This blog is in two parts and covers the narrative behind a
collection of military photographs, delving into the story of my father’s military career, his passion for motorbikes, and the loss of a comrade and friend.

In part one, I recounted how finding the photos in my father’s military photo album. I reunited a set of photos to the family of a comrade of my father’s Grenadier Cyril “Hucky” Walker.

Part two of the blog in this second instalment of this narrative, a fresh collection of images further validates the camaraderie and companionship shared between my father and Cyril “Hucky” Walker.

Further scrutiny of the photo album revealed that my father did not only attend the funeral of a lost comrade but he was also a friend and teammate in the battalion’s speedway team.

Charles Maurice Jackson was born in 1927 in Billinghay, Lincolnshire. Leaving behind the fens of Lincolnshire in May 1945 aged 18, he went to Lincoln and enlisted in the army, he joined the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards. making him one of the earliest individuals from his era to enlist in the Armed Forces.

His first posting was to Germany, then on to Palestine. However, in May 1948 he was posted to Tripolitania (Tripoli). It was here he became a founder member and apparent star rider of the Grenadier “Hellcats” speedway team.

He received the 1945 WW2 service medal and the campaign service medal for his time in Palestine. Initially working as a dispatch driver, he then went on to become a
motorcycle fitter, sparking his enduring passion for motorbikes.

The album revealed further evidence of Cyril and Dad’s comradeship, this photo below dated 1948 – taken at Port Said in Egypt, they were preparing to leave Egypt for Palestine.

Nevertheless, an additional collection of photographs unveiled that the duo were also teammates in the Grenadier Speedway team named the Hellcats.

The Hellcats Speedway team

During his time in Tripoli, Dad was a founding member in establishing The Hellcats, a motorbike trials and speedway team. Competing against other teams like the Royal Signals, R.E.M.E, and the Italian Motor Club of Tripoli, The Hellcats achieved great success by winning the league thrice and the infantry division trails the championship. Interestingly, the riders constructed their bikes using old army machines. Dad, known as “Crash” within the team, rode a bike crafted from retired military equipment around.

The photo below is one of the bikes that was built by my Dad using old equipment found around the camp.

This newspaper article below from the Stamford Mercury – Friday 23 September 1949 provides further insight into the team.

The album continued to reveal its secrets, I came across additional photographs featuring Cyril, which highlighted his affiliation with the Hellcats team. These photos confirmed he had served as the team captain whilst my father assumed the role of vice-captain, he later took over as the captain. On Sunday, May 1 1949, the team were racing against the Italians at Bussetta Race track where they won. This race was recorded in an unknown newspaper (photos below) which names the team and reveals that Cpl Cyril “Hucky” Walker’s nickname was “Flash.” During the race, Dad lived up to his nickname Crash, but despite this, he made amends when “Crash” Jackson and “Flash” Walker clinched the points coming in 1st and 3rd to secure the win.

Dad recorded CPL Cyril “Hucky” Walker aka Flash receiving the team trophy from the Brigadier.

The team photo below shows Cyril, and Dad in Tripoli in 1950, with the team jacket and cups.

Front: Cyril Walker. Alan Dobson LT EOG. Lt Miller Jimmy Chance (Captain)
Rear: Larry Morris. Ernie Stead. Maurice Jackson. Ray Cook. Shakey Williams. Dave Willets.

The Hellcats Tabard

The tabard the team wore depicted a tiger’s head, the tabard which was owned by my father, was a familiar sight in the garden shed throughout my childhood. Today, it is the sole surviving tabard and is currently on loan along with other Hellcats memorabilia to the Grenadier Guards Museum, Wellington Barracks, London.

For many years surviving Hellcats team members held reunions in Windsor, this photo above records their fourth. Sadly Cyril “Hucky” Walker died in 1950, no doubt he would have been remembered by the remaining team members. Dad passed away in 2005, and the last members of the team have also now died. But have each left a fascinating legacy and insight into their military careers of comradeship, friendship and team spirit.

Jimmy was also a member of the Hellcats Speedway team along with Cyril, pictured here with them is their only known surviving team jacket. All these photos and information of Cyril have been shared with his family, so they too can share his history which was unknown to them until now.

The plan is for myself and Cyril’s niece to visit the museum and see the items my Dad loaned to the museum.

You can contact me at jackocats2@gmail.com