GWF1967 Posted 28 May , 2020 Share Posted 28 May , 2020 Hi, Could anyone help to identify "Bob" please. Signed to the back R.H. Harrison, 36th Coy, Royal Engineers, Freetown, Sierra Leone. "Bob Harrison, R.E" written on the front. I can find little online regarding 36th Coy apart from confirming they were in Sierra Leone, as there are a couple of CWGC listings for men who died whilst serving with this unit. I found an MIC on Ancestry for a Sgt/Maj. R. Harrison, no service number is listed on the card and I can find no good match in the Medal Rolls. This chap is also listed in the 1918 British Army List as R. Harrison. Sergeant Major Machinist. The seller said "Bob" was later Sir Bob, and a Lt Col. this may be taken with a pinch, or a sack of salt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidbohl Posted 29 May , 2020 Share Posted 29 May , 2020 (edited) A very informative thesis SIERRA LEONE AND WORLD WAR 1 by Festus Cole here Bob may have done most of his work early on. Here's a quote:- "Much of the effort of the 36th Company, Royal Engineers revolved around construction work and the building of replacements for field guns. By 8th October 1914, they were constructing roads down the west branch of the Pitti river and on the 21st, repaired broken rails for the advance on Edea." There may be an ounce of truth about the Sir Bob, the Army and Navy Gazette, 13th Oct 1900 from the BNA:- Dave Edited 29 May , 2020 by davidbohl clip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWF1967 Posted 29 May , 2020 Author Share Posted 29 May , 2020 1 hour ago, davidbohl said: A very informative thesis SIERRA LEONE AND WORLD WAR 1 by Festus Cole here Bob may have done most of his work early on. - There may be an ounce of truth about the Sir Bob, the Army and Navy Gazette, 13th Oct 1900 from the BNA:- Dave Many thanks for your help and the link Dave. Bob certainly looks like he's done with work in my photo, at least for the afternoon. I'll have a read. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry_Reeves Posted 30 May , 2020 Share Posted 30 May , 2020 (edited) I have had a look at the November 1918 Army List and there is only one RH Harrison, a 2lt MC in the King's Liverpool Regt. This might be of interest, but I don't think he is your man. He ended up as a General , but no WW1 service. https://www.rct.uk/collection/2501019/lieutenant-colonel-sir-robert-harrison-1837-1931-cb-royal-engineers TR TR Edited 30 May , 2020 by Terry_Reeves Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helpjpl Posted 30 May , 2020 Share Posted 30 May , 2020 1 hour ago, Terry_Reeves said: This might be of interest, but I don't think he is your man. He ended up as a General , but no WW1 service. https://www.rct.uk/collection/2501019/lieutenant-colonel-sir-robert-harrison-1837-1931-cb-royal-engineers He is Richard Harrison 26 May 1837 - 25 September 1931: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Harrison_(British_Army_officer) His Register of Service (ancestry): https://www.ancestry.co.uk/interactive/3253/40940_2000729178-00119?pid=373161&backurl=https://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?_phsrc%3DfeJ3528%26_phstart%3DsuccessSource%26usePUBJs%3Dtrue%26indiv%3D1%26dbid%3D3253%26gsfn%3DRichard%26gsln%3DHarrison%26cp%3D11%26msbdy%3D1837%26msbdy_x%3D1%26msbdp%3D1%26qh%3D3d344ded73e3c04ff55ba17dc6c098f1%26new%3D1%26rank%3D1%26uidh%3Dicz%26redir%3Dfalse%26gss%3Dangs-d%26pcat%3D39%26fh%3D0%26h%3D373161%26recoff%3D%26ml_rpos%3D1%26queryId%3D7e3332088f7cf9c03866e0a2ff9adf0c&treeid=&personid=&hintid=&queryId=7e3332088f7cf9c03866e0a2ff9adf0c&usePUB=true&_phsrc=feJ3528&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true#?imageId=40940_2000729178-00119 His only son - Arthur Patrick Bird Harrison 16 January 1874 - 13 August 1956. JP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidbohl Posted 30 May , 2020 Share Posted 30 May , 2020 Does he look like a man born 1837 ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry_Reeves Posted 30 May , 2020 Share Posted 30 May , 2020 David Nobody is saying he is. The OP has been told that he might be Sir R H Harrison, so this part of the elimination process. TR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidbohl Posted 30 May , 2020 Share Posted 30 May , 2020 Can't find the Gazette entry for the MSM award to S/Mjr R. Harrison noted on the mic, looked from 1900-1928. All that came up was a bit early, a Leics Rgt chap Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaxD Posted 30 May , 2020 Share Posted 30 May , 2020 (edited) MSM in this case is more likely his appointment title - Machinist Sergeant Major - the WO 1 level of that specialism. Max Edited 30 May , 2020 by MaxD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidbohl Posted 30 May , 2020 Share Posted 30 May , 2020 Found a couple of pointers to the time frame in Sierra Leone From https://www.reubique.com/27557.htm Sapper ARCHIBALD LINDSAY Royal Engineers Sierra Leone (1906-1907) Lindsay's next posting abroad was to Sierra Leone. He departed the U.K. for Africa on the 17thof February 1906 and arrived in the British Protectorate of Sierra Leone on the 27thof February. In Sierra Leone he served with the 36thCompany under the command of Captain C.F.B. Pike, R.E. Other officers in the company at that time included Lieutenants W.G.S. Dobbie and J.R.W. Mansfield. In addition to the 36thCompany, R.E., the Sierra Leone Fortress Company under the command of Major J.I. Lang-Hyde, C.M.G., R.E. also was stationed in West Africa at Tower Hill in Freetown during this period. Lindsay remained in Sierra Leone for a little over one year, departing for home on the 4thof March 1907 and arriving in the U.K. on the 19thof March 1907. His actual service on the west coast of Africa was allowed to count double towards his pension under Article 1149 of the Pay Warrant of 1906. The shortness of this tour of duty and the extra credit for serving on the west coast of Africa were the result of the pestilential living conditions encountered by Europeans stationed there. And 1914 from Google Books The Great War in West Africa - Page 278 - Google Books Result Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry_Reeves Posted 30 May , 2020 Share Posted 30 May , 2020 (edited) I have checked the 1911 Overseas census for 36 Company in Sierra Leone and he isn't in that. The postcard has a divided back which was introduced in 1902 and will help narrow the date down a bit. As an aside Lt WGS Dobbie mentioned in David's post above, was, in 1918, a Lt Col (General Staff) with Operations Branch at GHQ BEF when it fell to him to send the cease fire signal to all BEF troops on 11.11.18. He later became GOC Malaya and Governor of Malta 1940-42. His brother-in-law was Orde Wingate of Chindit fame. I will keep looking. Edited 30 May , 2020 by Terry_Reeves Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWF1967 Posted 30 May , 2020 Author Share Posted 30 May , 2020 13 minutes ago, Terry_Reeves said: I have checked the 1911 Overseas census for 36 Company in Sierra Leone and he isn't in that. The postcard has a divided back which was introduced in 1902 and will help narrow the date down a bit. I will keep looking. Thanks Terry, and all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidbohl Posted 31 May , 2020 Share Posted 31 May , 2020 1911 Census on FamilySearch picks up a Robert Harrison in R.E, Gillingham. However it says "plumber", so I assume that is a civilian ? Name: Robert Harrison Event Type: Census Event Date: 1911 Event Place: Gillingham, Kent, England, United Kingdom County: Kent Parish: Gillingham Sub-District: Gillingham Sub-District Number: 2 District Number: 47 Enumeration District: 32 Registration District: Medway Age: 23 Marital Status: Single Marital Status (Original): SINGLE Occupation: PLUMBER Institution: ROYAL ENGINEER BARRACKS BROMPTON AND ST MARY'S Birth Year (Estimated): 1888 Birthplace: Chesire Stockport, Cheshire On a side note the 36th Coy goes back a long way, the newspapers back in 1860 printed "Captain E. O. Hewett, R.E., to proceed to Portsmouth to take the command of the 36th Company Royal Engineers". Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaxD Posted 31 May , 2020 Share Posted 31 May , 2020 The trade of plumber is of a piece with his later title as Mechanist Sergeant Major who was the top level over trades such as plumber, pipe fitter, sheet metal worker and welder. Max Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidbohl Posted 31 May , 2020 Share Posted 31 May , 2020 Could this be him then in 1901, a plumber age 14 ? Name: Robert Harrison Event Type: Census Event Date: 31 Mar 1901 Event Place: Urmston, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom County: Lancashire Civil Parish: Urmston Ecclesiastical Parish: Urmston St Clements Sub-District: Stretford Registration District: Barton Upon Irwell Gender: Male Age: 14 Occupation: PLUMBER Relationship to Head of Household: Son Birth Year (Estimated): 1887 Birthplace: Cheshire Schedule Type: 252 Page Number: 36 Household Role Sex Age Birthplace Robert Harrison Head Male 35 Surrey Sarah Harrison Wife Female 34 Cheshire Robert Harrison Son Male 14 Cheshire Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaxD Posted 31 May , 2020 Share Posted 31 May , 2020 1 hour ago, davidbohl said: 1911 Census on FamilySearch picks up a Robert Harrison in R.E, Gillingham. However it says "plumber", so I assume that is a civilian ? The census is of the Royal Engineers at Brompton Barracks his rank is Sapper. Max Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry_Reeves Posted 31 May , 2020 Share Posted 31 May , 2020 TNA shows that 36 Company personnel are on a supplementary medal for WW1 medals and you are directed to ancestry. The roll number is WO329/2934. Sierra Leone 36th Company, Royal Engineers miscellaneous: medal rolls. COL/4/3. Pages 1-9. 1914-15 Star War Office and Air Ministry: Service Medal and Award Rolls, First World War. 1914-15 Star: miscellaneous. 1914-15 Star: miscellaneous: medal rolls 1914-15 Star. Sierra Leone 36th Company, Royal Engineers miscellaneous: medal rolls. COL/4/3. Pages 1-9. 1914-15 Star. Held by:The National Archives, Kew - War Office, Armed Forces, Judge Advocate General, and related bodies Date:1914 - 1920 Reference:WO 329/2934 Subjects:Africa | Air Force | Armed Forces (General Administration) | Army | Conflict | Medals | Operations, battles and campaigns TR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidbohl Posted 31 May , 2020 Share Posted 31 May , 2020 Could a Sapper in 1911 rise to the ranks of MSM ? Shall I put this chap on the back burner ? Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry_Reeves Posted 31 May , 2020 Share Posted 31 May , 2020 David, Put it on the back burner, he would be pushed for sure,. The problem is , that we have no idea if the man on the MIC posted by the OP is the right one. TR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidbohl Posted 1 June , 2020 Share Posted 1 June , 2020 Still a bit to read about 36th Coy in the British Newspaper Archive, according to the Army and Navy Gazette, after Bermuda they had an unbroken deployment from 1906-1914 in Sierra Leone. A few more bits attached, and by the way the said postcard is showing as "sold" on that well known selling site, we've already had a duff postcard https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/281041-id-required-please/page/2/?tab=comments#comment-2881877 Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaxD Posted 1 June , 2020 Share Posted 1 June , 2020 Forgive me if this seems rude but you are aware that 36 Coy RE and the West India Fortress Company, later renamed, are different units? Max Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidbohl Posted 1 June , 2020 Share Posted 1 June , 2020 I just picked up on the Fortress Company because it sailed from Liverpool, nothing more really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaxD Posted 1 June , 2020 Share Posted 1 June , 2020 My apologies to you! max Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 2 June , 2020 Share Posted 2 June , 2020 (edited) On 31/05/2020 at 11:01, MaxD said: The trade of plumber is of a piece with his later title as Mechanist Sergeant Major who was the top level over trades such as plumber, pipe fitter, sheet metal worker and welder. Max Bang on the money Max! Not one that we see very often. I think it was one of the more senior WO appointments if I recall correctly (KRs & RPW), and became WOI in 1915. It was one of the RE trades that wore the appointment and trade badge of crossed hammer and pincers. Edited 2 June , 2020 by FROGSMILE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaxD Posted 2 June , 2020 Share Posted 2 June , 2020 A useful piece on RE ranks here: https://www.reubique.com/ranks.htm this is also good value: https://www.nzsappers.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Corps-History-Vol-04.pdf Max Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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