I now have two pictures of my Great Uncle Frank Awbery with his motorcycle in the first world war, he started out in the Hampshire Cyclist Battalion and I'm now trying to find his entire war history. I think these pictures may have been taken in Palestine later in the war.

He is second from right in the second picture.

Rob.

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

Fabulous photos Rob! These old machines always look so fragile, but can't have been too bad? I'm currently working on the restoration an old Douglas like in the second photo. I'm trying to get it all back on the road before 2014, the hundredth anniversary of the Great War, and I can't wait to see how I get on living with such a thing.

Sounds like a great project, good luck with it, I've always wanted a Triumph "H" because of that top photo.

Rob

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

The Triumph H is a cracking bike and I think there is a fairly good spares scene for the model now too?

Looking at that first photo I can only conclude he was a hardcase..you'd have to be to have two shrunken Scotsmens heads as 'tank trophys'....Ian

email (option): Ian@wright52.plus.com

I love the "I'm aving a fag" pose, you so rarely see it these days.

Rob

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

I'd really like to get a WW1 BSA at some point...so far I have missed by just a few days a nice complete 1917 one that needed restoring and after months of careful negotiation/persuasion have yet to finalise a deal on one that is not very far from where I live..also a 1917 model..And I've seen quite a few I can't afford..
A WW1 battlefield tour on an appropriate BSA would be an interesting challenge!...Ian

email (option): Ian@wright52.plus.com

Interesting the Knee Knocker pads, like bolxxxk protecters but more forward LOL The bike is very nice, I too would like a WW1 bike missed a nice one a few years back, andrew.h.

email (option): warbikes@gmail.com

I've always wanted a WW1 period bike and missed out on loads before finding the Douglas. I got my 1917 Douglas years back purely by chance after a mate of mine found that a local farmers Dad had bought it war surplus, chopped the forks off, chopped the back of the frame off, nailed it to a table and used it as a Douglas powered, belt driven wood saw! It's been a bit of a pain reconstructing it, but at least it's almost motorcycle shaped again now.