The Royal Signals Motorcycle Display Team (RSMDT), also known as the White Helmets, was a group of serving soldiers from the Royal Corps of Signals of the British Army, who gave public displays of motorcycling skills, acrobatics and stunt riding. The team was based at the home of the Royal Signals at Blandford Camp in Dorset. The team was disbanded at the end of 2017.
Origins
The team's origins lie in precision motorcycling and horseriding demonstrations given by instructors and students from the British Army Signal Training Centre in Yorkshire, beginning in 1927. Riders were normally employed as despatch riders. They have had many names in the past including 'The Red Devils', before the Parachute Regiment team of the same name existed, Mad Signals (on account of the poor brakes on the motorcycles) and only adopted the name 'White Helmets' in 1963.
The team
The team consisted of one commissioned officer and up to 36 other ranks, all volunteers from within the Royal Signals.
Potential new members began with a two week selection course in October and the whole team spent the winter learning routines and stunts, culminating in an opening display in April where white motorcycle helmets are ceremonially presented to successful new recruits by the Signal Officer in Chief. The remainder of the summer is spent touring, giving public performances at events throughout the United Kingdom and abroad, such as the Royal Military Tournament.
In the 1980s, the team participated prominently in a British television advertisement for petrol stations of Texaco.
Dress and equipment
During displays, the team wore tailored No1 Dress uniform and open face white motorcycle helmets, however in inclement weather, black coveralls were worn, and traditionally used Triumph motorcycles. The used 750cc Millennium Triumph TR7V Tiger motorcycles adopted since originally supplied by the Meriden Motorcycle co-operative in the middle of the 1970s, and since by Les Harris.
The Royal Signals Museum holds many of the teams’ memorabilia.
See also
References
- Marco Giannangeli (5 February 2017). "End of the Road: British Army's Royal Signals team to disband after 90 years". Daily Express. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
- "Chatsworth show signals last tour for White Helmets". www.bbc.co.uk. 4 September 2017.
- "Royal Signals Motorcycle Display Team homepage". Archived from the original on 26 September 2017. Retrieved 11 July 2009.
- ^ "The White Helmets" (PDF). Royal Signals Museum. 2020. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
- "A Year in the Life of the White Helmets". Archived from the original on 2007-06-11. Retrieved 2008-02-08.
- "Texaco (Motorcycle Display Team) - 1980's UK Advert". www.youtube.com. 16 February 2008. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21.
- ^ What keeps the White Helmets up ? Classic Bike (March 2012)
- Save The Triumph Bonneville! The Inside Story Of The Meriden Co-Operative by John Rosamond (Veloce 2009)