George William Onyett.

This photo, kindly provided by Croydon Onyett shows his father, George William Onyett in the middle flanked by his friends - on his right by Fred Harlock and on his left Ernest A. Harlock both of these men also came from Ramsey St. Mary's.  He also mentions another friend from St. Mary's who served with him John Thomas Emmington, who later transferred into the M. G. C. and William Ellington who was reported missing in France.

 

George enlisted before the 10/11/1914 in the H. C. B. directly from his home in Ramsey St. Mary's, Huntingdonshire.  He enlisted at the H. Q. of the H C B at Huntingdon where he was a private, given the number 1022 and posted to C company of the 2/1st Battalion.

For some reason his Huntingdonshire Cyclist Battalion number is a duplicate with another soldier, possibly a typing error in the original records / orders.

Battalion Orders indicate that 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.  At the time he still was a private in C Company of the 2/1st H.C.B and at this time was transferred into the Royal Warwickshire Regiment (T.F) with the Army number 30186.

In 1917 he was in Stockport Hospital with wounds to his left arm and side [His son] indicating that there was quite an interesting story to these wounds, the bullet passing through his left arm between the wrist and elbow. At the time he was carrying in his left breast pocket his army issue wallet [which is in his possession] that was full of photos. The bullet was deflected by the wallet and passed along his left side. George always said that without the deflection of the bullet he would have not survived.

Records also indicate that he also served in the Somerset Light Infantry with the Army number 266266.   He was later awarded the following medals - Victory and British - c/2/102B13 page 1623.

From a local newspaper dated 19th March 1953.

 19th March 1953 - from a local newspaper = The late Brig Gen. Charles Croyden served 25 years in West Yorks, and was in the South African Wars. Awarded Military Cross for gallantry and rec’d 5 medals including DSM and Distinguished Service Medal and 7 clasps. His son George was mentioned in despatches for carrying out the duties when his superior officer was killed whilst he was serving in the HCB during WW1 His son, Croyden Onyett, 24, a sergeant in the Royal Artillery was awarded the Military Medal for ‘courage, efficiency and determination’ whilst in Korea. His mother was Mrs Edith Onyett, better known locally as Nurse Onyett. [Correction by Croyden Onyett =  Albert Charles Croydon was not the father of George William Onyett but the Father-in-law].

[It is family history that in her duties as a district nurse Edith Onyett [Simply known to all as Nurse Onyett] was present at the birth of the Webmaster!]

Some information and photographs on this page has been kindly been provided by his son Croyden Onyett for which many thanks. 

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

 

 

The soldiers in this photo have kindly been identified by Croydon Onyett as George William Onyett (on left) Ernest Harlock (centre) Fred Harlock (on right) - all as viewed.

 

 

The soldier in this photo has kindly been identified by Croydon Onyett by as George William Onyett.

 

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 ©