Were bikes supplied to Canadian Forces marked on the tank as per the contract/census number system for the British? Or did they received a different 'Canadian' C (or whatever) number? Thanks for any assistance.

Duncan

email (option): cruiserchooser@hotmail.co.uk

I think the British built motorcycles were supplied with the census number that was allocated on demand. I'm guessing the bikes with the CC number were USA/Canadian built? Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Ok Ron, I am completely out of my knowledge range here. Do I take it that Canadian Unit machines had double CC.... tank numbers rather than (single)C.... numbers? If that is the case then I think your suggestion of only on foreign build machines is incorrect. I came across a picture of an M20 with what was said to be a 'CC' number on it. I assumed that to be wrong, but if you say that Canadian bikes had a double CC number then obviously it was me that was wrong :-) If this is the case is there any way of linking a Canadian CC number to a year of maufacture/supply?

email (option): cruiserchooser@hotmail.co.uk

I've just had a quick look through 'The Winged Wheel Patch' A book on Canadian motorcycles. Nearly everything has a single C apart from a WLC Harley with a CC number.
We need to wait for the numbers crunchers to respond I think. Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

This is a complicated area. The Canadians were issued with blocks of numbers unique to them for all classes of vehicle and when they were used, the 'C' prefix was applied.

These numbers should be the blocks :-
CC4200001 - CC4202000
CC4216701 - CC4217200
CC4217701 - CC4218700
CC4220001 - CC4228000
CC4259051 - CC4264050

plus Canadian RASC series numbers

CC74000 - CC75249
CC1037601 - CC1038300
CC1039802 - CC1041036

It was not intended to be simply a 'C' painted in front of the existing British serial

This certainly only applied to vehicles OWNED by Canada and not to any which were on loan or in some other way remained in the ownership of Great Britain. Documents from 1940 suggest that all Canadian vehicles other than training vehicles were to carry the prefix but it doesn't seem to have been followed through.

In general, British-manufactured motorcycles supplied to Canada were not delivered by the manufacturers but were taken from War Department stocks (RAOC and early on RASC, but later mostly from RAOC Chilwell). They therefore had British census numbers applied at the time of delivery and whether they subsequently received a CC number will depend on their use but most don't seem to have.

I've never found any trace of a substantial delivery of M20s to Canada and I've seen Canadian documentation indicating that they were being actively pursued by BSA to place orders but had decided to try and keep the range as small as possible. Any M20s in Canadian service are likely to have been replacements sourced in-theatre.

Thanks very much for that Rik, most enlightening. The number on the bike was CC74624, so that does fit in with what you are saying. The photo accompanies a Canadian Officers battledress and shows him on the bike. Interestingly he has shoulder titles of the Royal Canadian Engineers, which seems at variance with the RASC number issue. Although it could be that he was just taking the opportunity to sit on a bike, rather than it being his regular mount? Can't find embed info on Flickr but this might take you to the pic. The blanking out was done by the pic supplier, but he confirms the number on the tank.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/88779982@N05/8362018885/in/photostream

Having now enlarged the pic on my computer I am not so sure now that it is a Beeza, the primary cover looks to have more contours/shape. Any opinions chaps?

email (option): cruiserchooser@hotmail.co.uk

It looks like a Triumph 3SW to me. The Canadians certainly had a number of them.

The 'RASC' (or CRASC) number relates to the pre- and early-war British practice of RAOC supplying and servicing vehicles for front line units and RASC those of 2nd line units. This was ended when REME was formed and RAOC took over all vehicle supply.

If the rider was RE in a Lines of Communication unit, for instance at a base depot then he would have used an RASC supplied vehicle.

Are you looking to portray a motorcycle in Canadian service ?

Yep! Definitely a Triumph chaps. Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Rik,

I know about these blocks. But like the pictures below, other 'CC' numbers were applied as well. Isn't there anyone who knows more about it?





Regards,
Sven

email (option): snvosselman@gmail.com

No Rik, mine is firmly in British markings, but the 'owner' of the pic did ask if there was anything I could find out about the bike. And let's face it if the answers can't be found on this forum then I need look no further I reckon!

email (option): cruiserchooser@hotmail.co.uk

dont forget the canadian army was just part of the british army and rather importing bike/vehicles from england and then bring them back when the unit were posted to england i expect bike and vehicles were brought from sorces in north america and maybe at the end of the war lots of british bike and vehicles got sent to canada just to get rid of them ie why bury/scrapping it when there was space on these returning ships

email (option): roger.beck@node6.com

**AHEM** The Canadian Army , while fighting alongside the other British Commonwealth allies, was not "just a part of the British Army". We had our own divisions and units, and on D-Day, were right there in the thick of it fighting on Juno Beach. And, I might add, the Canadians on D-day advanced further inland than any other nation. Not to mention, the 1st Canadian Paratroopers who never failed to take their objectives...

email (option): vinver@ns.sympatico.ca

I think Roger meant that comment referring to the distribution of vehicles and not a slur on the ability of the Canadian army.

email (option): horror@blueyonder.co.uk