HUFFMANBILL
Finally riding a big boys bike
This is the history of a special bicycle in my WWII collection.
Dan Duggin was just seconds away from throwing the dirty old bicycle into the trash dumpster when he was stopped by the story Mrs. Hott (pronounced Hot) began to tell him.
Dan and his son had been helping Mrs. Hott clean out the old garage on her property. In the process they had come across a bicycle, apparently stored for many years, in the rafters. Mrs. Hott told Dan to throw the old thing away.
As Dan carried the bike away Mrs. Hott began to tell him how her late husband Judge Donald C. Hott had used the bicycle in England during his service in WWII.
Donald Hott enlisted in the U.S. Army in July, 1943. He went to England an eventually became a MP (Military Police) assigned to SHAEF (Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Forces). After the war, in later years, he would take pride in telling people that Gen. Eisenhower personally signed his orders. It was in this capacity as a MP with SHAEF that Pvt. D. Hott would travel with his bike through England, France and Germany. According to Mrs. Hott her late husband claimed that he rode the bike in Paris.
After the war Donald Hott was able to return to the states with his wartime transportation. He would ride his bike for several years after he returned home.
Upon hearing the story of the bike Dan, being a history buff,asked Mrs. Hott if he could have it rather then throwing it away. She told him it was his.
I took ownership of the bicycle from Dan in April, 2020.
The Hott bicycle is believed to be a 1936-1937 BSA ''Gold Vase'' model 703 T. The serial number is located on the left side rear dropout. The letters are stamped over the numbers in the following manner. MD
19586
This BSA differs from a stock unit of those years mainly in that it does not carry the ''Lauterwasser'' drop handlebars as shown in period company flyer's. It does however have the original 3 speed Cyclo-gear, derailleur. The grips are unusual being a khaki colored canvas material over rubber. They have the appearance of old motorcycle fork gaiters only smaller.
The BSA appears to have changed little from it's wartime appearance when Pvt. Hott used it. (See wartime photo of Pvt. Hott on his BSA). If you compare the wartime photo with those I took in my back yard the bend to the right side of the handlebar can still be seen in both pictures.
The Hott bicycle may not be a desirable WWII model, however unlike most of those bikes this prewar BSA has a known history, WWII to present, accompanied by a wartime photograph. That in itself makes it one of the most cherished bikes in my WWII collection.
Regards, Bill
Dan Duggin was just seconds away from throwing the dirty old bicycle into the trash dumpster when he was stopped by the story Mrs. Hott (pronounced Hot) began to tell him.
Dan and his son had been helping Mrs. Hott clean out the old garage on her property. In the process they had come across a bicycle, apparently stored for many years, in the rafters. Mrs. Hott told Dan to throw the old thing away.
As Dan carried the bike away Mrs. Hott began to tell him how her late husband Judge Donald C. Hott had used the bicycle in England during his service in WWII.
Donald Hott enlisted in the U.S. Army in July, 1943. He went to England an eventually became a MP (Military Police) assigned to SHAEF (Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Forces). After the war, in later years, he would take pride in telling people that Gen. Eisenhower personally signed his orders. It was in this capacity as a MP with SHAEF that Pvt. D. Hott would travel with his bike through England, France and Germany. According to Mrs. Hott her late husband claimed that he rode the bike in Paris.
After the war Donald Hott was able to return to the states with his wartime transportation. He would ride his bike for several years after he returned home.
Upon hearing the story of the bike Dan, being a history buff,asked Mrs. Hott if he could have it rather then throwing it away. She told him it was his.
I took ownership of the bicycle from Dan in April, 2020.
The Hott bicycle is believed to be a 1936-1937 BSA ''Gold Vase'' model 703 T. The serial number is located on the left side rear dropout. The letters are stamped over the numbers in the following manner. MD
19586
This BSA differs from a stock unit of those years mainly in that it does not carry the ''Lauterwasser'' drop handlebars as shown in period company flyer's. It does however have the original 3 speed Cyclo-gear, derailleur. The grips are unusual being a khaki colored canvas material over rubber. They have the appearance of old motorcycle fork gaiters only smaller.
The BSA appears to have changed little from it's wartime appearance when Pvt. Hott used it. (See wartime photo of Pvt. Hott on his BSA). If you compare the wartime photo with those I took in my back yard the bend to the right side of the handlebar can still be seen in both pictures.
The Hott bicycle may not be a desirable WWII model, however unlike most of those bikes this prewar BSA has a known history, WWII to present, accompanied by a wartime photograph. That in itself makes it one of the most cherished bikes in my WWII collection.
Regards, Bill
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