We have a photo ( see https://ibb.co/ZWK4M6C ) of a military WW2 motor bike and rider. On the back is written 'To Bob / Lots of Luck Josh / 22June45'. We know 'Bob' refers to my father-in-law Robert Inglis ( Royal Navy Signals ) who was involved with Combined Ops in the Allied advance through Europe that began on D-Day. By 1945, as the war in Europe came to an end, he was based in Antwerp. It seems that as people began to to stand down from active duty it was perhaps typical to share photos in this way. We would be really interested to know anything about 'Josh', even if just his nationality. We think the bike is a BSA and he might have been a dispatch rider. He's wearing a military beret but without identifying badge that we can see. The tank number of the bike is clear on the photo though, C4706554, with additionally in larger script and underlined the number 1103.

email (option): ac.evans@btinternet.com

Hi Andrew the Hodges and Taylor book on markings has 1103 with the white bar underneath as 1st Canadian Army Artillery

Regards Rob

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

Rob, he's wearing denim and a shirt with a collar that looks more like KD than wool...I wonder if he's in Italy ?

Is the car Italian or French ?

Maybe, the beret could be Canadian but he's not riding on the tank, is that a cigarette he's holding by the carb?

Rob

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

WM20 70457 ended its military career with the British Army on the Rhine so its unlikely it was in Italy at the end of the war.

Rob

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

I can see how the photo might have been taken in Italy .. the weather is warm/hot and sun high in the sky. Canadian forces were involved in both Italy and then in Belgium, where the recipient of the photo was to end up. Perhaps 'Josh' the rider was involved in both. I've tried looking up online to see if I can get a match for the car; 'suicide' doors, wiper spindles across the top of the flat single pane windscreen, vertical bars on radiator, distinctive twin row of vents along the side of the bonnet. No exact match found yet .. I thought initially maybe Renault but can also see how it might be a Lancia given the vents.

email (option): ac.evans@btinternet.com

Thanks for looking up available records of the BSA!

email (option): ac.evans@btinternet.com

Andrew, I own the post war "Key Cards" a scan of the whole card with approximate 15 bikes on it is available from me.

Cheers,

Lex

email (option): welbike@welbi**.net

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