Military
Motorcycles
Nearly
a year after posting More on Douglas I have received a note about the
Douglas DV60 the post war flat twin that was put forward in direct
competition with the Triumph TRW as the military bike of choice.
Fortunately
for Triumph the DV60 did not win however where did they all go? Not
sure how many were made but one has turned up in Guildford. I look
forward to seeing it. Closer to home I've had the LE Club meeting
discussing my escapades in India and the plans for the club at the
Southern Classic bike show in May. The first of the month was the Wey
Valley Observed Sunday and after dishing out some fliers there I went
on to Newlands Corner to hand out more and information about the
forthcoming WVAMC open day on the last Sunday of March. There are
always some interesting bikes that turn up at Newlands Corner on a
Sunday and this was no exception.
Not
so pretty but very different was the DMW Deemster with a Villiers
engine. Some of the later models used the Velocette Viceroy engine.
Much to my liking was this “dustbin” faired Bonneville. Smartly
done.
Back
to the military, the bikes we have on display include the 122cc James
affectionately known as the “Clockwork Mouse”, the 125cc Royal
Enfield “Flying Flea” called so as it was used during D day
landings in 1944 by paratroopers. It was thrown out of planes in a
cage that had a parachute attached we have a photo of one but there
is one at the Imperial War Museum at Duxford. Look out for it in the
Lancaster hall.
Nearly everyone remembers the BSA M20 and their
presence post war sold through Pride and Clarke. More modern machines
are the Matchless 350cc single a Bullet in military guise and a
Harley Davidson that has a Rotax engine and an Armstrong chassis.
Around in the Home of Triumph are a number of TRWs but sitting beside
it is the 350 side valve 3SW. There is in the ranks a 350cc ohv twin
the 3TA WD built for the Dutch military.
Still
on a military vein I am reading Elsie and Mairi go to war. Before the
First World War Mairi who rode a Douglas teamed up with Elsie a
member of the Gypsy Motorcycle Club. Elsie was also known as Gypsy
because of her wanderings around the UK riding in endurance events
and trials sometimes on her Chater Lea or Scott Outfits. Elsie had
her riding gear made by Dunhill and her special dark green leather
outfits later became available through Dunhill for other lady riders.
Both these ladies were nursing soldiers on the Western Front in
Belgium and worked to save many casualties with bullets and shrapnel
flying around their ears. There is much about them at the Imperial
War Museum in London.
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