Stefano

Foch assumed overall command of the Anglo-French forces during the period of the last "push" of the tripartate alliance, and considering what those morons were up to in Whitehall it must have come as a relief to Haig that he no longer had worry about the antics of Loyd George and his merry men. To think that the Smuts overhaul of the RFC and RNAS into the RAF came during operation Michael beggars all belief... In any case if we go down this road obviously it becomes a freefall of what if's: The French were desperate for reparations because the USA demanded that their loans to France be repaid pronto (surprise surprise) - Great Britain tried to restore the prewar exchange rate with the dollar, thereby deflating it's economy to a suicidal extent and almost wiping out it's productive base - The Weimar Republic tried inflation to lessen the burden, it got out of hand (in this context look what happened to Austria), the middle classes were completely wiped out and they consequently hailed the arrival of Herr Schickelgruber (can you really blame them?) and the rest as we say is history. The what if's are awesome in their extent. If the Bolsheviks hadn't come to power, if Mussolini hadn't had his nose put out of joint by the British closing down the Gibralter straights after Italy invaded Abissinia, if the Anglo-Japanese alliance hadn't been sunk by the USA, if Britain had gone to war over Czecoslovakia instead of Poland...if, if, if. The fact is that, unpalatable as it may seem, a great amount of Britain's misfortunes were wished upon itself by the conceited ineptitude of it's politicians and it all comes down to the sad realisation that the British Empire should never have fought and won the First World War (because that is exactly what it did, American feelings notwithstanding). That it did should be an everlasting testimonial to it's greatness, but if it had left the French, the Russians, the Italians and the Serbiens to their collective destiny the chances are that everybody would have been better off in the long run (even the Armenians, sadly, as that particular genocide was going to happen whatever the British decided to do). After all, when the French were defeated at Sedan it was hardly the end of the world... The fact is, that although given the gift of hindsight, we will never know how things might have gone, all we know is how they went...

American policy was focused on pushing England to the sidelines well before WW2, and it must be said that they have pursued this policy with varying degrees of determination ever since. They engineered the demise of the Anglo-Japanese naval agreement in 1921 (admittedly helped along by the Canadians) which in turn was to cause all sorts of anguish a few years later, and the subsequent Washington naval treaty nobbled to Royal Navy to such an extent that it almost cost Britain the war. The appointment of the rabidly anti-british Joseph Kennedy as ambassador to Great Britain showed beyond any doubt FDR's thoughts of his future ally, and even lend lease was a joke. The premise was that the war in the Pacific was going to last for a considerable time - probably into 1947, and this would have greatly eased Great Britain's debt to the USA. As we all know, the war was finished off in 1945 with a pair of B29's dropping nuclear weapons (to a large extent developed by the British) on the Japanese, and no countenance was given to writing off any of the debt due in light of the changed circumstances. However, as so often, it also cuts both ways. The United States reneged on their agreement to share all Nuclear research with Great Britain when they found out that the Attlee government had crated up a few Rolls Royce Nenes along with the relative blueprints and sent them off to Joe Stalin with true socialist gratitude. When the Americans encountered the Mig 15 in Korea a few years later it's easy to understand that they were not best pleased... And finally, although this might not prove a popular aside, by far the greatest recipient of Marshall aid was in fact Great Britain, to the tune of some 3,297 million dollars between 1948 and 1951, which represented something like 43% more than the France got, and a whopping 127% more than that received by the Germans. Nothing is ever really as simple as it seems, alas

Easy, a King Tiger

Albert, on the M20 forum there's someone who is selling some parts that you might need. This is the link: http://pub37.bravenet.com/forum/static/show.php?usernum=3155626639&frmid=16&msgid=1165404&cmd=show Hope to have been of help, Stefano

Richard, don't I know it. I was told in no uncertain terms that I was to leave the bike and d.r. kit at base and get onto a U.S. vehicle, absolutely amazing when you think about it. Serves them right that it rained, although no consolation to me at the time seeing as I was perched on what seemed to be the most unreliable Stuart in the world

I remember that day well, the sun had come out and the atmosphere was terrific. I seem to recall that vehicles were converging from three different directions and it was total mayhem. I was on the bike rounding up as many British & Commonwealth vehicles that I could find to slot in with the Fox, the F60 and the Universal Carrier we'd brought along... Great times. By way of contrast, at Bayeux in 2009 there was hardly a single British MV to be seen, pathetic Thanks for posting the vids., they bring back some good memories.

All WW2 Triumphs are brilliant machines. I've never ridden a 3SW but a mate of mine had one and it went like stink. Your bike should have the small rear carrier which sets the bike off nicely I think. Spares are getting a bit thin on the ground, but there's very little to go wrong as long as you've put oil in the tank. Here's a picture of my 3HW in front of one of the British cemeteries at Anzio. Good luck with your new bike, Stef

I'll gladly admit ignorance when it comes to postwar duggies - my flat twin preferences lie with engines along the frame as opposed to across it. However, from what I can see, unless the bike has been modified (quite likely really), details like the numberplate and exhaust system point to a Mk V. No chance on the Velo I'm afraid, there simply isn't enough detail (at least for me). It could be either a K or M series since the cycle parts were shared from 1935 onwards, and since the girder forks were ditched at the end of 1947, the chances are that this particular bike dates from somewhere in between. As for the DKW, the chances are that it could be the bike in photo N°4. Certainly there are bits that fit, the silencers and centre stand for example, but I'm really not up to speed enough on German motorcycles to be able to give a definite answer. And finally, there are no signs of a o.h.c. Norton in the photos. However, looking a bit closer at the pics, the third bike in 6 & 7 could well be the Victoria, since quite a few details seem to be the same. Stef

Steve, Ah! The learning curve, and what a wonderful thing it is I did have my doubts about the Lodge cap - it's more early pre-unit Triumph than anything else. Well, I suppose that one (or more - still got the 'flea to do) will turn up eventually. Thanks for your help - much appreciated. Stef

Steve, I've got a few Lodge plug caps (r.h. in picture), and they do indeed seem to be similar to the one used by the 'flea (see pic), but the problem is that they're supressed, and I wonder just how much extra resistance a Villiers flywheel magneto will take before it tells you to take a hike... (it must be said however that my Morris CD/SW did originally fit two supressors to each plug lead). Funnily enough, the 'flea in the picture only seems to have one connector in the HT lead - possibly just the immobilizer? - which would mean that a supressed spark plug cap would be the natural thing to fit. B.T.W., the K.L.G plug cap on the left is apparently what the BSA M20 would have fitted, would it have also been standard fare for other WD bikes? Cheers, Stef

Well, there is a military connection actually, because the first three photos are of a 350cc Victoria KR35WH Pionier. It could be civilian I suppose, but the exhaust system and fuel tank are dead ringers for the military model. N°4: Not too sure there. N°5: Douglas, possibly a MkV N°6/7 The bike behind the Douglas looks like a Triumph T70/80, no idea what the 3rd bike is N°8 is screaming Triumph Speed Twin at me but I'm still not too sure N°9 is a Velocette Hope somebody else can confirm (or not!) Cheers, Stef

Another update then... Well, the engine is basically in the bag now, just the carb and strangler still to paint and a few nuts and bolts to sort out. The cylinder head proved to be a bit of a pain actually. The one on the bike had been welded up to take a 14mm plug, and the "perfect" one I bought from a dealer had stripped threads and had been ground down to the bottom fin (......). In the end I was lucky enough to find a brand new one on Ebay so that was one more problem sorted. BTW, if anybody is interested in knowing what the elusive "ignition immobilizer" looks like, you will be able to see it just south of the supressor. TTFN Stef

Olà animale....

The yard I bought my 25pdr from had hundreds of 17 and 25 pdrs in it - the majority had been more or less cut up, but there were some real gems. A shame that I could afford to buy just the one gun (and it's limber).... Funnily enough, there seemed to be so many 17pdrs about at the time that I thought that the 25pdr was the rarer, especially one that hadn't had a skoda barrell sustituted for the original - the Italians did alot of that - all academic of course seeing that all those guns finished up by being melted down. The joys of hindsight, eh?

Unleaded fuel was just as cretinous - The whole rationale that surrounded it's introduction was spurious, catalyctic converters are expensive and don't work most of the time, and the hideous things that they put in the paraffin that nowadays passes for petrol is beyond belief. Back in the day, I used to wash components with four star - no fear of me doing that now with the rubbish they sell us. However, having said that, apart from a ridiculously short shelf life, unleaded hasn't proved as disastrous in use as we were led to expect. The same bunch of morons are now at it again - ever more toxic fuel being foisted on us for a set of reasons that again won't stand up to any sort of scrutiny. Let's hope that the powers that be come to their senses before they introduce the stuff or (more likely) ways are found for us to live with it. Europe's capacity for complicating even the simplest things in life never ceases to amaze

Steve, Thanks very much for the info on the silencer and pipe - so S.C.C. 2 it will be (alas...) Cheers, Stef

Steve, Very very pleased to see you on this thread - British Forces must rank as the most thumbed over book of my entire life The (few) Italian ML's all seem to hail from the center south west of Italy, and the accepted wisdom (out here at least) is that they were used by the Commandos at Anzio, and were later disposed of through the nearest ARAR camp. Also bear in mind that the all the ML's that I've seen (all four of them....) have had very low frame numbers, mine at 515 being the highest. What do you think? After all, it has to be said that everybody was convinced that the Sheman DD made it's first appearance on the D-Day landings until one was dug up from the sea off Anzio.... Another question: I've never been able to find out with any degree of certainty if the silencer and tailpipe were painted black or in S.C.C. 2 like the rest of the bike. If you could put this one to rest for me I'd be very grateful. A big welcome to the Forum, Stef

Excellent news, makes me want to hang my head in shame when I think of the speed of my restoration.... Photos please!!

b****y hell, that is the grandmother of all adjustable spanners you've got there!!

Aha!!! another Morris on the board, excellent . I'm very envious of your F30 too, probably the best Cab 13 of them all. Welcome to the forum, Stef

Welcome to the forum - Congrats on the Venom - got to be the best single ever. As for WW2 'bikes, try a 3HW if you can - it really is very very good and can be made to go like stink, but it's rubbish off road - not much ground clearance see. Or what about a Matchless G3? Wonderful bike, and I would dearly love to add one to the collection - maybe one day....

Thanks for that - a brilliant photo.

I was driving the Fox - an enjoyable weekend..

Don't worry lads - it'll be alright on the night and the Ferrari will finish first - it usually does after all doesn't it?

Billy, Thanks alot for the encouragement and your selfless offer of help - who said chivalry was dead? Actually, you're quite right about another bike waiting in the wings (actually there are a fair few - a frightening thought). The next one up is going to be a '55 Triumph T110 that some joker in the US of A set fire to about thirty years ago and then left to die - a rubbish frame (certainly not when compared to Plumstead's best), but such a pretty thing (and fast...) Thanks again for your kind words - much appreciated. Stef