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Help Identifying bike from 1919 photo

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Onward:
Hi there,

We have a photograph that we are wanting to use on the cover of a book which we intend to colourise, and were hoping the experts amongst you may be able to identify it, and hopefully even advise what the colour scheme may have been?

The subject of the photo is a New Zealand Expeditionary Force signaller, and the photo is taken in 1919 during the occupation of Germany.

Any tips gratefully received and thank you in advance!

Matt

Rex:
Looks like a Triumph to me, but on a historical note was Germany occupied post WW1?

chaterlea25:
Hi Matt and Rex

Its a Triumph model H, 
Something a bit odd about the front wheel setup though?
The stirrup front brake assembly is not present ?
There are two disc like gadgets on the front hub that are "strange" to my eye ???

John

cardan:

Yes I'm not sure what's going on with the front hub - but the bike is certainly the 4 h.p. (550cc) Triumph Model H. It used the 3-speed Sturmey Archer CS (counter shaft) gearbox, with belt final drive. I recall there were 25,000+ of these built for the war effort. At the Armistice in Nov 1918 there were 17,998 total on the books - 9,813 "overseas" and 8,185 "at home" (in the UK).

The petrol tank was a silver-grey (my guess more grey on the military models - not much of an advantage to glitter) with green panels. The rest was black, with small parts nickel plated.

What's the book about Matt?

Cheers

Leon

R:
Note also the leather strapping just below the fork spring (up top).
This is so that in the event of a fork spring breakage, the forks don't fold under the bike
and pitch you head first into the cobblestones, a well known Triumph forks 'foible'.

Yes that 'occupy Germany' sounds like it needs investigating for historical accuracy ?
An Armistice ended WW1...

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