The history of war toys extends back to the beginnings of civilization with their appearance in the tombs of ancient Egyptian Pharaohs. Ancient Greek children were playing with small wooden replicas of the Trojan Horse. In effect, toy soldiers have been with us since there were full-sized soldiers.
The privileged children of medieval Europe were gifted with toy soldiers fashioned from precious metals and embedded with jewels before the first mass produced toy soldiers designed for public consumption were introduced in the early 19th Century by German craftsmen. French artisans soon brought out the first of the three- dimensional toy soldiers in tin and lead, followed later by figures fashioned from the “composition” process and finally in the early 20th Century, the rise of plastic as the medium of manufacture.
Before video games claimed the stage, children would often entertain themselves by playing with toy soldiers from Roman legionnaires to English royal guards to Rommel’s panzers to GI Joe. The toy soldiers carry within their relatively small dimensions a vast, if compressed record of tumultuous human history.
Today, recognized as an art form unto themselves, vintage toy soldiers enjoy a worldwide fan base and are also highly prized as “collectibles.” It appears that “children of all ages” are still fascinated by the miniature warriors.
A hundred years have taken their toll on this WWI vintage toy soldier motorcyclist. While his handlebars are missing, he still tracks straight, holding his handgun and firing away into the fray. As he was produced in France, he wears the distintive “Ariadne” helmet as was hand-painted including his “rosy” cheeks.
The Brits Bang On….
What may be a representation of a 1920s Norton single cylinder motorcycle, a popular WWI era military mount, is shown heavily packed with gear and ridden by a British WWI era soldier. The front fender license plate “L I” designation is a reference to the toy’s point of manufacture in London at the Britains factory.
Under the Magnifying Glass
The particular stamping on the rear baggage carrier indicates this design
was produced sometime between 1913-36 and since this Norton model first appeared in 1921, it would most likely place its introduction sometime in the
Leading the Way Worldwide
Britains Royal Corps of Dispatch Riders (#1791)
Non- Black Out Headlamp
Change of Uniform
1938 Will’s Cigarette Cards – BSA Courier
1939 BSA 500 Silverstar
While launching their first motorcycle in 1910, BSA by the 1930s was the world’s leader both in sales and greatest range of machines offered. The 1939 line-up included 17 models, among them the M23 Silverstar, a faster upgrading of the previous Empire Star and was produced in both 350cc and 500cc versions. In that same year BSA built a very few “hairpin valve spring” Silverstars before the war halted production of these sport bikes. The military took precedence and thousands of the more mundane but stout 500cc side-valve M20’s went into “uniform.”
By way of the letter W appearing in the serial number, it indicates this particular machine rolled out of the Birmingham Small Arms plant in 1939. Very few Silverstars exist since BSA had switched over to war production early in 1940, the factory then suffering its most extensive destruction during November bombing raids.
“Soldier on Motorcycle”
Change of Uniforms
While the uniform is painted brown, therefore linking him to military service, but with a factory change of color to blue, the figure would be transformed into a motorcycle cop.
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The French Flare….
French Cloisonné MotoCyclist
Marque Unknown
Depicting a WWI era French military motorcycle, in this case a twin cylinder, is perhaps a Rene Gillet produced in both 740cc and 1000cc engine displacements. Alternately, it could represent one of several other French makes including Terrot, Gnome et Rhone, Motobecane, Monet et Goyon and Peugeot. Sidecar fitted Gnome and Rhone and Rene Gillet models were captured in large numbers by German troops during WWII.
1920s Mobile French Anti-Aircraft
A French made Rene Gillet G model motorcycle has been equipped with a pedestal mounted light machine gun, its hard leather case attached to the frame. The Rene Gillet G sidevalve twin, first introduced in 1920, was available in both 750cc and 1000cc displacements. The rugged machines were compared favorably with Harley-Davidsons of the time and popular with French police and military. As the machine is shown with a solo seat, its leather-capped rider manning the gun, it may be that the other individual posing for the photo and smiling in the background is a representative of the motorcycle company.
Teutonic Technology
BMW with Polizei
Highly detailed rendering of a1930s BMW motorcycle as ridden by a member of the German civilian police wearing his distinctive green uniform and “Shako” cap.
In 1938 alone, some 200,000 motorcycles were produced in Germany and the adjacent areas it had annexed (aka Greater Germany or the Reich). Some of the major manufacturers included BMW that had become synonymous with superb engineering and world class motorcycles with their debut at the 1923 Paris Show.
The German’s mechanized lightning war or blitzkrieg required machines of high caliber in more ways than one. Although horses and even bicycles carried battalions of combatants as did trucks and tracked vehicles, motorcycles often led the way… purpose made BMW and Zundapp military bikes as well as civilian models made by NSU and DKW and a host of other manufacturers “served” either by contract or requisition.
German military motorcyclists played an important role either in solo courier or scouting capacity, as teams of tank hunters or in divisions of rifle troops. The German military eventually became the largest employer of motorcycles during World War II. All private civilian motorcyclists were eventually confiscated by the Nazi regime; frequently both bike and owner inducted into the army simultaneously. 
Policeman in Pursuit
Correct Insignia
The policeman wears the distinctive Polizei insignia on the left arm of his uniform
and carries a “billy club.”
Border Police
Sidecars were in use by most military forces to carry infantry troops as well as mobile weapons platforms.
Seen here is a group of Border Customs Protection Service soldiers equipped with a DKW sidecar combination and armed with what appears to be the 9mm MP.28 submachine-gun as well as the motorcycle mounted Czech light machinegun. They have posed for the camera somewhere in the Rhineland as indicated by the license plate on their automobile. In violation of the WWI Versailles Treaty, Nazi Germany re-occupied the Rhineland region on March 7, 1936.
WWII Germany – Donation Token – 2-inch Plastic Molded Motorcyclist
The Yanks are Comin’!
Manoil Motorcycle with Messenger Rider – Model #N 062/N 02
Among the U.S. toy soldier manufacturers, the Manoil (MAN-oil) company is described as “the most realistic, the most vivid and the most jaunty.” In this case, the figure wears pilot-type leather headgear and goggles. The handlebars are turned down a la racing style.
“Hubless Steering”
While the motorcycle is unidentiable as a real make and model, it does sport a “hardtail”triangulated frame, floorboards and foot controls, balloon tires, tail and brake light but minus a headlamp. Note that the free-floating wheels seem to predict the centerless wheels of the 21st Century.
The Manoil company was founded in 1927 by brothers Jack and Maurice Manoil from a Romanian immigrant family then joined by Canadian designer-sculptor Walter Baetz. In 1940 they introduced their war soldier line and were producing an amazing 80,000 toys of various kinds on a daily basis via some 225 employees at their Brooklyn, New York facility.
Toy production ended on April 1, 1942 as the war made other demands and the company found themselves on a roller-coaster of fits and stops of production especially at war’s end when war toys fell out of favor. The company finally went out of business in 1955 but not before leaving behind a legacy of classic toy soldiers that entranced generations of children and later, collectors.
Here Come the Yanks – Harley Power in Paper
One of a series of 1944 Wyandotte Cardboard World War II Toy Soldiers depicts a motorcyclist with outstretched arms. Bends in the thin cardboard allow the arms to be turned forward and the hands to “grip” the handlebars. Wyandotte Toys (aka All Metal Products Co.) located in Wyandotte, Michigan began toy production in 1921 under its owners, George Stallings and William F. Schmidt.
One-Sided – Budget war production called for cuts in coloring
In its banner years of 1935 Wyandotte sold 5.5 million toy guns along with pressed steel airplanes and other motor toys with battery-operated headlights.
WWII placed metals in short supply for civilian use, in fact, resulting in the banning of metal toys thus causing Wyandotte Meta to produce printed paper and wooden toys. The company ceased operation in 1956.
WWII – Harley-Davidson and Thompson .45 Machinegun
As early as 1937 the U.S. military visited the Harley-Davidson factory intent on finding a suitable motorcycle for the war they saw as inevitable. Toward that end the Milwaukee company sent the head of its factory service school on a cross- country tour of every Army camp east of the Mississippi, logging 200,000 miles on his Harley EL “Knucklehead.”
By 1939, preparing for WWII, the Army had compared various Harleys and Indians as well as a BMW clone produced by the Delco Corporation. It chose Harley-Davidson, but required that bike could reach 65 mph, be able to ford streams 16 inches deep and not overheat at slow speeds slogging through muddy fields. Harley came through in flying red, white and blue colors.
WII Harley-Davidson and Jack Russell Passenger
A U.S. Army soldier rides a war-issue WLA Military Model powered by a “Flathead” engine of 45 cubic inch displacement. Many were equipped with a leather scabbard to carry a Thompson submachinegun although most were used for courier duty rather than in combat. As post-war surplus inexpensive motorcycles they fueled the “chopper” phenomena in the U.S. as veterans put them to peacetime use.
Maneuvers
Early war cycletroops drop their Indian military bikes and grab their Thompson machineguns. While they bike riders special leather helmets, the infantry man wears WWI vintage “doughboy” helmets. The Personnel Carrier in the background mounts a tried and true .50 caliber Browning still in use today.
In March 1940, H-D received its first order for 745 of the new approved models, the WLA, powered by a 45 cubic inch, 23.5 HP flathead design engine and painted camouflage green. By war’s end some 88,000 Harley-Davidson military issue motorcycles had been produced for the armed forces of the U.S., Britain, South Africa, Canada, Russia and China.
WWII Teamwork
U.S. and British Military Police confer in preparation for escorting high ranking officials. The American rides a Harley, the English soldier a BSA.
Cast in Iron – Unknown Manufacturer
Harley-Davidson had supplied motorcycles to the U.S. military previously in the First World War. 26,486 H-D’s were ordered through November, 1, 1918, of that number 20,007 Harleys and Indians were shipped overseas. A famous photo, taken on November 11, 1918, on the day of the German surrender, shows an American soldier riding a Harley-Davidson in Germany, but his identity didn’t become known until 25 years later… one Roy Holtz from Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, Harley’s home state. The true story of the photo also was revealed. While the 1918 newspapers had touted the photo as one showing the “first Yank in Germany,” it was actually Holst rather quickly leaving Germany after having been captured by the Germans after the officer riding in the motorcycle’s sidecar misread his map and sent them into German territory, just three days before the war ended.
However, Holtz, a German-American spoke fluent German and his captors treated him well, in fact, plying him with shots of potato whiskey while the officer was left sitting in the rain. The two were released a few days later, everyone happy the hostilities had ended.
MP on a Harley- The Patina of Prejudice
While efforts to diminish racism in the U.S. military were instituted during WWII, black soldiers often found themselves relegated to supply divisions, work details and as truck drivers. However some black troops were integrated into combat infantry roles and served as well as highly decorated pilots. When black soldiers were captured by the Germans they were often treated more harshly than white troops.
To Serve and to Protect
While various claims are made for the first official use of motorcycles by U.S. police departments, there are several top choices including the Berkeley, CA Police Department (1911). However the Harley-Davidson company lists Detroit, Michigan as the first purchaser of police motorcycles in 1908. In that same year, the Evanston, Illinois PD also purchased a belt-driven motorcycle for its first motorcycle police officer while the Portland, Oregon Police Bureau notes that an officer rode his personal motorcycle on city patrol in 1909. Since them motorcycles have been integral component of police forces all over the U.S. as well as in many other countries.
H-D in Cast Iron
Sporting solid rubber tires showing correct white color, this heavy duty cast iron police bike also shows twin headlamps. However the strangely shaped engine bears no similarity to anything that came out of Milwaukee. A point of interest is the use of Phillips Head screws in the construction which helps date the piece since its inventor Henry F. Phillips of Portland, OR finally got it excepted in 1936 and the new design hardware first used in building Cadillacs. Therefore this toy was made after 1936.
Auburn Rubber Co. “Police Bike” – 6-inch Rubber Figure
Police Cruiser-Indian Sidecar Combo on Patrol
The Springfield, MA company also offered Indians to police departments, the photo in this case taken in Washington, DC PD circa 1920s. The bike appears to be a PowerPlus while the sidecar is very likely a Watsonian. The sidevalve 42-degree, 61 cu.in. V-twin produced 7 hp with speeds of 60mph and beyond.
