Information about the ISDT 1925 is rather sparse. The event started at Southampton before heading for the first time ever to Wales. We recently discovered that an article published in Motorsport was available online and we reproduce that article below. The auto magazine Motorsport has an immaculate online archive with every article in every issue since 1924 available to be read.

Photo – #57 on Middle Down Hill – first severe hill of the ACU Six Days Trial – ISDT 1925 ( Motorsport)

“NOTES ON THE A.C.U. INTERNATIONAL SIX DAYS’ TRIAL.

ALTHOUGH not a “sporting event” in the strict interpretation of the term, the International Six Days’ Trial calls for more than passing comment as being one of the most strenuous events organised up to the present time.

Eliminating the trade element, which naturally forms the greater part of the entries for such a trial as this, we find it becomes an ultra sporting event for private competitors, the severity of which may be judged by frequent remarks as to the danger of fixing the average speed at 20 m.p.h. In fact, for sheer continuous excitement nothing could have surpassed Tuesday’s run when, with practically no main roads upon which to make up time, the route went along narrow winding lanes, up and down alarming gradients to say nothing of other baulks in the shape of cattle, lorries and occasional steam rollers. The Solo riders were the more fortunate, for they always had the chance of turning into a hedge or ditch, but the lot of the sidecar drivers was often very hard and extremely cautious driving was the order of the day, which left little or no margin for maintaining the average speed.

Last Minute Alterations.

The Trial commenced from Andrews’ Garage, situated at Southampton Docks, which was perhaps just as well for some of the foreign competitors who decided to do a little more tuning before the actual start. The air was filled with the bark of the Villiers’ engines fitted to some of the German machines, and all the riders appeared to be very excited and anxious. When J. Herzogenrath arrived late with an O.E.C. Blackburne complete with open exhaust and no front stand, he soon discovered it would be necessary to do some very quick thinking in order to get ready for the start The night was a very busy one for the German team and after much telephoning the required parts arrived next morning in time to be fitted. Considering this rider knew no English at all, it is surprising how he managed to get through the first two days. He got absolutely lost at the top of King’s Settle, thinking be was much further on the course. It is to be recorded that he and all other Continental visitors rode throughout in a very sporting spirit, and the writer who had to pass and re-pass continually was always given plenty of road, even by Moldenhaver, who was handicapped by his right-handed sidecar. This Norwegian was riding a Harley-Davidson with a flexible sidecar, and though some efforts were made to discourage him to attempt Lynton, he was quite optimistic, but nevertheless his machine proved very difficult to handle in the rough. Of the eleven German entrants, six at least had retired by Tuesday, which was unfortunate, but, as their Press representative remarked: “We do not have such hills in our country.” That is to say, they choose easier courses for their trials. Other foreign entries of interest were the D-rad machines and the Neanders, both of German origin. The former were very well driven and only one was observed to fail their sturdy construction appearing to be ideal for the conditions of the course. A Viktoria sidecar, a Solo N.S.U. and a Gillet completed the German entries. Australia pinned its faith to the A.J .S. machines, the Dutchmen rode B.S.A.’s and the Norwegians had two Harley-Davidsons and an Indian Chief.

Photo – #36 Miss Cottle with her Raleigh [AU8497] and smile – ISDT 1925 ( Motorsport)

Monday’s run started off fairly mildly, nothing of any consequence being noticed until Middle Down Hill was reached. Here there was some first-class team work, the Panthers, James and-Royal Enfields going up in single file and only a yard or so apart.

The cloud of smoke raised by Himberg (Neander) was rather distressing to some of the early competitors, as it obscured the hairpin bend entirely for a while. King’s Settle Hill, a picturesque landmark crowned by Alfred’s Tower, proved the undoing of three competitors, and the next hill—a sharp rise out of Bruton village for 50 yards—meant a quick change into bottom gear if failure was to be avoided. After lunch at Shepton Mallet everyone had checked in except No. I, Bahr (Neander), who had crashed. Another crash was reported, but this turned out to be a non-competitor who had rammed an official car.

Photo – #96 W Carr ( Morgan does well on Draycott – ISDT 1925 ( Motorsport)

In the afternoon Draycott Hill proved a long and trying climb, the gradient of I in 5 combined with a vile surface accounting for many failures; none of the British machines failed, however, which was partly due to correct judgment in selecting the best ascent and skilfully avoiding the loose portions. Draycott proved an excellent test for the machines, as after some 30 miles running in intense heat, the engines had a stiff job in front of them.

Wedmore, the next climb, proved very deceptive, and though the percentage of bad failures was small, good driving was essential if the turn at the top was to be taken in correct style. At the summit a regrettable incident, when Bullus (Panther) unaccountably upset the veteran Raleigh rider, G. J. Hamer, of Holland. He was severely injured in the thigh, but first aid was immediately forthcoming from a nearby cottage. Tuesday’s run began in almost tropical heat and the entire day was spent in traversing endless lanes, grassgrown tracks, steep ascents and alarmingly sudden descents arranged in quick succession. In the morning the famous hills of the past were climbed and here failures were few and far between, Porlock, Lynton and Beggars’ Roost all seeming quite simple for modern engines when the surface is dry. The ascent of Dunkery Beacon, the top of which was veiled in mist, was long and tortuous, small gullies and large stones helping the gradient to call forth great skill.

A hundred cars and odd vehicles were assembled at Beggars’ Roost and an enthusiastic audience cheered again and again as the famous hill was conquered by most of the riders, but it was not until Tuesday afternoon that the real piece de resistance of the whole trial came into view. Rising approximately 800 ft. in about half a mile, completely bestrewn with small boulders, Fingle Bridge is undoubtedly an excellent test for the modem motor cycle. The bends and twists are so numerous as to cause one to lose count, all one’s attention being needed to manoeuvre one’s machine over the surface, which only compared with the rocky bed of some mountain stream.

Here some of the most experienced riders were seen to throw out a tentative leg and the banks were struck by several riders who bounced off large pieces of rock. When this happened there was little chance of recovering as frantic wheel spin ensued and the unfortunate riders would find it impossible to continue the climb. It is good to observe that the majority effected good ascents, the performance of Sibley, on the Rudge, deserving particular praise, for, in spite of one stop, he managed to reach the summit with plenty of revs., if not too much wheel adhesion.

Those who fancied Fingle Bridge to be the conclusion of the day’s entertainment were mistaken, for the course continued over miles of rough ground until the main road was eventually reached at Wellington. Near the latter place a Matchless sidecar collided with a lorry, thus blocking the lane, so that for a long period all the sidecars were delayed, thus causing them to be caught in a violent thunderstorm., which certainly had the effect of washing away some of the dust the riders had collected during the day. At the conclusion of the day’s run the absence of W. A. Bouette was discovered, and it appeared that he had crashed near South Molton.

On Wednesday the weather broke entirely and what should have been a delightful journey turned out as a” London-Exeter over the Welsh mountains. At the moment of going to press:the trial is still in progress.

Copies of the article as well las other information connected to British Motorsport History can be obtained here:

http://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/september-1925/24/notes-acu-international-six-days-trial

Locations in report

Middle Down Hill,
Kingsettle Hill, Brewham, Somerset
Beggars’ Roost, Lynton, Devon
Dunkery Beacon, Exmoor, Somerset
Fingle Bridge, Dartmoor, Devon

Beggar’s Roost in Lynton with a 1 in 3 gradient saw it often feature in vintage Motorcycle circles appeared on the London – Lands’ End Run classic trial and had a reputation similar to the Bwlch y Groes in Wales which saw it feature in a number of ACU Maudes Trophy record attempts.

Footage of motorcycles riding up Beggars Roost in the 1925 London – Lands’ End Trial can be seen on British Pathé’s web site view here

Nees reaches us a few days late that one of motorcycle sports greatest stars passed away on the 1st May 2015. Although famous as a road racer he made a significant impact in later years through his company which sold classic historical films of bikes as video and later DVD. There are many tributes in the motoring press which I will not be able to compete with in this mark of respect. Here however is a photo of the dapper Geoff Duke at the ISDT 1951 with British Trophy teamster Hugh Viney.

photo – Geoff Duke greets #205 Hugh Viney ISDT 1951 (Speedtracktales Collection)

Photo – Jack Leslie, George McIntosh, Geoff Duke, anon, W J Smith – from the Collection of the family of Jack Leslie (Courtesy Ian & Stuart Leslie)

This report of the Hill Cup Trial, a reliability trial organised by the Sale and District MCC was found in the December 1924 issue of ‘Motor Sport‘. There are no images available with this report. The event is quite an epic starting in South Manchester. The ‘Colonial Sections’ were public road where a low speed average was maintained due to frequency of other traffic) A number of riders appear mentioned here also featured in contemporary event reports.

“SALE & DISTRICT MOTOR CYCLE CLUB.

This Club’s Annual Hill Cup Trial was run off recently, in an interesting way, on lines which the Committee of the Club have found to be most generally acceptable to the average member. There were no checks on those portions of the route which ran along good main roads. There were some stiff hills to be observed and some short stretches of colonial section had to be traversed in order to reach them. Checks were instituted over the Colonial Section and hills only. The route led over Helsby Bluff and Glyn Ceiriog, and lunch was taken at Llangollen. After lunch Allt-y-Bady had to be negotiated and the run home from there was comparatively easy.

The start was made at 9.30 a.m. from the Sale Hotel. Out of 28 entries, 25 actually faced the starter. Helsby Bluff was the first observed Test Hill and up this one competitor failed altogether and four were penalised for foot assistance. It was at this point that J. B. Donaldson had the misfortune to lose his chance of retaining the cup, of which he himself was the holder, by putting his foot down in order to balance himself. The next hill, Glyn Ceiriog, caused little trouble. E. White (Dot J .A.P.) stopped owing to a faulty plug, and, as events turned out, this stoppage lost him the cup. It is of interest, and somewhat significant, perhaps, to note that all competitors were on time at the lunch check.

After lunch an immediate ascent of Allt-y-Bady was made. The hill was in very bad condition indeed, the surface being a mixture of boulders and grease. E. White (Dot J.A.P.) was the only competitor to make a clean ascent, although Dr. R.L Galloway (N. Scale and sidecar) had very hard lines indeed. No difficulty was encountered at Conquering Hero, the next hill, and subsequently the competitors had an opportunity of enjoying glorious scenery in the course of a sunny ride on the Llantysilio mountains. A clean and uneventful run home found 18 competitors at the finish.

Tribute should be paid to the careful organisation of the trial which, however, is rapidly becoming a recognised feature of events conducted under the auspices of this Club. One popular feature was the amount of the entry fee, which is 2s. bd., and this we understand is to be the standard amount for all future reliability trials conducted by this Club. In view of the almost total failure on Allt-y-Bady, no competitor qualified for an award, but the Trials Committee have made the following special awards :

P. G. Thomasson (398 A.B.C.), Hill Cup. He lost 20 marks.

A. R. Coiling (499 Triumph), who lost 21 marks, Gold Medal.

F. W. Hampson (348 A. J.S.), with a loss of 22 marks, Silver Medal,

Dr. R. L. Halloway (348 New Scale Bradshaw and sidecar), Bronze Medal, with a loss of 23 marks.

The next event to be organised by this Club is the New Year’s Day Main Road Reliability Trial. This was most successful indeed last year and attracted 50 entries. On the present occasion it is to be followed by a Social Evening at the Club Headquarters, Sale Hotel, and this is invariably the chief social function of the year.

The Hon. Secretary is Mr. E. C. Bramley, Landfield House, Hesketh Road, Ashton-on-Mersey.”

This report appeared in the December 1926 issue of ‘Motor Sport‘ of a Sporting and Classification Trial held by the Liverpool M.C in North Wales starting from Chester. This trial shows that the riders by even today’s standards rode for a considerable distance on machines that today many would be surprised to find out how versatile these machines were.

Photo – BSA S26 500cc 4.95Hp 1926 still going and ridden in VMCC Trials similar to the BSA ridden by J B Donaldson 1926

From the start in Chester competitors headed via popular unsurfaced roads that attracted motor trials to test the machines as much as the riders ability Heading to Llangollen and the Allt y Bady before Maes y Safn, which I think is the village of Maeshafn near Loggerheads where the hill into the village may have provided as much of a challenge as the notorious road still named ‘Trial Hill’ in near-by Cilcain. Riders then headed to Bala and onto Dolgellau with the return visit featuring the Bwlch y Groes before crossing the Conquering Hero which headed from Rhewl near Llangollen  heading towards Bryneglwys over Llantysilio Mountain and very popular with motorbike trials at the time. It is named after a now long closed pub called the Conquering Hero that lay outside of Rhewl by this old mountain road servicing the commons of Llantysilio Mountain

Photo – The Conquering Hero Inn (now a House) and Road (Google Streetview)

“Liverpool M.C.

There were 31 entries for the sporting trial run over a mixed course, consisting of” rough stuff” and main and secondary roads, starting at Chester. Only three riders failed to face the starter. Many competitors lost their chance of gold medals on Maes-y-Sain and Alt-y-Bady, and only eight clean climbs of the first-named hill were recorded ; the successful riders being C. H. Joynson (4.9 h.p. Norton and sidecar), H. Morten (4.9. h.p. P. and M.), E. Brook (5.5 h.p. Ariel), A. D. Elgar (3.46 h.p. Rudge-Whitworth), P. G. Thomason (4.94 h.p. Triumph), J. B. Donaldson (4.93 h.p. B.S.A.), Sgt. S. W. Sparkes (4.99 h.p. Rudge-Whitworth), and G. Edmunds (3.48 h.p. Raleigh). On Alt-y-Bady there were also eight clean climbs, E. F. Dackers (3.48 h.g. Raleigh) had a spill just outside Maes-y-Safn village, which caused him to retire with a buckled back wheel. His team mates S. Higson and G. Edmunds, sportingly retired in order to give him assistance. After lunch the course led along the shores of Bala Lake to Dolgelly, and back over Bwlch-y-Groes, which caused no trouble. Conquering Hero, although in a very wet condition, was climbed by all the remaining 20 competitors. The Classification trial, run over an easier course having the same start, lunch stop and finish, was divided into three sections, namely—expert, general and novice, and attracted 20 starters. There were three observed hills—Maes-v-sain (easier side), Bwlch-y-Groes and the Old Horse-Shoe Pass, Llangollen, only one of which claimed no failures. G. W. Prior (4.99 h.p. RudgeWhitworth and sidecar) failed on Bwlch-y-Groes, while L. A. Clarke (6.80 h.p. Zenith and sidecar) was baulked at the very foot by a non-competing car. He was allowed to stop while the car extricated itself from its difficulties. All the starters finished. Final results will be announced at a later date. Hon. secretary, L. H. Lumby, 10, Seaton Road, Wallasey.” Flt Sargeant S W Sparkes who is mentioned in this event report later took part in a successful record breaking attempt to ride a 3.5HP Rudge and sidecar around the world in 1927

Photo – Stanley T Glanfield and 3.5 hp Rudge

“On the 2nd July 1927, Stanley T. Glanfield along with Flight-Sergeant S. W. Sparkes set off from London with the aim or riding their 3.5hp Rudge motorcycles around the world in just 120 days. The journey would take them through 22 countries and cover 17,000 miles.  Sparkes had not been well, so he left for home from Bombay leaving Glanfield to finish the rest of the trip alone. Glanfield reached Calcutta on October 10th after covering 1,800 miles in Monsoon conditions in just 6 days. After being shipped to Australia he went from Darwin to Sydney covering 3,700 miles across the central Australian Desert – the first motorist ever to complete the journey alone. Once in America he crossed the continent in 13 days covering a further 3,700 miles, joining up again with Sparkes in London on March 4th 1928.“

A recent raid on eBay liberated an original ISDT 1927 programme and a story of the participants in the ISDT 1914 after the event was cancelled as it was due to start because of the declaration of WW1. Both items will be covered shortly in STT editorial.  

Finally got around to scanning the copy acquired of the ISDT 1927 official event programme  prepared by the ACU. We will post a link to an online edition available at our issu.com library of ISDT material shortly. The event was based in Ambleside in the English Lake District between the 15 and 20th August 1927. The six days saw the riders cover over 700 miles with some 219 hills steeper than 1 in 7 gradient. The programme includes organisers details, history of the ISDT, regulations, final instructions, route map with course details, entry list and teams

Future blogs on this material will include a “Mapping the ISDT feature”

Front Cover if the official ACU Programme ISDT 1927

Below is the list of riders in alphabetic order who had been entered. There is a separate list of riders in numerical order with team and bike details.

List of entrants in alphabetic order ISDT 1927

The programme tells us that the riders had to follow a course which featured 219 Hills which had a gradient greater than 1 in 7 and helpfully the programme provides a list. We would be pleased if anyone can share or point us to photos of those his either back then or now not seen in the existing magazine reports we have on the ISDT 1927

Index to hills steeper than 1 in 7 on the Keswick and Shap routes ISDT 1927

Index to hills steeper than 1 in 7 on the Bootle routes ISDT 1927

Bill Snelling, a living legend from the Isle of Man and the keeper of the history of the TT races as well as the ISDT on the island recently contacted me to say he was reducing his archive and was hoping Speedtracktales might be willing to take his collection of negatives for the ISDT events in the Isle of Man. Hardly unable to hold back my joy, I of course accepted and was told to wait for a package.

Photo – just part of the Bill Snelling collection of images from the Isle of Man ISDT events.

I was therefore amazed to find a large jiffy bag wrapped around a box the size of a shoe box full of 35m and medium format negatives and transparencies. Opening the box with enthusiasm I was amazed to see just how much material Bill had so generously passed onto us in order that we can prepare the images and add them as archive material to the site and indeed no one will be short of photos of riders and scenes from the many ISDT events in the Isle of Man when the work is completed.

Hopefully I can start this work shortly after a few more old magazines have been scanned but for now here is a very small taster.

Photo – scans of 35mm black and white negatives from the ISDT 1971

Having acquired an original copy of a 1927 Official Programme, we now have the route mapped out on Ordnance Survey base. In addition we also have the daily time schedule naming the stopping points and checks on the route. The pages also provided a listing of the hills steeper than 1 in 7 that the event encountered.

image – Course map ISDT 1927 (Speedtracktales Collection)

Daily Route Details

image – route table Monday ISDT 1927 (Speedtracktales Collection)

image – route table Tuesday ISDT 1927 (Speedtracktales Collection)

image – route table Wednesday ISDT 1927 (Speedtracktales Collection)

image – route table Thursday ISDT 1927 (Speedtracktales Collection)

image – route table Friday ISDT 1927 (Speedtracktales Collection)

Index to hills steeper than 1 in 7 on the Keswick and Shap routes ISDT 1927 (Speedtracktales Collection)

Index to hills steeper than 1 in 7 on the Bootle routes ISDT 1927 (Speedtracktales Collection)

I am grateful for the recent contact from a new reader to ask about persons appearing on a list of Autographs he had acquired that was signed during the ISDT 1928 in Harrogate. I am grateful for the further generosity in sending and allowing us to publish the image and would welcome anyone’s help in putting names to the undecipherable ones. I have endeavoured to put a name to each, although hard to read, the missing ones may be sidecar passengers not listed in the programme which can be checked here.

The owner of the document has indicated a willingness to sell this to any ISDT collectors and if anyone is interested let me know and I will pass your details on.

image – event autographs p1 ISDT 1928

image – event autographs p2 ISDT 1928

1 – Gustav Gothe, Sweden – #8 Husqvarna 245

2 – A Paster, Munich, Germany – #10 Zundapp 247

3 – H Van der Veen, Holland – #30 AJS 349

4 – Albert Reinhardt, Denmark – #89 Rudge Whitworth 499

5 – Marjorie Cottle, Great Britain – #26 Raleigh 348

6

7 – Louse McLean, Great Britain – #46 Douglas 348

8 – PHL Lamberts Hurrelbrinck, Holland – #54 BSA 493

9 – PG Nortier, Holland – #55 Sunbeam

10 – A Olsen, Denmark – #62 Rudge Whitworth 499

11 – RB Clark, Belgium – #61 Gillet 498

12 – C Weichelt, Germany – #85 D-Rad 493

13 – Herbert Adam, Germany – #79 BMW 494

14

15 – CJ van Marle, Holland – #67 Lady 490

16 – J M Valgaard, Denmark, – #81 Rudge Whitworth 499

17 – n/a – see 16

18 – A P Hammersveld, Holland – #93 Rudge Whitworth 499

19

20

21

22 – Edyth Foley, Great Britain – #86 Triumph 494

23 – M Polster, Germany – #88 D-Rad 493

24 – F Ischinger, Germany – #91 D-Rad 493

25 – B Malmberg, Sweden – #108 Husqvarna 490

From my early days riding in events, Dot and Jim Jones have always been an important part of the UK enduro scene both as riders, helpers and often importers of motorbikes most notably Moto Gori.

Dot and Jim who were responsible for organising the ISDT centenary Rally held in 2013 in Carlisle to celebrate the 100 years since the first ISDT have attended many ISDT events and are most familiar to UK team riders for their support to British National and Club team riders. Dot gathered a lot of unique material she had collected and recently produced a movie of her experiences at the ISDT 1975, which held in the Isle of Man. In addition to a lot of home movie footage Dot has added a very informative commentary detailing the background to the event, the persons involved in running it and other details of many of the local riders I knew as a youth around the North Wales and Merseyside area. Hopefully Dot will make more of her memories of the event available for the world community of ISDT fans

Filmed and produced for Penton Motorcycles this interesting Pro movie shows the changing nature of the ISDT as well as the technology that was being developed.

The below 2 videos were produced by Penton covering their riders involvement in the ISDT 1974

1 of 2

2 of 2

more videos like this can be seen on the ISDT Tube video collection

Thanks to the marvellous resource of Google Books I have been able to find the Nov 1971 issue of the American Motorcycle Associations AMA News which includes a 20 odd page report on the ISDT 1971 written by US motorcycle journalist Ed Youngblood, giving as good a history of the Isle as a report on the racing.

Image – cover Nov 1971 AMA news with review ISDT 1971

View the article in full over at Google books

Image – map day 1 route ISDT 1971

Image – map day 2 route ISDT 1971

Image – map day 3 route ISDT 1971

Image – map day 4 route ISDT 1971

Image – road scene from the ISDT 1971

image – #184 Dave Cutler Ossa, of the USA cleans his rear wheel during the noon check at Douglas ISDT 1971

Image – Penton Motorcycles advert announcing successes winning medals ISDT 1971

image – Dave Latham of the USA stops on a bridge to size up his way across a bog on the lower slops of Snaefell that eliminated many riders ISDT 1971

Tomas Melander bought this Monark 125 in 1974 and promptly parked it hence its exceptional condition. Who would not want a gem like this.

photo – RH front view of Tomas Melander’s unused 1974 Monark GS125 ISDT (Courtesy vintagemonark.com)

photo – LH front view of Tomas Melander’s unused 1974 Monark GS125 ISDT (Courtesy vintagemonark.com)

photo – RH rear view of Tomas Melander’s unused 1974 Monark GS125 ISDT (Courtesy vintagemonark.com)

photo – LH rear view of Tomas Melander’s unused 1974 Monark GS125 ISDT (Courtesy vintagemonark.com)

photo – Engine detail of Tomas Melander’s unused 1974 Monark GS125 ISDT (Courtesy vintagemonark.com)

These images are part of a 1000 image library of ISDT images from the 1952 ISDT held in Austria taken by Artur Fenzlau and were the photos featuring the British entrants both Factory, Military and privateer teams. Please enjoy….

57 Olga V Kevelos, Birmingham. Parilla 150 (entered as Italian) abandoned day 2

photo – #57 Olga V Kevelos Barilla 100 at the start venue ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #57 Olga V Kevelos Barilla 100 with the Italian team manager ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

104 George L Buck, Wedesbury, Staffs. Royal Enfield Sidecar 498cc – Team Nottingham Tornado MC – Abandoned Day 2

photo – #104 George Buck Royal Enfield 498 [KOL862] Großglockner pass ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #104 George Buck Royal Enfield S/car 498cc [KOL 862] ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #104 George Buck Royal Enfield S/car 498cc [KOL 862] ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #104 George Buck Royal Enfield S/car 498cc [KOL 862] ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #112 Reg Wagger BSA 646cc S/car ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

116 RH Tayler Royal Enfield 698cc S/car – Abandoned Day 3

photo – #116 R H Tayler works Royal Enfield 698cc S/car in start area ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #123 A Schutt, Francis Barnett [MHP649] at machine sealing ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #125 JW Morris DMW 197 [KAB 882] with German rider #31 AGW Hofmann Wilhelm NSA-Fox 1123 at checkpoint ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #125 JW Morris DMW 197 [KAB 882] with Swedish rider #126 Gösta Nyberg NV 244 at start ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #125 JW Morris DMW 197 [KAB 882] at acceleration test ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #132 AW Glassbrook DMW 197 on lakeside track ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

183 CM Ray. works Ariel 498cc Teams – British Trophy, Ariel Factory – Gold Medal

photo – #183 CM Ray Ariel 493cc [MOL 3] preparing for scrutineering ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #183 CM Ray Ariel 493cc [MOL 3] with German rider #184 Harald Oelerich Horex 342cc at start line ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #183 CM Ray Ariel 493cc [MOL 3] ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #183 CM Ray Ariel 493cc [MOL 3] at final day speed test ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #183 CM Ray Ariel 493cc [MOL 3] at final day speed test ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

191 Capt DC Ormond works BSA Gold Star 498cc Army MCA – Teams British Army Team 2 – Silver medal

photo – #191 Capt DC Osmond works BSA 498cc [99BD75] with Dutch rider #192 JM Timmers BSA 348cc at start line ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #193 Fred Rist BSA 497cc [MOL 301] fuels up at scrutineering ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #193 Fred Rist BSA 497cc [MOL 301] at checkpoint ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #193 Fred Rist BSA 497cc [MOL 301] on course ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #193 Fred Rist BSA 497cc [MOL 301] at start line ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – BSA Factory entered #193 Fred Rist BSA 497 [MOL301] #202 BW Martin BSA 497 [MOL302], #209 Norman E Vanhouse BSA 497 [MOL303] at the speed test ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #195 HL Williams Norton 497cc [LOL 474] on Großglockner Pass ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #195 HL Williams Norton 497cc [LOL 474] on course ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #195 HL Williams Norton 497cc [LOL 474] on course ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #195 HL Williams Norton 497cc [LOL 474] at checkpoint ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #195 HL Williams Norton 497cc [LOL 474] acceleration test ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #197 Molly Briggs Triumph 498 [DRC 123] preparing for scrutineering ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #197 Molly Briggs Triumph 498 [DRC 123] preparing for scrutineering ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #197 Molly Briggs Triumph 498 [DRC 123] at a checkpoint ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #197 Molly Briggs Triumph 498 [DRC 123] on course ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #197 Molly Briggs Triumph 498 [DRC 123] on course ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #197 Molly Briggs Triumph 498 [DRC 123] preparing for start ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #197 Molly Briggs Triumph 498 [DRC 123] preparing for start ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #197 Molly Briggs Triumph 498 [DRC 123] preparing for start with #201 Hans Ring BMW 490cc of Sweden ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #197 Molly Briggs Triumph 498 [DRC 123] on course ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #197 Molly Briggs Triumph 498 [DRC 123] on course ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #197 Molly Briggs Triumph 498 [DRC 123] in speed test ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #197 Molly Briggs Triumph 498 [DRC 123] acceleration test ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #202 BW Martin BSA 497cc [MOL 302] at the start ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #202 BW Martin BSA 497cc [MOL 302] on course ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #202 BW Martin BSA 497cc [MOL 302] on course ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #202 BW Martin BSA 497cc [MOL 302] on course ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #206 DS Evans Royal Enfield 496cc on course ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #206 DS Evans Royal Enfield 496cc with #211 Fus H Nield BSA 498cc at start ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

also in above picture #212 Josef Praisler Jawa 350 #214 Wladimir Sedina Jawa 350

photo – #206 DS Evans Royal Enfield 496cc with #209 Norman E Vanhouse BSA 497cc [MOL 303] at start ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

208 JE Breffitt factory Norton 497 cc – Team Norton Factory – Gold Medal

photo – #208 JE Breffitt [LON 3] at event start ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #208 JE Breffitt [LON 3] on course ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #208 JE Breffitt [LON 3] with#227 Capt WE Dow BSA 499 #261 Capt DG Miles BSA 499 ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #208 JE Breffitt [LON 3] at event start ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

209 Norman E Vanhouse works Norton 497. – Team Birmingham MCC – Gold Medal

photo – #209 Norman E Vanhouse [MOL 303] on course ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #209 Norman E Vanhouse [MOL 303] speed test ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #209 Norman E Vanhouse [MOL 303] on course ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #211 Fus. H Nield BSA 498cc on course ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

213 SB Mann works Matchless 498,Teams British Trophy, Associated Motorcycles Factory, Abandoned day 2

photo – #213 SB Manns works Matchless 498 on course ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

215 Johnny V Brittain, works Royal Enfield 496, – Teams Silver Vase ‘B’, Royal Enfield – Abandoned Day 6

photo – #215 JV Brittain, works Royal Enfield 496 [KAB 547] waiting for scrutineering ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #215 JV Brittain, works Royal Enfield 496 [KAB 547] on course ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #215 JV Brittain, works Royal Enfield 496 [KAB 547] with #218 William E Lamming BSA 495 Holland at start ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #215 JV Brittain, works Royal Enfield 496 [KAB 547] on course ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #217 L. Cpl. JSM Bray works 498 BSA [99BD74] with #71 KL Westphal Maico 173 of Germany #72 Sergio Maspes MV 150 of Italy #218 William E Lamming BSA 498 of Holland at checkpoint ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #219 Ted Usher, Works AJS 498 [MGO 519] #222 Sgt FW Gamwell works BSA 498 [99BD76] & #220 Rudolf Nostrum works Royal Enfield 498 of Sweden at start ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #219 Ted Usher, Works AJS 498 [MGO 519] on course ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #219 Ted Usher, Works AJS 498 [MGO 519] on course ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #221 G Parsons works Ariel 498cc on Großglockner Pass ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

222 Sgt FW Gamwell, works BSA 498 – Abandoned Day 3

photo – #222 Sgt FW Gamwell [99BD76] on course ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #222 Sgt FW Gamwell [99BD76] & #226 PF Hammond Triumph 498 on course ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #224 JR Helden Triumph 498 [DFK 243] #220 Rudolf Nyström Royal Enfield 498 Sweden #223 Hans Meier BMW 390 Germany #225 Erwin Studer Jawa 350 Swiss #226 PF Hammond Triumph 498 #230 FE Lines Triumph 498 at start line ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #224 JR Hebden Triumph 498 [DFK 243] on course ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #224 JR Hebden Triumph 498 [DFK 243] on course ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #226 PF Hammond Triumph 498 on course ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

227 Captain W Eddie Dow, – Team British Army Team I – Gold medal

photo – #227 Captain W Eddie Dow BSA 498cc [99BD72] with #175 Georg Dürschinger Triumph 248cc of Germany at checkpoint ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #227 Captain Eddie Dow BSA Gold Star 500 [99BD72] on course ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #227 W Eddie Dow works BSA [99BD72] #243 Sgt RA Rhodes works BSA Gold Star 498 [99BD73] #261 Capt DG Miles BSA Gold Star 498 #212 Josef Praisler works Jawa 250 #225 Erwin Studer Jawa 350 #230 FE Lines Triumph 498 speed test ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

229 R Clayton, Orrell Matchless 498cc, – Teams Silver Vase ‘A’ team – Abandoned day 4

photo – #229 R Clayton, Matchless 498 with #231 JL Flinterman BSA 499 from Holland on course ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

JL Flinterman  was a member of the Dutch Silver Vase ‘B’ team. He completed the six days and had a finishers award

photo – #229 R Clayton, Matchless 498 on Großglockner Pass ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

230 FE Lines, Triumph 498cc – Gold medal

photo – #230 FE Lines, Triumph 498 [SMM 807] with #173 Karl Finkenzeller DKW 250 Germany at checkpoint ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #230 FE Lines, Triumph 498 [SMM 807] on course ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #233 BHM Viney works AJS 498 [MGO 518] Großglockner Pass ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #233 BHM Viney works AJS 498 [MGO 518] at Start ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #233 BHM Viney works AJS 498 [MGO 518] at start ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #233 BHM Viney works AJS 498 [MGO 518] on course ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #236 PJ Mellers Ariel 498 & #239 Hans Roth BMW 590cc ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #236 PJ Mellers Ariel 498 Großglockner Pass ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

238 Johnny Giles Works Triumph 498. – Teams Triumph factory – Silver medal

photo – #238 Johnny Giles Triumph 498 [MNX 62] #233 BHM Viney AJS 498 [MGO 518] #237 Walter Hurni Horex 350 at the start ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #238 Johnny Giles Triumph 498 [MNX 62] Großglockner Pass ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #238 Johnny Giles Triumph [MNX 62] on course ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #238 Johnny Giles Triumph [MNX 62] on course ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #240 Sgt E Rowthorn works BSA Gold Star 498cc ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

242 PH ‘Jim’ Alves works Triumph Trophy 649cc – Teams GB Trophy Team, Triumph factory – Abandoned day 5

photo – #242 PH Alves works Triumph 649 [MNX 64] at start ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #242 PH Alves works Triumph 649 [MNX 64] on course ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #242 PH Alves works Triumph 649 [MNX 64] #239 Hans Roth BMW 590 on course ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #242 PH Alves works Triumph 649cc [MNX 64] #240 Sgt DG Rowthorn BSA Gold Star 498cc on course ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #242 PH Alves works Triumph 649cc [MNX 64] #240 Sgt DG Rowthorn BSA Gold Star 498cc on course ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #243 Sgt RA Rhodes works BSA Gold Star 500 [99BD73] along side #244 Zel’er Walter of Germany with his Works BMW 390cc ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #243 Sgt RA Rhodes works BSA Gold Star 500 [99BD73] location ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #243 Sgt RA Rhodes works BSA Gold Star 500 [99BD73] location ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #247 Sgt. V Monk works BSA Gold Star 500cc – Großglockner Pass ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

249 Geoffrey A Barker, BSA Gold Star 498cc, – Silver medal

photo – #249 Geoffrey Barker BSA 498 [MVR 819] Großglockner Pass ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #249 Geoffrey Barker BSA 498 [MVR 819] #250 Fred Bracher Jawa 350 Swiss #253 SE Cunningham AJS 498cc #248 Wolfgang Denzel BMW 600cc Austria #254 FJ Vos Matchless 500 Holland at the start ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

251 W Jack Stocker, Royal Enfield 692cc

photo – #251 Jack Stocker Royal Enfield 692 [VIP 416] preparing for scrutineering ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #251 Jack Stocker Royal Enfield 692 [VIP 416] #253 SE Cunningham AJS 498 [HOY 197] #254 FJ Vos Matchless 500 Holland #255 Eric Wilson BSA 499 at the start ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #251 Jack Stocker Royal Enfield 692 [VIP 416] on course ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #251 Jack Stocker Royal Enfield 692 [VIP 416] on course ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #251 Jack Stocker Royal Enfield 692 [VIP 416] on course ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #251 Jack Stocker Royal Enfield 692 [VIP 416] on course ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #251 Jack Stocker Royal Enfield 692 [VIP 416] speed test ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #253 SE Cunningham AJS 498cc [HOY 197] #246 Willi Flockiger Condor 348 Swiss #248 Wolfgang Denzel BMW 600 Austria at start line ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #253 SE Cunningham AJS 498cc [HOY 197] Großglockner pass ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #257 PGK Baldwin Ariel 499 [Reg] Großglockner ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #258 TU Ellis BSA 499 [MOK 752] preparing for scrutineering ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #258 TU Ellis BSA 499 [MOK 752] #250 Fred Bracher Jawa 350 Swiss, #256 James Fornerod Jawa 350cc Swiss preparing for scrutineering ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #258 TU Ellis BSA 499 [MOK 752] on course ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #258 TU Ellis BSA 499 [MOK 752] on course ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #258 TU Ellis BSA 499 [MOK 752] on course ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #258 TU Ellis BSA 499 [MOK 752] on course ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #259 DS Tye works BSA Gold Star 490 [MOK 751] at scrutineering ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #259 DS Tye works BSA Gold Star 490 [MOK 751] start ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #259 DS Tye works BSA Gold Star 490 [MOK 751] on course ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #259 DS Tye works BSA Gold Star 490 [MOK 751] speed test ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #259 DS Tye works BSA Gold Star 490 [MOK 751] speed test ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #259 DS Tye works BSA Gold Star 490 [MOK 751] speed test ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #261 Cape DG Miles BSA 499 #262 David J Redmore Triumph 498 Großglockner pass ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #261 Cape DG Miles BSA 499 #262 David J Redmore Triumph 498 on course ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #261 Cape DG Miles BSA 499 #262 David J Redmore Triumph 498 on course ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

262 David J Redmore Waatsville, Crossleys Triumph 498 – team MCC of Wales  – Silver medal

photo – #262 David J Redmore Triumph 498 [FUH 705] #254 FJ Vos Matchless 500 checkpoint ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – #262 David J Redmore Triumph 498 [FUH 705] on course ISDT 1952 (© Artur Fenzlau/Technisches Museum Wien)

photo – embroidered Dispatch Rider uniform badge

Another annual article leaves the ISDT to remember the incredible sacrifice made by so many to help stop a tyranny that would have changed the world as we know it now with many innocent people being exterminated because they did not fit into the ideal of a Fascist Empire in the making that was stopped dead in its tracks by the will of common men. I include two articles from the press this year covering the story of surviving DR’s Australian signaller and DR Bob Anson and British DR George Brown and here’s hoping they are with us for many years to come

“When I originally joined the Army,”Anson says, “I’d been a cattle drover in Bourke. We were trained at Ingleburn, NSW. As I’d been a horseman I was told to learn to ride a motor bike to get around as a signaller,” Anson says.

In the Australian ‘Newcastle Herald‘ on the 15th June 2015 Mike Scanlon reported on surviving Australian Bob Anson

PEOPLE say Bob Anson would joke that one day he’d get the 9mm German bullet embedded in his side removed to hang it on a necklace. He never did, so his potentially fatal lead souvenir is still lodged beneath ribs on the left hand side of his body.

Photo – Bob Anson as a Dispatch Rider in Syria in 1952 on a 1939 Norton. (Newcastle Herald)

Being wounded in wartime is only part of what he calls a long, fortunate life. Others who know him would call it an extraordinary life, especially as he’s now almost 99 years old with a crystal clear memory of times past. Actually, he managed to survive being shot twice in World War II. And both bullets he copped were on desert duty at El Alamein. Although now partially sighted and deaf in one ear, he remains a great bloke, cheery, optimistic and quietly cheeky. He was also fiercely independent until about a year ago when he was hospitalised after breaking his hip (for the second time) when a car ran over him backing out of a space.

The modest, remarkable WWII veteran from Raymond Terrace is one of a fast disappearing breed. He served once with Australia’s legendary “Rats of Tobruk” in North Africa. It was they in 1941 who withstood the might of the formidable Afrika Korps led by Hitler’s greatest general Erwin Rommel, a tactical genius better known as the “Desert Fox”.

The term “Rats” was supposed to be a great insult from the Germans, but the Aussie troops adopted it as a badge of pride because more than 15,000 Australian troops repelled repeated attacks in the desert heat at Tobruk, in Libya, by land and air. The port siege lasted for eight long months and the stubbornness of the harbour defenders shattered the myth of Rommel’s invincibility.

“There’s only supposed to be 16 of us Rats left in NSW now and only four in Queensland. The NSW Rats of Tobruk Association only closed in April,” Anson says. Like most returned servicemen, when he talks of his war experiences, it’s usually about mateship and poking fun at authority, rather than grim memories.

Besides the discomfort, dust storms and danger with German artillery shells pounding them and bullets whizzing about, one lasting Tobruk memory is of patrolling with Polish signallers far outside the barbed wire perimeter.

“I was a signal linesman [with the 2/17th Battalion AIF] so I’d creep out with them to cut German telephone wires way behind the enemy lines at night. It was scary. But the Poles spoke German well and they’d tap in on the enemy phone lines for a bit of fun and to create confusion and trouble,” he says.

“Sadly, not many of these wonderful blokes survived the war. I think they were knocked over, wiped out at Monte Cassino in Italy, in 1944.

“And I must tell you this. A few years ago I was given three [bravery] medals by the Polish government for working with their Tobruk soldiers,” he says with a grin.

“I was at a Rats Association dinner when this woman kept asking what this particular Polish medal was for. It was written up in Polish, you see. So I said the medal was for ‘teaching a platoon of Polish signallers how to sing Along the Road to Gundagai.’ That didn’t go over too good with her.”

Photo – Dispatch Rider Bob Anson in Syria 1942 on 1939 Norton. (Newcastle Herald)

Besides repairing vital telephone cables between the frontline and his battalion headquarters, especially during the fierce Easter 1941 desert battle, Anson was earlier “volunteered” to become one of four battalions’ dispatch riders. Riding a “boneshaker” old Norton motorbike, he was soon the only survivor delivering messages. It was hazardous work, especially earlier during the chaotic Allied retreat into Tobruk when the convoys were bombed and strafed by the Luftwaffe.

“Another time later, riding on the coastal plain, this Messerschmitt fighter attacked. There was a burst of bullets alongside me. I went to ground straight away, tossing the bike. This blooming German pilot then came back. I was lying on top of my bike by then.

“By crikey, this is going to be the end, I thought. As he passed me I could have almost reached out and grabbed him. He was so low I wondered he wasn’t shot down. Anyway, he pulled back his canopy, stuck his head out and he waved, waved at me. To a great extent the war in Africa against the Germans was a gentlemen’s war,” Anson says.

“I also remember a road junction outside Tobruk called Kings Cross. Every night there’d be lots of fireworks, a real bright light and sound show, boom boom, as our anti-aircraft guns fired at the incoming enemy bombers and Stukas.

“A friend of mine in Tobruk always used to greet you coming in off patrol. But instead of using the password – like hullabaloo – he would yell, even at officers, ‘Who goes there you ‘orrible bastard?’ So, ‘Advance, you horrible B’ became our password.

“And you know where he came from? It took me a long, long time to find out. A place called Yow Yow. ‘Where the hell’s that,’ we asked. It was ‘a place on the Hawkesbury’, he said. Years later coming down by train from Brisbane with my wife I saw the Woy Woy station sign. That’s when I knew.

“My 2/17 Battalion was the second-last battalion out of Tobruk. It scared the hell out of me. We were taken out on barges to the destroyer HMS Kingston with enemy Stukas in action overhead,” he says.

“And where did they put me and others? Right up in the ship’s prow open to attack as it rocked from side to side to avoid bullets and bombs. You’d slide. I hung onto a rope for dear life. It was the nearest I ever had to being absolutely terrified. The siege was still on, but we were being pulled out.

“We escaped safely. That same British ship, though, went back next afternoon to get more soldiers, was bombed and went to the bottom!”

Later, when Anson’s 9th Division was making another stand at El Alamein, a burst of machine gun fire 50 metres away wounded him. He was fortunate.

“My company commander was killed right next to me while relaying a message on my wireless,” he says.

Anson’s other lasting memory of El Alamein was watching 800 New Zealand Maori reinforcements perform the haka before fixing bayonets to go into action against their German foe.

“Watching them, well, the hairs on our necks stood up. I said then, ‘Jeez, I’d hate to be on the end of that charge’,” Anson says.

After Tobruk, his 2/17th Battalion went into Syria where dispatch rider Anson somehow rode his bike over a high cliff on a winding mountain road.

“I was lucky. I broke my hip. I ended up in the branches of a tree about 20 feet down. If I hadn’t, I’d have gone down 600 feet. I was rescued, but I’d lost the bike.”

Then in 1973, long after the war, Anson briefly passed through the German city of Koblenz as a tourist. Here, at an inn, he met a German speaking perfect English. He thought initially he was an Oxford don.

“He’d heard our group talking and said he’d also been fighting at Tobruk. He even said, “You are right in the middle of Rommel country here’.

“And then he added, ‘For eight months you [Allies] were trying to get out of Tobruk while we Germans were trying to get in.”

“When I originally joined the Army,”Anson says, “I’d been a cattle drover in Bourke. We were trained at Ingleburn, NSW. As I’d been a horseman I was told to learn to ride a motor bike to get around as a signaller,” Anson says.

In 1943, his 9th Division came back to Australia to retrain in jungle warfare and he ended up under fire in New Guinea – “a cow of a place” – for a year. He again carried a signal radio on his back while trying to avoid Japanese snipers.

Sick with dengue fever, Anson missed the Borneo Campaign in 1945 and left the army a year later at war’s end.

“I’ve been lucky in my lifetime. People often ask me what I did after World War II,” Anson says.

He married and joined the Department of Primary Industry (DPI) in 1956 after working as a wool classer and property manager in western Queensland. He retired as a senior DPI official in August 1980.

Anson joined the Rats of Tobruk Association in Queensland in 1947, but his presence has largely gone off the radar in NSW, until recently, despite his involvement with Legacy and counselling Vietnam veterans.

“Now, don’t make much of my tales, will you. I wasn’t a hero,” Anson says at the end of the interview.

A RECENT Department of Veteran Affairs letter describes him as a man of sound character whose integrity could not be challenged; one who’d made the most of his life despite disappointments and difficulties resettling into civilian life.

Some people then feared widower Bob Anson might have finally cashed in his chips when run over by a car about a year ago

That wasn’t the case, although he was unconscious until he later woke up in a John Hunter Hospital bed. Awaking, he found two doctors with Scottish accents bending over him, talking, inspecting his broken hip.

“He’s a tough old bird, all right,” Anson remembers overhearing.

Always one to stir the possum if he can get away with it, Anson then innocently asked: “So, what part of England are you both from?”

“We’re Scottish!” they both declared in an annoyed tone.

The following article by David Jarvis was published in the Daily Mirror 4 May 2015 and features surviving Second World War Dispatch Rider George Brown.

Photo – George Brown once Army dispatch rider and still keen on two wheels but these days it a cycle.

One of our last surviving Second World War dispatch riders is still in the saddle – 70 years after the conflict ended.

And while George Brown, 93, has swapped his Army BSA M20 for a pushbike, the war hero now cycles 40 miles a day. George dodged German snipers and bombs to deliver secret files and medical supplies to frontline troops in wartime France and Belgium. 

Recalling the terror of falling V1 rockets, he said: “It’s when that drone stopped that you had to worry.

“It meant the engine on the rocket had cut out and it was coming down on your head or somewhere near.

“I’ve lost count of the times I listened to that drone, praying it kept going, and the number of times I leapt for cover.”

The motorbike fan joined the Royal Corps of Signals as a dispatch rider at 19 in 1941 and was part of D-Day landings in France. George believes he is the last of his rider comrades after an appeal by bike company Royal Enfield, ahead of VE Day this Friday.
Of the other risks he faced, he said: “It wasn’t unheard of for riders to fall down a shell hole and go missing for a few days.”

George, who has a daughter and three grandchildren with wife Thelma, 75, now sticks to cycling country lanes at home near Horsham, West Sussex. He said: “I absolutely love it. It keeps me young and fit.”
He received four medals for his service, including the France and Germany Star.

George was one of the many pre war motorcycle enthusiasts who when faced with the cal up for war was willing to offer his skills riding a motorbike to ensure the important work of Dispatch Riders was carried out. The role was very dangerous a speeding motorcyclist was an easy target for a sniper and it was impossible to spot or duck a sniper’s fire. Fatality rates for DR’s at the front were high.

All nations had Dispatch riders and many prior to the war had competed in reliability trials and some the ISDT where riders who made friendships and fought out sports rivalries during the six day event may have served on opposing forces when War broke out.

Here are some images of wartime Dispatch Riders who we salute, those who survived the experience and especially those who did not

Dispatch Riders

Photo – Desert DR on Norton WW2

Photo – DR working on bike WW2

Photo – US and British DR’s meet WW2

Photo – Canadian DR WW2

Photo – British DR’s in Europe after liberation WW2

Photo – British soldier and MP on motorbike greeting American Soldiers WW2

Photo – German Dispatch riders at Stalingrad WW2

Photo – German DR on captured BSA M20 WW2

The thrill of classic six day machines is catching and so the FIM have for 2016 decided to hold an inaugural vintage trophy event for Enduro.

Photo of classic ‘Welsh’ going as motorcyclists #145 Sid Moran of Ireland’s ‘B’ Vase team on a Matchless 498cc [DYF 83] & #149 Ludwig Patina of Germany on BMW 494cc cross the fords on Wednesday on the Abergwesyn to Tregaron road in ISDT 1937

http://www.fim-live.com/en/sport/sport/fim-enduro-vintage-trophee/

I am often greatly indebted to Brian Catt who not only feeds me first hand memories of the great ISDT events in the 60’s and 70’s because…. ‘he was there’. His personal ISDT and Enduro knowledge is almost as vast as his library of photos and books. I was therefore very grateful when he passed me copies of the road time sheets for each day of this event along with the schedule options. I am sure these will prove to be very helpful to some readers.

Image – Page 1 Day 1 Road times and Schedule ISDT 1968

These sheets set out the distances times and type of checks and where the feeling stops would be. The two columns on the extreme right gave optional schedules for the time for riders which would be set in the morning in accordance with prevailing weather and ground conditions.

Image – Page 2 Day 1 Road times and Schedule with route profile ISDT 1968

Image – Page 1 Day 2 Road times and Schedule ISDT 1968

Image – Page 2 Day 2 Road times and Schedule with route profile ISDT 1968

Image – Page 1 Day 3 Road times and Schedule ISDT 1968

Image – Page 2 Day 3 Road times and Schedule with route profile ISDT 1968

Image – Page 1 Day 4 Road times and Schedule ISDT 1968

Image – Page 2 Day 4 Road times and Schedule with route profile ISDT 1968

Image – Page 1 Day 5 Road times and Schedule ISDT 1968

Image – Page 2 Day 5 Road times and Schedule with route profile ISDT 1968

Photo – South Liverpool Cup Trial start at Loggerheads Inn 1938 (courtesy SLMCC)

In the distance are the famous cliffs at Loggerheads, at that time a Tea Garden owned by Crosville Coaches who ran regular trips from Liverpool. The Tea Gardens featured in pre war ISDT event in Wales where they were the most northerly point and served as the venue for lunch stops. The petrol pumps have long gone and there is still a petrol garage in Loggerheads despite their demise in many areas of rural Wales.

Thanks to al those who made the trip to these web pages in 2015 and also contributed material and comments to the work so far. Although the stats show a lot of readers across the world out there, it is very nice when we get comment, feedback and corrections to show our audience is active.

Thanks to the generosity earlier this year of Brian Catt who started scanning his collection of ISDT programmes, here are the first three that have been uploaded to our online library at issue.com

Image – scanned cover Official Programme of ISDT 1969 (Greenwood Family Collection)

Link to browse 1969 programme at Speedtracktales ISDT programme library at issue.com. Sorry we can no longer embed ‘flash’ files in wordpress.com

Image – scanned cover Official Programme of ISDT 1968 (Greenwood Family Collection)

Link to browse ISDT 1968 programme at Speedtracktales ISDT programme library at issue.com

Unfortunately this programme has not been reproduced form a full data set

image – official programme cover 42nd ISDT 17 – 22 September 1967 Zakopane, Poland ( Courtesy Brian Catt)

Link to browse ISDT 1967 programame at Speedtracktales ISDT programme library at issue.com

I’ve been lagging with a number of articles needing posting but here I’ve now put up a short article on the ISDT 1953 winning 498cc AJS ridden by Hugh Viney which turned up in auction in 2015 after its long term owner passed away.

Photo – Works AJS 498 of Hugh Viney ISDT 1953 (Courtesy Bonhams)

read the article here in our Folk’s and Motors section