My Grandfather Christopher Wakeman joined the 1/25th London cyclist battalion because he didn't fancy marching too much. When they were posted overseas they didn't have their bikes. Bad luck! Anyway, in India he became a member of 'The Versatiles' concert party. I have some good information on this and contacts with other people whose relatives were in the same group. Does anybody have any further information? Thanks Brian

Hello Brian

I don't have anything to tell you but I would be interested in seeing what you have. I have an interest in the various Cyclist units in WWI but I don't see much about them.

Thank you,
Jean

I'm sorry I cannot help you Brian, other than to say that with the great number of concert parties that came into existance, it is amazing that so few titles were duplicated. 'The Versatiles' was also apparently the name of a troupe from the 2/6th Sussex. However, I have a note to say I gleaned this information from Liddle's book 'The Soldier's War', and a quick check on The Long Long Trail tells me that the 2/6 Sussex were also a cyclist battalion, and in the same brigade as the 1/25 Londons.

So it looks as though there is disputed ownership of The Versatiles. Thankyou for uncovering this anomaly Brian.

Thank you, Jean and Kate for your messages. The material I have relates more to Christopher Wakeman rather than the battalion as a whole. I have got regimental magazines, a photograph album and letters written home.

Kate- Yes there is a link bewteen the 1/25th London and the Sussex regiment as both are mentioned in the material I have. Best I go and have another look at it. I will update as soon as possible.

Brian

Dear all,

We have some 60 odd items in the collections here at the National Army Museum relating to WWI cyclists or their units. I am also currently cataloguing a huge album and diry belonging to a member of the 1/25th Londons during service in the UK in 1915 and India 1916-19. the diary is of the Waziristan expedition. All the photos are captioned and include many portraits.

I can be emailed if you would like furtur details of what we have and how to get at it!


Regards

Simon Moody
Archive Dept
NAM, Chelsea

No sign of "the Versatiles" in the album I am afraid!

Simon Moody

smoody@national-army-museum.ac.uk

Thank you for your messages. Having a look through my files I have the following;

Two copies of the Royal Sussex Herald (The Journal of the 2/6th Royal Sussex Regiment) dated August 17th 1918 & October 19th 1918 which along with some very interesting articles report on the activities of 'The Verstailes' which supports the fact that the Sussex Reg and the London Battalion combined.

I have also got three copies of the Londoner dated April 1917, January 1918 & May-June 1918, which have similar articles.

I have also got a programme for one of their performances - "The Versatiles in Variety" Touring India by kind permission of Officers Commanding 1/25th London and 2/6th Royal Sussex Regiments.

The two photograph albums I have contain photographs of the 1/25th in action , local shots in India and some of the Versatiles. Would the National Army Museum be interested in copies?

I have also been in contact with several people who also had relatives in the concert party. Interestingly enough one of these contacts sent me a photograph and both our Grandfathers were standing next to each other. It is amazing that after all these years it is still possible to find these things out. Brian

Brian

Would it be possible to share some of your photos with us here on the Forum?

The point should be made explicitly that these two battalions served together as garrison troops in India during the Great War before proceeding on active service in the Third Afghan War [6 May 1919 - 8 August 1919].

Both the 2/6th Royal Sussex and the 1/25th London Regiment arrived in India on 26 February 1916.

Brian: I am sending you a private message.
Simon: I am sending you a private message.


Regards
William

Kate

I will try and put some photos on the forum, but I'm not too much of a whizz with the computer. I'll try and work out how to do it.

Brian

Brian 90 / Simon

I'm researching a Pte William Freethy who served with 1/25th in India, taking part in the Waziristan campaign in 1917.

Sadly no service documents for him have survived, although the medal roll entry indicates he was probably invalided back to India part way through the campaign.

Despite his humble military rank, Freethy was obviously an educated and able man, as he rose to the rank of Principal Clerk in the Treasury between the wars. He was killed in the Treasury on duty with the Home Guard during the Blitz in 1940.

If you have anything on him, perhaps you could get in touch?

Regards,

Geoff

Dear Geoff,

Checked Cpl Yates' album and no sign of Pte Freeth by name and not mentioned in the diary either. Sadly, we have no individual records of soldiers inthe Great War, so the Burnt Records were your best hope.

Sorry

Simon Moody

Simon,

Many thanks for your time. It's appreciated.

Kindest regards,

Geoff

I am still looking for individual names, but you may be interested in a book I found, with rather a long title. "The London Cyclist Battalion. A Chronicle of events connected with the 26th Middlesex (cyclist) V.R.C., and the 25th (C of L) Cyclist Battalion, The London Regiment, and Military Cycling in General. It was published for the 25th London (Cycling) Old Comrades Association, Fulham House, Putney Bridge S W 6, By Forster Groom & Co Ltd, Whitehall, London S W 1 in 1932.

Copies are rare but I did find one to have a look at in the Guildhall Library in London.

Brian

Brian,

Thanks for the tip. I'll try to get to Guidhall next time I am in London.

Geoff

Hello Everyone,

I have just come across the Great War Forum and these posts.

My grandfather Harry Parker was in the 1/25th London Bicycle Regt and served in Waziristan in 1917.

Several years ago I put my grandfathers diary on my website, and since then have been contacted by several other people whose ancestors also served in the 1/25th. They have sent me photos and what information they have which I have put on another of my web pages dedicated to the 1/25th :-

http://www.simonpg.com/1-25th/gallery.htm

A couple of their ancestors were also in 'The Versatiles'.

Any further info on the 1/25th that I can add to my webpages would be appreciated.

regards
Simon P-G

I have a message for you from a lady who cannot log into the site at present because cannot find user name / password




1/25th London cyclist Battalion.
My Grandfather was Percy Chisnall and they were both in " The Dagshai Entertainers "...........Brian believes the concert party was called " The Versatiles"
I have photos of his and my Grandfather together.