John Hoban has honoured his grandfather’s achievements in World War Two by restoring and running a Royal Enfield WD/CO 350cc
John Hoban’s family worked the land of the West Lancashire coastal plain for generations. Nestled in a well-tended workshop beside the old brick farmhouse where John now lives, stands a finely restored Royal Enfield WD/CO 350cc. The bike is a tribute to John’s grandfather, also John Hoban.
Fulfilling his National Service with 51st (Highland) Infantry Division, John senior saw more than enough action across Europe and Africa during World War Two and came back to the area just north of Liverpool with memories he would keep largely to himself. An II-year-old John junior asked his grandfather about the war years and as well as stories was given the veteran’s medals, battledress blouse and Tam ‘O’ Shanter.
It was only fitting that many years later, and with his grandfather no longer around, John would rebuild a War Department motorcycle in his memory. John paints traditional Gypsy caravans, restores horse-drawn carriages, looks after a stable of heavy horses and runs, among other interesting vehicles, a pre-war French undertaker’s truck which he often takes to the supermarket.
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