White Helmets to ride for the last time next month

They are regarded as the Red Arrows of the road, and for 90 years they have performed death-defying feats atop roaring.

Triumph motorbikes to the delight of crowds at fetes, fairs and agricultural shows the length and breadth of Britain.

But now the White Helmets are to be silenced for ever.

The idea for the team was conceived in 1927 to boost recruitment by highlighting the skills of Royal Corps of Signals dispatch riders.

Ready for a baptism of fire: All riders must jump through a ring of burning straw bales to earn the right to wear the coveted White Helmet. ‘Our uniform is made from traditional wool,’ says current team captain, Jon McLelland. ‘We’ve had a few singed eyelashes but nothing serious.’

It's great to hang out together: The troupe perform The Tableau at the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto in 1974 – a stunt that involves ten men attempting to ride a single Triumph Tiger bike. The white helmets are clearly most useful to those on the bottom

Is this what they call the career ladder? A rider rehearsing The Forward Ladder in 1953. The rider must go up and over the ladder and back down the other side while the bike is moving

Left: It’s great to hang out together: The troupe perform The Tableau at the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto in 1974 – a stunt that involves ten men attempting to ride a single Triumph Tiger bike. The white helmets are clearly most useful to those on the bottom. Right: Is this what they call the career ladder? A rider rehearsing The Forward Ladder in 1953. The rider must go up and over the ladder and back down the other side while the bike is moving

However, the breathtaking human pyramids, leaps through flaming hoops and other high-speed stunts are now deemed to be out of date by Army top brass. The White Helmets are set to make their final public appearance on September 16 at the Preston Military Show – and it seems a reprieve is unlikely.

A Ministry of Defence source told The Mail on Sunday the shows’ impact on Army’s recruitment is no longer effective: ‘We’re short of soldiers and I’m afraid the people who watch them at events like the Dorset Steam Fair aren’t going to sign up.’

Understandably, veterans are furious at the decision.

Colonel Chris Blessington, a White Helmet captain in the mid-1960s, said: ‘It’s outrageous that it’s coming to an end. The team have been going for 90 years and are known around the world.

‘The White Helmets are as relevant today as they ever were. You’ve only got to see the crowd who turn up to see them at shows. A lot of the British Army ceremonial has nothing to do with the professional army of today. But it does have a lot to do with good old-fashioned character-building and spectacle. That will be sorely missed.

A true test of strength: The Six-Bike Fan pyramid, shown here during training in 1955, is a real show-stopper. The bikes travel at walking pace for a lap of the arena, held together purely by brute strength. 'Everyone has a job to do and should one fail it could collapse,' Captain McLelland said. 'It really demonstrates the courage, trust and strength of the riders.'

A true test of strength: The Six-Bike Fan pyramid, shown here during training in 1955, is a real show-stopper. The bikes travel at walking pace for a lap of the arena, held together purely by brute strength. ‘Everyone has a job to do and should one fail it could collapse,’ Captain McLelland said. ‘It really demonstrates the courage, trust and strength of the riders.’

Going over the top: The 1938 team demonstrate just how much trust they have in their team captain. These days the White Helmets tend to jump over boards rather than people

Going over the top: The 1938 team demonstrate just how much trust they have in their team captain. These days the White Helmets tend to jump over boards rather than people

The White Helmets had some of the best soldiers in the British Army.’

Spectators at last week’s Denbigh and Flintshire Show in North Wales agreed with him. Alex Lloyd-Edwards, 34, a cyber-security consultant from Abergele, near Colwyn Bay, said: ‘I don’t think they’re oldfashioned. It’s great family entertainment. For the kids to see the military doing something with such control is a great thing.’

The Army pays the salaries of the 22-man team, but they rely heavily on sponsorship to perform 100 shows a year. 

Would-be riders, who still all come from the Royal Corps of Signals, go through a rigorous two-week selection process, followed by six-week training camp. During that time they learn everything about the team’s modified 750cc Triumph T140 Tiger bikes, which have bigger rear sprockets than standard bikes, ‘sticky’ throttles so that riders can take their hands off the handlebars, and extra brackets for attaching ladders.

I'm having a smashing time Sarge: A rider performs the wall-smashing Brick Jump during training at Catterick Camp in Yorkshire in the early 1950s. This trick was abandoned many years ago - organisers decided that it took too long to clean up the bricks afterwards

Spectacle: One of the White Helmets performs a stun in 1953

Left: I’m having a smashing time Sarge: A rider performs the wall-smashing Brick Jump during training at Catterick Camp in Yorkshire in the early 1950s. This trick was abandoned many years ago – organisers decided that it took too long to clean up the bricks afterwards. Right: Spectacle: One of the White Helmets performs a stun in 1953

Not wheely difficult: Two riders attempt The Flowerpots in 1953. The trick is not currently part of the modern-day troupe's routine because it is now deemed too easy

Not wheely difficult: Two riders attempt The Flowerpots in 1953. The trick is not currently part of the modern-day troupe’s routine because it is now deemed too easy

Tumbles are part of the job. 

Lance Corporals Grant Fraser, 26, and Ben Angel, 22, both took one on the Reverse Ladder trick at the Denbigh and Flint show. They must now wear the ‘black peak of shame’ on their helmets for their next performance.

The team are also fearful of another hazard in the arena – cowpats. 

‘You can always tell when there are lots of them,’ said team leader, Captain Jon McLelland. 

‘If the guys are smiling with their teeth it means it’s a clean arena – if they’re smiling with their mouths closed it’s not so clean.’

But for fans, there will be precious few smiles when the team switch off their engines for the final time.

 

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk