My father served as an International Brigades volunteer in the Spanish Civil War, in a Motorcycle squadron.
He rode a BSA 500cc single cylinder which he chose over a Harley Davidson.
Does anybody know if those BSAs in Spain were M20s?

Hi David..Your father was one of a fairly small group...Around 2000-2500 British citizens fought with the 'International Brigades', many of those being Socialists or Communists at the time. The British Government took a non interventionist line as they were worried about the spread of Communism through Europe. 27 countries (including Germany and Italy!) signed up to the 'Non intervention pact'
For that reason the British Government did not supply materials to the Socialist side of the conflict at all. So, it is most likely that your father rode a civilian BSA imported into Spain during or before the conflict and it would have been a prewar model. The M20 was introduced in 1936 so there is at least a possibility it might have been an example of that model from 36 or 37...Ian

On July 18th 1936, the Civil War erupts in Spain. At that time Spain was a republic, with a socialist – communist government (the “republicans”). The “conservatives” (or “nationalists”) under the leadership of general Franco started this Civil War with a military coup, in an attempt to take over the leadership of the country. They were helped by the Axis powers (Nazi Germany’s Condor Legion and Fascist Italy), while the republicans got some help from the Soviets. The governments of France, England and other democratic European powers looked the other way...

The Republican Army was not well prepared and suddenly needed all kinds of mechanized transport. Hundreds of motorcycles were ordered from Sarolea, Harley Davidson, Velocette, BSA, Norton and Royal Enfield. The 500 Nortons (which were 500cc overhead valve model 18’s) and the 1.000 Royal Enfields (500cc overhead valve model Js) were bought from the French Norton and Royal Enfield importer Pierre Psalty. Both contracts (Norton and Enfield) were delivered in 1937 (with some early deliveries in 1936), and all the Spanish “Republican Army” motorcycles were made to a more or less “standard civilian specification”.

I have no idea how the BSAs came to Spain. Also through a French importer?

Anyway, this is how the Spanish BSAs looked like:









(Source: Archivo histórico del Partido Comunista de España).

Jan

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They look like M22s....Ian

The second pic. looks like an M20 though....Ian

I am a fan of the pre war BSA M22 M23 and every thing wath i can find i collect so i was on the internet and i found these two BSA M22 for sale in spain How come these M22 in spain and i see more of those BSA's they were complete rebuild to a modern bike bud now i know hou they come in Spain. Gr Theo Schipper

email (option): oldbikes@kpnmail.nl

Hello Theo,

I can tell you that there are more surviving Royal Enfield model Js in Spain than in the rest of the world! So it wouldn't surprise me if Spain would also be a good source for these BSAs!

Almost all these Enfields have been modified with plunger rear suspension and telescopics. This rebuild was done by a Spanish company shortly after the Civil War. I have also seen pictures of ex Civil War Nortons with the same modifications.

Jan

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

At the international BSA rally in Billom, France, a former Spanish republican army veteran came to Henk and me and showed a picture of him on a BSA M22. I agree with Ian that one of the bikes is an M22. I have seen some more picture of BSA M22's during the Spanish civil war and quite a few pre war OHV BSA bikes (M22's but also a lot of 1936 models) have surfaced from Spain but all the pictures I have seen have BSA's on them in normal civilian colours. So I guess that like the Nortons and Royal Enfields they have been purchased through a official dealer probably in France as quite a big party of france was very sympathetic to the Republican cause in Spain.

Regards,
Leon

email (option): leonhop3@planet.nl

Ian, they all looks M22's to me. M20 head ribs are much smaller on left side.

Hi Kalle...I enlarged the picture to get a better look and yes, you are quite correct...they do all appear to be M22s...Ian

Hi, Here are a few more pictures.....





















I may have some more somwhere. I intended to post these a while back but never got round to it.....

email (option): stinkypete80@hotmail.com

WOW wath a beautifull pictures and they where great motorcycles of the thirties Gr. Theo Schipper

email (option): oldbikes@kpnmail.nl