Pte Wheeler Prince of Wales Civil Service

[chaz]

Hi all,

Im in the process of buying a pair of medals to Pte Wheeler 3371. I have had have looked through the internet for any information on him as SDGW and CWGC list him as 531122. looking for any information on him? possibly a family connection.

I know he was in the 2/15th Battn County of London Regiment. Prince of Wales Own Civil Service Rifles with both numbers.

but there is mention of being in the 'Salvage Corps' , am I correct in thinking this is Salvage as in metalwork and kit or bodies?

why renumbered if not transferred to another regiment?

John Frederick was KiA 28 sept 1918, burried in Pond Farm Cemetery

can anyone add to the above? thanks

[sotonmate]

chaz

You could work this out, mostly, from the Long long Trail !

There were two numbers because he was a Territorial Force soldier and they were re-numbered in 1917. The series within which JF was numbered was allocated to the various lines of the 15th Londons (530001 to 550000).

On first arrival at war (France) 2/15 Bn. was with 179 Infantry Brigade of 60 Division,War Diary is digital,ref WO95/3030/5 running from Jan 1915 to Nov 1916. Division then went to Salonika,War Diary,not digital, WO95/4928,to 30 Jun 1917. Then to Egypt Jul 1917. Then to France May 1918. Changed to 90 Infantry Brigade of 30 Division in Jul 1918. Fought through to the Armistice which found them on the German border. Relieved and move back west gently,by Jan 1919 Division based around French Channel ports of Dunkirk,Calais, Boulogne,and (not so much a port) Etaples,and slowly began to demobilise,finally wrapped up the Division in Sep 1919. The final War Diary,again digital, WO95/2340/3 1 Jun 1918 to 31 Oct 1919,will doubtless explain what the boys were salvaging,as there is probably no doubt that there was a lot of this going on to clear metal and men, and make safe the battlefields.

JF was killed on the first day of the Battle of Ypres (Final Advance in Flanders).

[chaz]

thanks Soton,

I did find the re numbering info and there was something about renumbering partly using their original number. or those that were still fighting after the longest length of service.

for some reason I dont seem to get as much access and information with my FMP subscription, could have done better going ancestry!

will try looking for the war diaries.

finally,surprising a City regiment was salvaging and not a service (RASC) corps or a laboour corps , did other line regiments supply manpower for the purpose?