Sidney V. Langton

Sidney V. Bateman was a despatch rider for the Royal Field Artillery during World War 1.

He wrote about his experiences at the Front in letters sent to the Bromley & District Times in August 1915.

One such story was when his motor-bike was out of action, he drove a motor ambulance. While waiting, he went up a hill to view the trenches, he turned round to find a revolver pointed at him and a company of rifles pointing his way. It appeared some German spies were seen in an ambulance car. He had to persuade the men he was not a spy.

Sidney was the 3rd son of Sergeant S. Langton and lived in Greenwell Road, Well Hall in Eltham.  Before the war, he had been the secretary of the Eltham National Reserve.