Syd was born in Australia and travelled to Britain in March 1938.
After he completed his apprenticeship as a fitter and turner he began a 17 year career as a motorcycle speedway rider. He was signed for the Norwich Stars where he made his home. He then signed for Newcastle Diamonds and was part of the team that won the English Trophy that year. Racing stopped for the duration of the war and Syd married a local Norwich girl, Gladys Reynolds in 1940 and they had their only son Trevor in 1941.
Syd had tried to join the Australian forces at the outbreak of war but his trade in engineering was needed and he spent the war making secret equipment for submarines. Some speedway still took place and Syd rode for a Norwich team at Ryde House.
| Unit or location | Role | Posted from | until |
|---|---|---|---|
| Earlham Patrol | Patrol member | Unknown | 03 Dec 1944 |
Speedway rider
He does not appear in the later Nominal Rolls and seems to have left for whatever reason some time before March 1943. I am almost certain that he worked for Laurence Scott and Electromotors in Norwich, as many of the Area 1 Auxiliers did. Earlham Patrol leader Charles Haines was in the machine shop, along with Rob Cooper, Fred Matthews, Arthur Roxby and some others. I suspect Fred and Charles recruited most of their Patrol from work.
TNA ref WO199/3389
1939 Register
Tony Webb
Kiel Almond