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Cyclist, Service No. 1887, No. 8 Platoon, 2/25th London Regt. No. 2 Coy., 1/25th London Regt. B. Coy., 1/25th London Regt. 5th Platoon.

He succeeded in joining the 25th London Regiment at the end of November 1914, having been rejected several times on account of his eyes. Early in 1916 he went with his Battalion to India and died from wounds inflicted during a fight with insurgents on the NW frontier in the Waziristan campaign. Obituaries feature in the various Poly publications of the time, with comments such as: "He was a real brick, willing to do a good turn for everyone."
At the end of the war, it was proposed by the Poly Cycling Club to establish a Memorial Trophy in Gayler's name:

"It will of course be impossible to ever replace Bert Gayler in the hearts of those who had the luck to work with him and share his companionship, but it would seem very desirable that stpes should now be taken to show our appreciation of his good work by endeavouring to perpetuate his memory for all time by means of a Memorial Trophy bearing his name.... Is not the time ripe for an "Open 12" on the North Road, and would it not be well to associate Bert Gayler's name with a classic "open" on the road he loved so much?"

By July 1919 the Gayler Memorial Fund had raised £60-4-6 and the conditions of the Trophy had been finalised:
The Trophy shall be named 'The Gayler Memorial Trophy' and it shall be a perpetual Trophy in memory of all the Club members who laid down their lives in the Great War 1914-1918. It was to be awarded annually, to the rider who covers the greatest distance in a twelve-hour unpaced road ride on a single machine. The competition was open to all amateur members of the PCC and other cyling clubs. The first winner, on 23 August 1919, was M G Selbach.

Bert Gayler joined the Polytechnic Cycling Club in 1909, becoming Hon General Secretary in 1913. In 1909 Gayler completed the "50" in 2h30m1s; in 1914 he completed the "50" in 2h19m30s with an average speed of 21.5 miles per hour. His last "50" was an army event, promoted by his Battalion in which he made the fastest time, being attired in full army uniform and marching boots. His time was 2h49m54s. Gayler's record for the Poly was the "12" at 223 1/4 miles (unbroken until 1928). He also held the world record in 1917 for an out and home "12". Gayler's last season was in 1914, in which he completed the "25" in 1h7m53s. He was also the first man to win the NCU Gold Proficiency badge for breaking 5h4m for 100 miles.

Competed in the 1912 Stockholm Olympic games.

Buried at Kandiwam, Waziristan N.W.F. India. H H Gayler's name is included on a brass tablet was erected in the church at Jullundur, India, in memory of the men killed at Waziristan.

First started riding with the Lyric CC about 1899. Joined the PCC soon after and was a strong rider, although he never achieved the success of his brothers on the path.

Fitter Staff-Sergt. R.F.A. Died of wounds aged 36 on 23rd October 1917 serving with 327 Siege Battery Royal Garrison Artillery. he is buried in plot IV. I. 9.of TALANA FARM CEMETERY near Ypres. He was a member of the Polytechnic Cycling Club.
Great friendship with Charlie Haysom.

Ashley Herbert Arbuthnot was born in Paddington, London on August 21st 1884 to Herbert Robinson, a foreign banker and East India Merchant and Evelyn Mary Arbuthnot of Ockley in Surrey.

He was educated at Eton and New College, Oxford. At Eton he was in the Sixth Form and rowed in the Eton eight of 1903. At Oxford he took honours in history, rowed in his college boat, which was head of the river, and only just missed his rowing Blue for the Varsity. From Oxford he went into business in the City, and in 1911 was admitted to partnership in the firm of Arbuthnot, Latham it Co.

In 1907 he threw in his lot with the Poly as guide, counsellor and friend of the Rowing Section, and most helpful was his coaching and example. When Major Hoare organised a Poly Company for the "Rangers, " it was to Captain Arbuthnot (then Second Lieutenant) and Captain Studd he turned for help as fellow officers. In 1909 the company was started, and the trio united in a labour which was to count for so much in the crisis of their nation's fate. He was promoted to Captain in August 1914.

Captain Arbuthnot, in addition to an active membership of St. Matthew's Church, Bayswater, and the Y.M.C.A. work at Tichborne Street, had his own class of young men. These met at his own house every Sunday afternoon. They were welcomed there on week evenings as well. Their welfare, temporal and spiritual, was ever present with him, and when the nation's call for men came, of the thirty-nine boys whose names were on the books, thirty responded; fifteen of these joined the " Rangers," and eight were in the Poly company with him on foreign service. On December 23rd, 1914, he accompanied the Rangers to France, and his doings in the regiment are known by the extracts from letters which have appeared in the Magazine from time to time—the extract in the May number on page 105, headed " Attack under Heavy Fire, " was from his pen. He loved his men, mourned their loss, and wrote messages of sympathy and help to the mourners at home, which will ever be prized.

On May 4th, Captain Arbuthnot was seriously wounded by a shell in the head and arm near Ypres, Belgium. Lieutenant George Rickett, on coming up to take command, found him in great pain. George, without hesitation, gave him his own morphia and called for volunteers to carry the Captain to the Ambulance Hospital, two miles distant. Four men, one of whom was one of Captain Arbuthnot's own 'boys' instantly came forward and bore him at great personal risk to safety and skilled attention. He was sent on to the third general hospital at
Le Treport, Dieppe; but in spite of the utmost that skill, care and attention could do, Captain Arbuthnot answered the call "Home" on the evening of May 15th.

He was buried with military honours on May 17th in the little cemetery for British and Canadian officers and men at Le Treport.

[Taken from the Polytechnic Magazine, June 1915]