29 Facts About Wal Handley

Walter Leslie Handley born in Aston, Birmingham, known as Wal Handley, was a champion British inter-war motorcycle racer with four wins at the Isle of Man TT Races in his career.

Walter Leslie Handley was born on 5 April 1902, son of John Thomas Handley and his wife Clara.

Wal Handley's father died of cancer when he was only nine and he soon had to help by working.

Wal Handley was just over 12 years old when he left school early and tried a variety of jobs before joining the OK motorcycle firm.

Wal Handley was awarded the Nisbet Shield by the ACU Stewards for pluck and endurance after suffering a 'packet of troubles'.

Wal Handley had been delayed by over seven minutes with plug trouble.

Wal Handley piloted his 60-degree Rex Acme V-twin through the field from 22nd to finish runner up to Stanley Woods who had won the first seven lap Senior TT by 4 mins 21 secs.

Wal Handley was unhurt and quickly moved fallen riders and their machines off the road preventing further calamities before going to get help.

Wal Handley became the first rider to lap the mountain course under 30 mins, the first to do two laps under the hour and the first to do four laps under two hours.

Wal Handley became successful on track as well as road.

Wal Handley became the holder of numerous motorcycle world records taken in 1930 at Arpajon and Montlhery aboard the Belgian FN designed by Dougal Marchant.

Wal Handley did this at a time when most people had wrongly surmised that he had decided to retire.

Wal Handley took up car racing in 1934, becoming a member of George Eyston's MG team.

Wal Handley's car racing ability was remarked upon at Brooklands and drew favourable comment in the Isle of Man 'Round the Houses' contests.

Wal Handley raced cars at Donington and in the RAC International TT on the Ards circuit in Northern Ireland, but he had no success and, after MG exited motor racing, he teamed up with Freddie Dixon.

Wal Handley's flying instructor was Tommy Rose, who later became a famous aviator gaining the record for flying from London to Cape Town.

Wal Handley soon became a prominent member of the Midland Aero Club, his aircraft included an SE 5A, a Bristol fighter and a Puss Moth.

Wal Handley became the CO at Hawarden, Flintshire - the largest Ferry Pool in the ATA.

Wal Handley died on 15 November 1941 when his Bell P39 Airacobra AH 598 crashed after the engine started cutting-out during take-off from RAF Kirkbride, just south of Kirkbride in Cumberland.

Wal Handley side-slipped towards a wood with it seemed the intention of putting his craft into the tree-tops.

Wal Handley was the motorcycle messenger for the OK factory, and in 1922 he rode an OK Junior in the first Lightweight TT race held at the 1922 Isle of Man TT Races.

Wal Handley was stopped by a Flag Marshal at Governor's Bridge just as other competitors were just about to complete their first lap of practice.

Wal Handley's last ride for OK was on an OK-Supreme in the 1929 Lightweight TT but he had a DNF.

Walter Handley raced Rex-Acme motorcycles from 1924 to 1928, making them famous, and even became a company director, but left in 1928 to ride different machinery.

An injury to a thumb caused by adjusting a drive-chain at Sulby caused Wal Handley to withdraw from the 1935 TT Races.

Wal Handley had been persuaded out of retirement specially for the three lap race, which meant eight miles at top speed on the uneven and deteriorating banked oval track.

Wal Handley was involved with car racing, driving MGs and Rileys.

In 1934 he joined the MG works team and in the 1934 BRDC International Trophy Race at Brooklands, Wal Handley drove well until a back axle broke late in the race.

In 1936 Wal Handley had a bad crash at the 1936 British Empire Trophy after taking over Freddie Dixon's third placed Riley and suffered serious injuries to his spine and ribs.