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Female WLA Riders

Posted: Fri Feb 17, 2012 1:11 pm
by TIM SPARKS
Has anyone got or seen any pics of WAC's riding or doing maintenance on Harley Davidsons in WW2?

Re: Female WLA Riders

Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2012 9:56 am
by dispatchrider
I don't have any pictures of female WLA riders... a few female British dispatch riders... if you get any pictures ... can you please forward them onto me as well? (or female riders on WLC) Thanks,

- Bob Love
dispatchrider@shaw.ca

Re: Female WLA Riders

Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2012 11:07 am
by Johan WILLAERT
Tim,

During WW2, Bessie Stringfield worked as a civilian motorcycle courrier rider for the US Army in the US....
Don't know what bike she rode though....

I have yet to see any pictures of WAC WLA riders during the war....

Cheers,

Johan

Re: Female WLA Riders

Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2012 1:25 pm
by TIM SPARKS
Hi Johan, I knew you would bite...... Bessie was a civilian who was a messenger for the US army i believe, and she rode a Knucklehead from what i can make out. The Royal Navy, RAF,and british army used female despatch riders, have found i pic of i think New Zealand females sat on a WLC. The more i thought about the more i thought i've never seen WAC's on WLA's. There were hundreds of female Harley riders from 1903 right through the war years on 45's and big twins. But never military.

Re: Female WLA Riders

Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2012 9:34 am
by yez216
Not exactly what you're looking for but here are some photos of females with WLAs from HD's Enthusiast magazine

Image

Image

Image

Re: Female WLA Riders

Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2012 11:07 am
by TIM SPARKS
Yez... They are superb, i looked in The Enthusiast, but i dont have many copies.The bottom pic looks like a civilian girl wearing his side hat, i have found one pic but dont know how to scan and post.

Re: Female WLA Riders

Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2012 5:32 pm
by John W. Rymark
Yes, very nice last picture. Definitely a civilian woman on the bike getting gas. Nice 40s two tone shoes. I remember the Waves and Marine females we called BAMs (never to their face as they'd kick your ass) clunky dress shoes. They wore clunky shoes which look for all the world like shorter versions of nuns combat boots. Funny, don't remember caring much about what kind of shoes they wore at the time. :lol:

Re: Female WLA Riders

Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 8:29 pm
by yez216
Here's a WAC

Image

Re: Female WLA Riders

Posted: Fri Feb 24, 2012 4:25 am
by Jerome
Sorry not a WLA rider, still nice picture

Image

cheers

Jerome

Re: Female WLA Riders

Posted: Sun May 13, 2012 9:08 am
by TIM SPARKS
Yez that pis is superb, is that pic from an Enthusiast magazine?