The Huntingdonshire Cyclist Battalions

Albert Edward Barker [Buglar]

. Bugler Albert Edward Barker who came from the Huntingdon area. He enlisted in the HCB at their Head Quarters in St. Mary's Street, Huntingdon. He first appears in their record being mentioned on the rolls as a Private on 4/6/1915. [local papers indicate that he was serving well before 18/9/1914]
He was married to Miss Ethel May Stevenson who came from Filey, they were married at the Jubilee Chapel, Scarborough in November 1915.

From an unknown local paper extract dated 18/9/1914 - SOUNDED 'THE LAST POST' - Buglar Barker, of the Hunts. Cycle Battalion, writing to his mother at Huntingdon, from Yorkshire, says he sounded 'The Last Post' over the grave of one of the victims from the Pathfinder.

Being stationed in Yorkshire would place him in the 1/1/st Battalion of the HCB.

This newspaper extract was found in the Norris Museum Military cutting book dated 28/8/1914 [possibly from the Hunts Post - based on print type]. It is not known if the article refers to this soldier or not. WIDOW'S FOUR SOLDIER SONS. - Mrs. Barker, widow of the late Sergt. Barker, who formerly kept the Red Lion, Huntingdon, and now resides in St. Clement's Passage, is deservedly proud of the fact that she has four sons serving their King and Country. Three are in the Garrison Artillery, and one in the Hunts. Cycle Battalion. One son is stationed in Scotland, one in Yorkshire, one at Sheerness and one at Woolwich. A picture postcard received from the Cycle Battalion showed the motor section of the Hunts. Regiment was in the best of good spirits. [The son in Yorkshire would be the one in the HCB - Webmaster].

Bugler Albert Edward Barker survived the war and died in 1962, his wife Ethel May passed in about 1968. They are both buried in the cemetery in Fareham, Hants.

Bugler Barker was the grandfather Alfred Edward Barker, many thanks to him for help in my project. The name was passed down to his father and then onto his son [Alfred Edward Barker]. Alfred also advises that have a number of medals that he was awarded from both world war 1 and 2. On the bar of his medals is an oak leaf [mentioned in despatches]. He recalls his father telling him that my grandfather had driven a vehicle through enemy lines to get to some vital medical equipment and possibly this is why he was mentioned in despatches.
Alfred continues 'In World War 2, he served in the K R R C (Royal Green Jackets) and was part of the defence force that held off the Germans at Calais when Dunkirk was being evacuated. Upon being eventually overpowered by the Germans my grandfather and others were taken as POWs and marched around from one POW camp to another. I have a cigarette case that my grandfather kept and in it he scratched the names and dates of the POW camps in which he went to. I believe that my Grandfather possibly made the rank of Major'.

If you can help with any data on this Huntingdonshire Cyclist please contact me at huntscycles@btinternet.com

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09/04/2012
. . Martyn Smith ©

.	Bugler Albert Edward Barker who came from the Huntingdon area. He enlisted in the HCB at their Head Quarters in St. Mary's Street, Huntingdon. He first appears in their record being mentioned on the rolls as a Private on 4/6/1915. [local papers indicate that he was serving well before 18/9/1914] He was married to Miss Ethel May Stevenson who came from Filey, they were married at the Jubilee Chapel, Scarborough in November 1915. From an unknown local paper extract dated 18/9/1914 - SOUNDED 'THE LAST POST' - Buglar Barker, of the Hunts. Cycle Battalion, writing to his mother at Huntingdon, from Yorkshire, says he sounded 'The Last Post' over the grave of one of the victims from the Pathfinder. Being stationed in Yorkshire would place him in the 1/1/st Battalion of the HCB. This newspaper extract was found in the Norris Museum Military cutting book dated 28/8/1914 [possibly from the Hunts Post - based on print type]. It is not known if the article refers to this soldier or not. WIDOW'S FOUR SOLDIER SONS. - Mrs. Barker, widow of the late Sergt. Barker, who formerly kept the Red Lion, Huntingdon, and now resides in St. Clement's Passage, is deservedly proud of the fact that she has four sons serving their King and Country. Three are in the Garrison Artillery, and one in the Hunts. Cycle Battalion. One son is stationed in Scotland, one in Yorkshire, one at Sheerness and one at Woolwich. A picture postcard received from the Cycle Battalion showed the motor section of the Hunts. Regiment was in the best of good spirits. [The son in Yorkshire would be the one in the HCB - Webmaster]. Bugler Albert Edward Barker survived the war and died in 1962, his wife Ethel May passed in about 1968. They are both buried in the cemetery in Fareham, Hants. Bugler Barker was the grandfather Alfred Edward Barker, many thanks to him for help in my project. The name was passed down to his father and then onto his son [Alfred Edward Barker]. Alfred also advises that have a number of medals that he was awarded from both world war 1 and 2. On the bar of his medals is an oak leaf [mentioned in despatches]. He recalls his father telling him that my grandfather had driven a vehicle through enemy lines to get to some vital medical equipment and possibly this is why he was mentioned in despatches. Alfred continues 'In World War 2, he served in the K R R C (Royal Green Jackets) and was part of the defence force that held off the Germans at Calais when Dunkirk was being evacuated. Upon being eventually overpowered by the Germans my grandfather and others were taken as POWs and marched around from one POW camp to another. I have a cigarette case that my grandfather kept and in it he scratched the names and dates of the POW camps in which he went to. I believe that my Grandfather possibly made the rank of Major'.
If you can help with any data on this Huntingdonshire Cyclist please contact me at huntscycles@btinternet.com
	Return to Soldiers Section.		Return to Main Menu.
09/04/2012	.	.	*Martyn Smith* ©