Frederick Smith, Cyclist Corps, 66th East Lancashire Regiment

[Dragoon]

Hello good people of the forum.

I'm looking up this chap for a friend of ours.

I'm off Ancestry and FMP for a bit as I normally use library free access, so I can't do any basic ground work, so please, if it's ok, can you do a bit of ground work for me, cheers.

Anyway, all the information she has is on the birth certificate of her Father, born in 1916. (Attached)

Fredericks occupation is down as Pte, 131,Cyclist Corps, 66th East Lancashire Regiment?? 

Any MIC's service records etc?

Did he serve overseas, all the normal questions please.

Your help and time, as always, is greatly appreciated.

Cheers

 

Chris

 

[George Rayner]

FMP has a service record

199 Oldham Road, Newton Heath, Manchester born 1882

Aged33yrs 6mnths at 29/7?/1916

Wife Florence m 29/3/1916

BWM & VM

Transfer to Class Z 21/3/1919

Also mentions #19552

POW

Lionel Frederick Barnes Smith b26/10/1916 (Son)

20/7/17 disembarked Rouen to  XI battalion

Posted missing 9/4/18

Repatriated 2/12/18

https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=GBM%2FWO363-4%2F007324947%2F00316&parentid=GBM%2FWO363-4%2F7324947%2F17%2F316

also

https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=GBM%2FWO363-4%2F007324947%2F00322&parentid=GBM%2FWO363-4%2F7324947%2F17%2F322

 

George

 

Edited 2 August , 2019 by George Rayner
additional URL from FMP

[Dragoon]

George, you're a star, thank you!

I look forward to seeing those records when I get access again.

Interesting to see his wife's name as Florence, not Amy, as on the birth certificate.

Was he in the Cyclist Corps throughout? And is the East Lancashire bit supposed to be Division, not Regiment,I've just looked on the LLT site?

So he was a POW, any records on that ?

So good of you with your quick response George, cheers 

 

Chris

[George Rayner]

Morning

Section from FMP as previously acknowledged

Apologies Florence is his sister: listed as NoK but faint I made a presumption!

Wife confirmed as Amy, marriage at St. Anne's 29.3.16 at 199 Oldham Road

Nothing else about POW that I can see yet

 

George

 

[Chris_Baker]

Frederick was serving with a unit known as XI Corps Cyclist Battalion when he was captured on 9 April 1918. On that day, the start of German offensive Operation "Georgette (the Battle of the Lys), the battalion fought a famous defence of La Couture.

 

He was enlisted into the  Army Cyclist Corps after initial attestation into the Group System (Derby Scheme) and began his service with the 66th (2nd East Lancashire) Divisional Cyclist Company. Frederick went to France on 20 July 1917 and after a month at the base depot was posted to join XI Corps Cyclist Battalion.

Edited 3 August , 2019 by Chris_Baker

[George Rayner]

Thanks Chris.

I have been looking on the POW records but they defeat me!

 

George

[George Rayner]

This is what Chris says...

FMP second URL

George

[Dragoon]

2 hours ago, Chris_Baker said:

Frederick was serving with a unit known as XI Corps Cyclist Battalion when he was captured on 9 April 1918. On that day, the start of German offensive Operation "Georgette (the Battle of the Lys), the battalion fought a famous defence of La Couture.

 

He was enlisted into the  Army Cyclist Corps after initial attestation into the Group System (Derby Scheme) and began his service with the 66th (2nd East Lancashire) Divisional Cyclist Company. Frederick went to France on 20 July 1917 and after a month at the base depot was posted to join XI Corps Cyclist Battalion.

Superb write up Chris,I'll send that straight away to our friend.

Your time Chris is greatly appreciated.

3 hours ago, George Rayner said:

Morning

Section from FMP as previously acknowledged

Apologies Florence is his sister: listed as NoK but faint I made a presumption!

Wife confirmed as Amy, marriage at St. Anne's 29.3.16 at 199 Oldham Road

Nothing else about POW that I can see yet

 

George

 

And George, again, thank you for finding the records, I'll get on to them when I get access, 

Superb effort chaps! Thank you both for doing the leg work on this one,

 

Cheers 

 

Chris

[Dragoon]

Hello again,I've been on the grandeguerre.icrc website and can't find any record for Frederick.

Is there any way I can find records of POW's or have I missed something on that site?

Thank you again

 

Chris