A pair of slightly poor quality snaps of an early post war AJS, either a 16M (350cc) or an 18M (500cc) model.
I have no idea what or where the location is, it looks too grim even for a post war holiday camp, could it be army barracks or perhaps a wartime internment camp? In the second photo you can see the front number plate which is obviously not British though where it is from I am not sure.
British motorcycle, young men in military kit not typical of U.S. (turtle neck sweater?). But a U.S.-style license plate (not lengthy like most in the Commonwealth). My guess: Canada. Canada used that style plate back into the 1940s and the barracks rooms are well built, as they would be in a cold climate. U.S. camps typically used "tent" buildings, with wooden floors but canvas sides or, if they were wooden buildings, large screened windows for ventilation.
ReplyDeleteHello David, an eye for detail as usual. Canada seems like a good (educated) guess to me. The chaps look somehow British and of an age where they might well be in the military so the location more than likely would be Commonwealth. I wouldn't have said they were wearing uniform but there certainly could be some cold weather riding gear borrowed from the quartermaster's stores. Immediately after the war one just couldn't buy a bike like the AJS in the UK, they were all exported, so again it all points to a Commonwealth location. As with all these old photos it would be great to have the story to them though there's plenty of fun to be had in speculating!
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