Edward Catterall (actually Catherall) 7th Field Troop Royal Engineers

[lukerwhite]

Dear Sir Madam,

Im writing to you regarding my great grandfather Edward Catherall (b.7 Jul 1898).

He was working as a tram cleaner when he joined the 7th Field Troop Royal Engineers. He joined when he was 16 years old on the 21 Sep 1914. He lied about his age at enlistment to get away from his home life.

I believe he would have trained at the Royal School of Military in Chatham but from his records it shows that he was trained at Aldershot in Hampshire. On the 7 dec 1914 he was charged with irregular conduct on parade at Aldershot!

According to his records he served as a driver in France and also Amara in Masopotania. It also states Egypt on his Medal card. On his discharge for transfer in Amara he was 5"5 tall, blue/grey eyes, brown hair and tattos present on both arms. Three located on his right arm and one on his lower left arm.

The only thing he ever mentioned to Jean (his daughter) about his time during the war was that he had had his tattoos inked out there as a way of protection against malaria. Does anyone know if this is true? According to his records Malaria was the reason for his discharge on Feb 1920. He was seen as 30% unfit.

His army no. in 1914 was Army No. 29096 and in 14 Mar 1919 it was Army No. 344705.

I would love to know anything you could tell me about what he may have done in Amara & France. Any skirmishes he may have been involved in. Any records you may hold or could point me towards for him or the 7th field troop RE. From his medal card i know he received the 1915 star (Roll: RE/3A Page: 266), the Victory (Roll: RE/B148 Page: 33456), British (Roll: RE/B148 Page: 33456) war medals. Would he have received a medal relating to his time in Amara (modern day iraq). I have attatched some pictures...this may help you identify something. I already have his WW1 service records.

I have spoken to his daughter (my nan) and she said he spoke fluently in urdu. Which is spoken in india? Unless he also served there i imagine she is confused with curdish or arabic spoken in Iraq and Egypt. Would have thought this made him invaluable being able to do this?

Any infromation would be welcome.

Many thanks,

Luke White

[grantowi]

Luke,

From TLL (link at top left of header) - http://www.1914-1918.net/re.htm

Grant

Ps there are no Sir's on here, plenty of Madam's mind

[sotonmate]

Luke

It looks likely to me that some of his service record was lost,note the comment on a couple of the documents near the end of the war relating to lack of details.It's a shame as I have seen no substantive unit for his service overseas. I would have expected to have seen a Field Company number,the 7 Field Troop RE is shown on UK postings and may well be a training unit. For this reason I can't push your quest any further,though someone else here might !

His landing in France on 27.3.1915 may point towards a Division in which his unit may have been posted.

By the way,the spelling on the record has two Ts !

Sotonmate

[lukerwhite]

Thanks for the fast replies. I realize the service record on ancestry states 2 T's but this is a typo. I know 100% these are correct as i know he lived at 24 Westgate in Burnley amongst other details. There are two lots of service records on Ancestry I think due to his two lots of Army Numbers. Hope this may help you in being able to help me!

Will print off the whole service record at the weekend and see if there are any details I am missing.

Many thanks

Luke

[lukerwhite]

Is there any mesopotamia experts out there who can help me trace my great grandfathers footsteps????

[per ardua per mare per terram]

Have you read the details on the following site or the Official History of the campaigns?

http://www.1914-1918.net/mespot.htm

[lukerwhite]

Have you read the details on the following site or the Official History of the campaigns?

http://www.1914-1918.net/mespot.htm

Thanks, will have a look.

By the way, here is a profile i have made for him:

Edward Catherall -

7^th Field Troop Royal Engineers 29096

Royal Engineers 344705

Birth Place: Burnley, Lancashire (7 Jul 1898)

Occupation: Tram Cleaner

Next of Kin:

Sarah Catherall (Mother)

24 Westgate, Burnley

Attestation Location: Nelson, Lancashire (18 years 76 days - actually 16 years) [Enlisted for 2 years Army Service & 10 years Reserve]

Attestation date: 21 Sep 1914

Address on Attestation: 24 Westgate, Burnley, Lancashire

Height: 5 foot 5”

Chest: 33 ½ inches (Expansion 3 ½ inches)

Weight: 113 Ibs

Eyes: Grey / Blue

Hair: Brown

Distinctive Marks: 3 Tattoo’s on left arm and one on right forearm

Physical Development: Fit

Rank: Driver

29096 7^th FIELD TROOP R.E HOME 21 Sep 1914 to 26 May 1915

29096 7^th FIELD TROOP R.E. FRANCE 27 Mar 1915 to ?

344705 R.E. AMARA? 14 Feb 1919 to 22 Jan 1920

344705 R.E. HOME? 23 Jan 1920 to 6 Feb 1920

Timeline:

21 Sep 1914 Attestment

7 Dec 1914 Irregular Conduct on Parade at Aldershot

27 May 1915 British Expeditionary Force to France

13 Mar 1919 Discharged Driver for re-enlistment under A.O 4 of 1919

14 Mar 1919 Attested at Amara, Mesopotamia

23 Jan 1920 Home

6 Feb 1920 Discharged from Mounted Reserve Depot Royal Engineers B Company at Aldershot

Medals:

Victory War Medal (Roll: RE/101B148 Page: 33456)

British War Medal (Roll: RE/101B148 Page: 33456)1915 Star (Roll: RE/3A Page: 266)

Discharged: Discharged due to Malaria (30% incapacitated)

Pension : Pension of 12 Shillings per week granted

Does this help anyone to help me?

[lukerwhite]

Have you read the details on the following site or the Official History of the campaigns?

http://www.1914-1918.net/mespot.htm

Have had a read of the link above, have come up with a theory...is it possible that my great grandfather spoke in an indian kanguage because remenants of the Indian Army were still in Mesopotamia. During the great war:

"The force fighting in Mesopotamia was principally one of the Indian Army, with only one solely British formation, the 13th (Western) Division. The Indian formations contained some British units." - LLT

I realize that Edward only got posted there 14 Feb 1919 - after the war had ended - but i take it the Indian Army stayed on. Do you think this could be true?

I read that the war in Mesopotamia was a lot to do about oil so I wonder if the RE were out there doing something along these lines i.e. getting the oil and making it our own???

[lukerwhite]

Luke,

From TLL (link at top left of header) - http://www.1914-1918.net/re.htm

Grant

Ps there are no Sir's on here, plenty of Madam's mind

I havefound the following from your link you gave me on the LLT -

The Field Companies formed on mobilisation

When the British government declared war on Germany, the War Office issued orders for mobilisation of the British Expeditionary Force in accordance with the existing plan. The 13 Field Companies then at home on a peacetime establishment were reorganised to create twelve Field Companies, two for each of the six Divisions of the BEF. Men required to bring these Companies up to war establishment units came from the RE Training Depot at Aldershot (mounted men) and the RE Reserve Battalion and Depot Companies at Chatham (dismounted men):

7th Field Company - 4th Division Aug 14-Apr 15 then 48th division to jun 15 then 50th Division

Can anyone confirm this is right for my g grandad? Is a a troop the same as a company? Im guessing it is and so would make him in the 4th division when he first went to france and then probably changing to the 48th and 50th later on depending how long he was there?

[lukerwhite]

Have ammended the post title to Catterall as this is as all his service records are spelt but he is actually Catherall.

I hope this spelling error hasn't put anyone off helping me out because they think i am barking up the wrong tree but i know this is my g grandfather (because of his address and next of kin) and am really hoping someone can help me out with his movements. Does anyone agree with my previous 2 posts on this matter?

[lukerwhite]

This is a picture of him.

[lukerwhite]

Is it possible that my g grandad was with the 7th Batt RE, 50th Div the whole way through the war until he went to Amara in Feb 1919? If he was he was involved in all of these battles! Is this likely...it looks like it is a possibility as there are no transfers on his record from the 7th Field Company.

From the LLT

50th Division

1915

In early April the Division was warned that it would go on overseas service and entrainment began on 16 April. By 23 April the Division had concentrated in the area of Steenvoorde. It had arrived just as the German army had attacked at nearby Ypres, using poison gas for the first time, and was rushed into the battle. The Division then remained in France and Flanders and took part in the following engagements:

The Battle of St Julien=

The Battle of Frezenburg Ridge=

The Battle of Bellewaarde Ridge=

= the battles marked = are phases of the Second Battles of Ypres

1916

The Battle of Flers-Courcelette*

The Battle of Morval*

The Battle of the Transloy Ridges*

* the battles marked * are phases of the Battles of the Somme 1916

1917

The First Battle of the Scarpe~

The Capture of Wancourt Ridge~

The Second Battle of the Scarpe~

~the battles marked ~ are phases of the Arras Offensive

The Second Battle of Passchendaele**

** the battle marked ** is a phase of the Third Battles of the Ypres

1918

The Battle of St Quentin***

The Actions at the Somme Crossings***

The Battle of Rosieres***

*** the battles marked *** are phases of the First Battles of the Somme 1918

The Battle of Estaires^

The Battle of Hazebrouck^

^ the battles marked ^ are phases of the Battles of the Lys

The Battle of the Aisne

The Division had now taken part in the three great battles against the German offensives of 1918. It had suffered heavy casualties and was exhausted. A decision was taken to rebuild the Division. The original infantry units left and others arrived to take their place. It was not until October that the Division was once again considered to take the field.

The Battle of the St Quentin Canal#

The Battle of the Beaurevoir Line#

The Battle of Cambrai 1918#

# the battles marked # are phases of the Battles of the Hindenburg Line

The pursuit to the Selle

The Battle of the Selle+

The Battle of Valenciennes+

+ the battles marked + are phases of the Final Advance in Picardy

The Division had been relieved and was resting at Solre le Chateau on 11 November 1918. The demobilisation of the Division began December and the service of the Division came to an end on 19 March when the final cadres left for England. The Division reformed as part of the Territorial Army in April 1920.