Hi there i Have just brought a bsa WM20 with no doc's or reg plate !its spent 35 plus years in a museum in Belgium and has been painted red for some reason.i would like to find out where is spent its sevice to the war Effort and what the petrol tank numbers are eg C numbers and possibly the year of the bike as well . the engine and frame numbers match and underneath the engine numbers there is a little type winged bad not to dissimilar to the german/roman Eagle with three numbers under it 269 If any one could help that would be fantastic kind regards Gary

email (option): garypitt@talktalk.net

Hi Gary...Welcome to the forum..The year of the bike and the 'C' Number for the tank are worked out from the frame number, so you need to post that on here to get that info.

It is unlikely you will be able to find anything of the bikes service history if it has spent a long time in Belgium as you say...
Generally the history of these machines during their service life was not well recorded...
Again, the frame number will give access to the limited records for those that hold them and visit the forum and you may get a response with a little information....Ian

Gary, That'll be the one that was on ebay then !

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BSA-M20-Military-Motorcycle-500cc-S-V-/221315749915?ru=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fsch%2Fi.html%3Fclk_rvr_id%3D551994431948%26_nkw%3D221315749915%26_rdc%3D1&nma=true&si=6LOX9n9YYaKyIdsdlAgwUVK5YEk%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Well done for picking it up at the start price. Obviously, a machine that has been standing still for that long has to be regarded as a project and if you're looking for authentic military trim then there is a certain amount of work to do.

Nevertheless, it's complete which is a good start.

WM20 57437 was built under contract C11101 (Delivery frommid 1942) and carried census number C4639025. This contract originally had the later smaller fuel tank so it may well be that your bike has been through the army rebuild system. I don't recognise the eagle marking as a workshop or British military rebuild mark. However, many European armies used the M20 post-war and all sorts of auxillary workshops could have applied a control mark. The British even used German factories for this work after 1945.

These aspects do perhaps mean that I would look very carefully at the frame stampings before I convinced myself that the engine and frame numbers are factory matching (not that it's a big deal in the world of military motorcycles)

The closest photo that I have is C4636149 in service with 5th Div in Italy but your bike could have gone anywhere. The most likely option is that it ended up with the British Army of the Rhine and was sold off via the REME Depots at Antwerp / Olen onto the Belgian market, but that's just a guess.



It may be that Lex or Rob Miller are able to find the numbers in the post-war Key Cards and confirm date of sale

Ian thanks for that info i will try to upload my other bsa's when i figure it
out how to do it once again thanks great sight will look in again
regards Gary

email (option): garypitt@talktalk.net

Rik Thats fantastic thank you. I have just had a look see and the frame number does match the engine 57467 . I had a 1946 civilian m20 about 15 years ago and have been hooked ever since . I have just finish a 1938 M22 sports that was raced but iv put into road trim as i have broken my back 11 years ago which finished my army career in the REME will try to post some pic's of my bsa's ... i will be putting this m20 into military trim as iv resonantly been converted to the 1940's seen :) thanks for your help
talk soon hopefully
kind regards Gary

email (option): garypitt@talktalk.net

Rik,

Are you sure about that tank number? shouldn't it be C4639055 instead of C4639025?

Henk

email (option): ahum@quicknet.nl

Henk, I was reading it on the eBay photo as WM20 57437 (as I mentioned) but Gary now confirms engine and frame as WM20 57467 so the census number will indeed be C4639055.

As an aside, Gary, the large early fuel tank that you have is quite a sought-after item and definitely exchangeable with cash your way if you should choose to swap it for a later type.

That framenumber is not in the Key Cards, 57466 is, but that doesn't mean anything about this bike.

Strangely on the same card there 2 double entries?? 57459 and 57464 have to check it on the originals.

Cheers,

Lex

email (option): welbike at same.net

Hi all

I'm a bit lost with all the tank numbers I have been doing my family tree and have come across several photos of my grandfather on a BSA not sure of model but tank number C4141419 and i was just wondering it was possible to find out where or not if this bike maybe in existence and for the family i would love to be able to purchase this bike or possibly refurbish or just get a photo of me with it.

Thats Andrew

email (option): churchillservices@live.com

Hello Andrew

C4141419 by my calculation had the frame and engine number WM20 14986, this website has a page of known surviving M20s but its not on there that I can see.

There is a mention of that frame number in the postwar keycards but the tank serial number doesn't match so its only 50/50 that this is the same bike. This machine had the postwar registration number 26ZC35 and was sold off in the UK from Achchurch depot in 1960, but that's all it says.

There were something like 126,000 BSAs supplied to the government of which several thousand must still survive but its still not good odds on finding it.

Is there any chance you could send a scan of your photos or post them here on the forum, we would be very interested in seeing them

Rob

email (option): robmiller11(at)yahoo.co.uk

Hi Rob

not sure how to upload pictures on here but have sent photos and additional information to Henk Joore who I have given permission to put photos and related information on website

Andrew

email (option): churchillservices@live.com

Here the photos of Andrew Churchill's grandfather's BSA.

Henk

Frederick Victor Mills Churchill (BSA C4141419) was in the 475th Searchlight battery Royal artillery 2nd division area 2 around June 1941 at Bincleaves Barracks Weymouth, Dorchester. He was part of the D-Day landings and He's also posted in Saltash Plymouth and also in Caen France and in IJmuiden, Holland August 1945. His number was 1540863 he was a warrants Sargent his name was Frederick Victor Mills Churchill.

email (option): ahum@quicknet.nl

Super pictures, thanks very much for sharing them.

Rob

email (option): robmiller11@yahoo.co.uk