Laurence of Arabia and motorcycle helmets

[Dabz]

Found this on the bbc website and found it fascinating how the death of Laurence of Arabia helped bring about motorcycle helmets

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-32622465

[wiltshire builders]

There was something on TV about it the other day. How soldiers returning from the front line found life drab and needed excitement. It was really interesting.
Love the fact that the picture of "Lawrence of Arabia 1888-1935" is actually Peter O'Toole. Good old BBC!

[Snowy]

I think I saw this a few weeks back - was it the one which also went through the history with Brough Superior?

[wiltshire builders]

I think I saw this a few weeks back - was it the one which also went through the history with Brough Superior?

That's the one.
Covered Vincent black shadows and then the cafe racers too. Probably still on I player. Definitely worth a watch if anyone missed it.

[Julie_S]

The statistics there are truly appalling.

Racers had to wear helmets well before the War. Some years back I sold an amazing helmet with 'Sunbeam' hand painted on the front and the original ACU logo on the back, I would guess it dated from the 1920s. Unfortunately no history with it so no idea whose it was. Cork, very similar to those adopted for our Despatch Riders , I was asked to sell it by a friend with no EBay, really wish I had made them an offer an kept it.

Those returning from the front line did a pretty good job - Guthrie, Woods and Walker were all WW1 Despatch Riders who were at the top of their game a racers
and of course as we know from the sad news last week, Geoff Duke was a WW2 Despatch Rider