The Gordon Prime Memorial Ride April 16 2023

The Vintage Motor Cycle Club Ltd (VMCC) is working in partnership with Age Cymru Dyfed to commemorate Gordon’s achievements with a launch event for a national fundraising campaign called 'Duty To Ride'. The campaign aims to raise funds to create a Memorial to Military Despatch Riders and Emergency Services Motorcyclists who have given their lives in the line of duty. Gordon was passionate about the campaign as it was his dearest wish for a national memorial to commemorate the lives of Despatch Riders.

The Gordon Prime Memorial Ride takes place on Sunday 16 April this year, starting at Carew Cheriton Control Tower, Pembrokeshire. The South Wales Branch of the VMCC are organising the ride itself and vintage and classic motorcycles including original WW2 Despatch Rider machines from throughout the UK will be arriving at Carew and leading the ride.

Why 16^th April?

Gordon chose this date himself in late 2022 because his best friend and fellow Despatch Rider in his RASC company, Bert Stinchcombe, was killed on 16 April 1945 just 3 weeks before the end of the War in Europe. Bert and Gordon’s company came under attack in Germany and the telephone lines were brought down. A Despatch Rider was required to ride during the night to convey the message to HQ that these lines had been destroyed. Gordon and Bert tossed a coin to decide which of them would do it. Gordon lost and rode back the 20 miles to HQ. After daybreak he returned to his unit to be greeted with the news ‘Your mate copped it last night’. As Gordon said, ‘All for the toss of a coin’.

Hugh Morgan of Veteran’s Project Age Cymru Dyfed said,

“We have been working with The Vintage Motor Cycle Club to support this memorial fundraising campaign which has at its centrepiece, the ‘Gordon Prime Memorial Ride’ taking place in Pembrokeshire on 16 April and will see a vintage motorcycle cavalcade travelling from Carew Cheriton Control Tower, on a 50 miles route to key points in Pembrokeshire including the pembroke Dock Heritage Centre where a minutes silence will be observed for Gordon. The date of 16 April, the anniversary of the date in 1945 when his best friend and fellow DR Bert Stinchcombe was killed, is very poignant. The event will be spectacular and a great homage to Gordon’s life and work.”

Steve Allen, Vice Chair of the VMCC said,

"Many of the early members of the Vintage Motor Cycle Club, including my father who founded the club, were Despatch Riders in WWII, some were even in the First World War. It was pointed out to us when the National Memorial Arboretum was opened that there was not specific memorial to Despatch Riders and there still isn’t.  Duty to Ride (www.dutytoride.org) was launched in 2022 to raise sufficient funds to design, install and maintain a permanent memorial to Despatch Riders and couriers from both Military and Civilian backgrounds who lost their lives whilst on duty.  This run on April 16^th, at which we had hoped Gordon would be able to attend, will help to raise the profile of this appeal and honour the memory of Gordon and all those like him."

Voices of Veterans

If you are a veteran and wish to talk to us for your needs or to share your stories from military service for the West Wales Veterans Archive, please, get in touch with us at Age Cymru Dyfed by emailing hugh.morgan@agecymrudyfed.org.uk.

Vintage Motorcycle Club

To book a place on the Gordon Prime Memorial Ride please visit www.dutytoride.org where there are details of the run, a booking form and link to a Just Giving page, or alternatively email steve@vmcc.net.