Labour Corp.

[Logan]

What exactly was the Labour Corp ?

[Michelle Young]

http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/the-labour-corps-of-1917-1918/

 

Always worth checking the Long Long Trail first.

 

Michelle 

[michaeldr]

As you will see from the link provided by Michelle, the Labour Corps was established in February 1917, long after the Gallipoli campaign. Where 'Labour' was used at Gallipoli, it falls into two main categories; foreign and British.

Which is it that you are interested in?

 

Starling & Lee in their book 'No Labour, No Battle' mention the Indian Mule Cart Train, the Zion Mule Corps, Egyptian Works Companies, Greek and Maltese labourers, 27^th (Labour) Company ASC, plus various battalions diverted from other duties to act as labour. Into the last category fall, Anson Battalion RND, 1st Garrison Batt. Essex Rgmt., 37^th Fortress Company RE., and no doubt others

Edited 31 July , 2019 by michaeldr

[Logan]

My two Great Uncles James Wilkie and Hugh Wilkie show this entry on both of their Medal cards, James was with the Seaforth Highlanders and Hugh was with the HLI . I know for sure Hugh was at the Battle of Achi Baba. he and several of his pals made it quite far across the battle field and were forced to bunker down until dark before they managed to get back to their own lines. I have not followed up on James yet as I have just found out his Service Number.

[michaeldr]

Without seeing the documentation which you have it is hard to tell

However from your last post it does not sound as though he/they were involved with Labour at Gallipoli.

Possibly later in the war he/they were (for whatever reason) transfered to the LC, almost certainly sometime after Feb 1917.

[Logan]

Thanks Michelle I had seen the tab, "The Long Long Trail"  but thought it was regarding something else. Another forum I was on a few years back used it as a list of names of those KIA as well as survivors and where they were buried.

[Logan]

Maybe these have information which you can decipher better then I can 

[kenf48]

There is information on interpreting the medal index cards on the Long Long Trail

https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/soldiers/how-to-research-a-soldier/campaign-medal-records/how-to-interpret-a-campaign-medal-index-card/

 

Hugh Wilkie was also awarded a Silver War Badge.  The Medal Rolls and the SWB Rolls are available on Ancestry, both men appear on the Labour Corps Rolls which is a little unfortunate for research as they do not give much detail.  Men were usually transferred to the Labour Corps from the Infantry due to a downgrading of their medical fitness category.  It may be these men were posted to a Home Service unit of the LC having done their bit.  His transfer to the LC dates from around late 1917 - early 1918.  The SWB Roll shows Hugh Adam Wilkie enlisted on the 6 May 1913 so a pre war TF soldier, and that he was discharged as a consequence of sickness under King's Regulations 392 (xvia)

https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/soldiers/how-to-research-a-soldier/campaign-medal-records/records-of-the-silver-war-badge/

 

 

Hugh Wilkie's card shows he was 'Disembodied' on 3.6.1919., this term is associated with Territorial Force units and effectively means discharged. Medals were named to the first unit a soldier was serving in when he entered a theatre of war 2B = Gallipoli, and the issue and administration by his last unit.  As the medals were sent out by registered post the last unit records office would hold his address on discharge.  Many went unclaimed as men or relatives moved away though there is no evidence this occurred with these two men.

 

James Wilkie has no entitlement to the 14-15 Star, therefore we know he entered theatre with the Seaforth Highlanders after the 31st December 1915. He also transferred to the Labour Corps late 1917 - early 1918

 

Ken

[Logan]

Hugh most likely joined up because his brother in law, my grandfather, joined the HLI after grantdfather's  time with the Seaforth Highlanders. Both of them were at Achi Baba.      James would have been 38 years old when he joined up Hugh 28. My grandfather would have been 45, a veteran of Crete International Peace force, Sudan, South Africa and then  with HLI in WWI     Thanks for the information it helps a great deal

 

Dan

[Logan]

Looks like Uncle Hugh and grandfather joined HLI on the same day.

[Logan]

Thanks Ken, for the heads up on the Medal Card information and the links.

[magnet]

My Grandfather fought with  the R S F at Gallipoli and was later wounded in the battle of Mughar ridge and due to his injuries was transfered to the Labour corps on the western front maybe this was the same for your great uncles