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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Tracing Royal Engineers


leelaw65

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I am interested in a block of RE men starting with number 82750 George May and ending with 82764 Frederick Ramsbottom. These men were probably ex miners and used for tunnelling and transferred across from Infantry units on short notice in Early 1915. They went straight to France.  I can't find 2 of the men (82751 and 82752) which is presumably because they finished the War outside the Royal Engineers and received their medals under the roll for that unit. Is there any way I can find out these men's details and original/final units on ancestry ? I have tried just searching without a name using just the number and RE but with no success. I suspect the original unit would have been West Yorks.

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Here's one of them on FMP

 

No it isn't-transposed numbers!!

 

First name(s)Henry E

Last name Holland

Year 1914-20

Service number 87252

Rank Driver

Regiment Royal Engineers

Service record Soldier Number: 87252, Rank: Driver, Corps: Royal Engineers

Image linkhttp://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=D2919468

Country Great Britain

Medal type British Army Medal Index Cards, 1914-1920

Archive reference WO372/10

Archive reference description Campaign Medal Index Cards and Silver War Badge Cards

Record set Britain, Campaign, Gallantry & Long Service Medals & Awards

Category Military, armed forces & conflict

Subcategory Medal Rolls and Honours

Collections from Great Britain, UK None

 

https://www.findmypast.co.uk/transcript?id=GBM/MCI/1932681

 

George

Edited by George Rayner
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The Labour Corps 1914-15 Rolls WO 329/2857 (all) and WO 329/2858 (p 1 to 122) record the names and Units of RE men who later went on to serve in the Labour Corps. They are mostly men from the RE Labour Battalions but men from other Units are shown. I found some original 30 Div RE men who are not shown in the RE rolls. My notes show that there are seven men numbered 82xxx who were previously in Tunnelling Companies in 2857 and two in 2858 but no trace of 82751 or 82752.

I will check FMP at the library tomorrow to see if any of those numbered 82751 or 82752 are RE.

82755 Nathan, D, 82758 Cainan, T, 82759 Barraclough, A and 82760 Bower J W are on FMP under British Army Service Records. These will be random documents, probably casualty lists, with their names on. I will check those as well.

Nathan, D  is named in The Times Official Casualty Lists 04/04/1916 under RE wounded - Shock (Shell).

Brian

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Thank you very much for this. George, your comments are very much appreciated but it's 82752 I'm interested in. think you might have misread the number. Brian - many thanks also for your help and look forward to hearing further.

Best wishes, Chris

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Thanks yes I had spotted my error and input an edit! Got quite excited when it turned up that quickly.

Since then I've wildcarded various number combinations and those two just are not there!! Now there's a challenge

 

George

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Sometimes not all numbers in a block were issued or the person did not serve overseas, there are are countless examples in the MiCs. .

 

Charlie

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I agree with Charlie, I'm still trying to find some 200 men of 30 Div RE. I found two more today, one was discharged under para 392 in June 1915 without serving abroad and the other I'm working on.

The document mentioning 82755 Spr Nathan, D can be found in the Service Record of George Edward Hibbs, Duke of Cornwall's L I (later 151446 RE). It is dated August 1917. It shows his Unit as 258 (Tunnelling) Co RE.

The casualty list naming 82756 Spr Cainan, T can be found in the service record of William Packman, KRRC. He was admitted to 11 GH Boulogne on 16/05/1915 with GSW Head. He is shown as 174 M (Mining) Co RE.

The casualty list naming 82759 Spr Barraclough, A can be found in the service record of David Charles Bird, Rifle Brigade. He was admitted on 25/06/1915 with defective vision. He is shown as 174 Co (and also 124 Co). There is also a hospital admission in MH 106/1407 dated 24/06/1915.

82760 Spr Bower, J W has two hospital admissions MH 106/301 - 3 CCS - showing his Unit as 171 (Tunnelling) Co and MH 106/13 dated 19/05/1915.

The computers started playing up before I got round to checking 82751 and 82752, I might get a chance on Saturday.

Brian

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Brian, this is very interesting. Your attention to the smaller detail here is absolutely staggering ! Thank you for your help and obviously if you do come across anything else ...

I am also rather intrigued by your searching methods and what you can find out from service numbers and units - presumably on FMP and ancestry, of which I also subscribe ! Any tips greatly appreciated....

Best wishes, Chris

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Chris

I checked 82751 and 82752 on FMP yesterday but none were RE. 

On FMP I highlight Military, Armed Forces and Conflict and put Engineers in the Optional Keywords box (but this is not necessary). It can be narrowed down further by highlighting First World War but this misses some medal rolls. I then check under Service Number. If the results show a surname and initial and it is marked British Army Service Records it will probably be what has been described on the Forum as a Floating Document i.e. one that appears at random in various service or pension records sometimes as re used paper. There are thousands of them, I have found over 400 Royal Engineers casualty lists (which usually include other Regiments) by doing this. It also tells you in which Service Record it can be found. Some other Surnames and initials are shown as Hospital admissions i.e.where the names appear in series MH 106 (Hospital Admissions books at the National Archives).

Brian

Edited by brianmorris547
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Brian, thank you again for this advice. I had not thought of checking men this way and have immediate success with another project I have on the go.

Best wishes, Chris

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82750 G May certainly appears on the West Yorks 1914/1915 Star  roll as last served with RE 

 

Have you got 82754 Hulson 17 West Yorks/RE

 

Max

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