FLEETY Posted 2 February , 2011 Share Posted 2 February , 2011 Greetings to everyone on my first post. I have been trying to build a complete orbat of RE TF Units but i have noticed that many Home Service & Fortress Units do not appear to have left any War Diaries, I went to the NA to view WO 95/5499 Deployment of Units and found that this file was said to include a Complete list of TF Units given numbers in 1917. However some kind soul has removed this from the file!!! Any ideas where to look next? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry_Reeves Posted 2 February , 2011 Share Posted 2 February , 2011 Alan I have somer information which you will find useful, but I will need your e - mail address. Unfortunately you don't have enough posts to use the forum PM system TR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLEETY Posted 2 February , 2011 Author Share Posted 2 February , 2011 (edited) Alan I have somer information which you will find useful, but I will need your e - mail address. Unfortunately you don't have enough posts to use the forum PM system TR Thanks Terry My Email address is - Regards Alan Edited 2 February , 2011 by Alan Curragh Email deleted Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry_Reeves Posted 2 February , 2011 Share Posted 2 February , 2011 Alan Thanks. I'll send it presently. It might be wise to delete the address now. TR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grantowi Posted 2 February , 2011 Share Posted 2 February , 2011 Alan, one for your list: 565th (Wilts) Army Troop Company RE - Were originally the 1st Wilts Fortress, Royal Engineers (Swindon). Made up of workers from the Swindon Great Western Railway Works. They were training at Fort Purbook, Portsmouth when War was declared, they were recalled and sent to the Portland area to work on defences, before heading to France in Jan 1915 Hth Grant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLEETY Posted 2 February , 2011 Author Share Posted 2 February , 2011 Alan, one for your list: 565th (Wilts) Army Troop Company RE - Were originally the 1st Wilts Fortress, Royal Engineers (Swindon). Made up of workers from the Swindon Great Western Railway Works. They were training at Fort Purbook, Portsmouth when War was declared, they were recalled and sent to the Portland area to work on defences, before heading to France in Jan 1915 Hth Grant Thanks Grant The WO 95 File i looked at mainly gives units deployed to france and does mention 565th & 556th (Wilts) Army Troop Companys RE so i assume that the 556th was the 2/1st Wilts Fortress, Royal Engineers. Rgds Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLEETY Posted 2 February , 2011 Author Share Posted 2 February , 2011 Thanks Grant The WO 95 File i looked at mainly gives units deployed to france and does mention 565th & 556th (Wilts) Army Troop Companys RE so i assume that the 556th was the 2/1st Wilts Fortress, Royal Engineers. Rgds Alan Sorry make that 566th Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grantowi Posted 3 February , 2011 Share Posted 3 February , 2011 Alan, That's a new one for me. I thought there was only 1 Wilts Fortress made up of TF men. I'll have a look through my scribling to try to find mention of a 566th (Wilts) Grant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLEETY Posted 9 February , 2011 Author Share Posted 9 February , 2011 Alan, That's a new one for me. I thought there was only 1 Wilts Fortress made up of TF men. I'll have a look through my scribling to try to find mention of a 566th (Wilts) Grant Grant The file i looked at did contain some glaring errors so I have to find another source to confirm this. However i have found a book title that may help,- Terriers and Sappers: Lineages of the Reserve Regiments and Squadrons of the Corps of Royal Engineers 1908-1998 By Graham Watson. As soon as i find a copy i will get back to you. Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry_Reeves Posted 9 February , 2011 Share Posted 9 February , 2011 Alan I think you'll find that Graham Watson's book only covers the Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers Militia. I can confirm that 566 Company was the former 2/1st Wilts. TR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLEETY Posted 10 February , 2011 Author Share Posted 10 February , 2011 Alan I think you'll find that Graham Watson's book only covers the Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers Militia. I can confirm that 566 Company was the former 2/1st Wilts. TR Thanks again Terry I guess i will have to find my passport and make the trek to the RE Museum. While i am on there is another type of unit that is hard to find that is the Reserve Groups of Field Companies they did not last long as they where either disbanded or absorbed into the central training organisation. The only companies i have found any mention of so far are as follows;- 408th (Highland) Reserve Field Company, TF 464th (West Riding) Reserve Field Company, TF 482nd (South Midland) Reserve Field Company, TF 489th (East Anglian) Reserve Field Company, TF 499th (Home Counties) Reserve Field Company, TF 508th (Wessex) Reserve Field Company, TF 516th 1st (London) Reserve Field Company TF 525th 2nd (London) Reserve Field Company TF 530th (Durham) Reserve Field Company, TF I believe there was at least 15 maybe even more. Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry_Reeves Posted 10 February , 2011 Share Posted 10 February , 2011 Alan You are right in thinking there were more. I have some numbers , but cannot conclusively prove at the moment that they were reserve units. However , here is another one: 473 (North Midland) Reserve Field Company. The following are the units which I believe may have been Reserve Companies but have yet to be confirmed 408 (Lowland) 426 (West Lancs) 435 (Eat Lancs) 445 (Welsh) 454 (Northumbrian) TR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLEETY Posted 11 February , 2011 Author Share Posted 11 February , 2011 Alan You are right in thinking there were more. I have some numbers , but cannot conclusively prove at the moment that they were reserve units. However , here is another one: 473 (North Midland) Reserve Field Company. The following are the units which I believe may have been Reserve Companies but have yet to be confirmed 408 (Lowland) 426 (West Lancs) 435 (Eat Lancs) 445 (Welsh) 454 (Northumbrian) TR Terry This tends to confirm my own thoughts apart from the Lowland company which i think might have been the 418th. The next step is to find the proof, this is all interesting stuff ,thanks for all your help. Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry_Reeves Posted 11 February , 2011 Share Posted 11 February , 2011 Alan I agree with 418 Company, it was a typo on my part. With regard to 566 Company (above), they became 566 (Works) Company RE. TR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redcapsarge Posted 27 August , 2011 Share Posted 27 August , 2011 These are Companies I have come across so far, all formerly Fortress RE Units; 559 (Hampshire) Army Troops Coy, RE (TF) – Formerly ? (Works) Coy, Hampshire Fortress RE (TF) 561 (Hampshire) (Works) Coy, RE (TF) – Formerly ? (Works) Coy, Hampshire Fortress RE (TF) 563 (Hampshire) (Works) Coy, RE (TF) – Formerly 1/3 Hampshire (Works) Coy, RE (TF) 565 (Wiltshire) Army Troops Coy, RE (TF) – Formerly 1/1 Wiltshire (Works) Coy, RE (TF) 566 (Wiltshire) Army Troops Coy, RE (TF) – Formerly 2/1 Wiltshire (Works) Coy, RE (TF) 567 (Devon) Army Troops Coy, RE (TF) – Formerly 1/1 Devon (Works) Coy, RE (TF) 572 (Devon) (Works) Coy, RE (TF) – Formerly ? Devon (Works) Coy, RE (TF) 575 (Cornwall) (Works) Coy, RE (TF) – Formerly ? Cornwall (Works) Coy, RE (TF) 576 (Cornwall) (Works) Coy, RE (TF) - Formerly ? Cornwall (Works) Coy, RE (TF) 577 (Sussex) Army Troops Coy, RE (TF) – Formerly 1/1 Sussex Field Coy, RE (TF) 578 (Sussex) (Works) Coy, RE (TF) – Formerly 3/1 Sussex (Works) Coy, RE (TF) 579 (Kent) Army Troops Coy, RE (TF) – Formerly 2/6 Kent Field Coy, RE (TF) 580 (Thames & Medway) Fortress Coy, RE (TF) – Amalgamation of 1/4 and 2/4 Coys, Kent Fortress RE (TF) 581 (Humber) Fortress Coy, RE (TF) – Formerly ? 598 Fortress Coy, RE (TF) – Formerly ? 599 (Thames and Medway) Fortress Coy, RE (TF) – Formerly ? Coy, Kent Fortress RE (TF) 614 (Devon) Fortress Coy, RE (TF) – Formerly 1/4 Devon (Electric Lights) Coy, RE (TF) I'd certainly be interested in identifying the designations and lineage of any other ex-Fortress RE units which converted to Field units, or indeed remained on coastal defence duties at home, to complete the above list. One discrepancy in the above list - 580 (T&M) Fortress Coy. According to the book "Southborough Sappers" this Company was an amalgamation of 1/4 & 2/4 Coys, Kent Fortress RE. However, other sources have 580 as a Lancashire Fortress RE unit. Can anyone shed any light on this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry_Reeves Posted 28 August , 2011 Share Posted 28 August , 2011 Paul 588, 599, and 580 Fortress Companies were all Thames and Medway as part of Eastern Command. I have a list of 32 Home Service Fortress and Fortress Works Companies so I can fill in some the gaps but I still have some work to do on the origins. TR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redcapsarge Posted 28 August , 2011 Share Posted 28 August , 2011 Paul 588, 599, and 580 Fortress Companies were all Thames and Medway as part of Eastern Command. I have a list of 32 Home Service Fortress and Fortress Works Companies so I can fill in some the gaps but I still have some work to do on the origins. TR Thanks very much for that info Terry, very useful. Would there be any chance please of a copy of that list you have? I am particular interested currently in units based with Eastern and Southern Command areas, namely The Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Essex, Hampshire, Kent and Wiltshire Fortress RE units. I've also come across references to Fortress Signal Sections, units designated as The Dover, Harwich, Newhaven and Thames and Medway Fortress Signal Sections. These all appear in a late 1920 document detailing the future structure and designations of TA units, so presumably they were Royal Engineers Signal Service / Royal Signals units formed after the reconstitution of the TA in February 1920, I havn't as yet found any reference to them being raised 1914-18, but could be wrong - any ideas ? They dont appear in Army Lists after 1922 so I doubt they ever really became active as TA units after the war. Cheers Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry_Reeves Posted 28 August , 2011 Share Posted 28 August , 2011 Paul By July 1918 almost all the HS Fortress Companies had a signal section. If you pm me your email address I will send you the information. With resect to the information above it should read 580, 598 and 599. Sorry about the confusion TR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redcapsarge Posted 28 August , 2011 Share Posted 28 August , 2011 Thanks Terry. Seems I cant use the PM facility in here at the moment, but my email address is PAULM951@aol.com, grateful for your help with this. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLEETY Posted 7 December , 2011 Author Share Posted 7 December , 2011 Here are a Few More. 573 (Cornwall) Army Troops Coy, RE (TF) Formerly No. 2 (Fowey) Works Company, Cornwall Fortress R.E. (T.F.) 574 (Cornwall) Army Troops Coy, RE (TF) Formerly No. 3 (Penryn) Works Company, Cornwall Fortress R.E. (T.F.) 575 (Cornwall) Works Coy, RE (TF) Formerly 2/2nd Works Company, Cornwall Fortress R.E. (T.F.) 576 (Cornwall) Works Coy, RE (TF) Formerly 2/3rd Works Company, Cornwall Fortress R.E. (T.F.) Can not confirm this one 608 (Falmouth) Fortress Company, RE (TF)- Formed by the Amalgamation of - No. 1 (Falmouth) Electric Lights Company, Cornwall Fortress R.E. (T.F.)and 2/1st (Reserve) Electric Lights Company, Cornwall Fortress R.E. (T.F.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grantowi Posted 8 December , 2011 Share Posted 8 December , 2011 Can anyone shed any more light on the 566th (Wilts) Cheers Grant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redcapsarge Posted 8 December , 2011 Share Posted 8 December , 2011 Grant, thanks for your pvt message. Unfortunately I cant add anything further at this time, all I have is that 566 Coy RE was formerly 2/1 Wilts (Fortress) Coy, RE (TF). I'd be very interested to know if anyone can provide info on the Essex (Fortress) RE (TF). Originally based in Chelmsford pre-war, they went to Harwich once mobilised. What (if any) numerical designation did they adopt? Did they form a second-line Company? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redcapsarge Posted 28 August , 2012 Share Posted 28 August , 2012 I have been working my way through a spreadsheet detailing the RE (TF) Companies and now have a list of Company numbers to which I can not assign a proper Territorial designation. I suspect given their high numbers these were Fortress RE units. Has anybody got any information on the following Companies and to which Fortress RE units they may have belonged? 443, 444 Coys 531, 532, 533, 534, 535, 536, 537, 538, 539 540, 541, 542, 543, 544, 545 582, 583, 584, 585, 586, 587, 588, 589 593 601 613 (Belfast and Lough Swilly) Fortress Coy, 615 (Berehaven) Fortress Coy Many thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Commando Posted 18 February , 2014 Share Posted 18 February , 2014 Alan, That's a new one for me. I thought there was only 1 Wilts Fortress made up of TF men. I'll have a look through my scribling to try to find mention of a 566th (Wilts) Grant Hi Grant, My Grandfather was in the 566th W?? Works Coy from 5.4.15 to 24.1.19. I got his details from WO372/13/66862. Do you know if any of these Fortress Coys had an emblem? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cazack Posted 27 July , 2014 Share Posted 27 July , 2014 Hello I am trying to find out what the 2/2nd E.A Coy was and was it regular or TF regards and thanks in advance Caz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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