Private, 3527 (or 5327), 3rd Battalion, Army Cycling Corps. Died, aged 22, on 13 November 1918 at the Western Front.
Formed units of the Corps were not sent overseas. However in 1915 this was done in small groups of men, with the divisions possessing individual cyclist companies and composite battalions later formed at corps level. These were rarely committed to action, rather being held back in preparation for the resumption of mobile warfare. Otherwise they were generally used for reconnaissance and carrying messages between command posts. On the occasions that cyclists were employed in combat, they were generally found to be ineffective; the terrain on the Western Front was unsuitable for them, causing the bicycles to be discarded early on and the unit proceeding as normal infantry. The machine was designed to enable the rider to travel as a completely self-contained one-man fighting unit. Everything he needed could be stowed away on the machine from his rifle to his cape and ground sheet. A small kitbag carried behind the seat held rations and personal items and an emergency toolkit hung from the crossbar. It has been suggested that there was a high mortality rate for Army Cyclists as they could be very exposed to sniper fire. Although somewhat underutilised during trench warfare, they were probably more active during the later stages of the war when there was more troop mobility.
Private Pratt entered France on 18 July 1915. He died of Influenza probably at Ascq, France as this was the location of the 229th Field Ambulance, the 13th and 63rd Casualty Clearing Stations and the 39th Stationary Hospital at the end of 1918.
He was born in Malta the son of Alfred and Mary Pratt. In 1911 he lived at 4 Greenore Terrace, Holyhead with his parents, Alfred (41) and Mary (42) together with siblings, Robert John (13), Albert James (11), Emily Sophia Frances (9), Millicent (6) and Esther (5). At the time he was employed as a GPO Messenger, aged 14. His father was employed as a Railway Labourer (LNWR) and originated from London; his mother came from Llanfaethlu, Anglesey. In 1901 they lived at 8 Whiston Street, Holyhead. At this time he had a older brother, Albert, who was born at Gibraltar. Albert served with the 1st Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers.
Awarded the 1914-15 Star, Victory Medal and British War Medal.
Buried in Ascq Communal Cemetery, France. Grave location C.4.