WarBike: January 2024 Update

 War Bike remains popular and has grown way beyond the initial aim of busting a few myths and recording obscure, and sometime hidden histories of those who developed motor-bicycles from a means of transport to a vital component of the  British Military machine. 

Whilst the hero of this story is the trusty Triumph Model H, a very British machine, with a German heritage; the unlikely co-star is the Douglas, a machine that failed the trials devised to test suitability of a motorcycle for Military use. The lightweight Douglas, was not fast or particularly resilient, but it was the ideal mount for running  up and down the columns of trucks in a convoy or going out to search for some lost vehicles and relay messages securely back to those in charge of logistics.

 

The Douglas failed the tests initiated by the War Office

 

For a summary of the early History of British Military Motorcycling visit the Warbike Project pages of the  Fenland Classic Motorcycles website at www.fenlandclassics.com/war-bike-project  

You can buy a copy of  War Bike: British Military Motorcycling 1899-1920 from Amazon or other Online Bookshops. Always compare prices with Fenland Classic Motor Cycle Site as they are often cheaper.

 

WarBike: June 2018 Update

War Bike: British Military Motorcycling 1899-1919

VISIT www.Fenlandclassics.com To Buy a Copy

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We are pleased to announce that once again The Brooklands Motorcycle Team will be commemorating the work of WW1 Motorcyclists by re-creating one of the events that took place at Brooklands Race Track in 1915. Join us at Brooklands Museum on 30 September 2018 with your WW1 period motorcycle.

Join Brooklands Museum us as they mark the centenary of the end of World War One, with a special event encompassing the many aspects of Brooklands’ involvement in the Great War of 1914 – 1918. For this special event the Museum will be gathering automobiles, motorcycles, bicycles, commercial vehicles, buses and aircraft from the period up to 1919. The event will also feature pre-1919 and military vehicles and “living history” demonstrations from reenactor groups with drills and parades. 

This year the Brooklands Motorcycle Team have secured the loan of the Matchless Motorcycle Machine Gun Carrier which will be on show with the other period machines. With our Brooklands Motorcycle Team hat on we will be recreating the WW1 Brooklands Motorcycle Events of 1915. This will be the first time we can run the event on the Start/Finish straight which was recently re-opened. 

We will be aiming to get as many WW1 period (2010-1920) motorcycles out on the track as possible, and to that end the Museum is granting free entry to Period bikes and riders who register in advance. 

So please register your interest now by contacting Brooklands Museum 01932 857381 ext 253 or email events@brooklandsmuseum.com quoting Great War Day Motorcycles. Normal entry fees will apply to spectators as follows: 

Adults £13.50 

Seniors & Students £11.50 

Family (2 adults and up to 3 children) £35 Children (5-16) £7 

Under 5s FREE 

BTM & LBPT members FREE

The Warbike Project 2017

VISIT www.Fenlandclassics.com To Buy a Copy

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2017 Update

The book is published but the journey is not over. Research continues on the period following WW1, but fascinating stories are still coming to light about the wartime period. Recently I was contacted by the Brooklands Museum Library about some military motorcycling images discovered in an album created by JR Haswell of Isle of Man and Brooklands racing fame.

As the image above shows Haswell was a prominent member of the racing elite, setting records and wining races in the early 1900s. However like so many others he was soon in Europe using his riding skills, not on his trusty Triumph but aboard a Phelon & Moore as part of a team of Royal Flying Corps despatch riders. Their job was to ferry messages and photographic materials between the Pilots and Headquarters. 

The album is a window on Haswell's early racing career and includes certificates of Brooklands records and race wins, but it was those few poignant images of his friends serving with the RFC that interested me. There in the centre of a page was a picture of a Phelon and Moore motorcycle with sidecar which I have identified as one built by Arthur Westerdick. I was also able to introduce the album to Arthur's Grandson and provide him with another link to his family history. Incidentally, when discussing the album Arthur's grandson also said that Arthur was said to have tested the sidecars at Brooklands but sadly there are no records of any of the tests. 

RFC Phelon & Moore Military Sidecar
Image courtesy of Manx Aviation & Military Museum
©2017

Do you have a story relating to early Military Motorcycles. 1899 to 1945 (or even more recent). If so please contact us via email  Warbike@fenlandclassics.co.uk  

War Bike British Military Motorcycling 1899-1919 is available via the publishers www. Fenlandclassics.com or Amazon and the usual bookshops.

The Warbike Project 2016

As the Project continues we are looking for new and undiscovered information about the development of Military Motorcycles during the 1920’s. Please contact us at Warbike@fenlandclassics.co.uk if you have any information or documents to share.

Warbike: British Military Motorcycling 1899-1919 is still available Direct from the publisher at the cost of £10.00 plus postage, but we do also still have some copies available for £8.00 at our Kempton Park Stall No:181 on 21 May 2016.

We were pleased to get a write up in May’s Old Bike Mart. Editor Pete Kelly described the work as a “concisely-written and historically accurate book”

Brooklands Museum 25 September 2016

Re-enactment Volunteers share a joke aboard the WW1 Matchless Gun Carrier in 2015

We are now looking forward to 25 September 2016, where we have once again been asked by Brooklands Museum to stage a re-enactment of the WW1 motorcycle events that took place at the famous Surrey Track over 100 years ago.

"Despatch Rider" Peter Birkett Signs up for duty during the WW1 events in 2015

This owner completes the course having ridden to the event on this period Douglas

If you have a 1910-20 period bike and would like to take part in this years event. Please contact us at warbike@fenlandclassics.co.uk.

Warbike is Published

Warbike Project

 

The waiting is over and Warbike: British Military Motorcycling 1899 - 1919 has now been published. The book is the culmination of over three years research into the development and procurement of military motorcycles from the pioneering days of the late 1900's until the end of the First World War where the motorcycle saw action for the first time.


This is a book that deals with "motorcycling" . Author, Martin Gegg wanted to tell the stories of the riders and organisations involved rather than just concentrating on the machinery.

It has become clear that the development of the military machine was driven first by the riders rather than the Army. It was entrepreneurs and pioneers of military cycling who first brought the motor-bicycle to the attention of the War Office. However, the authorities were embroiled in a race to develop a replacement for Horses and Mules as the logistical driving force behind the Army and could see no use for the motorcycle.

Phelon & Moore was chosen for the Royal Fylying Corps

Access to original War Office documents has provided a fascinating insight into how the motorcycle first found its way into the Army Service Corps, Royal Engineers and the Royal Flying Corps. The documents also reveal how Douglas, the second most successful manufacture in WW1 struggled to make the grade.

 The Douglas struggled to make the grade

Access to contemporary letters, interviews and military records has uncovered the story of the individual men and women who took their motorcycles to War for the first time.

The only Brooklands Wartime events took place in 1915

The book is available now at a launch price of £8.50
Warbike: British Military Motorcycling 1899 - 1919

ISBN: 978-1-362-40667-7
Pages: 116
Photos & Illustrations: 70
Visit our purchase page by clicking below:

Warbike: British Military Motorcycling Launches in September 2015

Watch this space for more on the launch soon and follow @warbike on Twitter