Building Up
On January 1928 the first Essex section, the Romford, was formed, a Southend section the following day, a camping section a few weeks later and Chelmsford on April 14th, then a Barking section. The D.A. flourished during the 1930's with a Grays section in 1930, a loiterers in 1932 and a Hard-riders in 1935. Regular events such as the Eastern Anglia Rallies (organised by Essex) at Long Melford, inter-D.A. socials at High Beech and lantern lectures (slide shows) by well-known speakers were organised and well supported. The D.A. was thriving. In 1935 we provided a team to participate in the CTC's Royal Silver Jubilee Relay Ride who conveyed the vellum from Brentwood to Colchester. Gymkhanas and Map Reading contests were held. In 1937, amid some acrimony an Ilford section was formed from young Loiterers members. Seemingly at odds with those who raced with the Viking some of them formed the Rapier Road Club which lasted until 1972 when they merged with the Buccaneers C.C. (a League Club) to form the Redbridge C.C. Thus is cycling history made.

All this came to an end in 1939 when World War II broke out. With much of the membership comprising young men and women section life was hit as members disappeared into the forces. Barking section was the first to close, then Southend and Ilford whilst Chelmsford existed in a suspended state. The few sections left held 'home to tea' runs.

Our President T Grant Scarfe had died in 1944 being replaced by tricyclist Sir Gilbertson Smith T.D. D.L once Colonel of the 26th Middlesex Cyclist Volunteer Corps and also President of the Brentwood Road Club. With the end of the war many of those returning from the forces turned to the open road and freedom of the wheel. 1946 saw Chelmsford section active again and in April former Barking members Les Smart and John Harris gathered members of both Ilford and Barking sections to form the Ilford & Barking Section. Next Grays reorganised as Thurrock and Southend re-formed. By 1948 things were flourishing and the pre-war programme had been revived with a 100 mile event plus 12 and 24 hour rides, with a Map Reading and Gymkhana included. In 1949 a new section the Epping Forest was formed and this was followed by a Dagenham Section from younger Loiterers members. At the A.G.M that year Col. Sir Gilbertson Smith stood down and Eddie Engel was elected to start his long reign as President.

By the early 50's cycling was booming with membership growing in the CTC and other clubs. Petrol rationing was still in force and club rides, 20 and 30 strong, could be seen on the major roads cycling two abreast. There were numerous inns and private houses catering for cyclists, some popular ones being the "Hand & Crown", High Wych, Mrs Watson at Plovers Barron, Doddinghurst, Mrs Hatfield at Good Easter and, for a while, our favourite in the Dagenham section, the "Wheatsheaf" at Writtle. Club teas were great get-togethers and you needed to be sharp if you were not to miss out on your cakes! In 1950, D.A. Secretary Les Smart founded the bi-monthly Newsletter which was to lead to Spotlight. In 1952 the national British Cyclists Touring Competition (BCTC) was started by Head Office and Wilf Hewitt organised the local heat. This contest continued until the 1990's with two Essex winners, the writer in 1953 and Stuart Murray in 1988. That year (1952) the D.A. celebrated its Silver Jubilee with a Dinner at Shoreditch Town Hall which went into memories as the "foggy dinner" when a real pea-souper descended on London and many didn't arrive home until morning. A Jubilee commemorative booklet was issued. Things continued going well into the 50's with former members of the Dagenham Section breaking away to form the Hornchurch section (later to turn into Havering). A Hard riders section was formed and in 1959 a Basildon section was founded but only lasted a few weeks.