17-22 August 1914

From today this Blog will appear on a weekly basis

Advertising

One of the first adverts to feature military personnel on motorcycles appeared this week. The advert featured a Douglas motorcycle and would soon be followed by Scott and many others.

 

Generous Patriotism

In what was even at the time a very generous offer the Stepney Spare Motor Wheel, Llanelli, S. Wales, announced that they offered to pay 30 shillings a week to all employees going on active service. One wonders how long they were able to maintain the payment.

Anti- German Paranoia

A suspicious man was arrested in a motorcycle agency in London after asking for a Harley Davidson Instruction Book and a key for the toolbox. Unable to give a good reason for the request the German waiter, who had previously stolen a Harley was later handed over to the police. The report concluded “Irrespective of the offence he had committed he was liable to prosecution for riding a motor bicycle, as motor bicycles are, of course, forbidden to persons of German nationality.”



Sunday 16 August 1914

There is a lot of activity on the streets. Many civilian motorcyclists are being stopped at check points particularly in the East of England. There are many military motorcyclists travelling around the countryside. Many are part of the Territorial Force that are now billeted in schools close to secret strategic locations. They are on the look out for any suspicious behaviour.

Saturday 15 August 1914

Competitions are continuing this weekend in spite of an initial fear that all motorcycle events would have to be cancelled. There is however some inevitable disruption to events as entrants have enlisted and are at this very moment on route to Europe or in training waiting  for the signal to report to their port of embarkation.

Friday 14 August 1914

There is a new British manufacturer that has come to the motorcyclists aid in the absence of German Bosh Magnetos. It is reported that the British Thompson-Houston (BTH) magneto is an excellent design and construction.


Meanwhile the British Government was grabbing every possible Bosh magneto available and would be soon making contact with neutral America to discretely provide magnetos from Bosh factories in the USA.




Bert Haddock riding a 350cc AJS with Sidecar broke 2 Records at Brooklands Race Track

Thursday 13 August 1914

It was reported today that applications for Dispatch Riders at Fulham House in Putney exceeded vacancies by 2,000.


The Metropolitan police will require about 50 motorcyclists to act as mobile Special Constables in the London Area.

Wednesday 12 August 1914

Britain declared war on Austria Hungary today. There is a lot of talk of spys and a fear of invasion. The reality is that MI5 have rounded up all the Enemy agents after having been keeping an eye on a network operating with a chip shop as a base. Their work now would have to concentrate on checking for radio equipment.

In East Anglia many Territorial Army motorcyclists and cyclists were setting up check points and guarding key buildings housing telegraphs.

Tuesday 11 August 1914

Motorcycle riders of the Royal Flying Corps made their way to Southampton and then onwards to their bases. The planes were being flown over by their pilots.

Monday 10 September

Many motorcyclists have been asked to report to the port of Embarkation. One rider arrived in Southampton (now known as Port No1) to find the machinery of war being prepared for loading. The railways too, had been taken over and a pre-planned timetable meant that men horses, guns and stores could arrive at a port ant be quickly loaded.

Contemporary films show horses being reluctantly loaded onto wagons. It took up to 6 men to ease those horses onto the train whilst behind heavy guns were being craned onto the train.

Sunday 9 August 1914

In Chatham the motorcycles have now arrived and are being unpacked by the riders under training. One pens a letter to say how exciting it is to be able to choose his own brand new motorcycle.

Saturday 8 August 1914

It is all very exciting and large numbers of motorcyclists are still coming forward to volunteer as dispatch riders. Their chance to challenge themselves and their bikes against challenging roads. A free trip across the channel in the summer sunshine, help our boys give the bad guys a bloody nose and return home before Christmas. What an adventure.

Friday 7 August 1914

The first of the British Expeditionary Force land in France and begin to make their way to Belgium. Meanwhile in Chatham the first of the motorcyclists have arrived at the HQ of the Royal Engineers. They are given basic training and provided with Uniforms. 

Most had their own bikes which were now the property of the War Office. The riders will have received a nice little bonus of payment for their bikes, but none of them would last very long in the f
harsh conditions. Those without bikes would have to wait for a shipment to arrive to the Railway Station.