1952?

Reader Nigel brings another Enfield mystery. One of the RE Facebook group members owns a Bullet that the Royal Enfield Owner's Club in the UK certifies as being from 1952 and claims it is part of the contingent of 800 that went to India with the Government order. The problem is that all reports claim the order came in 1953 or 1954 and the bikes were delivered in 1955. Maybe this was a one-off export and not part of the Government order of 800 Bullets? As we have established, there were already Royal Enfields (probably bicycles) sold in India in 1911. And Madras Motors was importing them since 1942. Here is the document:

And here is the bike (incidentally confirming that they were badged "Royal Enfield" even when sold in India, rekindling the mystery of when did they transition to "Enfield India").

I scanned the "REVS" magazine (the internal Royal Enfield employee's magazine) and in spite of plenty of mentions of overseas dealers, the only mention of India appears in Spring 1954 (see below). It is strange, given the magnitude of the bike order placed, that it would not get covered. So perhaps the order did happen later in 1954? So many Enfield mysteries, so little time!