1939 - The Way to War
End of the thirties Indian Motocycle Company (IMC) under E. Paul duPont was struggling hard against its competitor. The decided to go into the new era with a complete new and "revolutionary" model: the 340.
The wanted a "new weapon" in the race against the "other company" (H-D) so they designed a novelty ! The spring frame.... Combined with the introduction of the new valanced fenders.
Already in the August - September 1939 edition of "The Indian News" the "new style blazers of a new era" were announced on nearly all pages. This proves that the spring frame design dates from the first half of 1939.
Just as IMC produced their first batches of their 74 Model 340 for the civil market, a delegation from the French Ministry of War walked in the Sales Department of the Wigwam in Springfield. As France prepared its troops they were looking to increase the number of motorcycles firmly. As the French own industry was not able to cope with the rising demand, France went abroad buying.
So the military delegation concluded a contract on October 2nd 1939 for the production and delivery of a batch of 5.000 motorcycles, ALL of them sidecar equiped.
The French order (and payment) boosted IMC’s year production enormously and pushed the Production Department through its limits!
Very strange indeed as the French bought a kind of bike that did not exist on the day of the contract ! Briggs G. Weaver had to redesign his freshly drawn valanced fenders backwards into open versions adapted to the new spring frame... Also the other "parameters" were to be designed or adapted: the French ordered each machine with a pillion seat and sidecar equiped.
A first batch of 200 machines was delivered to France in December 1939 as a "Try-out" for the French Forces.
1940 - The Phoney War turns into the real thing...
At the start of the War in the West (May 18th 1940), about one third of the French order was delivered, unpacked, mounted and maintained - ready for service.
One batch of the Model 340’s was given to the newly formed formation troops of fled Polish troops in France. The other machines were in use by the French Army. About 4,600 complete machines were delivered to the Continent.
During the German offensive, some other batches rolled in through the harbours. At the end of "Fall Rot" (the invasion of France), the surrender was signed on June, 22nd and was effective on June 25th. The German troops immediately acquired lots of vehicles from the French Army. Also batches of Model 340’s were impressed into the Wehrmacht and the Waffen-SS. These bikes got a fresh color coat, new license numbers, a sidecar fender running light and drove off with their new owners (struggling with the left-hand throttles....) Some of these machines reached the Eastern Front. I discovered one machine in Shirokoe (Krivoy Rog / Ukraine) and another in Volgograd (former Stalingrad / Russian Federation). So the machines were thoroughly tested in different climates.
As the Demarcation Line allowed the Vichy Government to keep its own troops, the other batches of Model 340’s equiped the troops of the "New French Army". Even some machines went to Syria with the French troops abroad.
IMC kept sending the ordered machines but at the end of June the French ports were invaded and captured. So a batch of 325 motorcycles was deturned to the United Kingdom. They were shortly in use by the English Troops but then partially given to the Postal Services - one batch (at least 22 known) were given to a Canadian formation, formed into the United Kingdom.
End of the thirties Indian Motocycle Company (IMC) under E. Paul duPont was struggling hard against its competitor. The decided to go into the new era with a complete new and "revolutionary" model: the 340.
The wanted a "new weapon" in the race against the "other company" (H-D) so they designed a novelty ! The spring frame.... Combined with the introduction of the new valanced fenders.
Already in the August - September 1939 edition of "The Indian News" the "new style blazers of a new era" were announced on nearly all pages. This proves that the spring frame design dates from the first half of 1939.
Just as IMC produced their first batches of their 74 Model 340 for the civil market, a delegation from the French Ministry of War walked in the Sales Department of the Wigwam in Springfield. As France prepared its troops they were looking to increase the number of motorcycles firmly. As the French own industry was not able to cope with the rising demand, France went abroad buying.
So the military delegation concluded a contract on October 2nd 1939 for the production and delivery of a batch of 5.000 motorcycles, ALL of them sidecar equiped.
The French order (and payment) boosted IMC’s year production enormously and pushed the Production Department through its limits!
Very strange indeed as the French bought a kind of bike that did not exist on the day of the contract ! Briggs G. Weaver had to redesign his freshly drawn valanced fenders backwards into open versions adapted to the new spring frame... Also the other "parameters" were to be designed or adapted: the French ordered each machine with a pillion seat and sidecar equiped.
A first batch of 200 machines was delivered to France in December 1939 as a "Try-out" for the French Forces.
1940 - The Phoney War turns into the real thing...
At the start of the War in the West (May 18th 1940), about one third of the French order was delivered, unpacked, mounted and maintained - ready for service.
One batch of the Model 340’s was given to the newly formed formation troops of fled Polish troops in France. The other machines were in use by the French Army. About 4,600 complete machines were delivered to the Continent.
During the German offensive, some other batches rolled in through the harbours. At the end of "Fall Rot" (the invasion of France), the surrender was signed on June, 22nd and was effective on June 25th. The German troops immediately acquired lots of vehicles from the French Army. Also batches of Model 340’s were impressed into the Wehrmacht and the Waffen-SS. These bikes got a fresh color coat, new license numbers, a sidecar fender running light and drove off with their new owners (struggling with the left-hand throttles....) Some of these machines reached the Eastern Front. I discovered one machine in Shirokoe (Krivoy Rog / Ukraine) and another in Volgograd (former Stalingrad / Russian Federation). So the machines were thoroughly tested in different climates.
As the Demarcation Line allowed the Vichy Government to keep its own troops, the other batches of Model 340’s equiped the troops of the "New French Army". Even some machines went to Syria with the French troops abroad.
IMC kept sending the ordered machines but at the end of June the French ports were invaded and captured. So a batch of 325 motorcycles was deturned to the United Kingdom. They were shortly in use by the English Troops but then partially given to the Postal Services - one batch (at least 22 known) were given to a Canadian formation, formed into the United Kingdom.
The ultimate last batch of about 160 motorcycles was delivered to the Canadian Army via the port of New York - Halifax.
1941 - 1945 War !
In November 1942, as a response to the invasion of North Afrika by the Allies, Germany launched "Operation Anton" and invaded the rest of France. And took again another batch of the Model 340’s still in use of the Vichy troops. And again, another color, other license plates.... The old story...
1945 - ...
The remaining Model 340’s stayed in French service until 1948 - farewel to the "CAV’s". The machines were collected and sold by the "Domaines". These motorcycles were the source of the many Indian Chiefs in France after the war. Many of these machines were "civilianized" (!?) and equiped with valanced fenders, mostly locally made. Some Model 340’s were restored in their original guise.
Miles of Smiles, Indian Chief....
1941 - 1945 War !
In November 1942, as a response to the invasion of North Afrika by the Allies, Germany launched "Operation Anton" and invaded the rest of France. And took again another batch of the Model 340’s still in use of the Vichy troops. And again, another color, other license plates.... The old story...
1945 - ...
The remaining Model 340’s stayed in French service until 1948 - farewel to the "CAV’s". The machines were collected and sold by the "Domaines". These motorcycles were the source of the many Indian Chiefs in France after the war. Many of these machines were "civilianized" (!?) and equiped with valanced fenders, mostly locally made. Some Model 340’s were restored in their original guise.
Miles of Smiles, Indian Chief....
