Hi, I work as the Information Officer with the Yorkshire Film Archive and I am researching a film we hold of a army motorcycle training school held at Wentworth House in 1944. The Army commander there may have been Capt. A Maynard-Taylor, with Sgt. Plume, J. C. training. The film shows the extensive training from one summer to the next. The film, titled Dear Sergeant Or The Story Of Rough Riding Motorcycling Course, is going to go onto the YFA Online site which is going live in the near future (there are other films related to WW2). I do not know exactly what they are training for - although it covers a very wide variety of terrains, so maybe for overseas. If anyone knows of this training, or has similar experiences, I would be very pleased to hear. When it goes online it will be accompanied by my background information, which I would be pleased to have checked (eg identification of the bikes). cheers Steve
Hi Steve and welcome to the forum. May I suggest a bit of a curve ball: Contact the historian at The Royal Corps of Signals Museum as they may have been (Long shot) Royal Signals Dispatch rider training. His name is Martin Skipworth and the email is info@royalsignalsmuseum.com I know you are working with Yorkshire but are we talking Wentworth House in Barnsley/Rotherham or Wentworth House in Derbyshire? Regards Andy
When it goes online it will be accompanied by my background information, which I would be pleased to have checked (eg identification of the bikes). cheers Steve Steve, If you can post some pictures, I'm sure I can identify the bikes! Cheers, Jan wd.register@gmail.com
Steve, these training films are a mine of information for those of us interested in WD motorcycles. Please don't forget to post a link when it goes on line. The IWM marketed a collection of training films on VHS some years back but that was earlier material, filmed I believe around Catterick. Based on still photographs, most motorcycle training was done at MT schools (a chequered insignia) and were intended to train the riders for all eventualities and possible postings. There are specific web sites for WDM20 BSAs and WD16H Nortons where you'll no doubt be able to get further background information.
Rich, I'm wondering how much of the Dispatach Rider Training was done (If any) by Royal Signals. It's interesting that you mentioned Catterick as that was the 'home' of the Royal Signals from 1924 to 1994. Cheers
Drew, It would seem that once things got properly organised, the riders were trained as 'motorcyclists' and then specialised further.
Not especially relevant to the thread but this cover from a September 1940 'Motor Cycling' shows the pre-war 'works' Norton rider John 'Crasher' White in his new rĂ´le as a motorcycle instructor on an early training course. Post-war he returned to his job as a public school teacher. Not surprisingly, these chaps made it all look very easy. Rich
Pottered onto the film. Yorkshire Film Archive Online - DEAR SERGEANT OR THE STORY OF ROUGH RIDING MOTORCYCLING (1944) Great stuff. Lots of other War/WW2 stuff on there. Not had a proper look: Yorkshire Film Archive Online