Wiltshire (Fortress) Company of the TF R. E

[michaelwarlow]

Hello,

Someone else kindly intrepted a medal card index for me and said the following

"The 520247 number was allocated to the Wiltshire (Fortress) Company of the TF Royal Engineers, and it is likely that he was overseas with them.

I do not know what the Wiltshire Fortress Company were redesignated as or to which Division they were attached, but I'm sure someone else will"

Would anyone know anything more about the Wiltshire Fortress Company, reference his statements above...any help would be greatly appreciated

Many thanks

Mike

[Wienand Drenth]

Hello Mike,

Please find below a lineage of the Wiltshire (Fortress) Engineers. Such formation were formed in most important ports throughout the country. Some of these Fortress Engineers were "converted" into normal Field Companies, and such served in various theatres. Very little is known about these units, the Wiltshire FE is one of those.

Cheers,

Wienand

Wiltshire (Fortress) Engineers

Formed 1 Apr. 1908 (15 May 1908) as a new unit with HQ and No. 1 (Works) Coy at Swindon (16 May 1908), united with Dorsetshire as Dorsetshire and Wiltshire (Fortress) Engineers; part of Southern Coast Defences. Emb 4 Aug. 1914 and disemb 1919. Merged 1920 as part of Dorsetshire (Fortress) Engineers.

[michaelwarlow]

Many thanks, much appreciated

Mike

[Hoplophile]

According to a list of engineer units that I found in the records of the Adjutant General in the PRO, the Wiltshire Fortress Company joined the Expeditionary Force on 19 January 1915. Like other fortress companies of the Territorial Forcel, the works companies of the Regular Army, and the siege companies of the Special Reserve, it was initially employed as a general-purpose engineer unit. (Works and fortress companies were initially designed to do repair and construction work that might become necessary in the course of defending a particular fortress. )

The specific PRO reference is WO 162/7.