The Huntingdonshire Cyclist Battalions

Sidney Charles Clark.

These photos tell the story of Sidney Clark of Station Houses, Huntingdon who was proud to wear the uniform of the Hunts. Cyclist Battalions. He was 20 when the war broke out, being born in the town an then living less than four hundred yards from the Battalion headquarters in St. Mary's Street, Huntingdon. His house was even closer to their training area on Mill Common. He enlisted on the 6th October 1914 and was sent to the 2/1st Battalion and was allotted a Battalion number of 565 and posted to 'A' company. At the time of enlistment he was one of the local postmen that served the Huntingdon area.

CLARK Sidney Charles 43008 - 1st Bedfordshire Regiment 23rd April 1917 Godmanchester Huntingdonshire 565 Private, 43008, 1st Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment. Killed in action Monday 23rd April 1917 in France & Flanders. Born, resident and enlisted Huntingdon. Formerly 565, Huntingdonshire Cyclist Battalion. Commemorated on Arras Memorial, Pas de Calais, France. Bay 5.

Sidney Clark [right as viewed] of the Hunts. Cycles posing for a photograph in early 1915 whilst on the training field in Mill Common, Huntingdon. He is seen here with an unknown fellow soldier in a typical staged photograph of the time. The H C B cap badge the 'Rising Stag' can clearly be seen on their caps and they are posing with the standard Lee Enfield Rifles that were issued to the Battalion early in 1915.
Local paper 2/2/1918

Pte. S.C. Clark, Beds. Regiment, of Huntingdon, who was reported missing on April 24th. has now been officially posted as killed in action on that date. Son of Mr. J. Clark, Station Cottages, Pte. Clark was a postman connected to the Huntingdon Office, and joined the Cyclists, afterwards being transferred to the Beds. Regt. He was married in July, 1916. He was a member of St. Mary's bell-ringers. A memorial service for privates Clark, Lavender, Fowler & Dighton, all Huntingdon men, was held at St. Mary's Church on Sunday, and at the close a muffled peel was rung.

Local paper 2/2/1918

Pte. S. C. Clark, Bedford Regiment, son of Mrs. Clark "Burleigh House" , has been missing since April 23rd and has now been reported killed. He was a postman before joining up.

Many thanks to martin Edwards for some of the information contained on this page.

This postcard was posted to Sid's mother from Whitby 30th March 1915. The card says that he expects his mother can pick him out, I think that she may well have been able to do so but there are several men that I think look like Sid. The identity of the man lying down on the boards is not known.

This is the reverse of the postcard sent from Whitby.

Sidney was married to Miss Florence Hand at the altar of St. Mary's church Huntingdon on the 18th July 1916. He was given special leave to get married at the time. The photo on the left shows the couple posing in a local studio just after they were married. The rising stag cap badge of the Hunts. Cyclists can clearly be seen on the cap placed on the bench, he is also wearing the badge showing that he had volunteered for 'Imperial Service' over his breast pocket. Records show that it was less than three weeks later that he set sail for France from Southampton and was placed in the 1st Bedfordshire Regiment where he rose to the rank of lance corporal within a few months. His general service history in France is documented through the war diaries of the Regiment.

Sidney was killed on the 23rd April 1917 whilst still serving with the Bedford Regiment. It is not known if he returned to England to see his wife from the time he left Southampton until the time he was killed, but it would seem highly unlikely. Sidney, like may others of that Regiment has no know grave and his name appears on bay 5 of the Arras memorial at Faubourg D'Amiens cemetery.

Family remembering Sid at his memorial in France July 2004.
Family remembering Sid at his memorial in France.
1/2/1918 = Missing Huntingdon Man Now Reported Killed.

"Pte. S. C. Clark, Beds. Regt. of Huntingdon, who was reported missing on April 24^th, has now been officially reported as killed in action on that date. Son of Mr. J. Clark, Station Cottages, Pte. Clark was a postman connected with the Huntingdon Office, and joined the Cyclists, being transferred to the Beds. Regt. He was 24 years of age, and was married in July 1916. He was a member of St. Mary’s bell-ringers. A memorial service for Pte. Clark, Lavender, Fowler and Dighton, all Huntingdon men, was held at St. Mary’s Church on Sunday, and at the close a muffled peal was rung."

Local newspaper entries indicate that by 17th October 1914 Sergeant S. L. Clarke had been appointed Sergeant at the time it was indicated that he was serving in B Company as Machine gun section.

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

Link to Godmanchester War Memorial. . Link to Arras War Memorial.

Return to Soldiers Section. Return to Main Menu.

09/04/2012
. . Martyn Smith ©

These photos tell the story of Sidney Clark of Station Houses, Huntingdon who was proud to wear the uniform of the Hunts. Cyclist Battalions. He was 20 when the war broke out, being born in the town an then living less than four hundred yards from the Battalion headquarters in St. Mary's Street, Huntingdon. His house was even closer to their training area on Mill Common. He enlisted on the 6th October 1914 and was sent to the 2/1st Battalion and was allotted a Battalion number of 565 and posted to 'A' company. At the time of enlistment he was one of the local postmen that served the Huntingdon area.
CLARK Sidney Charles 43008 - 1st Bedfordshire Regiment 23rd April 1917 Godmanchester Huntingdonshire 565 Private, 43008, 1st Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment. Killed in action Monday 23rd April 1917 in France & Flanders. Born, resident and enlisted Huntingdon. Formerly 565, Huntingdonshire Cyclist Battalion. Commemorated on Arras Memorial, Pas de Calais, France. Bay 5.	Sidney Clark [right as viewed] of the Hunts. Cycles posing for a photograph in early 1915 whilst on the training field in Mill Common, Huntingdon. He is seen here with an unknown fellow soldier in a typical staged photograph of the time. The H C B cap badge the 'Rising Stag' can clearly be seen on their caps and they are posing with the standard Lee Enfield Rifles that were issued to the Battalion early in 1915. Local paper 2/2/1918 Pte. S.C. Clark, Beds. Regiment, of Huntingdon, who was reported missing on April 24th. has now been officially posted as killed in action on that date. Son of Mr. J. Clark, Station Cottages, Pte. Clark was a postman connected to the Huntingdon Office, and joined the Cyclists, afterwards being transferred to the Beds. Regt. He was married in July, 1916. He was a member of St. Mary's bell-ringers. A memorial service for privates Clark, Lavender, Fowler & Dighton, all Huntingdon men, was held at St. Mary's Church on Sunday, and at the close a muffled peel was rung. Local paper 2/2/1918 Pte. S. C. Clark, Bedford Regiment, son of Mrs. Clark "Burleigh House" , has been missing since April 23rd and has now been reported killed. He was a postman before joining up. Many thanks to martin Edwards for some of the information contained on this page.
	This postcard was posted to Sid's mother from Whitby 30th March 1915. The card says that he expects his mother can pick him out, I think that she may well have been able to do so but there are several men that I think look like Sid. The identity of the man lying down on the boards is not known. This is the reverse of the postcard sent from Whitby.
	Sidney was married to Miss Florence Hand at the altar of St. Mary's church Huntingdon on the 18th July 1916. He was given special leave to get married at the time. The photo on the left shows the couple posing in a local studio just after they were married. The rising stag cap badge of the Hunts. Cyclists can clearly be seen on the cap placed on the bench, he is also wearing the badge showing that he had volunteered for 'Imperial Service' over his breast pocket. Records show that it was less than three weeks later that he set sail for France from Southampton and was placed in the 1st Bedfordshire Regiment where he rose to the rank of lance corporal within a few months. His general service history in France is documented through the war diaries of the Regiment.
	Sidney was killed on the 23rd April 1917 whilst still serving with the Bedford Regiment. It is not known if he returned to England to see his wife from the time he left Southampton until the time he was killed, but it would seem highly unlikely. Sidney, like may others of that Regiment has no know grave and his name appears on bay 5 of the Arras memorial at Faubourg D'Amiens cemetery.

Family remembering Sid at his memorial in France July 2004.	Family remembering Sid at his memorial in France. 1/2/1918 = Missing Huntingdon Man Now Reported Killed. "Pte. S. C. Clark, Beds. Regt. of Huntingdon, who was reported missing on April 24^th, has now been officially reported as killed in action on that date. Son of Mr. J. Clark, Station Cottages, Pte. Clark was a postman connected with the Huntingdon Office, and joined the Cyclists, being transferred to the Beds. Regt. He was 24 years of age, and was married in July 1916. He was a member of St. Mary’s bell-ringers. A memorial service for Pte. Clark, Lavender, Fowler and Dighton, all Huntingdon men, was held at St. Mary’s Church on Sunday, and at the close a muffled peal was rung." Local newspaper entries indicate that by 17th October 1914 Sergeant S. L. Clarke had been appointed Sergeant at the time it was indicated that he was serving in B Company as Machine gun section.
If you can help with any data on this Huntingdonshire Cyclist please contact me at huntscycles@btinternet.com
Link to Godmanchester War Memorial.	.		Link to Arras War Memorial.
	Return to Soldiers Section.		Return to Main Menu.
09/04/2012	.	.	*Martyn Smith* ©