From Victorian rifleman to paratroopers with folders, the Bikes bicycle was often deployed when the world went to war. Jeremy at war Archer details some examples 48 CYCLE AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2011 HISTORY BIKES AT WAR In 1885, a number of Rifl e Volunteer Corps across England established cyclist sections, equipped with high-wheelers. These were later expanded to form companies, used primarily for patrolling the English coastline. In 1888, the 26th Middlesex (Cyclist) Volunteer Rifl e Corps formed the fi rst cyclists’ battalion. It remained the only one until Lord Haldane’s reforms created the Territorial Forces in 1908. In 1890, the British Army carried out unsuccessful trials on an eight-wheeled, eight-man, pedalled contraption, so demanding on the physiques of its crew that it was dubbed ‘the Hernia Horror’. Fortunately, technological advances soon left this episode as a bad memory. In 1892, Armand Peugeot Museum War Imperial The from Pictures manufactured the fi rst folding bicycle, for the French Army, while, (Opposite, L-R, as ‘the hardest thorn in the fl esh of Bicycle, Butt Mk II; Clip, Rifl e, top down) The 9th in 1905, Italian manufacturer, Canadian Infantry the British advance’. Bicycle Fore-end Mk II; and Bag, Edoardo Bianchi, designed a disembark at Sword Tool, Bicycle.’ In May 1917, the fi nal Beach on D-Day. military bicycle for alpine use, Cyclists ride past the Cyclist battalions development of the Mark IV bicycle Kaiser in 1899. The the forerunner of today’s US 25th Infantry riding In 1908, fi ve British infantry was the addition of carriers for a mountain bikes. from Fort Missoula, battalions converted to cyclists’ machine-gun. Montana to St Louis, In 1897, members of the US 25th summer 1897. British battalions, while three new Militarily speaking, however, Infantry Regiment, formed in 1868 soldiers cross a battalions were formed. During the bicycle’s fi nest hour was still a pontoon bridge over from Afro-American soldiers who the Seine at Vernon, the next eight years a further fi ve quarter of a century away. For the had fought in the American Civil 27 August 1944. ‘wheelmen’ or cyclists’ battalions invasion of Malaya, which began Officers of 120th War, tested this new technology to Battery, Royal Artillery, were raised, for the counties of on 8 December 1941, Japanese playing bicycle polo, the limit when a detachment rode Woolwich 1911. The Essex, Suffolk, Sussex, Hampshire planners relied on bicycles as a from Fort Missoula, Montana to St. Cyclists’ Memorial and Huntingdon. According cheap and effective way of moving at Meriden. British Louis, Missouri, a gruelling 41-day, folding bicycle to the recruiting poster for the troops swiftly south through the 1,900-mile journey along wagon used in airborne Huntingdonshire Cyclists’ Battalion, Malay Peninsula. The Japanese took operations, 29 August trails and Indian paths, using state- 1942. The Meriden the last to be formed prior to the 18,000 bicycles to Malaya and their of-the-art Spalding bicycles. Such memorial inscription. outbreak of war: ‘CYCLES provided assault troops – with rifl e, personal (Above) Officer cadets rigorous training proved itself the cycling to a PT practically FREE OF CHARGE. equipment and rations strapped lesson, Royal Military following year when those same College, Sandhurst Money Allowance to men who to their two-wheelers – were able cyclists gave a good account of 1938 provide their own. ANNUAL CAMP, to move swiftly and noiselessly themselves on riot control duty Usually at the SEASIDE, at a down the roads, or outfl ank British in Havana during the Spanish- time which does not interfere positions by riding through American War. with harvest.’ rubber estates. During the Second Anglo-Boer After mobilisation, cyclists’ Colonel Tsuji Masanobu, Chief War of 1899-02, cyclists were battalions were either employed of Operations and Planning Staff, used extensively: by the Boers for in home defence, acting as a cadre Japanese 25th Army, later wrote: scouting and by British and Empire from which troops were sent to ‘Thanks to the excellent paved forces as despatch riders and for France, or they were split up into roads, and to the cheap Japanese patrolling exposed railway lines. divisional companies and used in bicycles, the assault on Malaya There was even a documented reconnaissance roles. was easy… even the long-legged incident, at Hammanskraal in During the First World War, Englishmen could not escape our the Transvaal, in which 11 New although Britain put more than troops on bicycles.’ The Japanese Zealand cyclists chased – and 100,000 cyclists on the road, that would routinely ride their bicycles apprehended – ten Boer horsemen. was exceeded by both France and for up to 20 hours a day, repairing Commandant Danie Theron raised Germany, with 125,000 and 150,000 them when necessary with spare the bicycle-mounted ‘Theron se cyclists respectively. The standard parts taken from the large numbers Verkenningskorps’, or Theron British bicycle was the BSA Bicycle of Japanese bicycles imported into Reconnaissance Corps, described Mark IV, which incorporated, in Malaya before the war, and riding by the British Commander-in- typical Army fashion: ‘Saddle, J. B. on bare wheel rims when the tyres Chief, Field-Marshal Lord Roberts, Brooks, Military No. 3; Clip, Rifl e, fi nally gave out. A blown bridge AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2011 CYCLE 49 was no obstacle to a cyclist: simply sling your trusty mount on your shoulders and ford the river. During the campaign, more than 130,000 British and Commonwealth troops surrendered to a force of not many more than 50,000 – admittedly battle-hardened – Japanese. From D-Day to yesterday As the various photos show, the British Army also made extensive use of bicycles during the Second World War, but not always with conspicuous success. Private Walter Scott, Royal Army Medical Corps, described his experiences on D-Day: ‘I had to get my bike up to my unit’s meeting place on the promenade. The bike proved horribly awkward. Eventually it packed up altogether and fell over, blocking the progress of the tank which was disembarking behind me… Then a tank chappie (bless all tank men) jumped down, picked up the bike and threw it – and me – on top of the tank. So we drove up to the promenade… My colleagues set about trying to repair the bike – which was now immobile with Band of the Royal Netherlands Army. one wheel seized up completely – “We can be very discreet, Formed in 1917, the Bicycle Music but each had a different solution. Corps became part of the volunteer Suddenly there was a “whoosh” we’re well armed, and we force ten years later, before being and instantly we all dropped to disbanded in 1940, when Holland the ground. A couple of seconds perform well against tanks” was over-run by Nazi Germany. or so later, we sheepishly rose – The Bicycle Music Corps originally the “shell” had been the sound of comprised 24 musicians, equipped somebody letting a tyre down.’ Members of the receiving over fi ve applicants for with horns, drums and cymbals. Home Guard Despite their mountainous improvise a stretcher every vacancy – with many of the The Fanfare Band, or ‘Fanfarekorps between two bicycles terrain, the Swiss were quick to during an exercise country’s top athletes serving with Koninklijke Landmacht’, performs take advantage of the opportunities in North Wales, 1 them. The cycling regiment was regularly at international tattoos: it presented by bicycles: as early as November 1943 by no means a soft option since is a big attraction at the Edinburgh 1891, Swiss Army cyclists were recruits had to take part in 120-mile Military Tattoo, where the steep used for delivering messages. forced ‘marches’, starting at two in slope of the exit road can prove A hundred years later the Swiss the morning, carrying up to 120 rather challenging at the end of Army still maintained three cycling pounds of weaponry, ammunition the performance! regiments, one serving with each and food. In 2001, the decision was There is a splendid memorial Field Army Corps. Out of a total taken to re-equip the Swiss cycling on the green at Meriden in of 2,800 men serving with each regiments with armoured vehicles, Warwickshire that commemorates regiment, 1,300 were equipped with with the result that no European the very considerable contribution bicycles. Until 1993, the Swiss Army front-line troops still use bicycles as that cyclists made to the British was still using single-speed bicycles a standard means of transport. One Army during both World Wars originally introduced into service young Swiss recruit said: ‘It is stupid. (see Cycle April-May issue, p24). A in 1905. Fortunately for the riders, Over short distances we are very commemorative service takes place the Swiss Army was running out of fast, much faster than the motorised there every May. The inscription spare parts for the old model, so units. We can be very discreet, we reads: ‘To the Lasting Memory of a new, seven-gear mountain bike are well armed and we perform well those Cyclists who Died in the Great with hydraulic brakes was brought against tanks.’ War 1914-1918’. into service. In 1963, a bronze plaque was These regiments proved Not forgotten added so that those cyclists who had extremely popular with those The military bicycling tradition is died during the Second World War who had to do military service – still upheld today by the Fanfare should not be forgotten. 50 CYCLE AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2011.