Charles Hellier Davies Evans Lieutenant Colonel Charles Hellier Davies Evans , DSO , served as Commanding Officer of the New Zealand Cyclist Corps . A long time member of New Zealand ' s volunteer forces he enlisted in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force at the outbreak of World War I , and served with distinction on the Western Front . He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order ( second only to the Victoria Cross for officers ) , Mentioned in Despatches , and was one of only 14 members of the New Zealand Army to receive the French Legion of Honour decoration during the war . Early life . Charles Evans was born on 23 May 1873 and served as a volunteer from 1900 . He was appointed a captain in the Wellington Mounted Rifles in 1911 and working as an accountant prior to World War I . World War I . The New Zealand Cyclist Battalion , commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Charles Evans , played a significant role in the 1918 Battle of the Marne . Drawn from Mounted Rifles Reinforcements the New Zealand Cyclist Corps was established under Evans in April 1916 , as mobile infantry for patrolling and exploiting breaks in the enemy line . As part of Godley ’ s Corps Troops the unit was separate from the New Zealand Division , but due to the static nature of warfare on the Western Front were often used for track building or cable - laying . Evans was awarded the Distinguished Service Order for his work in preparing a cavalry attack during the Battle of Messines in June 1917 . After being rushed into the line to counter the German Spring Offensive in March 1918 , Evans ’ Battalion moved South with XXII Corps and was attached to the French 5th Army for operations on the Marne . On 23 July 1918 Evans lead the Cyclists in an attack on the French village of Marfaux , which after losing nearly a third of their unit killed or wounded they managed to wrest from the Germans . Evans ’ bravery and leadership were recognized with the award of the Croix de Chevalier of the Légion d ’ honneur in March 1919 . Other unit members were also decorated by the French and the Battalion was honored by the representation of a Fanion from the Commander of the French 5th Army , General Berthelot in July 1919 . Evans took his discharge in November 1919 and subsequently settled in Australia . Awards and decorations . Evans was awarded the Distinguished Service Order on 17 September 1917 " for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty when in charge of a party which had to prepare a cavalary track . He reorganised his mean when scattered by heavy shell fire , and continued to supervise the work , which by his fine peronsal example was rapidly completed under heavy fire , and proved subsequently invaluable to the success of our operations " during the Battle of Messines in June 1917 . He was also mentioned in Despatches on 28 December 1917in recognition of his excellent service and appointed a Chevalier of the Legion of Honour by the President of France in February 1916 . This French award is uncommon to New Zealanders : fewer than 100 awards have been made , and Hastings was one of only 14 members of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force to be decorated with the Legion of Honour during the war .