The Huntingdonshire Cyclist Battalions

Percy Edward Byatt.

Percy was the second son of Edward and Annie Maria Byatt (Edward -was a rope maker), he was born 10/4/1885 in St. Ives. He enlisted in the HCB in 1915 at their Headquarter in St. Mary's Street, Huntingdon. At that time he gave his address as North Road, St. Ives and his occupation as working as a printer at Enderby's Printing company St. Ives.. Upon enlistment he was given the HCB number 1548 and was posted to A Company of the 2/1st [Reserve] Hunts. Cyclists Battalion.
He left Scarborough to go to France on the 27 July 1916 = Private in A Co. 2/1st HCB - He was then transferred as private 43108 in the 1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment. He was notified as being Killed in action on the 23/4/1917 - he has no known grave and is remembered on the Arras Memorial - Faubourg D' Amiens Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France. His name is on Bay 5 of that memorial.

He fought at Vimy Ridge the battle of Albert and on the Somme after.
He was posted to the base depot B.E.F. France on 26th July 1916, he was rationed up to and for that day. Order was part 2 No. 171 issued by W. L. Stephenson, 2/Lieut. & acting Adjutant, 2/1st Hunts. Cyclist Battalion. The order was issued at Well Camp Alford at 8-00 p.m., 28th July 1916. He transferred to the 1st Bat. Bedfordshire Regiment in Percy Edward Byatt was born in St. Ives on 10th April 1888, the son of Edward and Annie Maria Byatt. He was baptised at St. Ives Parish Church on 24th May 1888.

All his life Percy and his family lived in North Road, St. Ives. Before the war Percy worked as a Printer at Enderby's Printing Company St. Ives. He was also a keen athlete and won many trophies, for some years Percy was a wing player for St. Ives Football Team. Percy enlisted in the Huntingdonshire Cyclist Battalion at Huntingdon in 1915. He served with A Company, 2/1st Battalion as a Private, no. 1548. On 24th.December 1915 at St. Ives Parish Church Percy married Edith Mary Harrod. After the wedding they had a short honeymoon in Spalding. I can find no record of the couple having any children.

On 26th July 1916 Percy was posted to the Base Depot, B.E.F., France. Somewhere around this date Percy was transferred to the 1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, 5th Division as a Private, no. 43108. Once in France Percy took part in much heavy fighting on the Somme in the latter half of 1916. Like Herbert Butler, Percy was killed at Vimy Ridge on 23rd April 1917. (For complete details of this battle please refer to the section on Herbert Butler). Percy has no known grave and is commemorated on Bay 5 of the Arras Memorial, France. In St. Ives Percy is commemorated on the War Memorial Market Hill as Pte. Percy E. Byatt; St. Ives Free Church Memorial as Byatt, Percy; St. Ives Parish Church Altar of Remembrance as Private Percy Byatt and in Westwood Road Cemetery, St. Ives where there is the following memorial to him on his parent's gravestone: also of Percy Edward Byatt killed in action in France April 23rd 1917 aged 29 years. 'He sleeps beside his comrades in a hallowed grave unknown, but his name is writ in letters of love on the hearts he left at home' 1916, as a private. On a stone in St. Ives cemetery is " Percy Edward Byatt Killed in action in France April 23 1917 aged 29 years." " He sleeps beside his comrades in an hallowed grave unknown but his name is writ in letters of love on the hearts he left at home."

. There are 2 HCB men with this number 1548.

. He is remembered on the St. Ives War Memorial that is situated in the car park area off the main road and square running through the town.

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
St. Ives War Memorial photo. Martyn Smith ©

	Percy was the second son of Edward and Annie Maria Byatt (Edward -was a rope maker), he was born 10/4/1885 in St. Ives. He enlisted in the HCB in 1915 at their Headquarter in St. Mary's Street, Huntingdon. At that time he gave his address as North Road, St. Ives and his occupation as working as a printer at Enderby's Printing company St. Ives.. Upon enlistment he was given the HCB number 1548 and was posted to A Company of the 2/1st [Reserve] Hunts. Cyclists Battalion. He left Scarborough to go to France on the 27 July 1916 = Private in A Co. 2/1st HCB - He was then transferred as private 43108 in the 1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment. He was notified as being Killed in action on the 23/4/1917 - he has no known grave and is remembered on the Arras Memorial - Faubourg D' Amiens Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France. His name is on Bay 5 of that memorial.
	He fought at Vimy Ridge the battle of Albert and on the Somme after. He was posted to the base depot B.E.F. France on 26th July 1916, he was rationed up to and for that day. Order was part 2 No. 171 issued by W. L. Stephenson, 2/Lieut. & acting Adjutant, 2/1st Hunts. Cyclist Battalion. The order was issued at Well Camp Alford at 8-00 p.m., 28th July 1916. He transferred to the 1st Bat. Bedfordshire Regiment in Percy Edward Byatt was born in St. Ives on 10th April 1888, the son of Edward and Annie Maria Byatt. He was baptised at St. Ives Parish Church on 24th May 1888. All his life Percy and his family lived in North Road, St. Ives. Before the war Percy worked as a Printer at Enderby's Printing Company St. Ives. He was also a keen athlete and won many trophies, for some years Percy was a wing player for St. Ives Football Team. Percy enlisted in the Huntingdonshire Cyclist Battalion at Huntingdon in 1915. He served with A Company, 2/1st Battalion as a Private, no. 1548. On 24th.December 1915 at St. Ives Parish Church Percy married Edith Mary Harrod. After the wedding they had a short honeymoon in Spalding. I can find no record of the couple having any children. On 26th July 1916 Percy was posted to the Base Depot, B.E.F., France. Somewhere around this date Percy was transferred to the 1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, 5th Division as a Private, no. 43108. Once in France Percy took part in much heavy fighting on the Somme in the latter half of 1916. Like Herbert Butler, Percy was killed at Vimy Ridge on 23rd April 1917. (For complete details of this battle please refer to the section on Herbert Butler). Percy has no known grave and is commemorated on Bay 5 of the Arras Memorial, France. In St. Ives Percy is commemorated on the War Memorial Market Hill as Pte. Percy E. Byatt; St. Ives Free Church Memorial as Byatt, Percy; St. Ives Parish Church Altar of Remembrance as Private Percy Byatt and in Westwood Road Cemetery, St. Ives where there is the following memorial to him on his parent's gravestone: also of Percy Edward Byatt killed in action in France April 23rd 1917 aged 29 years. 'He sleeps beside his comrades in a hallowed grave unknown, but his name is writ in letters of love on the hearts he left at home' 1916, as a private. On a stone in St. Ives cemetery is " Percy Edward Byatt Killed in action in France April 23 1917 aged 29 years." " He sleeps beside his comrades in an hallowed grave unknown but his name is writ in letters of love on the hearts he left at home."
.	There are 2 HCB men with this number 1548.
.	He is remembered on the St. Ives War Memorial that is situated in the car park area off the main road and square running through the town.
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	St. Ives War Memorial photo.	*Martyn Smith* ©