Scenes from the Daily Service of the Old Army - Cyclists
Already before 1913, in all branches of the service at battalion level some bicycles for a few cyclists were available; only from 1913 did independent cyclist companies appear.
Bicycles were thus already used in many ways in the Old Army before 1914: for transmitting orders and messages, for use in relay service, to link to the infantry vanguard with the advance guard, as a replacement for cavalry when infantry marched alone, for use by the individual elements of the outposts and as quartermasters. There were so-called war bicycles and training bicycles. However, because the cyclists were dependent on solid roads and paths, they could not – completely – replace dispatch riders.
Even in peacetime (from 1913), the Jäger and Schützen battalions already included, alongside the 4 Jäger or Schützen companies, 1 machine-gun and 1 cyclist company. The latter bore the number 6 on the shoulder buttons of the tunic.
From autumn 1914, a second cyclist company was formed in each Jäger or Schützen battalion.
The reserve Jäger battalions had no cyclist companies.
For training purposes, replacement cyclist companies were already formed in the Jäger battalions in autumn 1914.
Early on, attention was paid to suitable clothing and equipment for the cyclist: peaked cap with chinstrap and cover, litewka with sewn-in neckband, tricot jacket, breeches with leather gaiters, lace-up shoes, cloak of waterproof gray coat cloth with hood, canteen, bread bag, waist belt with message pouch. Knapsack and greatcoat were transported by the baggage.
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