Pt 6165 Frank BUTLER

[GrahamC]

Hi pals

One of my Buxton lads - Pt. Frank Butler - 'died' on 13 Nov 1918 and is buried in St Sever Military Cemetery. His Service Papers have not survived and his MIC states he entered France on 31 Aug 1915.

His CWGC entry puts him in the 6th Bn. Army Cyclist Corps, but there seem to have been a number of 6th Bns. - Norfolk, Suffolk and Royal Sussex. But even on the LLT I can't pin down which one went to France on the date on his MIC.

Can any pal out there help me track down who my man served with, where he fought etc. Seems like he went through three years of war only to die (disease?) two days after the Armistice, and I want to give him due recognition for his service.

Many thanks as ever

Graham

[stdape2011]

only thing i could find if any use

6th (Cyclist) Battalion, The Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment); later the Kent Cyclist Battalion

•6th (Cyclist) Battalion, The Norfolk Regiment

The first form of the bicycle was invented in 1817 in France as an alternative to horses, when crop failure following the volcanic eruption of Tambora, lead to the mass starvation of horses in France. There followed many different versions of this early bicycle, which on the whole was considered a rich man’s toy until 1890, when a new safer version of the bicycle was invented and formed the basis of modern bicycles. During the First World War it was believed that this popular form of transport could be of use in the war effort.

Bicycles were lighter, quieter and logistically easier to manage than horses making them ideal for reconnaissance and communications work and had first been used in this way during the Second Boer War (1899-1902). The Haldane Reforms of 1908 reorganised the Volunteers, Yeomanry and the Militia Regiments into a Territorial Force following the Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907. As part of this nine initial Cyclist Battalions were formed;

• 25th (County of London) (Cyclist) Battalion, The London Regiment
• 10th (Cyclist) Battalion, The Royal Scots
• 5th (Cyclist) Battalion, The East Yorkshire Regiment
• 8th (Cyclist) Battalion, The Royal Highland Regiment (The Black Watch); later the Highland Cyclist Battalion
• 6th (Cyclist) Battalion, The Norfolk Regiment
• 7th (Cyclist) Battalion, The Welsh Regiment
• 8th (Cyclist) Battalion, The Northumberland Fusiliers; later the Northern Cyclist Battalion
• 6th (Cyclist) Battalion, The Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment); later the Kent Cyclist Battalion
• The Essex and Suffolk Cyclist Battalion

[joseph]

Hi,

Divisional Cyclist Coy were formed in 1915 from men of the division and then later transferred to the Army Cyclist Corps.

The 5th Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment (Cyclists) remained in the UK but provided drafts to the 1/4th Battalion Overseas, keeping their original numbers.

Regards Charles

[stephen p nunn]

I have a chap from the Maldon area who is a Cyclist Corps casualty with a service number of 50. Before joining the Corps he was with this lot.

Good luck with your research.

Regards.

SPN
Maldon

[Tyneside Chinaman]

The divisional cyclists were withdrawn in April 1916 and the Divisional Cyclist Companies amalgamated to form Corps Cyclist Battalions.

I would suggest your man was serving with VI Corps Cyclist Battalion when he died.

regards

John