6 june bike pictures

[tango021]

Good evening everyone,

I was wondering if anybody can help me to identify the bicycle shown on these different pictures taken during the Normandy landing, in the small town of Hermanville-sur-Mer (Sword beach). The one without the mud guard looks like a bsa folding bike but the other one ? Thanks for your help!

 

[Mercian]

Hi, Tango021

As you suggest, the bike with no mudguard is a BSA folding bicycle, unusually, with the toolkit still attached to the saddle. The rider is wearing a Commando battle jerkin, and the commandos certainly used these BSA's on D Day.

The bikes with mudguards, probably an Infantry MkV (if one brake-lever for the front, fitted with a rear coaster-brake), or MkV* (if two brake-levers).. These were a standard pattern, with various makes (Phillips, BSA etc.)

The Churchill IV AVRE "Bulldog" in the last photo is fitted with a Petard mortar, and is T68024B of 77th Assault Squadron, 5th Assault Regiment, 79th Armoured Division. (Difficult, there were at least three Churchills called Bulldog on the landings, but you can just see the 3B turret marking of this particular one).

The jeep M4923763 in the first photo is a Willys MB, supplied new to the British as part of contract Supply Mechanical 2275.

Best Regards,

Adrian

 

[johan willaert]

As described by Adrian above, the other bike is a Standard Brit Army MkV or MkV*

Here's my 1944 BSA Made MkV* (two lever brakes) Ser# T136102
Note the saddle is a modern BROOKS replacement part as I ride this bike regularly

 

[johan willaert]

More detailed pictures of MkV and an original paint MkV* on this site: (in Flemish)

http://www.abbl1940.be/FIETSEN/BSA MKV algemeen.htm
http://www.abbl1940.be/FIETSEN/BSA MKV.htm
http://www.abbl1940.be/FIETSEN/BSA MKV_ster.htm

 

[partsguy]

I like the before and after fotos!

 

[tango021]

@ Mercian et Johan,
Thanks for all the technical informations about the MKV, very interesting!
@ Partsguy,
Glad you like it. I found many places in Normandy that were immortalised by allied photographs in 1944. It is incredible to see that hardly nothing has changed in seventy years.

 

[JOHN DANGER]

I have had a drink right at this location many times its just down the street from my friends house, he has an all original BSA folding bike found just near here, I will be there again in June.

 

[TRUEBLUE1981]

really love those pics!!!..