Victor George Froud was a Hunts. Cyclist.  Sadly very little is known about his service life, but his Medal Index Card [Victor G. Froud] indicates that he served as a Sapper in the Royal Engineers - Army number 524735 and as Huntingdon Cyclist Battalion with the Number 291288.  Victor was born and spent all his civilian life in Kent.  This was not unusual in the latter part of the recruitment of men into the Army, and can be seen in the Hunts. Cyclists by lists of about 30 men being recruited from the Sevenoaks area of Kent and passing directly into the HCB. This can be seen by the data they gave when registering into the HCB, but again the papers for Victor are not available for confirmation of this fact.

His grand daughter indicates that he either had an 'injury or serious illness (perhaps trench fever) during his army service'. Victor died when Gill was only six years old and she remembers that he had several of his fingers missing.

His medals are marked as 524735 Spr V.G. Froud R.E.  These were found on the rim of the British War and Victory medals, he also was awarded the Defence medal for his service in WW2.

Victor was living in Riverhead, a village which is now more or less part of Sevenoaks, Kent, at the outbreak of the first War. 

It is not known if Victor joined the HCB first and as part of that unit went to France - and again like the other men was re Regimented into the Royal Engineers or if he went directly into the Royal Engineers and, after loosing his fingers, was brought back to England an then went into the HCB.

From his service number I would think that the former is more likely, but unfortunately this can't be proven at this time. 

Victor survived the war. 

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

09/04/2012