I was quite busy deep inside the Black Forest of Germany tonight when an email arrived from a reader who had photos of his father who took part in a number of 1930’s ISDT events. With the email was a number of amazing photos which I felt was important to leave the mapping of the ISDT 1936 to post these images immediately before I got distracted.
Thanks to Ian Leslie for the generous gift of sight of these images which include a few gems not only from Jack’s participation but also a photo of a very new and very empty Autobahn, and this very good photo of Ernst Henne on his BMW at a checkpoint
Photo – #199 Jack Leslie on his BSA [OC 6950] and #212 Ernst Henne on his BMW. ISDT 1934 (Courtesy Stuart and Ian Leslie Collection)
International Six Days Trial: 1934 Garmisch-Partenkichen, Germany
Extract from the official Final Report document:-
I.A.M.Leslie private entrant #199
BSA 499cc single cylinder Dunlop tyres
Jack’s full name was John Andrew McLean Leslie. Always known as Jack. Frequently, trial organisers managed to get his name wrong. In 1934, his first initial became “I” instead of “J”. Most commonly it is Jack’s surname that causes difficulties and he is sometimes listed as “J. A. McLeslie”.
Results
Days 1 & 2 zero points, but in day 3 it all went wrong.
Jack picked up 13 time penalty points. The reason for the time loss was such that he had to retire.
Of interest for future years:
In 1934, R MacGregor is listed as private entrant #41 Rudge 499cc During the years 1935-38, Jack and Robert (Bob) MacGregor were Rudge team mates.
The Bob MacGregor Memorial Trial is held in and around Bob’s home town of Killin, Perthshire, Scotland. This very popular 2 day trial was first held in 2007.
On to the photos
Photo – ISDT 1934 (Courtesy Stuart and Ian Leslie Collection)
I believe rider #199 is Jack Leslie, see top left. From the shape of the exhaust pipe, the bike looks the same as that in photo P5 which is definately Jack Leslie. However, on inspection of the official Final Report I cannot find a rider with the #252 seen in the foreground
We will try to list as many riders as is possible shortly
from Left #? #258 #199 Jack Leslie #? #252 ? #178 #55 #142 #133 #129 #? #?
Photo – ISDT 1934 (Courtesy Stuart and Ian Leslie Collection)
I assume it is a 1934 photo because the car in the bachground is the same as in P1.
riders #222 #228 #225 #200 #206 #203 #198 #193 #191 #? #169 #181
Photo – ISDT 1934 (Courtesy Stuart and Ian Leslie Collection)
#122 #25 and a gaggle of sidecars
Photo – ISDT 1934 (Courtesy Stuart and Ian Leslie Collection)
Photo – Photo -Jack Leslie with his Hispano Suisse 1934 (Courtesy Stuart and Ian Leslie Collection)
Photo – Hispano Suisse with Jack’s wife Helen in the supporting role! 1934 (Courtesy Stuart and Ian Leslie Collection)
Photo – Jack Leslie with his Hispano Suisse on an empty autobahn ISDT 1934 (Courtesy Stuart and Ian Leslie Collection)
Photo – Jack and Helen sample the local German beer ISDT 1934 (Courtesy Stuart and Ian Leslie Collection)
Photo – Pension Alpenblick complete with national flag. ISDT 1934 (Courtesy Stuart and Ian Leslie Collection)
The following images come from the ISDT 1935 event period.
Rudge Whitworth Ltd Team Riders
#210 R. MacGregor England 499cc Rudge
#227 M. Greenwood England 499cc Rudge
#231 J. A. McL. Leslie England 499cc Rudge
Results Summary
#210 Retired day 4
#227 Retired Day 2
#231 Finished with zero riding points but picked 24 penalty points.
Maybe failed a mechanical test. Awarded Bronze Medal. Well done Dad!
Photo – Robert (Bob) MacGregor, Jack Leslie and A C Stewart ISDT 1935 (Courtesy Stuart and Ian Leslie Collection)
According to the official 1935 ISDT Final Report, the Rudge Team included M Greenwood,but he is not shown in this photo. By researching “The Scottish 1900-1962″ written by Tommy Sandham, the gentleman on the right is A C Stewart who rode with the Rudge Club Team in the 1930 Scottish Six Days.Trial.
![Photo – Jack Leslie rides pillion with A D Stewart [GS 4821] ISDT 1935 (Courtesy Stuart and Ian Leslie Collection)](https://speedtracktales.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/p2-jack-leslie-and-maybe-m-greenwood-c1935.jpg)
Photo – Jack Leslie rides pillion with A D Stewart [GS 4821] ISDT 1935 (Courtesy Stuart and Ian Leslie Collection)
And on to the ISDT 1936 event
1936 Freudenstadt Rudge Whitworth Ltd Team Riders
#133 R. MacGregor England 499cc Rudge
#217 J. A. McL. Leslie England 499cc Rudge
#258 J. C. Edward England 499cc Rudge
Results Summary
#133 Zero points
#217 Zero points
#258 Zero points
Set fastest times during Speed Test. All 3 riders awarded Gold Medal and Team one the
“Internationale Silvervase”.
Photo – Rudge Team 1936 – #217 Jack Leslie #133 R MacG #258 JC-Edward ISDT 1936 (Courtesy Stuart and Ian Leslie Collection)
Photo – Rudge Team 1936 – #217 Jack Leslie #133 R MacG #258 JC-Edward ISDT 1936 (Courtesy Stuart and Ian Leslie Collection)
Photo – #217 Jack Leslie on Rudge with #216 K Kruger on Zundapp 1936 ISDT 1936 (Courtesy Stuart and Ian Leslie Collection)
Photo – #217 Jack Leslie on Rudge keeps a close eye on the clock ISDT 1936 (Courtesy Stuart and Ian Leslie Collection)
Photo – #217 Jack Leslie Rudge [BVC 533] with #220 F Birkholz and maybe Ernst Henne in foreground ISDT 1936 (Courtesy Stuart and Ian Leslie Collection)
Photo – #217 Jack Leslie on Rudge at Kesselberg ISDT 1936 (Courtesy Stuart and Ian Leslie Collection)
Photo – #217 Jack Leslie on Rudge at check point ISDT 1936 (Courtesy Stuart and Ian Leslie Collection)
Photo – scanned image of International Silver Vase winning team from Great Britain of G.W Walker (manager) R McGregor, [BVC 435] J.A McLeslie [BVC533] and J.E Edward from ‘the Motor Cycle’ via the 1937 programme (courtesy of the Wryan Collection) ISDT 1936
Photo – Three old bikers c1962 ISDT 1936 (Courtesy Stuart and Ian Leslie Collection)
Jack also rode the ISDT 1937
Photo #101 J Leslie (499cc Rudge) [BVC 533] leading JJ Booker (346cc Royal Enfield) across the Tregaron Pass on the Wednesday ISDT 1937 (Speedtracktales Collection)
Photo – The Rudge team which formed Britain’s B team for the second year running. Left to right: #81 R MacGregor, #101 J A McLean Leslie, and#126 JC Edwards ISDT 1937 (Speedtracktales Collection)
Rudge Whitworth Ltd Team Riders
#81 R. MacGregor England 499cc Rudge
#126 J. C. Edwards England 499cc Rudge
#101 J. A. McL. Leslie England 499cc Rudge
Results Summary
#81 zero points Awarded Gold Medal
#126 zero riding points but picked 45 points during speed test
#101 zero points Awarded Gold Medal. Well done Dad!
Another appearance .. the man just keeps going and rides the ISDT 1938
Photo – Jack Leslie Bob MacGregor Jimmy Edwards, at Lilleshall Sports Centre 17 July ISDT 1938 (Courtesy Ian & Stuart Leslie Collection)
Image – scanned advert in the Motor Cycle – Top riders who use Mobil Oils (Ian & Stuart Leslie Collection
Rudge Whitworth Ltd Team Riders
#97 R. MacGregor England 499cc Rudge
#61 J. C. Edward England 499cc Rudge
#102 J. A. McL. Leslie England 499cc Rudge
Results Summary
#97 zero riding points but picked 7 Speed Test points. Awarded Silver Medal
#61 two points on day 4. Awarded Silver Medal
#102 one riding point on day 5. Awarded Silver Medal.
That one point resulted in loss of a Gold medal. Nearly well done Dad!
Collectibles and artefacts
Photo – Jack Leslie’s Bronze medal – front ISDT 1935 (Courtesy Stuart and Ian Leslie Collection)
Photo – Jack Leslie’s Bronze Medal – rear ISDT 1935 (Courtesy Stuart and Ian Leslie Collection)
Photo – collection of competitors presentation plaques ISDT 1934 – 37 (Courtesy Stuart and Ian Leslie Collection)
Photo – Jack Leslies medals and plaques ISDT 1934-38 (Courtesy Stuart and Ian Leslie Collection)
What an amazing collections of medals and rider souvenirs that are still held in the Leslie Family collection.
Finally for the page the Leslie family draw to our attention a bundle of other photos they have which they are unable to wholly identify and would like your help to solve the puzzle of the identity of these pictures below.
Photo – from the Collection of the family of Jack Leslie (Courtesy Ian & Stuart Leslie)
Who = L to R anon, Jack Leslie, Jimmy Colin Edward(?).
Where = Probably the Edinburgh & District Motor Club, Nelson Street, Edinburgh.
When = c1948
Photo – from the Collection of the family of Jack Leslie (Courtesy Ian & Stuart Leslie)
Who = Jack Leslie seated front row second frfom right. I don’t recognise any of the others.
Where = Probably the Edinburgh & District Motor Club, Nelson Street, Edinburgh.
When = c1948
Photo – from the Collection of the family of Jack Leslie (Courtesy Ian & Stuart Leslie)
Who = L to R Jack Leslie, George McIntosh, Geoff Duke, anon, WJ Smith(?).
Where = Probably the Edinburgh & District Motor Club, Nelson Street, Edinburgh.
When = c1958
Photo – Jack Leslie with Rudge [AWK 538] from the Collection of the family of Jack Leslie (Courtesy Ian & Stuart Leslie)
Where = Don’t know – can anybody identify the uniform or recognise the location?
When = c1935
Photo – from the Collection of the family of Jack Leslie (Courtesy Ian & Stuart Leslie)
Who = Jack Leslie mid picture on [SG 7220] which looks like a water cooled Scott maybe.
Where = Don’t know. The bike registrations that can be seen are SG, that’s Edinburgh.
When = c1926
Photo – from the Collection of the family of Jack Leslie (Courtesy Ian & Stuart Leslie)
Who = Jack Leslie on his Levis.
Where = Isle of Mann TT.
When = c1930
Photo – from the Collection of the family of Jack Leslie (Courtesy Ian & Stuart Leslie)
Who = Jack Leslie on his BSA 500cc [DC 6950].
Where = Possibly a Scottish trial, or THE Scottish trial (I mean the 6 Days of course!).
When = Very likely 1933 because Jack took the same bike to the 1934 ISDT.
Photo – from the Collection of the family of Jack Leslie (Courtesy Ian & Stuart Leslie)
Who = Jack Leslie on his BSA 500cc [DC 6950].
Where = Possibly a Scottish trial, or THE Scottish trial (I mean the 6 Days of course!).
When = Very likely 1933 because Jack took the same bike to the 1934 ISDT.
Photo – from the Collection of the family of Jack Leslie (Courtesy Ian & Stuart Leslie)
Who = Jack Leslie on a Rudge #89 and wearing a spare inner-tube.
Where = Don’t know, but looks wet enough to be Scotland!
When = c1937
Photo – from the Collection of the family of Jack Leslie (Courtesy Ian & Stuart Leslie)
Who = JC Edward in the suit extreme left, Jack Leslie just visible in background. Who are the others?
Where = Don’t know, but it looks like a large dock, not just a ferry port. Liverpool or London?
I guessed the Nortons were bound for the Isle of Man, but just noticed a GB plate so maybe they were Europe bound.
I am not aware of a relationship between Jack, JC and Norton, they were both Rudge team riders 1935-38.
When = c1935
Speed Track Tales 
Fantastic collection! Love that Hispano!
Yep .. I seemed to have screwed that post up a bit I missed one off of the Hispano now reinstated… also that picture of Henne with his Beemer… work of Art
Fantastic collection of photos and memorabilia. I unfortunately never met the man himself but as one of his Grandsons (via Stuart Leslie) it’s a great pleasure to see some of his achievements and motorcycling history. Many thanks to Ian for all his research and effort putting it all together.
Brilliant Doug, I expect many of us have enjoyed seeing them more than you. Hope the pages on your granddad’s events and the project to map the routes shows why the term ‘the Olympics of Motorcycling’ was well coined for the ISDT. As for seeing Jack alongside Ernst Henne it’s like being photographed racing with Valentino Rossi these days.
I don’t know much about the ISDT in general (a mere recreational/touring road rider myself) but if Ernst Henne was of that standing I’m even more impressed. Very interesting website as a whole.
Absolutely Brilliant! Great thing to pass onto your Family & friends.I knew Jack Leslie when I was young—He was a lover of fine cars.Chris Lee
Its great to be doing stuff for people to enjoy learning or remembering our nations past heroes of a great international sport. Thanks for your memory of Jack.
Jack was a member of our Kirkcaldy & District Motor Club Manx GP Team Award winning team, please get in touch Ian and Stuart via our KDMotorclub website or Facebook pages or direct on unionmills’at’virginmedia.com
Jake Drummond
KDMC Archives
I managed to buy Tommy Sandham’s book The “Scottish” 1900-1960 and on page 31 there is a photo of A D Stewart. The same person is in two photos with my father Jack Leslie in this blog. I had guessed the person was M Greenwood, though my confidence level was low – rightly so it turns out. So I have some correction proposals for you, if you would be so kind. See below:-
DELETE
– Photo – Jack Leslie with unidentified person ISDT 1935 (Courtesy Stuart and Ian Leslie Collection)
In 1935 the Rudge Team included M Greenwood, but I have no means of telling what he looked like. So some guess work was used here, though I am not convinced. Left to right, the photo shows Robert (Bob) MacGregor, Jack Leslie and perhaps M Greenwood.
AND REPLACE WITH
– Photo – Robert (Bob) MacGregor, Jack Leslie and A D Stewart ISDT 1935 (Courtesy Stuart and Ian Leslie
Collection)
According to the official 1935 ISDT Final Report, the Rudge Team included M Greenwood,
but he is not shown in this photo. By researching “The Scottish 1900-1962” written by Tommy Sandham,
the gentleman on the right is A C Stewart who rode with the Rudge Club Team in the 1930 Scottish Six Days.Trial.
ALSO DELETE
– Photo – Jack Leslie [GS 4821] with unidentified person ISDT 1935 (Courtesy Stuart and Ian Leslie Collection)
This photo shows Jack Leslie with perhaps M Greenwood (again!). Doubts are raised
because it looks like a Triumph they are sitting on. Maybe our readers can help identify the mystery man.
AND REPLACE WITH
– Photo – Jack Leslie rides pillion with A D Stewart [GS 4821] ISDT 1935 (Courtesy Stuart and Ian Leslie Collection)
This photo shows Jack Leslie with A D Stewart, who is not listed as a rider in the official Final Report.
The bike has no number, perhaps he was spectating – he did ride in the Rudge Club team in the 1930 Scottish Six Days Trial.
IN THE SENTENCE :-
All 3 riders awarded Gold Medal and Team one the
“Internationale Silbervase”.
please correct my spelling!!! – replace “one” with “won”
Always as ever indebted to you Ian and corrections now made thanks