Jump to content
Free downloads from TNA ×
The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Ernest Henry Geer


commandobairn

Recommended Posts

I was asked if I could find out about a friend's grandad - all she knew was that he died (she thought) in 1918 when the SS Aragon was sunk. I was able to give her the correct date ... and I also found this thread - thank you!

His name's Ernest Henry Geer and I was able to supply more info for her. Would anyone know anything more about him? We'd be very grateful.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello,

A wildcard search on "lives of the first world war" did not reveal any likely contenders for your man.
https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/searchlives/ernest ge*r/filter

There were some better results via "British Army Ancestors", but no perfect match.
https://www.britisharmyancestors.co.uk/search-result/?q=ernest+ge*r&pagenum=1

The nearest I could see was Arthur Ernest Geer, commissioned in 1916 and who served on loan to the Royal Australian Navy in the interwar period. 

Best of luck with your ongoing research!
Keith

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mate,

I record him as;

Geer    Ernest H    2447    Dvr    Camel (10th) Field Troop RE ICC reported 610 men lost when on HMTS Aragon sunk by UC 34 in Alexandria Roads returning from UK leave Ex 1/1 or 1/2 Royal Kent Royal Engineers (541505) listed on the Chatby Memorial possibly brother Ernest RE    KIA 30-12-17        from    Turnbridge Wells UK

The 10th Field troop Camel was shown 

3-3-17   ICC (10th) Field Troop RE under Capt Inwood RE (3 officers 53 men) arrived at ICC Bde replaced 2/1 Field Troop RE

This was the Bde Engineer Troop until late in the war

S.B

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi commandobairn. Welcome to the forum. Just to add to the above, Driver Ernest Henry Geer, (T)2447 / 541505 10th Field Troops, Royal Engineers was awarded the Victory Medal and British War Medal. Ernest also has a number of pension cards listing his widow as Kitty Geer and daughter Louie Kitty Geer residing at 4 Culverden Street, Tonbridge Wells, Kent. Ernest is commemorated on the The Men of St James' Lychgate, Royal Tonbridge Wells as attached. 

2D890168-6880-4175-9072-A55742E5AFB7.jpeg

Edited by Gunner 87
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oh my goodness! I've just managed to get back here and am overwhelmed with the responses ... I will read through them now, she'll be amazed! As am I.

I found the entry that Steven added above before coming here yesterday. I'm already a member, or was, under a similar name ... couldn't get back in using that one. My Aussie pals call me 'maaaate' for a laugh ... I'm a lass. My dad was in No.4 Commando, hence the screen name.

Now to look through everything. I am so very happy about this - and have now got the Imperial Camel Corps to learn about. Without reading the above ... probably a daft question but hey-ho ... a driver - would that be of jeeps etc, or do they call people who ride camels, drivers? Hey, some of us don't know these things. :)

PS Just noticed the photograph! WOW!!!

Edited by commandobairn
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Admin

What was your previous username ? If it’s still an active account, we can merge them, as dual membership isn’t allowed. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I know I'm on the WW2 Talk - thought I may have been on this one, too - perhaps not.  It'll be similar, CommandoBairn, No.4CommandoBairn?

It would mebbies be under my old email account - not sure if I should put that here.

Edited by commandobairn
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Admin

Can’t find anything like that. Maybe your membership was a while ago and your account got deleted, so any previous posts will be as Guest. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, it was a long time ago - perhaps called WW1Talk then?

Good, glad I'm on the right side of the rules. ;)

Thanks to whoever it was who created the thread for me - so much easier to keep track of.

Ah, I see you only get a certain amount of time to edit. Forget about the driver bit ... I take it he was in the Royal Engineers, attached to the ICC as a driver ... as that had been his occupation in peace time, too. It was nice to think of him riding a camel. 

Edited by commandobairn
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ernest's granddaughter is so happy and thankful to have a photograph of her grandad. It's the first photo of him she's ever seen. Thank you for that and for all the information - she's going to pass it on to her sister.

Well, look at that! I'm a Lance-Corporal ... same as my dad.

Edited by commandobairn
Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, commandobairn said:

photograph of her grandad.

I was hoping that she would already have a better copy that she could share!!

Very pleased it pleased.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, commandobairn said:

driver - would that be of jeeps etc, or do they call people who ride camels, drivers?

In the Artillery a driver generally rode a horse.

I suspect here he would be driving a motor vehicle, particularly if he had qualified with the post office pre-war.

@stevenbeckercan advise?

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you.

I have solved the mystery as to whether I was here before ... I was and have contacted Admin. That query was about my Great-Uncle Ernest (Navy) - and all these years later this query's about an Ernest, too. Spooky. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mates,

I notice I had a remark that he may of had a brother in the Engineers, also possibly called Ernest or some thing like that

Can you confirm that or what his name maybe?

Yes the term Driver in  all units of the Army at that time, drove wagons of some type

In the Signals, it was the moblie laying wagon (the correct name escapes me) which carried the signal wire and could pay out the wire, as they moved quickly across country. and like wise bring it in quickly when packing up

Good in mounted units, where time and speed was important when moving over a large area

While the unit was camel mounted, not all was, others also used the horse

S.B

Edited by stevenbecker
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ernest Henry had three brothers,

Bertie William1881-1953 

Albert Charles 1882- 1946

Alfred Horace 1886-1958. (served RSussex 1903-16)

Sourced from Ancestry trees.

Edited by charlie962
Correcting to 3 brothers
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you for the above posts. I was reading the thread about my Great Uncle Ernest - Stoker, died at age 18, Spanish Flu - and it said on there that I could access Ancestry for free at the library. I don't know if this is still the case but was going to find out ... I'm grateful to not have to now.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...