12th ROYAL SUSSEX- RECRUITS FROM CYCLING CLUBS?

[Guest]

Would some kind soul with either a knowledge of cyclists and the war or The Royal Sussex Regiment enlighten a suburban idiot here in London??? I have 3 casualties for Wanstead all with the 12th R.Sussex, 2 of them cousins killed by the same shell. In addition, there are others locally who served with 12th R.Sussex, as well as some that a colleague has researched who came from neighbouring Woodford. But there seems no discernible connection between those who served or were killed and the County of Sussex. I have a suspicion that the link could be recruitment from a local/area cycling club but is any kind reader aware of any such recruiting schemes for cyclists in 1914???

Alas, cycling history is something of a blank to me- I spend a lot of time trying to avoid being hit by the little darlings pedalling up and down the pavments.

[johnboy]

Men were often sent to where they were needed and not necessarily a local Regiment,

Bear in mind that there were Cyclist Battalions.

Take a look at Long Long Trail, top left of this page,

If you have names and service numbers please post them . You can also post links to any records you have for them.

[kenf48]

The 12th Battalion Royal Sussex was one of three Southdowns Battalions or 'Lowthers Lambs', there is a dedicated website researching the Battalions which includes a nominal roll of the original recruits.http://royalsussex-southdowns.co.uk

You will see apart from local Sussex men there were a handful of men from London, Leicester and Northumberland, as well as Surrey.

There is a letter in Sussex Record Office (cited in 'Sussex in the First World War' Grieves) written by an Eastbourne man who describes the organisational and administrative mayhem at Chichester Barracks as the 'New Army' was raised. He notes some Sussex men were sent away and specifically mentions the group of Northumberland men (probably because they were so alien) who joined them at Chichester, he doesn't mention any other specific groups though from the above nominal roll it seems there were some.

Lowthers Battalions were locally raised i.e. 'Pals' and recruited in Sussex as infantry (not cyclists) and the original recruits had an SD/prefix.

As you have not given any details can't help further.

Ken

[Scalyback]

You could see what the National cycle musuem have as well.

Pavement cyclists are not cyclists just someone on a bike

[Guest]

Thanks to ken for the heads up on the 12th Bn roll. I list the 3 wanstead casualties below- Only one has a SD number for 12RS, while Alfred Frederick Andrews. is not on the roll, despite the consecutive service number to his cousin. I have also another 2 who served and survived. But Army Service Numbers for 12RS gives no idnication of the G numbers,which covers both the Andrews

ANDREWS, ALFRED FREDERICK

Rank:

Private

Service No:

G/16204

Date of Death:

17/10/1916

Regiment/Service:

Royal Sussex Regiment

12th Bn.

Panel Reference

Pier and Face 7 C.

Memorial

THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

ANDREWS, CLEMENT CHARLES

Rank:

Private

Service No:

G/16205

Date of Death:

17/10/1916

Regiment/Service:

Royal Sussex Regiment

12th Bn.

Panel Reference:

Pier and Face 7 C.

Memorial:

THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

Additional Information:

BAINES, GEORGE EDMUND

Rank:

Corporal

Service No:

SD/2143

Date of Death:

02/07/1916

Age:

23

Regiment/Service:

Royal Sussex Regiment

12th Bn.

Grave Reference

VIII. B. 119.

Cemetery

BOULOGNE EASTERN CEMETERY

Additional Information:

Son of the Rev. and Mrs. J. Baines, of Baden Villas, Fordingbridge, Salisbury

[mandy hall]

The Medal rolls on ancestry show that the Andrews cousins had both served in the 2/4 RSR before the joining the 12th Battalion.

See the Long Long Trail website for more info on 2/4 RSR

http://www.1914-1918.net/sussex.htm

Mandy

[Guest]

Thanks for the heads up about 2/4 RSR- We had that already but Long,Long Trail shows that a number of the RSR battalions absorbed men from cyclists battalions and companies when they were " dismounted".-2/4, 2/5,2/6. It was curiosity about how men from East London ended up in RSR-and local accounts suggest cycling pre-war was the only link.

I will perservere. My thanks

[mandy hall]

Have a look at this service record for Norton Dudley Austin on Find My Past from Paddington London, his service number is 16207 very close to the Andrews.

He has service in the 2/4 and 12th RSR.

FMP link

http://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=gbm%2fwo363-4%2f007295366%2f00668&parentid=gbm%2fwo363-4%2f7295366%2f28%2f668&highlights=%22%22

Or Ancestry link

http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/1219/miuk1914e_123812-00653/160968?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.uk%2f%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3findiv%3d1%26db%3dBritishArmyService%26rank%3d1%26new%3d1%26MSAV%3d1%26msT%3d1%26gss%3dangs-d%26gsfn%3dNorton%26gsln%3dAustin%26dbOnly%3d_F8007A65%257c_F8007A65_x%252c_F0007CF4%257c_F0007CF4_x%252c_F0007E0C%257c_F0007E0C_x%26_F0007CF4%3dRoyal%2bSussex%2bregiment%26uidh%3djp1%26pcat%3d39%26fh%3d0%26h%3d160968%26recoff%3d%26ml_rpos%3d1&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnRecord#?imageId=miuk1914e_123812-00652

Mandy