welbike Posted October 7, 2021 Share Posted October 7, 2021 (edited) Here's the September 1939 Norton 16H, (all matching numbers, confirmed by the Norton Ledgers, thanks Rik, Rob and Jan!) as found, well I replaced the wheels, and added a headlamp, for the looks, as the wrong (Belgian prewar) wheels were fitted, it even runs, but needs restoring, I don't think the engine and/or gearbox has ever been out of the frame, since it was built! all original hardware present, and am quite pleased with it! have already found the missing parts, so will be easy to restore, there even is a bullet hole or strike in the rear carrier, lot's of Khaki green No.3 under the black paint, but alas no makings at all on the tank. Looking at the timeframe of things, it was built in September 1939, went over with the BEF, saw action in France and Belgium, was left behind in the April? 1940 fighting, and presumably dragged away from the place it was left by a nearby farmer, hidden for the occupying Germans for 5 years, then another 4 years to make sure the Brits didn't come back to search for it, and then it was registered in 1949, and presumably used by the farmer, I will go back there, to ask if they know anything about it of course, but it's the French speaking part of Belgium, so need an interpreter, Jan, Rik?? So, that's the story so far, it would be interesting if the picture of the bridge is the same bridge, but it could be somewhere else altogether! Also look for more WD Norton info on Rob's excellent website: Norton wd 16h and wd big4, British military motorcycles of world war 2 (wdnorton.nl) Cheers, Lex Edited October 20, 2021 by welbike spelling 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rootes75 Posted October 7, 2021 Share Posted October 7, 2021 Brilliant project. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rewdco Posted October 7, 2021 Share Posted October 7, 2021 Definitely a different church tower Lex, pretty sure this is not the same spot... Sorry... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welbike Posted October 7, 2021 Share Posted October 7, 2021 Not so sure now Jan, the church steeple will surely have been replaced, and may look different, the only picture of the bridge, prewar I can find is this one, and I checked all bridges on the Schelde from the French border to Gent, but nothing like it. It could be a whole different river, or in France, but will keep looking. Lex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7VHU Posted October 7, 2021 Share Posted October 7, 2021 Surely that’s on the French side (the river has a different name in France)? need to look the other way : ) if it survived. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welbike Posted October 7, 2021 Share Posted October 7, 2021 Well, Belgium is bi-lingual, or rather 3, but I'll save you the details, so I think it is in Belgium, but still open for other locations. Lex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7VHU Posted October 7, 2021 Share Posted October 7, 2021 You’re right. Found this http://users.telenet.be/karel.roose/vierendeel/escanaffles/info.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welbike Posted October 7, 2021 Share Posted October 7, 2021 (edited) Yes, I just got that far, but looking at the debris in the river, it cannot be that location! Thanks, Lex Edited October 7, 2021 by welbike spelling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morris C8 Posted October 10, 2021 Author Share Posted October 10, 2021 I have put the first photo the other way round. Thanks for all your input Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welbike Posted October 10, 2021 Share Posted October 10, 2021 Ok, I thought asmuch, but have been searchin for bridges, all over Belgium and nothern France, but nothing quite like your picture! Lex 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morris C8 Posted October 10, 2021 Author Share Posted October 10, 2021 Thanks Lex for trying. I Have had these original ww2 colour slides for a long time and could not ID the bridges. The last one with a barge is not the same bridge. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryH57 Posted October 16, 2021 Share Posted October 16, 2021 (edited) Apart from this photo, there are very few that that show signs of fire, which surprises me, as apart from draining the sump etc, setting fire to vehicles is good for destroying things quickly after the crew have left their vehicles and joined the queue for the ships. As there was enough smoke already on an easily identifiable beach I don't buy the idea that it would have drawn more attacks from the Luftwaffe than they expected. Edited October 16, 2021 by LarryH57 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pzkpfw-e Posted October 16, 2021 Share Posted October 16, 2021 1 hour ago, LarryH57 said: Apart from this photo, there are very few that that show signs of fire, which surprises me Fire attracted the Luftwaffe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryH57 Posted October 16, 2021 Share Posted October 16, 2021 (edited) So the Luftwaffe would have stayed away? I doubt it, and I'm sure they would have bombed by visual identification with a clear sky. Also smoke provides a very effective smokescreen. Edited October 16, 2021 by LarryH57 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morris C8 Posted October 16, 2021 Author Share Posted October 16, 2021 (edited) They did burn a lot of equipment and had veh dumps near Dunkirk. I do have a large amount of photos showing burnt out veh. Photos from my collection Edited October 16, 2021 by Morris C8 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T8Hants Posted October 16, 2021 Share Posted October 16, 2021 My mate said they didn't want to give away the exact positions of the collapsing perimeter, by burning them as they arrived, also burning vehicles would have hindered movements within that perimeter, but he was expressly told not to burn his lorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morris C8 Posted October 18, 2021 Author Share Posted October 18, 2021 On 10/16/2021 at 11:21 PM, T8Hants said: My mate said they didn't want to give away the exact positions of the collapsing perimeter, by burning them as they arrived, also burning vehicles would have hindered movements within that perimeter, but he was expressly told not to burn his lorry. Some more photos from my collection of burnt out veh. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rootes75 Posted October 18, 2021 Share Posted October 18, 2021 (edited) Superb images. I note that what I presume is a requisitioned Fordson 7V in the last picture. Edited October 18, 2021 by Rootes75 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morris C8 Posted October 19, 2021 Author Share Posted October 19, 2021 12 hours ago, Rootes75 said: Superb images. I note that what I presume is a requisitioned Fordson 7V in the last picture. Fordson 7V tipper they we used by the RE and RAF. Photo from my collection. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryH57 Posted October 19, 2021 Share Posted October 19, 2021 Well done the lads of 1940 for disobeying orders not to burn the vehicles! It would be sad if the amount lost equaled the amount recovered! I guess Keith has some figures for both? And Keith what a great selection; thanks for sharing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morris C8 Posted October 19, 2021 Author Share Posted October 19, 2021 I think they recovered a large amount of veh and used parts from scrap veh. Last photos show British and French tin hats. Photos from my collection. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XS650 Posted October 19, 2021 Share Posted October 19, 2021 Runour is the Wehrmacht had more Morris-Commercial trucks than the British Army after French campaign. ! Craig 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morris C8 Posted October 22, 2021 Author Share Posted October 22, 2021 Burnt out Scammell trucks.Photo from my collection.Keith 7 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morris C8 Posted October 24, 2021 Author Share Posted October 24, 2021 Captured Morris PU [sig] in prang, German MP with his measuring tape, you can`t see much with the side screens on. WH reg number. Could it be in France?.[cafe]. Won`t take long to knock that dent out. Photo from my collection. Keith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Le Prof Posted October 24, 2021 Share Posted October 24, 2021 (edited) Hi @Morris C8 Keith. I put some time into trying to trace this, without success, except to say it is in Paris. This time it is not a needle in a haystack, but a needle in a pile of needles, with some missing. Café Biard was a chain of Parisian coffee shops. There were 15 or so in 1900, and far more by 1940. This article explains more: https://www.parisladouce.com/2021/07/ancien-cafe-biard-de-la-rue-montorgueil.html I checked the addresses listed, there were a couple that looked promising, but the Hausmanian architecture of Paris is all very similar, and I could see detail differences on the building across the road each time. Also, roads like Ave de Sevres have been heavily redeveloped. Finally, I searched for period postcards, and that threw up even more addresses, so I admit defeat. Best Regards, Adrian Edited October 24, 2021 by Le Prof I before e, except after c. And except when it isnt! (Sorry for the misspelled name, Keith). 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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