fifth horseman Posted 30 December , 2011 Share Posted 30 December , 2011 Hi, I wonder if anyone can help me with this one? One of the men I am researching was a 'shoeing smith' in the RGA however following a medical board decision in early 1918 he was redeployed to the Labour Corps, specifically to the "943 Area Emp.(art)Coy." Does anyone have any idea what this unit did and where it was throughout 1918? Regards Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sotonmate Posted 30 December , 2011 Share Posted 30 December , 2011 jeff Immediate response is that it could mean abbreviation for Artisan, with some staff with a bit of experience in restoration/reconstruction etc. Other,maybe less likely just Art,maybe for such as constructing camouflage structures ? Sotonmate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon2 Posted 30 December , 2011 Share Posted 30 December , 2011 Maybe 943rd area employment (artillery) coy. I did read somewhere they were involved in salvage work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaeldr Posted 30 December , 2011 Share Posted 30 December , 2011 Per Ivor Lee's book 'No Labour, No Battle' the most likely answer is that 'art' is short for 'Artizan': see page 122. A PM to Ivor is probably in order if you want further help on this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry_Reeves Posted 30 December , 2011 Share Posted 30 December , 2011 As Sotonmate has posted it stands for "artizan". These companies were authorised on 12th September, 1917. and often worked in small detachments as required. There is a section on them in "No Labour, No Battle by John Starling and Ivor Lee. The latter is a member of this forum. TR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivor Lee Posted 31 December , 2011 Share Posted 31 December , 2011 Hi Jeff 943 was an Artizan Company as has been mentioned. The bad news is that there is very little remaining on it. It was located on the Lines of Communications and from what little I have been able to find out it looks like it was in the Le Havre area in October 1918. As a artizan company men were in the unit because of their specialist skills such as mason, painter, bricklayer, glazier etc. So I wonder whether your man was a blacksmith in civilian life and posted to 943 for this skill? You will appreciate this is a guess based on the make up of Artizan Companies. Regards Ivor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fifth horseman Posted 31 December , 2011 Author Share Posted 31 December , 2011 Thanks again everyone. I am indebted as always to your knowledge and advice. A happy New Year to all. Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fifth horseman Posted 31 December , 2011 Author Share Posted 31 December , 2011 Hi Ivor, Thanks for the information. My man was indeed a blacksmith in civillian life. He enlisted with the RGA in early 1915 and was taken on as a shoeing smith. Following a medical problem (myalgia, for which he spent time in hospital in early 1918) he was reassigned to the Labour Corps and posted to the 943rd A.E. (art) Coy. He was discharged in Feb 1919 and died on the 30th June that same year. The interesting thing is that he was buried in a local churchyard (Hailey, near Witney) and has a CWGC headstone bearing the details of his former employment and unit i.e. "shoeing smith, RGA" and not his final rank and unit. I have no idea why this was the case perhaps the family preferred the fact he served with the RGA and that he had been a 'smith' as he had been in the village before the war - Any thoughts? Jeff Hi Jeff 943 was an Artizan Company as has been mentioned. The bad news is that there is very little remaining on it. It was located on the Lines of Communications and from what little I have been able to find out it looks like it was in the Le Havre area in October 1918. As a artizan company men were in the unit because of their specialist skills such as mason, painter, bricklayer, glazier etc. So I wonder whether your man was a blacksmith in civilian life and posted to 943 for this skill? You will appreciate this is a guess based on the make up of Artizan Companies. Regards Ivor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivor Lee Posted 1 January , 2012 Share Posted 1 January , 2012 Jeff It was an official decision by the Authorities that the headstone of men who died whlst in the Labour Corps but had served in a previous unit would have the previous unit shown on the headstone rather than the Labour Corps. Regards Ivor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fifth horseman Posted 1 January , 2012 Author Share Posted 1 January , 2012 Brilliant Ivor! Thanks for your help. I don't suppose you've come across any reference to the 168th Labour Company have you? One of my men, sent to France with the Devonshires (serving in the regiment's 3rd Infantry Labour Coy.) was later deployed to the 168th Labour Coy. He died of his wounds 1st August 1917. I have looked on the internet for this unit but apart from finding a number references to men who served in it I can find nothing else! Any advice would be appreciated. Regards Jeff Jeff It was an official decision by the Authorities that the headstone of men who died whlst in the Labour Corps but had served in a previous unit would have the previous unit shown on the headstone rather than the Labour Corps. Regards Ivor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fifth horseman Posted 1 January , 2012 Author Share Posted 1 January , 2012 Hi Ivor, Apologies, I have found an earlier post relating to the 168th Labour coy. so problem solved. With reference to your earlier response about headstones bearing the details of previous units for men who had subsequently been transfered to the Labour Corps - Another of the men I am researching went to France as part of the 3rd Infantry Labour Coy. of the Devonshire Regiment. He was then transferred to the 168th Labour Coy. Labour Corps and was killed. His headstone bears the details of his service with the Labour Corps and not his service with the Devonshire's. Any thoughts on this? Sorry to take up more of your time. Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivor Lee Posted 2 January , 2012 Share Posted 2 January , 2012 Hi Jeff As mentoned earlier - his headstone shows the Devonshire Regiment as this was the unit he was in prior to the Labour Corps. Regards Ivor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fifth horseman Posted 3 January , 2012 Author Share Posted 3 January , 2012 Hi Ivor, You're right - I had recorded the information wrongly! Thanks again Jeff Hi Jeff As mentoned earlier - his headstone shows the Devonshire Regiment as this was the unit he was in prior to the Labour Corps. Regards Ivor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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