Jump to content

Military Velo


Ron

Recommended Posts

Because not much is happening here and just for interest sake I thought I would post some pictures of my Velocette MDD. (MAC WD). Fingers crossed! I am hoping to acquire the follow on model MAF next year to make a nice pair of stable mates. Ron

Collection 053.jpg

Collection 054.jpg

Collection 055.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think so too Stefano!

The MAF was ordered by the WO to be brought up to a more WD spec. With built in bash plate, panniers, pillion, air filter and blackout lights. I already have one of these Miller fag end rear lamps in readiness. (Very rare! They were only ever fitted to Fleas, MAF's and a few Miller equipped Matchless G3L's).

Less than a 1000 MAF's were produced, before the WO cancelled all orders with Velocette and put them onto other war work. I guess Velo's were slow to produce, being more hand built, and there was a need for more front line machines that were familiar to mechanics and with a good spares back up.

This picture and more info in 'British Forces Motorcycles 1925-45' or as we call it O&M. Ron

Scan-131214-0001.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ron, Did you spot a handful of Velos on the July 1946 Sales listing which Wally Dugan posted ?

 

http://hmvf.co.uk/forumvb/showthread.php?40706-post-war-sales-catalogues/page8

 

FTE 669, 668, 443, and 362.

 

None seem to be current on DVLA. These are a Lancashire series issued Feb 1944 - Feb 1945. By July 1946 they'd been sold off !

 

Presumably they were transferred from WD to CD or Fire Service etc. for the duration ?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Rik. Good old Wally!! I missed that by only glancing over it at the time. But then again I know I can rely on you for the numbers thing. And of course these Registration numbers will have been sold off by number plate dealers by now to, Frederick Terance Entwhistle or someone. I wonder if they were MDD's or MAF's?

There is a rumour that 500 Velo's were torpedoed to the bottom of the Channel on their way to France. But I'm sure France was in the Grip of the Nazi's before the bikes were dispatched and subsequently reallocated to British units. Ron

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ron, Jan is the chap to talk to about 1940 French contract deliveries (and redirections)...The smooth-talking b*st*rd is taking his missus to Paris next month...and I'm not sure if he's told her that he's booked time in the French ECPAD archive ! He's also got a contact with the Velo club so we may find out if there are any FTE series on their books. If all those....362 to 669 were products of Messrs. Veloce Ltd. then it may have been a complete mixture at the moment that they decided Velos were no longer needed for military service.

 

The rumours about sunken bikes off Dunkirk include the 100 lightweight Nortons...and they weren't delivered until 1942.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes I put Jan in touch with the VOC archivist. He is a mine of information. He actually told me the actual AA unit that my MDD was re directed to after it's cancellation to the French government. It's the only bike in my collection that I could mark accurately for sure. Unfortunately he only uses his computer for storing his archive, so correspondence is by snail mail only. Ron

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Worth remembering that we weren't delivering to Dunkirk or the surrounding area by June 1940, rather "exporting"....lol........however, supplies were still being sent to ports further south, such as Cherbough, St.Nazire, etc........as late as July 1940.....but what actually went there, was unloaded, etc, and was lost, is another matter........

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...