Royal Engineers (Singapore)

[BereniceUK]

Was it a completely separate organisation to the British Army as seems the case from the CWGC entry for John Taylor? Did the RE (Singapore) participate in the War?

TAYLOR, JOHN


Rank: Second Lieutenant

Date of Death: 13/05/1917

Age: 33

Regiment/Service: Royal Engineers

233rd Field Coy.

Grave Reference X. A. 28.

Cemetery LIJSSENTHOEK MILITARY CEMETERY


Additional Information:

Croix de Guerre avec Palms (France). Son of Richard and Jane Taylor; husband of C. L. Taylor, of 5, Dixon St., Longsight, Manchester. Born Holme, Westmorland. Formerly of the Royal Engineers (Singapore), came over to England in Aug., 1915, and joined the British Army.

[IPT]

He's a picture of them taken a few months later - http://www.pictorialgems.com/1916-Singapore-Royal-Engineers-Royal-Mint-Burnham-Abbey-Restored.60678

It says the Singapore contingent were volunteers. Does that mean he could simply leave or transfer? Taylor is also remembered on the Singapore Cenotaph.

As an aside, I expect your man would likely have been in Singapore at the time of the sepoy mutiny in February 1915.

[BereniceUK]

Fascinating. I'd never heard of this before.

Wikipedia says "In order to enhance Singapore's internal security, the British passed the "Reserve Force and Civil Guard Ordinance" in August 1915, requiring compulsory military service from all male subjects between 15 and 55 years of age who were not in the armed forces, volunteers or police" and that's the month that Taylor returned to the UK to join the British Army.

The linked New York Times article reports that the sepoys allowed interned Germans to escape and that Japanese marines landed in Singapore.

Captain Boyce and Lieutenant Elliot (both of the RGA?) were shot and killed as were other British soldiers - are they recorded by the CWGC?

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=980DEFDD153BE233A25751C0A9639C946496D6CF

Also interesting that some of the Americans, including missionaries, in Singapore took up arms against the mutineers. Is this incident classed as part of the Great War?

[IPT]

Yes, I only read about it as a result of your thread.

To be fair to the Germans, it seems that the vast majority wanted no part of it and stayed where they were (the sepoys had shot one of them as well). Only 33 actually escaped, the majority stayed put.

(Yes, Boyce and Elliot are both commemorated by CWGC)

[rolt968]

According to Forgotten Regiments (Renfrew) " A European [volunteer] engineer company was raised in December 1901 becoming the Singapore Royal Engineers (Volunteers) in May 1902". He also says that the Singapore Volunteer Corps was mobilised in 1914 to replace the British garrison troops which had been withdrawn.

It would be interesting to know under exactly what terms members of the various Asian British volunteer corps served. I suspect that it must have had to allow for their being moved by their employers or allow them to "go home" to join up.

The Singapore Mutiny took place on 15 February 1915. It involved 15 Indian Light Infantry and a number of Malay States artillerymen.

The Reserve Force and Civil Guard Ordinance was a reaction to the general state of unreadiness which the mutiny revealed.

Roger.

[BereniceUK]

So, if I understand correctly, John Taylor could have been employed in Singapore and also been, perhaps part-time. in the Singapore Royal Engineers (Volunteers). In August 1915 he decided to join the British Army and returned to the UK. Or he was called up.

The KOYLI were sent from Singapore to France on 10.10.1914 and that seemed to be the catalyst for the start of the unrest.

I wonder if the Japanese learnt anything from this incident. Perhaps the potential in fomenting unrest among Indian troops?

[rolt968]

So, if I understand correctly, John Taylor could have been employed in Singapore and also been, perhaps part-time. in the Singapore Royal Engineers (Volunteers). In August 1915 he decided to join the British Army and returned to the UK. Or he was called up.

The KOYLI were sent from Singapore to France on 10.10.1914 and that seemed to be the catalyst for the start of the unrest.

I wonder if the Japanese learnt anything from this incident. Perhaps the potential in fomenting unrest among Indian troops?

John Taylor could not have been called up, unless he was a Territorial or Special Reservist. Conscription was not introduced until mid 1916. I suppose he might have gone back to the UK because of his civilian job and then joined up or indeed gone back to the UK to join up.

Much of the blame at the time was placed on the CO of 5 Light Infantry for among other things mishandling the announcement that the regiment was to move to Hong Kong. The troops seem to have begun to become suspicious that they were to be sent to Europe or to fight against the Turks. Crucially the GOC Singapore addressing them at their farewell parade neglected to mention where they were going. In some ways it seems to have been a throwback to 1857.

Roger.

[rosewlsg]

This might help. Swan & Maclaren are architects. Most men from Singapore volunteered, some gave up their jobs and some obtained leave of absence. I'm still researching the names on the cenotaph so haven't go into conscription yet but this is an interesting thread. Thanks.

The Straits Times, 29 June 1917, Page 10

[rosewlsg]

Well almost three years later and a few days before the centenary of John Taylor's death I'm back to report.  I photographed his officer's file at Kew a few years back so was able to gather a lot of background information. He died of gunshot wounds to the abdomen received on 11 May 1917. There's a letter from his brother asking if he and John's wife could get a pass to visit him, as they'd been informed he was 'dangerously wounded', but of course he had died before the War Office received the letter.

 

He was a sapper with the Singapore Royal Engineers (Volunteers). Part-time soldiers. His Short Service Record is now available on Find My Past. It contains a certificate from the SVC, which is difficult to read but it seems he may have joined them in 1910. There is also a reference letter from SRE(V) which suggests he was with them for three years. The SVC was moblised at the beginning of the war but there wasn't a lot to do in Singapore. He spent his time guarding the Electrical Works. He left Singapore in early April 1915 to enlist in England. This is shortly after the Sepoy Mutiny. I discovered that many men left Singapore to join up after their experiences during the Mutiny. His record also includes a reference letter from his employers Swan and Mclaren. All very interesting from the Singapore perspective. He was only five feet four-and-a-half inches tall but he was quite a sportsman, a member of the Singapore Cricket Club where he's listed on the war memorial.

 

I've been updating John's record in Lives of the First World War. https://livesofthefirstworldwar.org/lifestory/4377928

 

[rolt968]

Thank you for all that.

RM

[Loader]

To add to the excellent data so far it would be good to look at his Medal Index Card. This will show where his medals were sent if indeed his widow applied for them.