Memorial Day Salute to Women Riders during Wartime…

The subject of women’s roles in WWI and WWII history seemes an appropriate topic to enter into this Memorial Day weekend. In a previous post, Bikes and Babes-Women Motorcyclists Riding into History, I tried to chronicle women rider’s historic contributions. For today’s post I revisited a couple of the women who had contributed to the wartime effort, as well as doing a quick web search seeking other women to salute. In my travels, I did find this wonderful exhibit the National Women’s History Museum and plenty of information, to which I was unaware and though much was displayed of changing female roles during wartime, little was known of those women that became motorcycle couriers, mail couriers and message couriers.

The Van Buren sisters, pioneering women in motorcycling, applied as dispatch riders during WWI. Augusta and Adeline felt that women could directly assist by becoming dispatch riders, freeing up men to provide combat support. however their application was rejected. Nevertheless, their intentions were well meaning.

The Van Buren Sisters

Bessie Stringfield worked for the army as a civilian motorcycle dispatch rider. The only woman in her unit, she completed rigorous training maneuvers. She learned how to weave a makeshift bridge from rope and tree limbs to cross swamps, though she never had to do so in the line of duty. With a military crest on the front of her own blue Harley, a “61,” she carried documents between domestic bases.

Bessie Stringfield

Dot Robinson worked as a motorcycle courier for a defense contractor during WWII. I couldn’t discover the details of this employment. However in 1939, following up on the idea formulated by Linda Dugeau, she formed the Motor Maids of America, now known as the Motor Maids, Inc.

Dot Robinson

Theresa Wallach of England became well known for racing and long-distance riding. During the war, she served in the Army Transport Corps, first as a mechanic and later as the first woman motorcycle dispatch rider in the British Army.

After the war, Wallach fulfilled a lifelong dream by coming to tour America on a motorcycle. The tour lasted for two-and-a-half years. Wallach supported herself on the long trek by stopping and taking odd jobs – everything from airplane mechanic to dishwasher – just long enough to earn enough money to get back on the road. In all, Wallach rode 32,000 miles across the United States, Canada and Mexico on the tour.

Theresa Wallach