>From : Lawrence MacIsaac <[email protected]> To : >[email protected] Subject : ANZAC Cyclist Battalions WWI Date : > Tue, 01 Apr 2003 09:52:06 -0500 >I am in the early stages of researching the military service of three >of >my father's first cousins who served in the Australian Imperial >Force >during World War I. One of these men first served in the >Australian 4th >Light Horse and then was transferred to the 1st ANZAC >Cyclist Battalion in >1916. >I am having difficulty locating any information about the activities >of >the ANZAC Cyclist Battalions. I have found one small page on the >internet >which implies that "the unit was a complete failure" >which "never served >in the front line as a fighting unit". >Since my ancestor who served in the 1st Cyclist Battlion, according to >his >AIF service record, continued to serve in France until February >1919, I am >curious about the nature of the duties in which he would >have been >involved. There is no description on his service record of >his activities >from the date of his posting to the Reorganized 1st >Cyclist Battalion on 9 >July 1916 to 15 September 1917. His record >indicates that in September >1917 he was "attached to A Coy for police >duty", following which he >"rejoined Leicester Regt (Pioneers)". The >only Leicester Regiment that I >can find was within the British Army >(not the AIF). >I would like to learn more about the activities of the 1st Cyclist >Battalion, as well as the transfer of its members to other units. Can >someone please direct me to some detailed source of information (either in >print or on the internet) about the 1st Cyclist Battalion? >Any help will >be greatly appreciated. Sandy Gratton Hi Sandy, I found some very interesting reading on an earlier Cyclist Battalion which went to the South African War in a journal called "Australian Cyclist and Motor Car World". They published letters from Cycling Club members in this journal, and there were occasional reports from other sources. You might get some unofficial background from this source. I saw the journal in the State Library of Victoria. Best wishes Lenore Frost Essendon, Vic http://www.members.optushome.com.au/lenorefrost/ See details of my new book: "Essendon and the Boer War, with letters from the veldt, 1899-1902" http://www.members.optushome.com.au/lenorefrost/bookshop.html _________________________________________________________________ Hotmail now available on Australian mobile phones. Go to http://ninemsn.com.au/mobilecentral/hotmail_mobile.asp
I read a detailed article on Australian Cycle battalions in a recent issue of "Sabretache", the journal of the Australian Military History Association. Worth a look. regards Roger Beckett -----Original Message----- From: Lenore Frost [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: 02 April 2003 04:22 To: [email protected] Subject: Re: ANZAC Cyclist Battalions WWI >From : Lawrence MacIsaac <[email protected]> To : >[email protected] Subject : ANZAC Cyclist Battalions WWI Date : > Tue, 01 Apr 2003 09:52:06 -0500 >I am in the early stages of researching the military service of three >of >my father's first cousins who served in the Australian Imperial >Force >during World War I. One of these men first served in the >Australian 4th >Light Horse and then was transferred to the 1st ANZAC >Cyclist Battalion in >1916. >I am having difficulty locating any information about the activities >of >the ANZAC Cyclist Battalions. I have found one small page on the >internet >which implies that "the unit was a complete failure" >which "never served >in the front line as a fighting unit". >Since my ancestor who served in the 1st Cyclist Battlion, according to >his >AIF service record, continued to serve in France until February >1919, I am >curious about the nature of the duties in which he would >have been >involved. There is no description on his service record of >his activities >from the date of his posting to the Reorganized 1st >Cyclist Battalion on 9 >July 1916 to 15 September 1917. His record >indicates that in September >1917 he was "attached to A Coy for police >duty", following which he >"rejoined Leicester Regt (Pioneers)". The >only Leicester Regiment that I >can find was within the British Army >(not the AIF). >I would like to learn more about the activities of the 1st Cyclist >Battalion, as well as the transfer of its members to other units. Can >someone please direct me to some detailed source of information (either in >print or on the internet) about the 1st Cyclist Battalion? >Any help will >be greatly appreciated. Sandy Gratton Hi Sandy, I found some very interesting reading on an earlier Cyclist Battalion which went to the South African War in a journal called "Australian Cyclist and Motor Car World". They published letters from Cycling Club members in this journal, and there were occasional reports from other sources. You might get some unofficial background from this source. I saw the journal in the State Library of Victoria. Best wishes Lenore Frost Essendon, Vic http://www.members.optushome.com.au/lenorefrost/ See details of my new book: "Essendon and the Boer War, with letters from the veldt, 1899-1902" http://www.members.optushome.com.au/lenorefrost/bookshop.html _________________________________________________________________ Hotmail now available on Australian mobile phones. Go to http://ninemsn.com.au/mobilecentral/hotmail_mobile.asp ==== AUS-MILITARY Mailing List ==== First AIF Order of Battle 1914-1918 http://www.adfa.edu.au/~rmallett/index.html