After thirty years of watching WD motorcycles being civilianised, often with excess chrome and spurious pre-war dates of manufacture, I'm finding it quite amusing that they're now being converted back again.
What year is your 16H, Ian ?
The aspect of motorcycle 'Formation' signs with 21st Army Group in NW Europe is unfortunately not as colourful as we would hope.
In general, all vehicles carried Formation Signs which in the case of 79th Armoured would have been the bull's head in a triangle. Brigades only carried their own sign in some cases when operating independently.
However, fairly early on in the war, there was an instruction issued that motorcycles should not carry a formation sign and that the 'Arm of Service' serial should be displayed on both sides of the fuel tank and the rear mudguard.
Quite why this policy was followed is not clear to me and I've never seen an explanation for it.
The earliest date that I've found documented is in 'Vehicle Markings 1942' dated 11/2/1942 and it is repeated in subsequent documents.
They were not entirely consistent in terminology. 'Arm of Service' serials are sometimes referred to as 'Unit Signs'.
These instructions notwithstanding, there are many within the world of WD motorcycles who either to pay tribute or simply out of interest, add a formation sign to a motorcycle fuel tank. I don't think that you'll often find an adverse reaction to it (and so what ?)'Forewarned is forearmed' though
Peter Hodges' book on markings includes a full list of the Arm of Service serials and colours used within 79th Armoured (their structure was quite non-standard) so it would be quite straightforward to look up any particular unit (what did your uncle do within the division ?)
Would a motorcycle attached to the 79th Armoured Brigade ever have displayed the Bulls Head as a formation sign?
In light of the 1942 instruction not to and the formation date of the 79th AB being 1942, is it at all possible that some bikes displayed it?
Here's hoping.
Ian
Hi Ian, I think you are confusing Divisions with Brigades, there was no 79th Armoured Brigade, the 79th Armoured Division was made up of Brigades some of which had their own Brigade insignia's, in which case they would presumably put that on their vehicles.
I have not yet seen a wartime shot of motorcycle wearing the 79th bulls head but that doesn't prove anything.
Its your bike and putting it in the markings of a family member is a very fitting memorial, so do it if you want to.
Rob
email (option): robmiller11(at)yahoo.co.uk