"Cycles" of WarTime
 

http://bcoy1cpb.pacdat.net/bsa_historic.htm

Gee...I find the most amazing things by surfing :)
.....posted this in case anyone might be interested.Its afairly new site folks may not know about, that I just "happened" upon. "I" thot it pretty cool because Inever knew they used cycles til I saw photos of D-Day landings.

Bicycles Used in Wartime
 

Hi Kartman (and other viewers),

I've been looking for something like this since your post. It's out of a 1969 Airfix Modellers magazine and depicts a Standard Army cycle showing equipment for a cyclist battalion trooper. And at the right the trooper's equipment. This is 1914-18 era and is British Army.

I'm also posting another image on the Carrier forum that depicts Bren Gun Carriers and cyclists.

Thought you might be interested.

Bob

The following information is taken from Handbook on Military Bicycles. 1911 (reprinted with amendments 1914)

part II Description of Military Bicycle.

14. The earliest pattern of British military bicycle was "Pattern 1898". Since then there have been five modifications known as mk. I, II, III, III* and IV. As there are but few of Patt. '98 bicycles still in use they are now known as Mark I (P/98). and the following Marks are governed by the following distintive features :-
Mark I are fitted with fixed rear wheel and a front rim brake.
Mark II are fitted with free wheel, front rim brake, and a Bowden brake acting on the rear wheel.
Mark III, III* and IV are fitted with Coaster hubs and a front rim brake only.
All are supplied with wheels 28" in diameter, and where possible a continuity in the pattern of components has ben maintained throughout the succesive marks. (end quote) etc.

The drawing is one of these patterns.

In WW II the commonly used bicycle was the Mark V, with front rim brake (Phillips stirrup pattern) and the rear brake would either be a similar Phillips rim brake or alternatively a Coaster hub brake. In some war establishments the mk V is referred to as trade pattern bicycle.

Rob

Re: Bicycles Used in Wartime
 

Hi BOB. I'm glad you were interested in this posting I did because I surely thought it was pretty interesting. There is just so much more that IS interesting about military history. Thanks for posting this info and adding to this thread

Take Care... Carman:cool:

Hello Rob, Thanks for your posting here. It's realy nice to learn something of the history of the "cycles". Good stuff!!!

Take Care ... Carman:)

Bicycles Continued
 

Hi Kartman,

Glad you enjoyed. What I forgot to add on the first post was that the grandfather of one of our Museum volunteers was in WW1 in a Machine Gun Bicycle Company. I've yet to obtain more details but apparently they carried the Lewis light machine gun ( at least 45lbs) on bicycles.

Bob

Re: Bicycles Continued
 

Hi Bob.... gee ... who am I again:confused: You (all-you-folks) are getting me identity confused (no wise-cracks:mad: here:p with all these AKA's for me. Got any credit cards to with them? grin oiy oiy oiy

Seriously...BOB ... and what would a "Lewis light machine gun" look like? I don't know all the paraphernalia of military life ... being a civvie and all that, you know, eh?

:p

Lewis Gun..
 

Ms.Yippity Yap...Have a boo at a Lewis Gun..
http://www.ku.edu/~kansite/ww_one/ph...5/imag0473.jpg

A standard Lewis Mk.1 of the type issued in 1915, note the drum magazine.


The Lewis gun was initially designed by Samuel MacLean and was then developed and perfected by Colonel I. N. Lewis, of the American Army. Lewis was unable to interest the American Army in the weapon and so he took his design to Belgium where he set up a company to manufacture it in 1913. In 1914, with the outbreak of the First World War most of the staff of the Belgian factory fled to Britain bringing their designs and some equipment with them. They then began production of the Lewis at the Birmingham Small Arms Company factory. The British adopted the Lewis gun as their standard light machine gun in 1915. It was the first truly successful portable machine gun of its type in the world. It is an air-cooled, gas operated design feeding from a top mounted drum magazine.

The Lewis gun was one of the first machine guns to be mounted in aircraft. The standard version was used as an observers weapon in multiple seater aircraft, often with the rifle butt stock replaced with a spade type grip to make it easier to hold when standing up in a bucking aircraft (a frightening experience at the best of times). A stripped version called the Mk. 2 was used as a main, forward aimed machine gun on aircraft such as the SE5a scout. On the SE5a it was mounted so that to re-load you have to stand up, pull the weapon down so that it is in front of you, remove one magazine and replace it with a fresh one, all the while holding the control column between your knees. It was also seen on many of the two seat British fighters of the 1920’s
See More here...

http://www.wwiitech.net/main/britain/weapons/lewis/

Interesting!!!!
 

ALEX: Very interesting and thanks, my friend, for showing me what a Lewis looks like. I checked out both the links :) Amazing. So long ago and so not long ago too. Hmmm. I try to imagine myself being that soldier, positioned like that, aiming and handling the Lewis and I think... it had to have been very awkward and difficult. It looks very heavy.

Ms. Yippity Yap has gotta find a new handle or two for you too!!! Look out Alex;) I'm gonna getchya! :D

Lewis-MacLean
 

PS: They should have named it "LEWIS-MACLEAN GUN".
That's my Yippity Yappity Yopinion at anyrate :)

Posed Photo..
 

Ms. Yappity-Yip...
If you look really closley at the soldier with the Lewis gun in the trench you will see that it has no rotary drum magazing mounted on the top of it ,where it should be ,if the trooper was firing it at the bad guys...
It is not there ,so I assume the photo was staged for the camera,but is a great photo regardless......:)
To bad you can't make it to Jeff Caldwell-Convoy weekend in Chatsworth,Ontario on the 28th June..You would have a great opportunity to call everyone names in person...and vise versa...
Oh Well ..save your pennies and maybe you can get a senior citizens discount on an air fare for next year...
MMMMuuuuhahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!

Re: Posed Photo..
 

Re. Lewis LMG
 

Hi Kartman (it was supposed to be Cartman out of South Park but I got the spelling wrong so now you are to me Kartman),

Thanks Alex for the theory information, it saved me a lot of explaining. I posted an image of yours truly at the Cobbaton Tank Museum in North Devon in 2000. It is one weapon I've never fired but have always admired it.

Bob

Re: Re. Lewis LMG
 

Keefy
 

Hi Kartman

I trust Keith implicitly that he wouldn't dump on a fellow countryman. And besides which, he wouldn't dare, because I KNOW WHERE HE LIVES.

Hiya Keith, old pal, old buddy.

Bob

Re: Keefy
 

Kartman says::D :D :D Soooo.... You think you're safe from Keith? Guess I'm not the only naive one in here then!:eek: :cool:

Re Re Keefy
 

Hi Kartman,

To quote a line from one of my role models, namely Oddball (aka Donald Sutherland) from the film Kellys Heroes " there you go again Moriarty, always with the negative waves."

In other words I am positive in the knowledge that Keefy won't dump on me. With all the contacts I still have from my past career the world wouldn't be small enough for him to hide. Any besides he's a mate and mates, especially Aussie mates, don't dump on each other. DO THEY KEITH

TTFN - Bob