Soldier Record

Joining the Army for the Great War

`I waited in a very long line with my friends, the line wound round several corners...'

'I waited in a very long line with my friends, the line wound round several corners. When I finally reached the door a big Sergeant stopped me looked me up and down and asked how old I was. I said 16, thinking that was old enough. The Sergeant replied you are a big lad but we only sign up 19 years or older, walk around the block until your older.

I then walked to the back of the line and when I was stopped by the sergeant at the door again he asked me my age. I said 19. He said come in.

The army when it was recruiting took things at face value and lots of information held on soldiers records from the great war is less than accurate when it comes to date of birth and spelling errors on hand written documents etc.

He joined the armed forces in a 'Cavalry' regiment, of course all regiments used horses at the time. When he trained he was told 'There are not enough horses to go round, so you will be given a bicycle', questioned at length, though he was begrudging giving much information due to it being a bit of a military joke, at the time.

He told me the bike was not like a normal bike but had a much beefier frame; it had larger tires and bigger wheels. The bikes were issued in teams of three. Bike one was the worst as it carried a maxim m/c gun mounted to the rear for travelling, and a special mount for firing..........??

Bike two had panniers to carry the ammunition and service kit.

Bike three had the extra man required (he carrying the kit for all three men???)

Granddad was given the Maxim bike as he was 'A big and strong lad'

He said they were very very difficult to ride unstable and clumsy to steer. They were expected to travel behind our front line on the roads, to be a rapid deployment unit to cover any breakthrough of our defences. It was calculated that this unit could cover distances far greater and faster than foot soldiers. Another advantage of this cavalry was no farriers or grain required.

Once in France however it became clear there were no roads suitable for any vehicle and it was painfully slow to man handle the things off-road. The mud or ruts completely defeated the objective.

Granddad said that every night a sergeant would inspect the equipment and there was hell to pay if they were dirty.

Some of the flooded trenches were up to twenty or so feet deep (with soft muddy water-he said human soup!!) and had to be crossed by wooden bridges.

Over a time the men would accidentally lob a bike into the mud -gone forever.

Till his bike also got accidentally lost the same way. But unfortunately they then had to carry the weapons and ammunition etc between them, on foot. Most of his time in France was spent in marching to ' behind weak points ' in the front line which had been strengthened by the time they arrived. He never spoke about action at all, except to say 'I don't want to talk about it now, maybe when you're older'.

I always pressed and argued granddad, but could never get any details other then the rough description above.

On the picture: William Morland not long after the end of WWI