As Richard says, nothing very WD about the machines in the top picture. I think that I can see a star on the fuel tank of the second bike from the right which usually suggests BSA to me. The bikes don't seem to have black-out lighting and the riders have battledress which seems a little conflicting in terms of dating.
The Norton Big 4 picture is an interesting one. There are quite a number there and they look to be fairly new and still finished in pre-war Service Green. The riders are wearing Service Dress. The first proper batch of these was delivered in May 1939 so the picture was presumably taken during the summer of 1939. As far as I have been able to tell, there were only two fully equipped Motorcycle Battalions with Big 4s at the outbreak of war, 4th Royal Northumberland Fusiliers who fought at Arras with 50th Div and the Territorials of 1st Queen Victorias Rifles who had the misfortune to be sent to Calais (without their motorcycles).
Would I be correct in thinking, from the colour of their stripes and buttons that they are from a Rifle Regiment ? If so, probably 1 QVR.
Rich
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13-05-08, 01:07
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