Short summary of Harley Davidson motorcycles and their production for the US and British Military.

I still want a WLA, but am of the wrong disposition for such a machine. In other words, I like comfortable bikes that run like the clappers and start every time I push the button. One of my favourite coffee table motorcycle books is Pat Ware's MILITARY HARLEY-DAVIDSON.

The good folks of Harley-Davidson of Central Mississippi are putting on the seventh annual Trail of Honor in Jackson, Mississippi this weekend, 16 and 17 May 2009. There will be "real-life heroes, including former POWs, Medal of Honor recipients, Navajo Code Talkers and Tuskegee Airmen."

The Tuskegee Airmen should be a real draw. "Three of the famous African-American pilots will participate in a flyover by four T-6 training aircraft and a P-51 Mustang, the type of plane flown by the Airmen in World War II."

If I was anywhere near Mississippi, I'd be there this weekend. Sadly, I'm in Estonia right now sans bike.

Good riding to those of you who make it. Shake a few veterans hands for me if you get the chance.

More detail here.

Here's a good article on why Americans don't cherish the memories and soldiers of World War I as much as they do with WWII, the Civil War, etc.
No conclusions really, but it has set me to thinking. I, too, haven't spent as much time visiting WWI sites and battlefields. (in fact, I have done hardly anything on the American participation)
I think it is high time I broke this mold and started doing more WWI work here. Yes, the Civil War, WWII and, to a lesser extent, the Indian Wars are what bring in traffic, but I think it is time we Americans remember more about our WWI past.
Stay tuned for more WWI rides and comments.

I noticed an article in The Independent (UK) about the lesser known Australian contribution to the Somme battles near the end of the First World War. It's the 90th anniversary and it seems that there will be a special commemoration in the week leading up to the 25th of April at Viller-Bretonneux.

I may be dusting down the big cat for the first big ride of the year.

El Gato Negro

Good article from Schenectady on Manhattan's lower east side's own National Guard unit, the Fighting 69th. The Civil, Spanish-American, Pancho Villa, WWI, and WWII all saw the 69th in action. One of America's most decorated units and part of the great "Born Fighting" bunch of Irish Americans.

The United States last surviving World War I veteran has been honored by the Pentagon and President Bush.
My father also joined the Army under age in 1944. When his older brother entered the service, the Army found out that they had two men with the same (unusual) name and kicked my Dad out. He re-entered the service a few months later when he was old enough.
I offer a tight salute to the men who have seen it all and are still around to remind us of good lives lived.

Check out the blog of the grandson of English World War 1 soldier, Henry Lamin, 90 years after the fact.

The blog states;

"This blog is made up of transcripts of Harry Lamin's letters from the first World War. The letters will be posted exactly 90 years after they were written. To find out Harry's fate, follow the blog!"

More about;
WILLIAM HENRY BONSER LAMIN
Born in August 1887 in Awsworth Notts, to Henry and Sarah Lamin. Elder Sisters Catherine (Kate) and Agnes (Annie) and Elder brother John (Jack). Educated at Awsworth Board School, just outside Ilkeston, Derbyshire, England.

This is the type of thing that the internet excels at. This is getting (highly deserved) attention from all around the web. It can be nothing but good for spreading the experiences of one of our nation's soldiers to a whole new audience.

Touratech has announced that its founder, Herbert Schwarz, got a 5,000 km test ride of the BMW F800 GS through the African nations of Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and Uganda 4 weeks before the launch at Milan. Lucky guy!

The really good news is that Touratech kitted the bike out with as many Touratech parts as possible for the ride, so we should have a wide selection of gear and gadgets for the 800 when it hits the showrooms.

I'd still like to ride it so I can compare it to my KTM 950 Adventure.

On a military history note, I'd love to ride the East African battlefields of the German commander, Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck. Lettow-Vorbeck was never defeated in the field and caused enormous trouble for the British in east Africa during World War 1, even thought the British had an overwhelming numerical advantage.

By early 1915, the lines in northern France had become static and the trench warfare that WWI is known for had commenced. Many soldiers and officers found themselves not only green, but found their senior leadership green in the tactics of the trench as well. New ideas had to be considered and new tactics developed to break the enemy lines for any offensive to succeed. The British First Army, under the command of the often maligned General Douglas Haig, was given the task of taking the immediate German positions, Neuve Chapelle and finally Aubers ridge. The First Army was made up of British, Canadians and Indians.

Although the battle is not often associated with the major battles of the First World War, it is highly significant in the analysis of the planning, technology and tactical advances of the time. The battle exhibited major breakthroughs in four key areas.

• The German lines were mapped extensively by aerial reconnaissance by a British air arm that was in its infancy. This allowed;
• Detailed maps to be distributed to the ground forces which contained phase lines and timed intervals for movements which were co-ordinated with;
• Air support in the attack and;
• Heavy artillery preparation of targets in advance with the lifting and shifting of fires in time with infantry movements. More rounds were sent skyward in the battle than in all of the Boer War.

These innovations paid off at first with Haig taking the immediate objective of the German line salient and then the village of Neuve Chapelle. However, the attack bogged down soon thereafter, well before reaching the final objective of the Aubers ridge. A competent German counter-attack was partly the casue, but unforced errors also came into play. There were several tactical explanations for the halt that are common to many battlefields;

• Poor weather on the second day limited aerial observation and support which contributed to;
• Poor communications that kept the leadership from knowing where things were progressing properly and where they weren't which led to;
• Bad tactical intelligence that led some areas to be allotted more troops than needed and others less than needed which led to;
• The fog of war where things tend to freeze on the senior decision level, but local fighting goes on, but is uncoordinated with the larger picture.

The battle was a limited tactical win for the Brits, but at a heavy cost of approximately 12,000 casualties. In the longer term Neuve Chapelle became the professional template for a new set of tactics that would become prevalent for the rest of the war.

Motorcycle Ride Recommendation

This is a great ride when you are going somewhere else in France. It is only 60 miles from Calais and can be seen on the way to the south of France, Paris or Belgium with only a minor detour. From Calais, head to Neuve Chapelle, then take the following circular ride of the area. This is not a spectacularly scenic ride, but you get to ride along the British front line from Neuve Chapelle to Fleurbaix (with a British Cemetary in Fauquissart), then see the Aubers ridge objective, then down to the pivot point in the line at La Bassee.

Book Recommendation: The Battle of Neuve Chapelle - French Flanders from AbeBooks.co.uk

Map Recommendation: Michelin Map No. 236 Nord de la France from AbeBooks.co.uk

Accor Hotels in the Lille area

With the war on the Western Front stalemating, Paul von Hindenburg, Commander-in-Chief of the German armies in the East, and his Chief of Staff, Erich Ludendorff, came up with a plan. The idea was to decisively defeat the Russians in East Prussia, so that overwhelming power could then be transferred to the Western Front. The battle that ensued was called the Second / Winter Battle of the Masurian Lakes.

On 7 February 1915, Hindenburg attacked attacked in the south lakes in a blizzard. He quickly pushed the Russians back by 70 miles and out of most of east Prussia. Two days later he attacked in the north lakes and had the Russians on the run. However, one corps of the Russians fell back into the primeval forests around Augustow(present day Poland) and held on for another 10 days before surrendering. This delay allowed three other corps to escape the German encirclement. Shortly thereafter, the Russains counter-attacked and ended the German initiative. The Russians took horrendous numbers of casualties and captured, but their willingness to take great pain had stopped a total rout.

Hindenburg was a viewed as the saviour of East Prussia to a weary German nation, but his grand plan of delivering a crushing blow that would remove the need for heavy forces in the east had not been completed. In the south, near the Carpathian mountains, the offensive had stalled early. The Germans had to continue on two fronts for most of the remainder of the war. Hindenburg's great rival, Falkenhayn, the German Chief of Staff, was against the plan, but had to concede under a withering attack on his reputation by Hindenburg himself. Eventually, Hindenburg would ascend to take Falkenhayn's place, with Ludendorff becoming the Quartermaster General.

Motorcycle Ride Recommendation

I have had a great ride in this area, but I was lost worse than Cooter Brown somehwere west-northwest of Suwalki, near the Russian border, in the area that Hindenburg's northern prong would have attacked through on 9 February 1915. A buddy and I spent 3 hours riding through some beautiful country, but I can't tell you where exactly. However when we did find ourselves again, we travelled through the Augustow area, then west through the middle of the lakes and can highly recommend it as well.

Book Recommendation: Hindenburg: Icon of German Militarism from AbeBooks.com or Amazon.com

Map Recommendation: Michelin Poland Map from AbeBooks.com or Amazon.com

Accor Hotels in the Olsztyn area

On 18 January 1919, the warring parties of the First World War met in Paris to discuss terms. Knowing the Germans were on the verge of collapse, both militarily and domestically, the Allied powers exacted a "just peace."
The terms of the Treaty of Versailles are still debated today and, famously, became the basis for the rise of German militarism again in the mid to late 1930's.
The German's sent a list of complaints, but the victors were in no mood to listen.

Books from Amazon.co.uk

On 20 December 1914 the French launched The First Battle of Champagne in an attempt to take the offensive to the Germans. Joffre, the French Commander-in-Chief wanted to pound the Germans in the Sayon salient near Reims and Verdun. As with virtually all battles of WWI, it ended in stalemate with thousands lost to the cause.

Books from Amazon.co.uk

Motorcycle Ride

Try the N135 and the N35 from Gondrecourt-le-Chateau to Erize-la-Brulee passing through Bar-le-Duc. Part of this ride is on the La Voie Sacree.

Maps

On 18 December 1916, the Battle of Verdun* ends after 10 months and almost a million casualties. The Germans had cynically wanted a protracted struggle with the hopes that it would drive the French (and by the French submission, the British) to the bargaining table. The Germans got exactly 1 half of what they wanted...the protracted bit, but the French had more fortitude than expected. The war was to continue for almost 2 more, gruelling years.

*Battle of Verdun ends, http://www.history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&id=17 (last visited Dec 18, 2006).

Books from Amazon.co.uk

Motorcycle Ride

Check out RealClassic.co.uk's trip around Verdun for some great ideas for riding in the area. There are some great pictures of classic bikes at the museum they visited.

Maps

From 1914-1918, Europe engulfed itself in a war that was long called the Great War or the War to End All Wars.

• The First Battle of Champagne 20 December 1914
• The Second / Winter Battle of the Masurian Lakes 7-22 February 1915
• Battle of Neuve Chapelle 10-13 March 1915
• Pancho Villa Attacks Columbus, New Mexico 9 March 1916
• Battle of Verdun Ends 18 December 1916
• WWI Versailles Peace Conference Opens 18 January 1919




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