Hi All

This photo belongs to friend of mine and it shows his father, who was a Despatch Rider and member of the Royal Corps of Signals, sat on his Matchless G3. All we know is that it was taken during WW2. He knows his father spent some time in Topsham near Exeter but that's all we have. Does anyone have any information on this motorcycle please. The C number as you can see is C78597.

Thanks in anticipation.
Dave

email (option): dave.stapleton626@virgin.net

Hi Dave,

Nice picture!! the fitment of the headlamp blackoutmask, and the small lucas taillamp suggest the picture was taken after 1941, can't tell you much more I'm afraid.

Cheers,

Lex

email (option): welbike@welbike.net

Thanks Alex, is there anything that can be gleaned from the C number about the bike's history etc.

email (option): dave.stapleton626@virgin.net

Dave, not much, C78597 had a frame number around 5556 and the contract was C6094 from a batch of 2000 in 1940, priced at 49 pounds 18 shilling and 9 pence a piece, delivered to Olympia at 180 a week, and they had a panel in the tank, as the picture confirms.

Cheers,

Lex

email (option): welbike@welbike.net

Hi Dave..There was plenty of activity around Topsham during the war.He might have been referring to Topsham Barracks which was a long established facility, though the Nissen hut looks pretty new..There are also some hollow breeze blocks piled up in the background indicating building activity..and is that a truck on the other side of the hedge? There was also an airfield at Topsham for the duration and nearby a temporary American Naval Base, with further American units stationed in the area. I did come across a two line reference to Signals training at Topsham as well...DR's were used extensively when American units were travelling and being put into thier dispersal areas prior to D Day..so no doubt there were a number of possible locations for the photo...Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

Thanks for that Alex and Ian, you say delivered to Olympia? Are we talking of the Olympia area in London?

email (option): dave.stapleton626@virgin.net

Yes that would be London...Not too far from Plumstead where the Matchless (AMC) factory was located...Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

Thanks Ian, I am assuming that Olympia was some sort of storage depot at the time, presumably where motorcycles were kept before being sent to units etc.?

email (option): dave.stapleton626@virgin.net

The wonders of Google - from the Olympia website :-

"Olympia was requisitioned by the War Office on 10 January 1940 as civilian internment camp No. 14. During the Dunkirk evacuation in May/June that year the hall was General Charles de Gaulle’s assembly point for what became the Free French Army. The Royal Army Service Corps then took it over as a transport depot until October 1944 when Olympia became a clothing store, and finally a demolition centre, in which role it served until 23 March 1946."

Is the rear body on the truck a Canadian CMP type ? Can you read the 'Arm of Service' number on the tailgate ?

Hi Rik..Is that demobilisation Centre or Demolition Centre?...If it is the second one what is that?...Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

I don't know Ian, but it was a straight copy and paste. I assumed something to do with bomb damage.