A road beckons for some young couple. Wrapped up, packed up, and I’m sure mapped up. The onlooking pup seems interested in the proceedings.
June 6, 2012
A Greatest Generation
Sixty Eight years ago to the day was the launch of Allied Expeditionary forces into Europe to deal with Hitlers domination of the mainland. The D-Day landings: Normandy beaches of Omaha, Sword, Juno, Gold and Utah; served as the stepping-off point to stymie Nazi domination. There were the waves of paratroopers and landing craft troopers that showed their bravery on this day of days but it was the tenfold support behind them that supported their grueling efforts. Here a couple of courier riders disembark from a LCT (Landing Craft Tank) down special ramps to head into the fray running important messages and papers. These motorcycles are Matchless G3 350cc.
June 4, 2012
Her Majesty’s a pretty nice girl
HRH is indeed a Motolady of the past: more than sixty years ago during the Blitz she was giving hands-on support to the ladies in the ATS Auxiliary Training Service. As part of her training, along with engine servicing, tire changing, she also learned to weave adroitly on a wartime spec BSA C10 250cc. Look at the lass go!
March 12, 2012
B.S.A. WM20
I spyed this on a posting over the weekend on the local Craigslist motorcycle listing. A 1944 wartime Beeza in near ‘original’ patina condition – a wipe down with wd40, oil change, new sparkplugs and tires; I’d bet she’d kick over and thump along the road with nary a beat missed from decades holed up under a dusty canvas tarp in the back of some Midwestern shed. That strong half litre single lunged engine pulling like an old mule. $3,750 and she’s yours! Now where did I put that penny jar?
February 4, 2012
George of Africa
Another superb photo of my grandad during his service for the Military Police in WWII. With the “La Figaro” bar or cafe in the background there is a good chance this is Alexandria in Egypt where he was stationed.
November 2, 2011
Pull a Chair up and have a sit down!
The combination wartime ride was the enlarged BSA single, the 600cc M21. Again my grandfather George Lawrie is seen atop this machine during traffic control and other MP duties in Egypt, through Tunisia and Libya. No doubt shadowing Monty’s Eighth Army as they chased Rommel ‘The Desert Fox’ back through El Alamein into Tunisia. Amongst his medals and cap badge is a cloth badge of the Jerboa, used as the Desert Rats insignia of the 7th Armoured.
Here’s a recently restored hack with sidecar trunk in lieu of the chair; also emblazoned with the AA (Automobile Association) emblem. George was an AA man both before and after the war, the roadside assistance skills being useful for MP work; and, indeed many AA men ended up in that branch of service.
October 31, 2011
The Cavalry’s here!
A truly evocative image of a mid-Twentieth Century cavalry. Here an army rears up on their new BSA M-20 motos heading into the fray! Wonderful artwork in the clean 30’s graphic vein.
October 30, 2011
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.
October 29, 2011
BSA in Wartime
As mentioned in the Che piece a couple of days ago, the British motorcycle industry turned manufacturing over to military needs during the Second World War. As well as Norton and Matchless; B.S.A. (Birmingham Small Arms) were to create some trusty rides that saw action across the globe. The Small Heath works created the side valve 500cc single designated the M20, which became the model of choice by the armed services. At its height 1,000 machines were coming off the assembly line per week – over 126,000 manufactured overall; some still in service today. The M21, a ‘big brother’ 600cc used for sidecar work was also produced.
Ride like an Egyptian… … the telescopic forks confuse me somewhat, so if anyone can enlighten: they are typically fitted with girder forks.
Sturdy looking sidevalve motor:
Here’s a great link to the specifics of owning a wartime brit-iron:
It looks a smasher in olive green, a veritable two-wheeled Jeep!
September 25, 2011
Vintage Bike, Happy Couple, Timeless Smiles…
This is just a real nice photo.
Don and Marg Fera – photo by Bob Magill
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