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Remembered Today:

WW1 Military Motors - 1916 set x 50 cards


Lancashire Fusilier

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The stuff at the top seems to have been scrawled over.

The word beginning M or N could have the next one or two letters missing.

Is the letter top left an S or an F?

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another Ambulance

The ' Mrs. Dresser ' donated ambulance shown in your post # 1615, is a ' GMC ' General Motor Company vehicle. The American GMC Company supplied large quantities of vehicle chassis to Britain during WW1, including many used on ambulances.

Attached are 2 other examples of ' GMC ' ambulances.

Regards,

LF

IWM These images are reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

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Two more photographs of the only known British Medium Mark A ' Whippet ' Tank to have been captured by the Germans, and taken back to Berlin to be used by the German para-military Freikorps.

LF

These images are reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

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In WW1 how were the military number plates shown was it two letters followed by four numbers as shown on the female RFC motor cyclists, Motor Cycle in the post by Lancashire Fusilier, as I thought, this was a civilian number plate.

I have a picture of my uncle in RFC uniform on a Sunbeam Motor Cycle and side car with the number plate FX 3053, which I have been told is a civilian number plate. I thought it was a military motor cycle, but it could be a civilian one owned by him.

What is the difference between military and civilian number plates during WW1?

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In WW1 how were the military number plates shown was it two letters followed by four numbers as shown on the female RFC motor cyclists, Motor Cycle in the post by Lancashire Fusilier, as I thought, this was a civilian number plate.

I have a picture of my uncle in RFC uniform on a Sunbeam Motor Cycle and side car with the number plate FX 3053, which I have been told is a civilian number plate. I thought it was a military motor cycle, but it could be a civilian one owned by him.

What is the difference between military and civilian number plates during WW1?

Between 1904 and 1921, military vehicles used in Britain were still registered in the same way as civilian vehicles, and carried the same type of civilian number plates, with the vehicle registrations typically taking place within the military district using the vehicle.

Your uncle's Sunbeam was probably a military motorcycle, as Sunbeam motorcycles were used by the military, and the RFC often used motorcycle side-car combinations.

Military motorcycles used on the Western Front and in Italy, did not carry number plates, sometimes the petrol tanks were marked with the War Department ' W^D ' Broad Arrow markings.

Attached are 2 photographs of RFC motorcycles both carrying the civilian type of number plate.

Regards,

LF

These images are reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

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I have a picture of my uncle in RFC uniform on a Sunbeam Motor Cycle and side car with the number plate FX 3053, which I have been told is a civilian number plate. I thought it was a military motor cycle, but it could be a civilian one owned by him.

A British Machine Gun Corps Clyno motorcycle machine gun combination registered in Britain, and carrying the civilian style number plate.

LF

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

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What is the difference between military and civilian number plates during WW1?

During WW1, whilst military vehicles used in Britain still used civilian style number plates, overseas at the Front, motorcycles for example, did not display civilian style number plates, they were either removed or painted out. Instead, a War Department ' W ^ D ' Broad arrow was used.

Here we see 2 military ' Triumph ' motorcycles, one with the ' W ^ D ' Broad Arrow painted on the petrol tank, and on the other, it has been painted on the old number plate on the back of the motorcycle.

In the other photo of a military ' Douglas ' motorcycle and sidecar combination, the number plate on the front mudguard has been painted out and a ' W ^ D ' Broad Arrow painted on.

Regards,

LF

These images are reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

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Military ' Douglas ' motorcycle and sidecar combination photographed in France.

LF

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

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Re. number plates on motor cycles, this is one of a group of men of the Motor cycle Machine Gun Corps ,note the the number plates all have a special military marking ie. B1, B4 and so on.

The photo shows officers inspecting the group.

Crimson Rambler.

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Re. number plates on motor cycles, this is one of a group of men of the Motor cycle Machine Gun Corps ,note the the number plates all have a special military marking ie. B1, B4 and so on.

The photo shows officers inspecting the group.

Crimson Rambler.

That is a nice photograph of the 24th Motor Machine Gun Battalion lined up for inspection at Dieval, Northern France on 12th June, 1918.

Their Clyno motorcycle machine gun combinations, in addition to the War Department ' W ^ D ' Broad Arrow marked on the front number plate, also carried an individual identification number specific to that Clyno motorcycle combination.

Attached is a detail from your photograph, the Clyno motorcycles are 744 cc Twin Cylinder machines, mounted with Vickers machine guns.

Regards,

LF

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Another photograph of Motor Machine Gun Battalion Clyno motorcycle Vickers machine gun combinations, again showing the machine's individual identification number painted on the front number plate, this time, using a letter followed by Roman Numerals ( IV ).


Also of note, this Clyno has been camouflage painted.



LF




IWM This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.



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LF - Thanks for the info on military number plates. So I can assume the Sunbeam GS Motorcycle with the number plate FX 3053 he was riding belonged to the RFC. The poor quality photo was taken at his home but my uncle Reg was based only 6 miles away at 31 TDS Fowlmere, he is with my father (his youngest brother) and my Grandmother.

I have found out that FX was a Bournemouth registration.post-98977-0-03709100-1398337613_thumb.j

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With reference to the previous post # 1735, the Officer shown in the middle of the photograph, is wearing a ' slung ' holster attached to his belt by hangers. This type of holster fitted with hangers, was much more practical when riding a motorcycle, and was originally also used by Cavalry Officers.

Attached, are photographs of a holster with hangers from my Collection.

LF

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So I can assume the Sunbeam GS Motorcycle with the number plate FX 3053 he was riding belonged to the RFC.

A nice family photo to have, and yes that is an RFC motorcycle, although the photo is not too clear, I can make out the large military style headlamp fitted to the motorcycle, along with what looks like the Acetylene Generator fitted to the handlebars which was used to power that large headlamp.

Nice photo, nice Sunbeam motorcycle, thanks for posting it.

Regards,

LF

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Sunbeam Motor Cycle

A superb and rare, 1918 Military Sunbeam motorcycle.

LF

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

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An excellent exploded diagram of the British Medium Mark A ' Whippet ' Tank.

LF

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

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An excellent exploded diagram of the British Medium Mark A ' Whippet ' Tank.

Just as the Germans would have liked to have seen them.

Great pic.

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Lovely exploded picture, shows my model making is on the right track also. I had improvise the muffler with wrapped string! Not easy to do on 1/72 scale.

Some stunning motorcycle pictures. What sort of speed and MPG would be achived?

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An excellent exploded diagram of the British Medium Mark A ' Whippet ' Tank.

Just as the Germans would have liked to have seen them.

johnboy,

I think the Germans had a well deserved healthy respect for the British Medium Mark A ' Whippet ' Tank, and clearly understood that when the

' Whippet ' got in among their infantry, there would be lethal consequences for those infantrymen, as happened on April 24th, 1918 near Cachy, when a Company of 7 Whippet tanks caught 2 German Infantry Battalions in the open and completely annihilated them killing over 400 men.

The attached artwork, illustrates the devastation the Whippets could deliver to German infantry.

LF

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

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Will's WW1 Military Motors - Card No.17 - British Wireless Motor.

" The latest methods and inventions of modern science are utilised on the battlefields of the great war.

Field communications are much simplified and rendered more efficient by the aid of Wireless Telegraphy. The car carries a complete wireless outfit, and the mast is carried in sections by the side of the car ".

The car looks to be a Wolseley, does anyone know how widely they were used, or any photographs of them?

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A superb and rare, 1918 Military Sunbeam motorcycle.

LF

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

That's the one at the Black Country Living Museum, built for and used by the French forces

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The car looks to be a Wolseley, does anyone know how widely they were used, or any photographs of them?

Rob,

It seems that all the cigarette cards in this set were based on actual photographs, so a photograph of that mobile wireless vehicle exists, although I have not seen it as yet.

The mobile wireless vans/lorries certainly existed, and were probably not widely used as so few photographs of them exist.

Here are two photos of a WW1 British Army Signal Corps mobile wireless unit with their wireless van mounted on a Leyland lorry, in the photos the tall wireless mast is set up and extended, and when not in use, the mast would have been dismantled and stowed on the side of the lorry. In addition to the Leyland lorry, the Signal Corps unit also had a Douglas motorcycle for delivering despatches etc. These photos, are dated 13th April, 1917.

Also attached is a coloured postcard showing an American Army Signal Corps mobile wireless truck, with the wireless mast stowed on the side of the truck. The use of mobile wireless vehicles pre-dates WW1, and in another attached photo we see an American Army Signals Corps vehicle, again with the wireless mast stowed on the side of the vehicle, with this photo being dated 1904.

In addition to mobile wireless motor vehicles, the British Army also used wireless motorcycle units, and also attached are photos of wireless equipment mounted on Douglas motorcycles, with one carrying the wireless unit, and the other carrying the stowed wireless mast.

Regards,

LF

IWM These images are reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

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A period coloured postcard showing an American Army Signals Corps mobile wireless truck, with the wireless mast stowed on the side of the truck.



LF



This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.


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An American Army Signals Corps mobile wireless truck, with the wireless mast stowed on the side of the truck, the photo is dated 1904.



LF



This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.


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Mobile wireless unit equipment mounted on Douglas motorcycles, one motorcycle carrying the Marconi wireless unit, the other carrying the stowed wireless mast.

LF

These images are reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

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