1917 Vickers-Clyno – 5/6hp machine gun outfit

Clyno built large numbers of motorcycles for the British Army throughout the First World War. The majority were side car outfits designed to carry a Vickers machine gun. Each carried ammunition, cooling water and spares for the gun together with petrol and spares for the motorbike.

An outfit like this would have been accompanied by two others; one carried extra ammunition and the other was a spare gun carrier, brought into use if the first bike broke down.*

1942 Norton 16H

Norton supplied 100,000 motorcycles for military use during World War Two, mostly the 16H model. Following successful performance in War Office tests during 1935, orders were placed for 16Hs every year from 1936 to 1945. It was used by all British armed services and was also issued to Canadian forces. Although a dated design, the 16H’s mechanical simplicity  and rugged construction meant it was well suited to military use. A few remained in service until the late 1950s.*

*From an information plaque next to the car.