Hi everyone,
First of all, thanks to you ALL for creating and maintaining such a wonderful and helpful site :-)

Now then, I just purchased my very first WD M20 (not actually got it yet!) and I'm hoping to find out a little more about her...

Can anyone tell me if my bike did war service, and if so, what was her service number & what units (if known) did she serve in?

Frame number: M20-121940 Engine Number: M20-53633

She is currently wearing Royal Navy blue livery, but ANY information would be better than my current knowledge.

I'm particularly keen on WW2 RAF stuff and a member of 638 Squadron Living History Group: www.638squadron.org

Many thanks folks
Best wishes
Ian

email (option): fozzie001@hotmail.com

Hope you have some W's in front of those numbers?

Hi,
can you post some pictures ?

You've picked a quiet weekend to make your first post, Ian. Most of the English, and the Cloggies are at Stafford.

Tracing the service history of individual vehicles is, in most cases impossible. The most detailed information on this aspect to be found on any military vehicle website is provided by Rob van den Brink's WD Norton site (well worth a read for anyone interested in WD motorcycles) :-

http://www.wdnorton.nl/Individual_motorcycle_history.htm

Basic information such as contract numbers and dates etc. can be ascertained by reference to the Orchard & Madden 'British Forces Motorcycles' bible, filled in by subsequent research. The 'O&M' book is pretty much essential if you're serious about the military usage of these machines.

Personally, I'd prefer to see photos of engine and frame numbers before going into detail on contracts etc. All too often, numbers have been incorrectly read or worse, re-stamped. As Douglas points out, the numbers you have quoted are not complete. The numbers on military M20s should have a KM or WM prefix. Engine and frame numbers originally matched.

There were some RAF WM20 contracts but as with RN, these were finished in standard service colour during wartime.

Thanks for your messages guys. Im working today till 10.30pm but once i get home i can add some pictures :-) best wishes for now. Ian

Hi was this the bike listed on eBay, possibly a 1945 bike. Do the numbers have W before them. Just had a look had a look in British forces book, if I'm right the engine number seems to be from contract C11101 and date 5/7/1941-42, order originally for 350cc OHV? Can't find info on the frame, if WD I could possibly Be under contract S9330. Get some pics uploaded and these guys will give you bit more info.

All the best, Barry

email (option): Mrsbfuller@hotmail.co.uk

Hi Barry,
Yes the bike was on ebay till yesterday

Here's some of the pictures:-

http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTIwMFgxNjAw/z/cMIAAOSwBLlVMl5J/$_57.JPG

http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTIwMFgxNjAw/z/WsAAAOSwBLlVMl1v/$_57.JPG

http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTIwMFgxNjAw/z/YKwAAOSwEeFVMl17/$_57.JPG

http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTIwMFgxNjAw/z/PyYAAOSwstxVMl2J/$_57.JPG

http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTIwMFgxNjAw/z/Oj8AAOSwPhdVMl2W/$_57.JPG

http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTIwMFgxNjAw/z/Nj0AAOSwrklVMl2u/$_57.JPG

http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTIwMFgxNjAw/z/N4QAAOSwrklVMl27/$_57.JPG

I hope these work....

If it's not a service bike, it surely looks the part! :-)

email (option): fozzie001@hotmail.com

Looks like the pictures didnt load :-(

email (option): fozzie001@hotmail.com

They load if you highlight them and go to that address. That's a very blue bike Ian

email (option): horror@blueyonder.co.uk

lol, not blue for long :-) reverting to green as soon as I get her delivered to my place :-D

Turns out she IS a WM20... The guy that gave me the numbers missed off the W prefix

Soooo - anyone help with tracing her number from the engine or frame number much appreciated :-)

Engine: WM20-53633 (1942 engine?)
Frame: WM20-121940 (1945 frame?)

Best wishes for now
Ian

email (option): fozzie001@hotmail.com

I must publicly thank everyone for replying to me either on here or via email :-)

Thanks especially must go to Henk Jooreand Alex Schmidt for providing the identity details of my new (old) bike.

She is as follows: Tank No: C5891040 having been demobbed on the 4th May 1955 having worn the military number 53YD92

I am happy now that I can give her her identity back :-)

Thanks guys - I will try and post pictures of her once I get her repainted

Best wishes for now
Ian

email (option): fozzie001@hotmail.com

I must publicly thank everyone for replying to me either on here or via email :-)

Thanks especially must go to Henk Jooreand Alex Schmidt for providing the identity details of my new (old) bike.

She is as follows: Tank No: C5891040 having been demobbed on the 4th May 1955 having worn the military number 53YD92

I am happy now that I can give her her identity back :-)

Thanks guys - I will try and post pictures of her once I get her repainted

Best wishes for now
Ian

email (option): fozzie001@hotmail.com