Here are a couple of additional pictures of M20 tool rolls from Ireland which may be of interest. One of the pictures includes the details that is stamped internally on both rolls. I'm not sure if the 1944 refers to a year or a part number or indeed if the rolls are post war. The tools are obviously a mixture , incomplete and most likely incorrect.
John did sent me some photos of the other tool roll he found. See photos below. I have seen this type of tool roll before and it is actually slightly larger compared to the khaki canvas one's. The tools fit properly in this tool roll, unlike the khaki one's.
That is the first 1 I see with a WW2 date! We now know for sure that these were used in 1944.
Brendan's photos:
This is great, MGC Co is a known 1937 pattern webbing manufacturer.
6704 is the LV6 reference for the replacement tool roll so this is definitely the generic wartime replacement roll...There is nothing in the contract documents to indicate that the M20s were supplied without toolkits so it's probably most likely that Ireland purchased surplus tool rolls too...but it is clear that one of these is never 'wrong' with an M20, even if it is not yet certain that it left the factory with such a roll.
Bastiaan: I bought my first M20 back in 1988 at "British Only", which was local to me. They had 6 M20s, all in postwar army green, just as they had been auctioned off, still with lot numbers on them. This group of bikes came with a large box of tools, most unissued in wrappings, with Chilwell tags on them. Even the grease guns were NOS, dated 1945, still full of grease.Even the tyre pumps were broad-arrow marked. Ken, the owner of "British Only", let me dig through the box, and select a complete toolkit for my bike, along with a set of canvas pannier bags, Y-straps, and a tool roll. The canvas tool rolls were all 1944 dated, and were the type that you reproduced. I soon bought another M20 from him, and again, he let me put together a complete tool kit for that one,too. I got another set of pannier bags and straps for that one, along with another '44-dated canvas tool roll. Most of the pannier bags were WW2, but they had postwar registration numbers stencilled on them (such as "06 YD 09") on the flaps. I managed to get two sets of bags that were unmarked. He also had TRW pannier bags, which were identical to the WW2 bags, but in a dark green canvas. The tyre repair kits were still sealed, but dated 1954.
Since 1988, I've probably seen at least 30 ther m20s in my general area of Michigan, and I've seen several of those same type of canvas tool rolls with them. Many years ago I posted pics of my tool kit and tool roll, but those photos aren't on this computer anymore.
Yes Rick your right spark plug is wrong, pliers I’ve replaced with correct pair with arrow stamping, screwdriver is on its way now too. Many thanks neil
Yes Rick your right spark plug is wrong, pliers I’ve replaced with correct pair with arrow stamping, screwdriver is on its way now too. Many thanks neil
Great stuff Neil...Have you worked out how to post photos on here yet ? :grinning:
WD markings on hand tools are a strange area...it certainly seems that the manufacturer's toolkits were not marked...presumably replacements were, but there are very few pre- or early-war dated WD tools...far fewer than there are RAF tools and yet the army must have had more...I really think that only a small number were stamped originally.
What type of plug is your 18mm KLG ? I'm still looking for a couple of types.