Pushbikes.

Entertaining page on Military bicycles, present & some past:
http://www.combatreform.com/atb.htm
'The Future of Warfare!'

Reminded me of a chap at Beltring once with some 'waffenrads' (Is that the right term, or just a brand?), pushbikes adapted to carry Panzerfausts, ammunition, or serve some other military purpose.


Few more shots from IWM collections,

The official:
A soldier from 11th Armoured Division guards two youthful German prisoners and a haul of 'panzerfaust' anti-tank weapons, 7 April 1945. The Germans were part of a bicycle-mounted tank-hunting unit.


Soldiers from 11th Armoured Division examine 'panzerfaust' anti-tank weapons fitted to a bicycle, 7 April 1945. The Germans were using bicycle-mounted tank-hunting units in this area.


And the more extemporised:
Men of the 2nd Gordon Highlanders during the advance in Germany, 29 April 1945. Pte Fred Greener pushes a bicycle loaded with mortar bombs.



I know several nations used pushbikes militarily, but was wondering if anyone knows more specifically on what scale they were issued (rather than scrounged)?

Cheers,
Adam

 

It's a bit vague really Rich, we've all seen dozens of shots of troops on bikes but I'd never really thought of how extensively they were used.
Kind of wondering who was the most 'Bicycle-ised' Nation.

I'm guessing Germany, they must have had something in mind for all those nicked from the Dutch (a subject that still rankles apparently) and pictures of them seem the commonest (though of course, amount of surviving shots is no real indication).

Few more links; I'd forgotten the British Airborne bikes, someone might have an idea how widely they were actually issued/used?
http://www.flmvpa.org/bicycles.htm

Some model info (I like the look of the' Phillips Heavy Infantry/'Bertha Mk I' ) :
http://www.io.com/tog/milbicycles.html


And of course the Japanese use:
http://www.militaryhistoryonline.com/wwii/articles/singapore.aspx
I seem to recall the rattle of tyreless pushbikes is a not uncommon theme in personal accounts of the fall of Singapore.

 

Good page on US types here:
http://www.theliberator.be/militarybicycles.htm

 

Some great shots here:
Four Bees: Wehrmacht Truppenfahrrad, WW2 German Wehrmacht Bicycles on the Russian Front

 

From War diary of 5th Battalion COLDSTREAM GUARDS, 26th July 1944.

MOVEMENT OF CYCLISTS.
The journey of 277 Division to the battle area may not have been so arduous as was first supposed. A document has been captured giving detailed instructions on the towing of bicyclists behind vehicles. Extracts from this order are given below:-
(a) Tow-rope. Washing-line or thin wire 20in long. Connecting lines attached.
(b) Dress. In cold weather overcoat and gloves (additional warmth by means of newspaper).
(c) Towing Group Capabilities.
Lorries - Up to 20 men.
Semi-tracked MG with trailer - Up to 10 men.
Med cross country lorry - Up to 10 men
Volkswagen - At most 8 men.
MC with side car - At most 8 men.
(d) Mounting. The soldier stands close by his bicycle on its left. The right pedal is up. The inner hand holds the wooden handle of the rope and the handle-bars with the string between the first and middle fingers. It is forbidden to wind the string round the hand, as the soldier must be able to let go the tow-rope in a fraction of a second. On the signal or the command ‘mount’, the right leg is swung over the frame and placed on the right hand pedal.
(e) The Journey, Principle. Main and connecting lines must always be taut. The rider ensures this by an elastic yielding or pulling back of the arm or upper body.

 

There's a picture of some guns on the BSA mark, and a war department arrow.
I knew German eBay was sensitive to certain... errrm... 'logos', but...