Hey.
While looking for parts for my M21, I accidentally bought an M20 😉

I bought it from a guy whose father had passed away and he was selling “unnecessary” stuff 😅
His father was a fan of English motorcycles, and the guy remembered that his father brought this motorcycle from Egypt in the late 80s or early 90s.

His story was confirmed by the stamps I found on the engine after I brought it home…
The engine has Egyptian stamps / inspection marks,
and the engine and frame numbers are very similar. Maybe matching Numbers ? 🤔

If anyone has detailed or any knowledge about this Egyptian topic, I would be grateful.
I have already found the basic information.

From what I remember:
15–18 (?) thousand units were sent to Egypt. There they were overhauled or repared and then sent to Syria (?).

I would be happy to learn the history and context of when and why these motorcycles ended up there?
Also whether they had any special equipment?
Any information is welcome.

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email (option): lukaslukas66@gmail.com

The frame number is WM20.89311, and the engine number is WM20.65793. No matching numbers I'm afraid...

The bike with frame and engine number WM20.65793 was made under military contract C/12424. It was despatched from the factory on 24/8/1942, and would have had census number C4701890 on its tank.

The bike with frame and engine number WM20.89311 was made under military contract S/1048. It was despatched from the factory in September 1943, and would have had census number C5122711 on its tank.

If these bikes ever ended up in Egypt (I don't see any Egyptian markings in your pictures though...), they must have been used by the 8th Army. I have WW2 photographs with WM20's with close numbers in Egypt, but that doesn't prove anything about your bike I'm afraid...

email (option): wd.register@gmail.com

The British Army garrisoned the Suez Canal Zone until 1956 and were bringing in vehicles during that period. They left in rather a hurry and what they couldn't destroy was abandoned.

Motorcycles in Egypt in 1956 could have served anywhere during the war. These are later numbers than would have been used for the Middle East campaigns but the area was used as a base for the Italian campaign too.

The markings are on the engine. Picture 1 and 3 that I’ve addet. There are some Egyptian ( I think ) stamps. Below the engine number… Or if it’s something different then what is this ?
And thanks for the info about despatch !

email (option): lukaslukas66@gmail.com

Soooo there is 0 maja nformations about what motorcycle Numbers where sendet to egypt. Just speculations supported by the close numbers … Interresting :)

email (option): lukaslukas66@gmail.com

You may have set your expectations a bit too high here.

Cheers,

Lex

email (option): welbike@outlook.com

There is nothing Egyptian about these stamps...



There was a "E7540G" marking on the engine, but it was overstamped with what looks like a horizontal letter E. Then they stamped the "E45G" marking just below the previous marking.

What these markings mean is still a bit of a mystery. They may have been rebuild identifications...

Jan

email (option): wd.register@gmail.com