The Winged Wheel Patch - WWII HC Photos OOP VERY RARE

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*Please carefully read our Terms & Conditions, especially regarding delivery times. By placing a bid, you signify that you have read ALL of our Terms & Conditions, and FULLY agree to abide by such rules as are set tin.* The Winged Wheel Patch A History of the Canadian Military Motorcycle and Rider By Max Burns and Ken Messenger ? Vanwell Publishing 1993 11.4 x 8.7" - 168 pgs HC with many B&W glossy photos EXTREMELY RARE BOOK - we have 2 copies in stock; only ONE is for sale in THIS auction. From the back cover : -We had stopped to have a cigarette when we heard this rumbling noise. T weren't supposed to be any tanks in the training area, so obviously the tank commander didn't know w he was. We started up our bikes and off we went. All of a sudden, I heard a crash. Billy had run into the tank! With his bike lying on the ground in a million pieces, he jumped up onto the tank and banged on the turret. When the tank commander opened the top, Billy said, "Anybody hurt in t?" -I would lay down on the tank of my Norton and as far over the side as I could, holding the throttle wide open. That would be about seventy miles per hour on a good day. The enemy would fire at us from across the canal as we rode by like ducks in a shooting gallery. -The first priority was the despatch( sic. ) -The worst part was carrying messages at night. You couldn't shine a light to see the map, so you had to remember landmarks, or what was left of them. One wrong turn could mean the enemy had you and a Matchless. -I went all the way from Suez to Tripoli . That's over 1,700 miles. And I did that with my convoy. It was long days of frustrating desert travel escorting a lethargic, metallic snake of armoured machinery through the heat and sandstorms. Although often dismissed by both motorcycle buffs and historians, in the theatre of conventional warfare the role of the motorcycle and rider was as integral a part as the tanks and infantry, the bombs and bullets, and the dead and survivors. Dedicated bike enthusiasts tend to focus solely on the machine, forgetting that the motorcycle more than any other vehicle is inseparable from its operator. Historians tend to treat both rider and machine as quaint sideshows. But in the opinion of the authors, neither view adequately acknowledges the important contribution of the motorcycle and its rider to Canada 's military establishment during the twentieth century. Military motorcyclists were not usually part of prominent combat units. They were often attached to non-divisional troops such as the signals and service units, which in turn were assigned to larger formations as needed. While a regiment's history can be traced with relative ease, despatch riders and other military motorcyclists became lost in the paperwork they delivered with such dedication. It is the motorcycle and rider "missing links" apparent in the documentation of that history that this book attempts to retrieve. From interviews with despatch riders from both World Wars and with those who participated in the Motorcycle Display Teams of the 1950s and 1960s, to a detailed appendix of military motorcycle specifications, this book provides readers with a firsthand view of a fascinating yet often overlooked part of Canada's military history. We currently have ONE copy for sale in this auction; the other is listed in our eBay store. These are the ONLY two copies we have come across, and it is HIGHLY unlikely we will find more stock of this rare book. Don't miss your chance! VG condition - slight damage to lower back jacket. First Edition. RARE BOOK **We use the following guide to rate our books: ** NM / Near Mint : Looks almost new, many have a few very minor flaws unnoticed at a glance . VG / Very Good : Shows signs of usage. No longer crisp but has only normal wear and/or damaged spots. GD / Good : Has minor damage or flaws such as slightly torn jackets or a cocked spine . Fair or Poor books - Seco... read more

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