Sapper 238089 R.E. Albert Edward Annis

[Guest Barry99]

Hello Friends. Firstly let me personally thank you all in advance for any comments or help you can offer in my quest. My Father served in the R.E. in France from 19/08/17 to 04/06/18. Research from Kew only revealed his Two War Medals and Silver War Badge. All this new information, I now have, has come from papers I thought I had lost many years ago and relate to his "fight" with the Ministry of Pensions for an improved War pension. ( 7s/6d a week for life or 37.5 pence today) He was assessed as 30% disabled. incidentally, this pension award of 7s/6d remained the same for 35years 1922-1957.

His Discharge Papers show:- Discharged from S.S.T.C. R.E. 05/04/19 as no longer physically fit for war. Qualifications:- Telegraphist Proficient. Wound Stripes:- One. Medal Clasps ect:- Mention is made of One Blue Chevron. Enlisted St Pauls:-11/12/15. M.O.B.:- 03/03/17.

Medical History:- Admitted to Hospital in France May 1918 (no date) suffering from Mustard Gas Poisoning. Transfered to U.K Liverpool Hospital 04/06/18 where he remained until 26/09/18.

From this information and personal research I have made the "assumptions" that his gassing occured at the Third Battle of Aisne 1918 when the Germans laid down a heavy barrage on 27/05/18 followed by Mustard Gas, in their Final attempt to win the War before the arrival of the U.S. Army.

Childhood recollections recall he was blinded by this gas and reference was made to the words "Blue Boy" I also remember being told he was assisted to medical treatment by the Germans. I did think this was unusal but, in reading the account of the speed of their advance in the early days of this Battle, this could infact be true.

Finally, Although you may not be able to assist in any specific way, any information you may be able to offer with regards to this Battle; his records above and their meaning; his possible attachment to which Regiment or where, specifically, in France he might have been; the method of evacuation; Liverpool Hospital ect ect, would be very much appreciated. Also if you believe any of my assumptions could be incorrect please say so.

Kind Regards.

Barry99

[Stephen Nulty]

Barry

It's possible that he was sent to Alder Hey Hospital in Liverpool, which was used for military purposes during the war. The picture below shows a group of men and nurses at Alder Hey during the war.

The uniform that the men wore was blue, which may have given rise to the "Blue Boy" expression that you recall. My wife's nan, who lived in Little Bongs, just along the road from Alder Hey, met her future husband at Alder Hey, recalling that the first time she saw him he was wearing Hospital Blues.

[Guest Barry99]

That's it. Thanks Stephen. I remember seeing a picture of him in that uniform.

Barry.

[Stebie9173]

S.S.T.C. is the Signal Service Training Centre. Like many other soldiers he would have been transferred back to units in the UK, and discharged from a home unit (I would imagine only men with immediately "dischargeable" wounds, e.g. lost limbs would be discharged from their overseas units.) So unfortunately the SSTC is a bit of a dead end as far as units are concerned, except to say that he was a Signaller (which is pretty obvious from his TelegraPhy qualification).

Quoted from the Web:

"In 1915 the Signal Service Training Centre (SSTC) was created in Bedfordshire as the result of an amalgamation of the Signal Depot (Aldershot) and Reserve Signal Companies. The SSTC was originally Headquartered in Ridgemont but later moved to Bedford. It had a number of Depots commanded by Territorial Lt Colonels at Houghton Regis (near Dunstable), Fenny Stratford, Haynes Park, Stevenage and Baldock. It's purpose was to provide technical training for Officers, recruit and train other ranks, and the formation and training of non-divisional Signal Units. Divisional Signal Companies carried out all their training within their Divisions. The London District Signal Companies were absorbed into the SSTC, and it's members were then drafted overseas as required."

One would assume from that that he may have been in a Corps or Army Signal Company, or similar. As implied, these were attached at Corps and Army level and not to specific Battalions, Brigades, or Divisions and are thus far more difficult to follow than a Divisional Signal Company. There also seems to have been a lot more moving around of men between units within the RE, than with Infantry battalions. I've been pursuing a similar RE career in my great-grandfather with little luck, I'm afraid. One course of action that may divulge his unit is if he was still in the Army when he registered for the 1918 General Election, and the absent voters list for his constituency still exists.

The Blue Chevron is an "Overseas chevron" - one per year. A man could have up to four with the bottom one being red if he served overseas in 1914. One chevron would be consistent with the info you have. These chevrons were worn at the bottom of the right sleeve. The wound stripe was a small vertical stripe worn on the bottom of the left sleeve, and no doubt refers to his gassing.

From his December 1915 date of enlistment it looks like he was a "Derby Scheme" man, registering as willing to be called up and then Mobilised (called-up for active service) in March 1917, at which point he would have been allocated his number, received his training (5 months in his case) and then gone overseas. Since there was a fair gap between his enlistment and mobilisation, it probbably means he was either a married man with family (and therefore down the pecking order for duty) or in an occupation regarded as important to the war effort.

Steve.

[Guest Barry99]

Cheers Steve, some excellent information which is much appreciated. Dad was only 18 years and a few days when he enlisted and I asumed this was because his elder brother was K.I.A. on the first day of the Battle of loos 1915. His occupation at the time of enlistment was as a Post Office Telegraphist, so that may have delayed his earlier call up?. The internet suggests that it was the 1X Corps which was virtually wiped out on the 27th May 1918 German bombardment, followed by the gassing, which ties up quite nicely with your information.

Kind Regards. Barry

[Stebie9173]

It seems likely that he would have been called up when he was old enough to serve overseas (19), but perhaps the Army considered his occupation more useful out of the Army until he was ready to serve overseas. Perhaps.

If you feel he may have been in IX Corps SIgnal company, then, though highly unlikely to mention individual signallers, you may want to have a look at the War Diary for IX Corps if you can get to the National Archives at Kew (and of course to check for a Service Record). Perhaps a long shot but you never know...

WO 95/845 9 Corps

WO 95/845 Corps Troops

WO 95/845 1/1 Hants Yeomanry 1915 Sept. - 1917 Aug.

WO 95/845 Corps Cyclist Battalion 1916 June - 1919 Aug.

WO 95/845 Heavy Trench Mortar Battery 1918 July - Oct

WO 95/845 Corps Signal Company 1916 June - 1919 Aug.

WO95/845

Covering dates 1916 June - 1919 Aug.

Scope and content Corps Signal Company

Access conditions Normal Closure before FOI Act: 30 years

Closure status Open Document, Open Description

Held by The National Archives, Kew

Steve.

[Guest Barry99]

Thanks Again Steve.

Barry

[Terry_Reeves]

JUst to add to Steve's list, he could have also served in a Divisional Signal Company, an Airline Section or a Cable Section, all of whom had telegraphists on their establishment.

Terry Reeves

[Guest Barry99]

Cheers Terry.

Let this be a lesson to all youngsters interested in family history. Ask while you can! Of course it's enjoyable but, finding the starting point for the R.E is a nightmare.

Barry

[David_Blanchard]

Hello Barry,

Try this thread on the Aisne Battle

Click Here

Regards

David

[Guest Barry99]

Hello David.

Many Thanks for your thread.

I have only just got in so haven't had time to read it yet but, a family member has just given me another photo of Dad, so I am attaching it. He is with his eldest sister and it was taken within a couple of days of his enlistment because, the back of the photo is dated 1915. Perhaps someone knows what the arm bands he is wearing are?.

Kind Regards and many thanks.

Barry

[Stebie9173]

It designates him as a Signaller. The colours are white and pale blue.

Steve.

[Stebie9173]

This website has a fair bit on Signallers in WW1.

In fact, as a Division in IX Corps on the Aisne, it's a candidate to be your father's unit...

http://www.fairmile.fsbusiness.co.uk/signals.htm

(Includes pop-ups)

Steve.

[Terry_Reeves]

His bandolier also indicates that he was mounted, and therefore at the time the photograph was taken, was not an office telegraphist.

Terry Reeves

[Stebie9173]

Terry,

Would he have been given a uniform on attestation in 1915? Or is it more likely that he was given the uniform on mobilisation in 1917?

Steve.

[Guest Barry99]

Hello Terry and Steve.

As you get older and into this you sometimes see what you want to see. I have revisited the photo for the second time and note my late sister has written apprx 1915. I only saw 1915 and missed the appx. so assumed, incorrectly, he was being photographed in his new uniform upon enlistment. His armbands, as a signaller, now suggest he was military qualified and this photo could be 1917, prior to embarkation to France? It certainly is not after his gassing in 1918.

Thanks for your observations, however, never has there been mention of mounted, but I could not rule it out.

Barry

[Terry_Reeves]

Steve / Barry

His uniform would have been issued on reporting to his first unit in the UK, and not on attestation.

Terry Reeves

[Glayham]

Hello All 

 

I hope you're all well

I'm really a few years late in coming to this topic, however have just found it via the subject title

Sapper 238089 R.E. Albert Edward Annis

 

I have a later photo of Albert Edward Annis, I think. However the family history line doest seem to match up from that is writtenn above as this Albert Edward Anniss was the husband of Frederica Willamina Youngblood. Albert apparently after the war worked on the railways 

 

I can find no other reference to anyone else with that name who served in WW1. Could this be the same person?

I've attached the war serve record I found and the dates seem to match along with the photo I have that was found in my late grans belongings. 

 

It does look a remarkable resemblance

 

what do you think?

thank you

Graham

 

Edited 19 June , 2023 by Glayham

[Michelle Young]

Welcome to the forum. Barry99 is no longer a member of the forum, as by denoted Guest. We won’t have any contact information for him. 

[Glayham]

Ah thats a real shame - thank you for letting me know - thats appreciated. 

 

I managed to colour the original photo so thought I should share anyway 

thanks

Graham

Edited 19 June , 2023 by Glayham

[Matlock1418]

17 minutes ago, Glayham said:

I mangled to colour the original photo so thought I should share anyway 

To aid you ... colour of:

• Jacket and cap should be Khaki
• Armband white over pale/mid blue

M

Edit: BTW - Welcome to GWF, We'll do what we can to help [Thats a warm/friendly welcome, and not a hot/unfriendly one!]

Edited 19 June , 2023 by Matlock1418
edit

[Matlock1418]

On 28/06/2006 at 08:00, Guest Barry99 said:

I also remember being told he was assisted to medical treatment by the Germans. I did think this was unusal but, in reading the account of the speed of their advance in the early days of this Battle, this could infact be true.

Couldn't find a PoW card(s) at ICRC [?] - so possibly not a prisoner of Germany - but not that unsual for German prisoners to help British back towards treatment.

M

[Glayham]

Thanks for the colour correction. thats appreciated I got the blue uniform from the timeline above

 

`does anyone think this is the same person as my earlier post? thank you.

[Matlock1418]

Just now, Glayham said:

I got the blue uniform from the timeline above

No worries = a better job

There was a special uniform of 'Hospital Blues' for treatment in military hospitals [as shown in post no. two above] but that was not what your photo showed.

Any chance of a steer on the marriage you have described - your source(s) perhaps please?

M

[Glayham]

20 minutes ago, Matlock1418 said:

To aid you ... colour of:

• Jacket and cap should be Khaki
• Armband white over pale/mid blue

M

Edit: BTW - Welcome to GWF, We'll do what we can to help [Thats a warm/friendly welcome, and not a hot/unfriendly one!]

thank you thats really appreciated. Finger crossed colour is a little closer now 😊