11th Bn Tank Corps, Cpl John Pender

[Bingo794]

This is a new avenue of research for me and I would appreciate any help anyone can give me on the above unit/man.

Having just bought a nice new trio for my Lincolnshire collection, I was pleasantly surprised to find this man, No.16243 Cpl. John Pender (initially with the 6th serving in Gallipoli then 1st Lincolnshires in France) ended up serving with the 11th Tanks. He was renumbered 75768 with this corps. He was one in a batch of 17 men from the Lincs posted to the Tank Corps (75753 - 75772 with one or two numbers out of sequence.)

Are there any War Diaries available?

Has anyone come across this chap before?

He doesn't seem to have a Service/Pension Record on Ancestry, however his MIC and MR are included.

Rick

[tanks3]

Rick

In my database I have him as initially with 3rd Lincolns and then 6th landing Gallioplli 11/10/1915. Apart from this I have nothing you don't already know. My interest is he is both Lincolnshire and TC. I will follow this thread with interest in case anything else is thrown up

Tanks3

PS Do you have details of the other 16 posted from the Lincolns to TC?

[Bingo794]

T3

Yes, Pender was with the 3/Lincs was a Special Reserve Unit UK based & the 9/Lincs aTraining Battalion at Brocton Hall where most passed through on their way to their Service Battalion.

His Medal Roll which is from the TC set names his previous unit as the 1/Lincs. However, his MIC has his initial theatre of war as '2b' or Gallipoli. The 6/Lincs was the only Lincolnshire unit to serve in that theatre.

The Lincolnshire Regiment lads listed are :

75753 Cpl George William Brocklesby 9/Lincs No.22609 (9/Lincs another training unit) 2/Tanks

75754 Cpl John Henry Atkinson 1/4th Lincs No.4657 (a TF unit) 2/Tanks

75755 L/Cpl Harold Lobley No.23642 Linc R (No Bttn No,) 2/Tanks & 15/Tanks

75756 Pte Albert Nadin No.11/1785 (11 prefix denotes 11/Lincs a training unit supplying men to the Grimsby Chums 10/Lincs) 10/Lincs 1/Tanks & 10/Tanks

75758 Pte William Edward Beeken No.9/23022 9/Lincs & 1/Tanks

75759 Pte Joseph Philip Chapman No.9/22626 9/Lincs & 1/Tanks

75760 Pte Albert Charles Knighton No.3/17915 3/Lincs 1/Lincs & 1/Tanks

75761 Pte Joseph Arthur Smith No.10/1487 (Grimsby Chums Original) 1/Tanks

75763 Pte Lawrence Thomas No.3/15584 3/Lincs 1/Lincs & Tanks (no unit number)

75765 Pte Albert Henry Clark No.9768 1/Lincs 4/Tanks & 16/Tanks (early/pre-war Regular soldier)

75766 Pte Ernest Allison James No.7514 1/Lincs & 4/Tanks (pre-war Regular)

75767 A/L/Cpl Arthur Pikett No.10/575 (Grimsby Chum Original) 10/Lincs & 2/Tanks

75768 Cpl John Pender No.R3/16243 (from MIC 2b 6/Lincs) 3/Lincs 1/Lincs & 11/Tanks

75769 Sgt Matthew Maguire No.3/15726 3/Lincs 1/Lincs & 2/Tanks

75770 Pte John Harry Harrop No.R3/15935 3/Lincs 6/Lincs 8/Lincs & 2/Tanks (likely to have been in Gallipoli with John Pender)

75771 Pte Herbert Edward Gilbert No.11878 1/Lincs & 2/Tanks

75772 Ernest Bryan No.15743 1/Lincs & 2/Tanks

The lads that have a 3/Lincs or 9/Lincs note prior to service with the Tank Corps and no Service Battalion number i.e 1/Lincs 6/Lincs 8/Lincs are likely to have not been in the field with the Lincolns and once infantry training at Brocton had been completed, they would have gone for Tank Corps training. Brocklesby, Lobley, Beeken & Chapman,

This seems to follow with all of the lads I have in my collection who went onto RE AOC. Invariably having a trade linked to the corps in which they served. For example Loco drivers to the RE, bakers & mechanics to the AOC. These have all been traced with their Lincs and Corps numbers. Possibly, mechanically minded lads to the Tank Corps.

The earliest Lincs number (7514 James) was issued prior to 1914 in 1904-05 and the latest (23642 Lobley) was issued late 1916. This possibly indicates a early to mid-1917 entry to the Tank Corps.

I hope this is of use to you!

Rick

[Bingo794]

Just had a look at the 1914 Star MR for 7514 Pte Ernest Allison James 1/Lincs. Went to France 08/11/1914 and transferred to the TC 31/12/1916. So start of 1917 into the TC for training, it would seem.

R

[Bingo794]

William Edward Beeken POW 29/09/1918 captured Bellecourt, camp Laz Hautmont?

Born 1894 Broadway NOK Richard Beeken.

Released 11/11/1918.

[tanks3]

Rick

This is brilliant thanks. I have several in my records already, to which I now have further info I can add but there are about 1/2 a dozen I don't have recorded. I will be busy for the next night or so looking these up!

Tanks3

[Bingo794]

No probs T3.

I would have gone through these later but thought it was something a little different for me having a look at the tank chaps.

If I come across any more, I will pop them in here.

Rick

[ireneb]

Just had a look at the 1914 Star MR for 7514 Pte Ernest Allison James 1/Lincs. Went to France 08/11/1914 and transferred to the TC 31/12/1916. So start of 1917 into the TC for training, it would seem.

R

Ernest Allison James is the great-garandfather of a friend of mine, I am helping her with her family history. We know he lost a leg in France and was sent to a Military Hospital in Neath. Can you give us any information about him, or point us in the right direction to find out more?

Irene

[Gareth Davies]

Ernest Allison James is the great-garandfather of a friend of mine, I am helping her with her family history. We know he lost a leg in France and was sent to a Military Hospital in Neath. Can you give us any information about him, or point us in the right direction to find out more?

Irene

Welcome aboard Irene.

There are quite a few Tank Corps experts on here and in certain ways I might even consider myself one but when it comes to individual soldiers I am a rank amateur. In order to attrect the attention of the real experts I would recommend that you start a new thread from scratch about Ernest and I am pretty sure those in the know will be along pretty sharpish.