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ministry of supply plate

hi all
I am in Australia and have a wm20, it has a ministry of supply plate in the tool box. can I find out information using the vehicle number so as to find out the frame number, to identify the frame this bike is to be on? as I purchased this bike many years ago and the frame number has been ground off and I would like to re stamp it. any information would be great. The information on the plate is
VEHICLE # 64-YC-64
CHASSIS# N/A
CLASS OF REPAIR SPECIFIED
DATE- 2-53
MTRS# B266
INSPECTION WV3
102
kind regards jock

email (option): jockmcguigan@bigpond.com

Re: ministry of supply plate

Hi Jock

64 YC 64 does appear in the post war key cards, here is the relevant part, but its not exactly clear.

keycard

The frame number is missing however there is a wartime "C" serial number which could be either 4755636 or 4755036?

C4755636 = WM20 75053
C4755036 = WM20 74453

I'm leaning towards the later which is a shame because I have WM20 75051 and it would have been nice to find a very near relative.

The next problem is that the machine could have been rebuilt several times and its only the tank with an obsolete number present in the late 1940s early 1950s when the key cards were created that makes this link, tanks are easily changeable and there are many mistake/typos in the key cards too, but neither of these frame numbers appear in the key cards again.

So in conclusion this may show a 30%? chance that the number ground of your frame was WM20 74453 in my opinion, others will think differently.

But its very interesting to see proof that not all M20s in Australia today have been there since the threatened Japanese invasion in 1942

Rob

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

Re: ministry of supply plate

thanks for the time you put in on this rob , it is much appreciated I am starting the restoration now so i have stripped everything down so i will be asking silly questions in the future

email (option): jockmcguigan@bigpond.com

Re: ministry of supply plate

Rob,
I think you will find that the UK exported a lot of demobbed motorcycles down here post WWII
On this site there is a nice photo of an auctioneer standing on a pile of Welbikes or Corgies.
None of them appear in the army ledgers published by the War Museum so the logical assumption is they were not Aust issue and AFAIK there were no parrachute assults in the pacific.
Considering the bad blood between Churchill & Curtin when he pulled the Aust troops out of Europe I can not see the UK War Office volunteering motorcycles for the upstart Aussies.
My bike wm20 78096 does not appear either but I know it was bought in Sydney at a disposal sale .
So it was either sent down here by the UK government or by BSA .

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

Re: ministry of supply plate

To add a bit of information to Jock's M20, army number 64YC64, the clip from the Key Card that Rob has posted, shows that it was disposed of in 1968. The last holding unit shown was HQ 101 Medium Regiment, Royal Artillery (Volunteers), in 1967. They were based at Newcastle upon Tyne and formed during a restructure of the Territorial Army in April 1967. The regiment at the time were equipped with 5.5" Medium guns.

Re: ministry of supply plate

thanks for the information richard

email (option): jockmcguigan@bigpond.com

Re: ministry of supply plate

Please post a picture of your plate. It would be nice to see it. Thanks.

email (option): britool51@hotmail.com

Re: ministry of supply plate

hi rob
if i could work out how to add a picture i will send one for sure , any help with this and I will send one asap. tried to cut and past dont work

email (option): jockmcguigan@bigpond.com

Re: ministry of supply plate

Email it to me if you want Jock and I'll post it up. Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Re: ministry of supply plate

Ron, Jock sent this to me this afternoon.

email (option): rays54@hotmail.com

Re: ministry of supply plate

Hi Jock where about in Aus do you live,I am in Adelaide

email (option): Gawls62@icloud.com

Re: ministry of supply plate

HI IAN
I am based in brisbane, sorry for the delay getting back i have been busy at work

email (option): jockmcguigan@bigpond.com

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