I am looking for any information on an old military bike. I don't have frame or engine number, just the military number which is C52603 - are there any data bases which would have information like frame number, where it was dispatched to, to who etc, just based on the military code?

Any advice gratefully received

Stephen

Hi Stephen

C48301-C58301 was a block of census numbers reserved for Impressed motorcycles of various types.

As far I know no register exists.

This info is from Rob van Meels book see here

http://www.robvanmeel.nl/?q=content/b-vehicles-wd-numbers-central-census-chilwell-1944-numerical

Rob

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

There was no confiscation of private motor vehicles in the UK but older terms prevailed and many owners, aware that there would be little fuel were more than happy to sell at a price fixed by Government agencies.

It appears that vehicles purchased via RASC were generally referred to as 'Impressed' and those by RAOC (the front-line vehicles) as 'Local Purchase'.

Many motorcycles were bought-in via the big dealers who advertised for 350cc OHV and 500cc sv but large numbers were from factory or unsold dealer stock (with the impending conflict, sales had been poor).

Having looked at the visible specification of some photographed Nortons with 'impressed' numbers, I'm pretty sure that some were actually WD spec machines supplied outside of an official contract - perhaps with a few extra civilian parts to use up stock.

Do you have a photograph that you're trying to identify ?

Hi Ric - I do have a photo but I can't upload it. I know the bike is GL3 matchless but I was advised to ask on this forum, re my curiosity about what could be found out about it from the code on the tank ie C52603. So it was that particular aspect of was interested in.

Do you mean a G3L with tele forks? No G3L would have had such a serial number with just five digits. (unless of course it was allocated a number in a different country?) There was a batch in 1942 with serial numbers that start 526 which are followed by another four digits. That same batch would have contained a bike with frame number 52603. Email me a picture if you want and quote the frame and engine numbers if you can. Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

thanks Ron - lookout for an email from shovelheadstroker77 - I'll include a picture. I have just sent it :-)

Here is Stephen's picture which is clearly a G3L and with extra digits that I can't make out. I'd say definitely from contract S1050 (9000 machines supplied from Oct 1942)

He writes:-
I am trying to find out as much info about this bike for someone, the person is now in NZ and that is were the photo is now residing. Ideally, if I can find a frame number it would then be interesting to see if it is still around -a long shot I know! See pic below:
I would be grateful for any info you can help me find. The info forwarded to me so far has been:

" Photo was taken most likely in northern Africa. He was originally part of the mounted light infantry which by world war 2 was a light armoured division specialising in engineering, bridge building and sappers. The unit hailed from Nottingham area but not sure if they were the same unit referred to as the nottingham foresters. I don't have his exact regiment details as they are at my mums. Hope that info helps."

and

"Just did some research and this most likely would have been when he was in the 1st Parachute Brigade in 1942 prior to Operation Husky in Sicily in 1943."

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Possibly C 52603(then maybe 4), might also be C 52693(maybe 4)

Thanks for posting up the pic Ron. BtB - with those numbers is there anyway of tracking back to a frame number?

As I said earlier, a number starting 526 must come from contract S1050 ... 9000 bikes which all have a 7 digit number. I think it would be near impossible to get the frame number without those missing numbers.

But the sequence is:- Frames 48060-57059 were allocated census numbers 5255460-5264459 and usually in numerical order. So if you take the first number that starts 5260000 from the last number, you have nearly 4500 bikes to chose from

However I think it's quite nice to know the period it was supplied which I think must be in late 42 or early 43. I'd guess your picture at somewhere between 43-45

Maybe someone else could confirm my calculations? Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

In my opinion the number on the petrol tank reads C52603XX, the last two digits are obviously unreadable. Ron is correct that frames 48060-57059 were allocated census numbers 5255460-5264459 (contract S1050), and for the S prefixed contracts the last two numbers of the census number corresponded with the last two numbers of the frame number. So we're looking for frame number 529XX... I think John T is keeping a Register for the WD Matchless'...? John, any survivors between 52900 and 52999?

Cheers,
Jan

email (option): wd.register@gmail.com