The question of how many Ibstock miners in total served as tunnellers in the Great War is not easily answered. Particularly when you consider the memorial bears the names of men from Ellistown, Heather, Earlshilton, Groby and possibly Markfield. Just how far should the net be caste? In any case, with only a 1 in 4 to 1in 3 chance of finding a man's service papers, any count would be a guesstimate.
One name that doesn't appear on the memorial is Charles Heathcote Walker who died of wounds on 6.3.17, aged just 19, in what appears to be an isolated incident. Charles had been born in Ibstock, and is recorded as residing in Donnington-le-Heath at the time he enlisted in Coalville. His medal index card shows his entry to theatre was on 28/11/1915 in France, and with no other unit shown, he seems to have been recruited directly into the 174th Tunnelling Coy. Little else is known, but he appears to have been under age when recruited.
His CWGC entry reads:
Name: WALKER, CHARLES HEATHCOTE
Initials: C H
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Sapper
Regiment/Service: Royal Engineers
Unit Text: 174th Tunnelling Coy.
Age: 19
Date of Death: 06/03/1917
Service No: 136010
Additional information: Son of Benjamin and Martha Walker, of Ibstock, Leicester.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: VI. B. 37.
Cemetery: DERNANCOURT COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION
Amongst the survivors are three miners from Ibstock: Sappers 102482 William Barrs, 102483 Jordan Smith and 102484 John Gray. Unlike others who appear to be isolated recruits, these men joined as a group. All three signed their papers in London on the 8th June 1915, where they were enlisted as a “tunnellers mate” on 2s/2d a day. The three were unmarried men of similar age: William Barrs was 23, John Gray was 24 and Jordan Smith was 25. They embarked for France together on 11/61915 as part of the 171th Tunnelling Coy. They were to have very mixed fortunes.
After just a few days at the front, William suffers a GSW to the leg and is invalid back to the UK on 23.6.1915. It was three months before William returned to duty joining the 178th Coy in early Sept.1915. He is remustered as a tunneller on 14.3.16. He is hospitalized again for five days on 1.6.1917. He was finally demobbed early in 1919 while on leave in the UK.
On 11.9.15 John Gray suffers a GSW to the abdomen. It is not clear when he returns to active duty. Late in 1917 he receives the tunnellers rate of pay of 6/-. At some stage he is transferred to the 251st Coy. Caught in the German's spring offensive, John is wounded on 18.4.1918 but remains at his post. On 22.4.1918 he is reported missing. Later, his mother receives a card from him and informs the RE on 3 June 1918 that her son, Sapper John Gray 102484, 3 sect. 251Coy. is a prisoner of war. His repatriated in December 1918 arriving at Dover. He is finally demobilised on 23.3.1918.
Jordan Smith suffers a head wound on 16.4.1917 which requires his evacuation to the UK. Jordan spends time in a military hospital in Eastbourne. It's not clear if he is ever fit enough to return to France, or whether he remains at the Royal Engineer's Thetford depot. He is officially demobilised on 25.1.1919.
From Hugglescote, was miner John Knight.
He attested in the field on 23rd October 1915 to become 137524 Sapper J.Knight of 253rd Tunnelling Coy. RE. He was 20 and single. John had first served with the 3rd Leicesters (S.R.) as Pte. 11476, joining on 7/8/1914. After his initial training he had been sent to France on 4.1.1915, sailing from Southampton and is posted to the 2nd Leicesters, and then to the 1st on the 13.11.1915. He had been briefly attached to the 176th Tunnelling Coy on 3/10/1915 before enlisting in the RE. John marries while on leave in the UK in 1917. John is reported missing on 28.3.1918 and news comes via the German Red Cross that is being held as a prisoner of war on 17/6/1918. John is repatriated in January 1919 and finally demobilised on 29/4/1919.
Two other miners are from Markfield.
Joseph Ennis is recruited directly into a Tunnelling Company on 11th December 1915 at Coalville and becomes Sapper 175608, probably under the Derby Scheme. He is 32 years old, married with three children, and an experienced miner. He is not mobilised until 22.6.1916 and joins the 175th Coy from base on 15.7.1916. Joseph receives the tunnellers rate of pay of 6/-. His records contain no incidents and he is demobilsed on 25/1/1919.
George Robert Whiles completes his attestation on 8th October 1915 at Coalville as Sapper 132982 and is placed on “Tunnellers Mate” pay of 2s/2d. George is a 39 year old married man with three children. He embarks for Egypt on 22.11.15, entering theatre on 7.12.1915 as part of the 254th Tunnelling Company bound for Gallipoli. The company had limited impact on mining operations there and were moved to France to take over from the 176th in the Givency area. George serves from 3.3.1916 until he sustains a serious leg wound on 9.5.1916. George never returns to active duty. His is placed on class “W” reserve on 13.9.1916. By 31.10.16 George is reassigned as class “P” reserve. At the age of 42 George is seen by a medical board on 15th June 1917 which finds that the shrapnel wound sustained at Givency, which required surgery, has left George with a permanent disability. He is discharged, no longer physically fit, on 31.12.17 and is the recipient of a Silver War Badge (List RE/903).
No one can say these tunnellers hadn't done their bit …..
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