Annette Burgoyne Posted 22 March , 2003 Share Posted 22 March , 2003 There are sixteen men recorded in the Absent Voters list for South Shropshire, who served in the 198th, 199th, 323rd and 329th Quarrying Companies, R.E. They all came from about a five radius of the Clee Hill area and most probably worked in the Quarries on the Hill before the war. Most of them served in the 198th Coy, I had a look at Soldiers Died, and found 7 men killed/died with that unit (most of these came from Leicestershire) and a further 14 who died with other Quarrying Companies. I then looked up 9 of these men on CWGC site, and they were all buried at Les Baraques Military Cemetery. Does anyone know anything about the above Quarrying units of the R.E. Regards Annette Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlesmessenger Posted 23 March , 2003 Share Posted 23 March , 2003 Annette Quarrying Companies began to be formed in July 1916. The idea came from the Home Office, which noted that the quarry trade was vey slack and suggested to the War Office that quarrymen be used to develop quarries in France so that the materials could be used for road maintenance in the British sector. By the time of the Armistice there were no less than thirteen of these companies in France (Nos 198,199, 320-329, 348) working under the Director-General of Transportation. There is a useful website on them at http://members.aol.com/reubique/298272.htm Charles M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annette Burgoyne Posted 23 March , 2003 Author Share Posted 23 March , 2003 Hi Charles Very interesting website but the site quotes:- "There were no losses in the 198th, 199th, 320th, 321st, 323rd, or 327th Quarrying Companies", The author of this site as not done his/her's home work, I found 7 men of 198th Quarrying Company on Soldiers Died CD (all buried at Les Baraques except for one buried in Boulogne Eastern). I also found two from the 199th, two from the 323rd and two from the 327th and I found an other 7 men not record on the website belonging to other companies, but on the other hand there are 13 men recorded on the site which I had failed to find. Otherwise the site was very interesting. Thanks Annette Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Andy Blythe Posted 30 July , 2006 Share Posted 30 July , 2006 Hello Annette, Its some time since you posted the message below. I hope you are still there..... I am interested in the 198th Quarrying Company. My Great Grandfather, Harry Slingsby (Sapper 196206) was one of the 7 Leicetershire Soilders that died. Do you have any other information about the 198th, the Soilders names, battles etc ? Your help appreciated. Thanks in advance Andy Blythe There are sixteen men recorded in the Absent Voters list for South Shropshire, who served in the 198th, 199th, 323rd and 329th Quarrying Companies, R.E. They all came from about a five radius of the Clee Hill area and most probably worked in the Quarries on the Hill before the war. Most of them served in the 198th Coy, I had a look at Soldiers Died, and found 7 men killed/died with that unit (most of these came from Leicestershire) and a further 14 who died with other Quarrying Companies. I then looked up 9 of these men on CWGC site, and they were all buried at Les Baraques Military Cemetery. Does anyone know anything about the above Quarrying units of the R.E. Regards Annette Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6th Shropshires Posted 30 July , 2006 Share Posted 30 July , 2006 Hi Andy I am still here under a different user name. I can not add no more to what is mentioned in the site Charles posted. I do have the list of names somewhere but it could take me sometime to fine them, I am not very good at fileing things. Annette Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6th Shropshires Posted 4 August , 2006 Share Posted 4 August , 2006 Hi Andy Here are the names of the others six men killed:- 46236 Sap. William Spees, killed/died 22-7-16. 106157 Sap. Thomas, Westwood, killed/died 26-9-17 196184 Sap. John Henry Pick, killed/died 25-9-17. 196247 Sap. Frank, Taylor, killed/died 25-9-17. 196252 Sap. W.T. Tite, killed/died 26-9-17. 196331 Sap. Harry Edward, Brown, killed/died 24-11-17. The Clee Hill/ South Shropshire men with the 198th Quarrying Company were:- WR/27591 Sap. Goerge Edward, Andrews. WR/27598 Sap. Herbert, Blunt. WR/27599 Sap. James, Burton. WR/27600 Sap. James, Bowers. WR/27655 Sap. Sidney John, Davies. WR/27685 Sap. Edward, Harrtinton. WR/27686 Sap. Jame, Hopewell. WR/27702 Sap. John, Jordan. WR/27728 Sap. Albert Edward, Mantle. WR/27729 Sap. Edwin, Millichamp. WR/27797 Sap. George, Thomas. Annette Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraemeClarke Posted 19 February , 2010 Share Posted 19 February , 2010 Hi Annette, Bet you did not expect to see this thread again !! I am researching 106157 Sap. Thomas, Westwood, killed/died 26-9-17 who is on the Walsall RoH and wondered if you had any more information than below. Thomas was born in Dudley and enlisted at Ludlow, Shropshire. An address of 2, Butts Road, Walsall is shown for Mary who nominated him to be included on the Walsall roll of honour. Thomas was wounded in action, subsequently succumbing to his injuries, and is buried in Les Baraques Military Cemetery, Sangatte in Grave I.A.10. The Soldiers Died in the Great War incorrectly records his service number as 106157. (No pic in the papers). Many thanks, Graeme Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6th Shropshires Posted 19 February , 2010 Share Posted 19 February , 2010 Hi Graeme I do not have any info. on Sap. Thomas, Westwood but I am going to look at local paper some time in August, I'll keep him in mind. Annette Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraemeClarke Posted 20 February , 2010 Share Posted 20 February , 2010 Hi Annette Cheers, many thanks for that, much appreciated, Graeme Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave ricketts Posted 20 February , 2010 Share Posted 20 February , 2010 Graeme, It would be reasonable to assume that he died of wounds received in an air raid on 25th September. As Annette notes there are a number of 198 (and in addition one 199) personnel buried at Les Baraques, with death dates of 25th & 26th September. I know from local sources that two of the Leicestershire men who died on 25th were killed in an air raid. (A Guernseyman in 321 also died of wounds received in an air-raid in the Autumn of 1917, according to Parkes book on Guernsey & WW1). The quarries worked a night-shift so must have been lit up to some extent at night, although I am sure that there would have been air-raid procedures in place. For my records, can you let me know what the Walsall RoH actually says for Thomas Westwood? Thanks, Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraemeClarke Posted 20 February , 2010 Share Posted 20 February , 2010 Hi Dave, Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately what I have posted above is all I have on the man. There is absolutely nothing in the papers, all the information I have comes from index cards held by the local history centre. I cannot find anything on 1901 or 1911 census etc. Can you tell me anything more about the air raid at all ? Regards, Graeme Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Llewellyn Posted 21 February , 2010 Share Posted 21 February , 2010 Good day all, Sorry to barge in on your thread Annette and Graeme. Dave, After slowly working my way through the Anstey Roll of Honour and finding 6 of the 286 men with the Quarrying Companies I would like to ask you if you could help with any information on them? I have managed to find service records for 3 of the men and would be more than willing to pass any information, that would be of use, to you. The men in question are; WR 40540 Sapper Chas Joseph Bennett 329th QC WR 30304 Sapper Herbert Hillyard 329th QC WR 27757 Sapper Samuel Price 198th QC WR 29271 Sapper Alfred Roberts 324th QC WR 27777 Sapper Richard Arthur Smith 198th QC WR 28043 Sapper Richard Thompson 199th QC Regards. Llew. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave ricketts Posted 27 February , 2010 Share Posted 27 February , 2010 Llew, Sorry not a lot to add over & above Ancestry. I haven't checked my notes to see which records exist, but imagine that the 198/199 men's are the missing ones. They seem to be very sparse indeed. I have checked the info on the Absentee Voters List for the village and there are no further Quarrying Company men listed. Graeme, I am pursuing one or two leads, but have nothing more to hand on the raid. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Llewellyn Posted 1 March , 2010 Share Posted 1 March , 2010 Thanks for the reply Dave. Llew. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nixtee Posted 20 October , 2010 Share Posted 20 October , 2010 Hello... I was just doing a search for the Bowers members of my family and came across your post on the 198th Quarrying Coy R.E. You mention my Great Great Uncle WR/27600 Sap. James, Bowers (also known as Joseph). I have a couple of files found on Ancestry for him. He lived at the family small holding - The Yeld, Clee St. Margaret, but sadly hanged himself a few years after the war. I wonder if you have any information at all on a Thomas Bowers (my Great Grandfather)? My Nan tells me he was in the war, but can't tell me anything else and I've been unable to find anything on him. If he wasn't in the R.E. with his brother, then I suspect he was in the K.S.L.I. Any info would be gratefully received. Kind regards, Nikki. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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