This picture showing a WD16H from C7353 alongside a camel and an ass (are they trying to say something here ?) can also be found in the AWM (Australian War memorial Collection). It is dated 3/9/1941



It was published in the U.S. during April 1943



The image is credited to Colombia Newsphoto - Perhaps one of the earlier examples of a commercial news agency claiming copyright on an official photograph that they received free of charge. Organisations such as Getty are of course still doing this.

W28660 are you out there anywhere ? It may have stayed in the Middle East but there is also a good chance that it was shipped back to Australia.

'This picture showing a WD16H from C7353 alongside a camel and an ass (are they trying to say something here ?)'...

Yes, it's 'Here's a picture of two camels and an ass'.... ..Ian

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

The bloke on the bike with the nuns sleeves doesn't look too happy (it is a Norton), the fella on the ass isn't that cheerful nor his mount (sic) but the camel, he knows something that he isn't letting on. "Ah, your mother was Armenian Mr Lawrence".

The bloke on the bike with the nuns sleeves doesn't look too happy (it is a Norton), the fella on the ass isn't that cheerful nor his mount (sic) but the camel, he knows something that he isn't letting on. "Ah, your mother was Armenian Mr Lawrence".

And like modern newspapers they got a photo and made a story to go with it.
Obviously a posed for photo
Not likely to be DR wearing a slough hat , shorts & carrying a side arm.
There also appears to be another motorcycle with a larget & thinner front tyre on the other side of the donkey rider any guesses ?

Did they not use black out masks in the middle east ?

email (option): bsansw1@tpg.com.au

Quite right, Trevor. The caption is a lot of old cobblers. At the time this photgraph was taken, Tobruk was still under siege and the 8th Army weren't clearing anywhere...

The AWM collection caption is :- "ROAD BETWEEN AIN SOFAR AND DAMASCUS. MEN OF THE CORPS PROVOST UNIT DOING CONVOY DUTY ALONG THE ROAD".

The white sleeves seem to be common for Australian Provost on Traffic Control and the image is one of a small group taken at the same time.







September 1941 is a bit early-on to have proper blackout masks. Normally just the card or a fabricated tin-plate mask behind the glass - this one shows how the lower half of the reflector was painted black. The problem was that once the bike had taken a tumble and the glass was broken, there was no more mask. 8" headlamps couldn't have lasted long under those conditions.

I've had a good squint at the photos and all that I can see are three Nortons - either the pannier toolbox or frame clamp horn are visible. It might be that the rear bike has a Good-Year rather than Dunlop tyre fitted - Nortons came out of the factory with both types at random. They do look narrower than the Dunlop Universal although they were also nominally 3.25".

Thanks Ric,
I am pig ignorant of WWII history apart from what I have picked up here.
However I do ride motorcycles and own a coupl of slough hats ( Dad's & grandad's ) and there is no way one would be riding at any speed wearing one of them.

The old man was in catering ( logistical support ) and one of his few stories was how difficult it was to get side arms issued to NCO kitchen staff to replace the rifles which they were supposed to have at arms reach at all times and how much bull dust his CO had to go through.
I mean by the time the enemy were inside the kitchen, rifles would have been a bit useless.

email (option): bsansw1@tpg.com.au