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George Lawrie and his BSA

My grandfather, George Lawrie (1909-1965) served in the Military Police during the Second World War; spending the duration mostly in North Africa. I recall from a very early age pictures of him in the desert on an old motorcycle. Some old photo albums of my Gran recently resurfaced and a photo of him astride an M20 was amongst them. Great Stuff!
It just so happens that there is similar early 40’s military spec M20 up for auction at nearby Glenview IL; part of a lifetimes collection by a chap called Lee Roy Hartung of automobile’s and motorcycle’s. Hartung specialized in interwar items including: Hendersons, Excelsiors, Harleys, Indians, Flying Merkel and a 1913 Pope. Outstanding selection of important bikes from the teens, twenties and thirties. I spied the BSA amongst them on the aution page; here are a few detail shots of it in splendid original patina.

Given the coffers, and space, I would try and get it running as-is, and enjoy its simple thumping ride as my grandfather would have.

Posted on October 30, 2011 at 7:46 pm in 40's, BSA, Military   |  RSS feed |   Reply   |   Trackback URL

3 Comments to “George Lawrie and his BSA”

    
  1. W.Jaliua
    February 3, 2012 at 8:06 pm

    Hi,Grorge.

    Greeting from Kuala Lumpur Malaysia.

    Keep it up mate.I enjoy reading,it,Being into the biker freak myself,each posting of yours are a quest of knowing too.
    Cheers.

    WJalius.

    Reply
  2. Les A. Elmer
    September 6, 2012 at 5:07 pm

    Hi Geordie Biker.

    Just stumbled upon your GREAT SITE….! I have a ’29 BSA 2 Port Light which was my Dad’s best mate’s bike. Sadly my Dad’s ’38 Levis got taken by the Aussie Govt for ‘war duty’ in WWII, and apparently got left behind somewhere in the North African desert West of Tobruk…Would be great to think it might still be thumping about somewhere in Libya or Tinisia but guess that’s now highly unlikely.

    My old thumper I’ve owned since I was 17, and restored and riding since 1999. He’s called Arthur after my Dad and a couple of stories (1 on him and 1 on my Dad) are up online if you’re interested…

    Arthur (1929 BSA 2 Port Light)

    25 Years on…

    Arthur Elmer

    The Cold Crisp Taste of Coke…

    Cheers, Les Elmer
    Auckland, New Zealand

    Reply
    • geordiebiker
      September 6, 2012 at 5:26 pm

      Thanks Les,
      I’ll look up your links for the shenanigans of Arthur. I have a little more information about George’s bike; we now believe it to be a Norton. However Nortons and BSA were all manufactured in huge numbers. My father recalls old ex-wd motos lying in hedgerows in the fifties and early sixites in northern England (though I am now in Chicago I originally hail from the North East: hence the Geordie moniker). As you’ve probably seen on my site I have a lovely ’72 Bonnie but a prewar Beeza would be a lovely little bike to have too; all the mechanicals are just there in front of your eyes.

      Ride Safe Dave Lawrie

      Reply
    

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