These two photos are from a Russian language website about military motorcycles,they are the only British bikes on there,but were they supplied to Russia in war aid ??,maybe the clues are in the actual make of the mortar or the style of the wheels on the tracked vehicle in the back ground.
I'm sure that the vehicle in the background is a T16 Carrier which were supplied to us by Ford America from 1943. So that would help date the testing of the Mortar Big 4.
The Mortar equipped Big4 combination is mentioned in O & M as being sent to the SAS at Netheravon, which was the heavy section of the Small Arms School not the Special Air Service, the school taught the Infantry in the use of larger Infantry Weapons such as the 3 inch Mortar shown here, so it seems that this was an experiment undertaken by the staff of the school to make the weapon more mobile, but as it couldn't carry the entire crew or much ammunition it appears to have been dropped.
Just some small words of advice Steve S; The use of all capital letters on internet forums is considered equal to SCREAMING and is normally used with great restraint. It is generally perceived as somewhat rude, which can of course at times be called for. Perhaps you would for instance right now like to scream back at me that I am a wise ass.
The Russians also experimented with Mortars on IMZ-72 (BMW Replicas). I have seen a series of photos that show them in (action) but can't find them at the moment.
Yes Rik, that's why the pictures are only small!
But I don't have much more info (another picture I think) than Rob, seems only one was converted.
Certainly never went to Russia.
Cheers,
Lex
email (option): welbike@welbiXX.net (think about it!!)