A friend told me he had seen a magazine article about the Coats Mission for possible evacuation of the royal family in the early days of the war and their use of Internationals for traffic control. I've read a fair bit about this but have yet to find any photos revealing the livery of these machines. Anyone else familiar with this article recently in one of the old bike mags?
Military police from the Provost Company of the 1st London Division for escort and traffic control, commanded by Captain Sir Malcolm Campbell, MBE. At Campbell's suggestion they were equipped with fast Norton International Model 30 racing motorcycles rather than the standard military Norton WD16H of the era.
Flashy chromed tanks would…
Flashy chromed tanks would seem like an invitation to the Luftwaffe ...
Previously David Cooper wrote:
Interesting article, Michael.
I suspect that if hedid manage to commandeer some Inters, Malcolm Campbell was the sort of man who would have wanted to keep the flashy chromed tanks! (I see you are in US, but I'm sure youknow he was the driver of a series of world speed record breaking cars before the War - as was his son afterwards.)
It's not as if a convoy of Rolls Royce Armoured Cars would have merged invisibly into the traffic in 1940. Those WW1 beasts were getting a bit elderly and not many were left byWW2.
I wonder if the UK's National Army Museum (in Chelsea, London) might be able to help? I understand they have regimental histories. More likely them than the Imperial War Museum.
Interesting article, Michael.
I suspect that if hedid manage to commandeer some Inters, Malcolm Campbell was the sort of man who would have wanted to keep the flashy chromed tanks! (I see you are in US, but I'm sure youknow he was the driver of a series of world speed record breaking cars before the War - as was his son afterwards.)
It's not as if a convoy of Rolls Royce Armoured Cars would have merged invisibly into the traffic in 1940. Those WW1 beasts were getting a bit elderly and not many were left byWW2.
I wonder if the UK's National Army Museum (in Chelsea, London) might be able to help? I understand they have regimental histories. More likely them than the Imperial War Museum.