55th Div.Signal Coy. Royal Engineers

[Guest]

Hi,

 

I was wondering if anyone can point me in the right direction to find out about this Company.

 

My Great Grandfather Bertram Joseph Payne was a Sapper in this section of the Royal Engineers and died 30/11/1917.

   

Any help or pointers to trace movements or history would be much appreciated.

 

Thank you

David Payne

[Ken Lees]

30/11/17 was the opening day of the German counter-offensive of the Battle of Cambrai. The 55th Division was in the path of this attack and lost heavily. The Divisional command was heavily criticised for their response to this and a high-level enquiry took place, which the Divisional Commander, Major General Hugh Jeudwine, robustly defended his division against. 

[Acknown]

David,

Welcome to the Forum. As a starter, here is the company's War Diary at the National Archives. http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7354863. Note that there is a fee. I suspect that it's also somewhere on Ancestry, if you subscribe, but I can't find it yet. Someone else will soon!

Best wishes,

Acknown

... and here is the 55th Division entry on the LLT, which will give you the general idea of their evolution: http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/order-of-battle-of-divisions/55th-west-lancashire-division/.

Edited 21 December , 2018 by Acknown
More information

[Acknown]

Did you know that his service record survives? Here it is on Ancestry: click here . When you click, you'll see more links to other documents that concern him, including his probate papers.

If you don't subscribe to Ancestry, or another research site, you can often use it for free at your local library.

Acknown

[brianmorris547]

David

There is not a lot in the 55 Div Signals Company War Diary for November 1917. It simply records that one other rank was killed on 30th. There is a narrative of the action of the RE and Pioneers (who manned the trenches) on 30/11/1917 in the WD of the Commander Royal Engineers 55 Div but it only mentions the Field Companies and not the Signals Company. The WD for the CRE is to be found in Divisional HQ papers under Piece 2913. On Ancestry in War Diaries use the Browse box and select Divisional HQ - 55 Div - Piece 2913.

Brian