Tuesday 30 June 1914

30 June 1914

Freddie Barnes at Brooklands RaceTrack

 

A Mr F.W. Barnes was recovering in Hospital after a crash in Weybridge. Investigating further we discover that this was no ordinary accident. F.W. “Freddie” Barnes was the chief designer of Zenith Motorcycles located in Hampton Court and inventor of the Gradua gearing system. He was acting as pilot for the Royal Party heading to Brooklands Race Track on 20 June to Review members of the Red Cross, when he was thrown from his motorcycle whilst trying to avoid a policeman. It is thought that the Policeman stepped into the road and signalled either to stop for to take a different direction.

Read more about F.W. Barnes and Zenith Here. You can also see two examples of Zenith Motorcycles at Brooklands Museum

Monday 29 June 1914

 29 June 1914

Vernon Busby 2nd from left Howard Davies 3rd from Left

The Triumph motorcycle with Gloria Sidecar converted to an Ambulance seen at the Brooklands Red Cross day on 20 June 1914 was very much a concept machine. It was however later further developed by Royal Enfield.

Sunbeam had been very successful in the 1914 Isle of Man TT winning the team prize. Rider Howard Raymond Davies later of HRD fame was no doubt thinking of his racing career and could not have known that he would soon be flying for the Royal Flying Corps as an artillery spotter later to be shot down. Unknown to the Allies he was captured alive leading to him being posted missing presumed dead. Vernon Busby another team member had already had some military experience, although this was far from his thoughts as he also continued a successful season.

Motorcycling 1914 to 1918

Sunday 28 June 1914

Members of Red Cross VAD at Brooklands Airfield

Nine men had set out to kill the archduke. Only two made an attempt on his life, Nedjelko Cabrinovic and Gavrilo Princip. Both were immediately arrested and, under questioning, eventually gave up the names of their co-conspirators.

Subsequently tried for treason and murder, eight were found guilty (one remaining conspirator escaped to Serbia before the trial) and three of the men were executed. Princip and Cabrinovic were too young to face death under Austro-Hungarian law and received the maximum term possible of 20 years imprisonment.

Back home motorcyclists and were considering if sidecars were a viable option and worrying about various pieces of legislation that might restrict their freedom. Nobody had any idea of the domino effect that was about to cast the world into turmoil.

The motorcycle Magazine had just published details of the Red Cross Field Day held at Brooklands Racetrack on 20 June. It was reported that the first ever Triumph motorcycle/Sidecar Ambulance was in attendance at the field day held to test the Red Cross’s ability to deal with wounded in the battlefield. The military and associated organisations had detailed contingency plans ready to be dusted off and put into action at a moments notice. These plans were regularly tested and lessons learned were added. This is why in August the Government were able to quickly assemble an Expeditionary Force and deliver it into theatre within days.