Harken Posted 9 April , 2019 Share Posted 9 April , 2019 Apologies if this is posted in the wrong place. I've recently inherited some 40 plus photos connected to my grandad George Hewitt 74258 Royal Engineers.Prior to finding these pictures, I knew nothing about his time in the war. What I have found from the photos is that he was based at Hitchin initially and must have served in Salonika and Mudros. I gather too that he must have been with Signals as the photo I attach says 1st Relief 4th army HQ Signal Co RE. I wonder if anyone could illuminate me about his time in the war and also how best to share the photos, many of which identify specific soldiers. In the photo he is fifth from the right second row. Harken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alf mcm Posted 9 April , 2019 Share Posted 9 April , 2019 Harken, Welcome to the forum. George's MIC shows that he landed in France with the Royal Engineers on 6th October 1915. This means that he was a volunteer, and had not been conscripted. He was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, and British Victory Medal. https://www.ancestry.co.uk/interactive/1262/30850_A000734-02887?pid=1210431&backurl=https://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?_phsrc%3DebM1986%26_phstart%3DsuccessSource%26usePUBJs%3Dtrue%26indiv%3D1%26db%3Dmedalrolls%26gsfn%3DGEORGE%20W%26gsln%3DHEWITT%26gsfn_x%3D1%26gsln_x%3D1%26cp%3D11%26new%3D1%26rank%3D1%26uidh%3D9y4%26redir%3Dfalse%26gss%3Dangs-d%26pcat%3D39%26fh%3D5%26h%3D1210431%26recoff%3D%26ml_rpos%3D6&treeid=&personid=&hintid=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=ebM1986&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true Regards, Alf McM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark1959 Posted 9 April , 2019 Share Posted 9 April , 2019 (edited) Welcome In order to help trace any relevant records. Do you have any personal details? Year of birth, place of birth or residence, names of known family members, etc? Medal roll tells us he was discharge to the Class Z reserve on 20/3/1919. Edited 9 April , 2019 by Mark1959 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Langdon Posted 9 April , 2019 Share Posted 9 April , 2019 There are no surviving service or pension records for your man on Ancestry, but close numbers seem to favour an enlistment date of early January 1915 - in Birmingham.. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harken Posted 11 April , 2019 Author Share Posted 11 April , 2019 Thanks for the replies. George was born in 1893 and lived in Birmingham. His father was Charles Hewitt who lived in Hurst St B'ham in 1911, where George also lived at that time. I have discovered that my grandad's eventual brother-in-law, George Spooner, was a reservist with the Royal Engineers at the outset of the war. As George Hewitt was courting my grandma then, he would have known George Spooner and it is quite possible the idea of the Royal Engineers was prompted there. One of my grandfather's brothers was William Barrett Hewitt, who was killed 20 September 1917 West-Vlaanderen Belgium. I have found details of him but virtually nothing of my grandad. I attach another of the photos I have been given. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianmorris547 Posted 11 April , 2019 Share Posted 11 April , 2019 Harken Have you seen the service record of 74192 George Thomas Spooner RE of 6 Pakenham Rd, Birmingham. He was a Telegraphist who had previously served in the Sigs Co RE (T). Sounds like he could be your grandfather's brother in law. Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alf mcm Posted 11 April , 2019 Share Posted 11 April , 2019 The photograph shows the semaphore positions for 'First Relief'. Regards, Alf McM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harken Posted 12 April , 2019 Author Share Posted 12 April , 2019 Thanks Alf McM that makes sense and yes Brian, the George Thomas Spooner you highlight is my grandma's brother. I will check out his records. He was a telegraphist with the GPO before and after the war. As for George Hewitt what might his role have been with 1st Relief 4th army HQ Signal Co RE? Is there any way I could discover where he was posted throughout the war? The photo here is dated 1917 and I presume it was, or about to be posted somewhere warm with his natty shorts! Harken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianmorris547 Posted 12 April , 2019 Share Posted 12 April , 2019 Harken I had a quick look through the Medal Rolls. Between 74192 George Spooner and 74258 George Hewitt there are five MMs. Only two have their Units identified in the London Gazette. 74207 George Taylor was 4 Div Sigs Co (LG 1919 no 31469 p 9362) and 74211 Cecil Targett was 56 Div Sigs Co (LG 1919 no 31142 p 1205). Two others, 74216 William Wragg and 74222 Howard Aston were from Birmingham. George could have been sent anywhere. I checked FMP and there is no record of his number with a hospital admission. He does not appear on my RE index so I have not seen his name anywhere in 1916 War Diaries or hospital casualty lists. You might want to check the names on the Rolls to see if any patterns emerge in any service or pension records you may find. Welcome to the ranks of those of us searching for our RE grandfathers. Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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