This came up as a subject some time ago when this drawing was discussed, but I have now found an original photo to prove it.

Its from "The MotorCycle" April 23rd 1942 page 298.

Rob

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

Thanks Rob, have saved that picture. I see a couple of them from that contract were supplied to the SAS. Some must have been equipped to carry extra weapons. (AMC! Is that 'Army Medical Corp?). Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Yes but "SAS" as in Small Arms School rather than Special Air Service.

I think "AMC" could be Amalgamated Motor Cycles as in AJS, Matchless & Sunbeam (sold to BSA in 1944)?

Rob

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

OK on the SAS thing Rob....Silly to use the same initials for two different units though.

Also I immediately thought of Matchless/AJS for AMC, but wondered why they would be supplied with a Norton Big4 .....Unless of course it was as a reference for their Sunbeam badged prototype?

Ron:confused:

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

It may have been quite a clever ploy to hide the existence of the Special Air Service from the Germans, if they hear a reference to the SAS in the desert they may have assumed a new Small Arms School was being set up in the middle east?

But its probably just a coincidence?

The British medical service was "Royal" from 1898 so it would have been RAMC at that time, so maybe Norton agreed to help AMC with the Sunbeam outfit, there does appear to have been quite a bit of cross company collaboration going on for the war effort?

Rob

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

I believe that Norton were ordered to send an SWD outfit to AMC for assessment, in much the same way that the factories had to send each other complete machines when the hybrid projects were being investigated.

In terms of rifle clips, the MoS ledgers indicate that the rifle-equipped version was tralled in mid-1939 alongside the body fitted for carriage of a Bren.