,and his mate did return to reclaim it.
 
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