sentences:  Three 499cc Blackburne motorcycles were entered in the ACU six days trial in 1914 one ridden by John Spear Roberts (ex Motosacoche Ltd ), who is named as joint applicant in a Blackburne patent of 1918.In the judges summary of the event they stated that the "Blackburne machines are also worthy of very favourable notice on account of their good engine design".With the outbreak of the war in mid-1914, three directors of Burney and Blackburne Ltd volunteered as despatch riders, these were Cecil Burney, Alec Burney and C.Q.