Moving on my Bren Gun Carrier Section, I thought I would add a motorcycle section as they often appear on support lists in 1940. Obviously if fighting as a platoon they would dismount when in action, but who can resist the brave charge of chaps mounted on their bikes! Never let reality get in the way of a thrilling game session.
There is a pretty well known photo of some motorcycle units from IWM (and colourised on FB)
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Belgian girls give flowers to British troops riding a Norton motorcycle combination in Herseaux, as the BEF crosses the border into Belgium, 10 May 1940.
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These are troops from the 4th Battalion, Royal Northumberland Fusiliers who served as the motorcycle reconnaissance battalion of 50th (Northumbrian) Division in France in 1940. After training and reconnaissance duties during the Phoney War, they advanced into Belgium on 10 May, with the famous Herseaux photographs showing X Company being welcomed by civilians.
Their heaviest fighting came at Arras on 21 May, where Y and Z Companies, supported by Daimler Dingos, acted as advance guards and flank protection for the British counter-attack, suffering severe losses against German armour and infantry. They then fought in the withdrawal towards Dunkirk, including actions around the Ypres-Comines Canal, before evacuation; their wartime role later evolved into the divisional reconnaissance regiment concept.
Motorcycles were very common across the BEF in 1940, but usually as transport rather than as fighting vehicles. Infantry battalions, artillery, engineers, signals, headquarters and support units all used solo motorcycles for dispatch riders, liaison and communications, so they would have been a familiar sight on British roads in France and Belgium. What was much less common were formed motorcycle combat units using armed sidecar combinations; those were concentrated in specialist motorcycle battalions such as 4th RNF, rather than being a normal feature of every infantry division.
The motorcycle most closely associated with 4th RNF in 1940 was the Norton WD Big 4, a big sturdy 633cc machine used both solo and with a sidecar combination. The combinations could carry three men and their kit, with the Bren gun often carried in or mounted on the sidecar, while solo machines were used by commanders, scouts and dispatch riders. They gave the battalion excellent mobility and made it ideal for reconnaissance and rapid movement, but the crews normally dismounted to fight as infantry rather than using the motorcycles as fighting vehicles in their own right.
Next issue is to source some STLs and also work out what I needed for a Section.
The Studio Historia Kickstarter For King & Country: Britain at War Vol 1 BEF (1939-1941) had some motorcycle troops so I started there. These models, I must warn you, are not designed for 20mm printing at all, the level of detail on them is phenomenal and completely useless to print. I really struggled to get these to print, wafer thin parts, ridiculously modelled items and a complete lack of any design for them to be fit for printing was frustrating to say the least!!!
After much remodelling, simplifying, reinforcing and many, many, many failed prints I decided to split the models in to side cars and motorcycles for ease of printing and eventual painting. I had to mount the crews as they wouldn't sit properly if I made them separate.
Next on to painting, and as per the Carrier Section, I used Vallejo Russian Uniform as a base coat, oil wash and then highlighted with Russian Uniform with increasing amounts of Iraqi Sand.
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| You can see the base coated motorcycles behind the carriers |
At We Have Ways Fest 2026 there was rather nice bike which I think was a WD Norton 16H, I would use this as my guide for painting. To represent the engine block and exhaust I went with a grey with a dark wash on it, seats and lamps in off-black.
Unbelievably fiddly crew were painted using the colours in my BEF Painting Guide.
To constitute a Support choice of a Motor Section I would need a Junior Leader, Bren with three crew and four riflemen. I also wanted to be able to have enough figures to take off casualties so some extras are needed, I think I have to jiggle the models around for a normal 9-man section.
Decals are from the excellent District Miniatures who although US-based deliver in a week or two to the UK and are highly recommended.
Enjoy!
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