SteveE Posted 3 May , 2006 Share Posted 3 May , 2006 A very long shot I know but are there any Royal Engineers experts out there who might know what unit/s the numbers 161802 to 161831 were allocated to? The majority of these men were renumbered later in the war in the range WR/255318 to WR/255341 and going from what family history I know they were a Railway based unit. Any help, as always, gratefully received. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 3 May , 2006 Share Posted 3 May , 2006 Soryy, Steve. I have nothing giving any sort of Clue in that range. Hopefully Terry might be able to help. On the subject of which, I've not forgotten you, Terry! Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Posted 4 May , 2006 Share Posted 4 May , 2006 How about 109647 later renumbered WR/289329 Spr Thomas M. BERRY? Any ideas? I know he was in Egypt. Cheers, Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveE Posted 4 May , 2006 Author Share Posted 4 May , 2006 I have nothing giving any sort of Clue in that range. Thanks for looking Steve, I admit when I posted the thread I was hoping you may have some details. CWGC and London Gazette haven't helped either, those particular service numbers had no casualties nor were any decorated. Looks like a trip to Kew is in order. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KONDOA Posted 4 May , 2006 Share Posted 4 May , 2006 Steve WR is Waterways and Railways ie trains and barges. Unlikely to find lots of casualties as they often operated miles from the front or in England. I have quite a few RA men renumbered to WR but no numbers fit any pattern as they all arrived at different times to different units. Roop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveE Posted 4 May , 2006 Author Share Posted 4 May , 2006 There's definitely a pattern to the renumbering but whether they were all the same unit or not, especially as there are both Sappers and Pioneers, is anybody's guess Surname/Forename Number Rank Parker, Joseph 161802 2nd Cpl. renumbered WR/255318 Smith, Frederick S 161803 Sapper renumbered WR/255319 Bowles, Charles A 161804 Corporal renumbered WR/255320 Clack, Alfred 161805 Sapper renumbered WR/255321 Clifford, Cecil M 161806 Pioneer renumbered WR/201042 Delaney, Thomas 161807 Pioneer Not renumbered Not Allocated 161808 Fletcher, Albert 161809 Sapper renumbered WR/255323 Gardiner, Arthur H 161810 Sapper renumbered WR/255324 Holder, Charles 161811 Corporal renumbered WR/255325 Not Allocated 161812 Heaney, John H 161813 Pioneer renumbered WR/255326 Messenger, Thomas 161814 Pioneer renumbered WR/255327 Stribbling, James C 161815 Sapper renumbered WR/255328 Sheldon, Isaiah 161816 A/Cpl. Not renumbered Troughton, Wilfred J 161817 Sapper renumbered WR/255329 White, Charles 161818 Serjeant renumbered WR/255330 Williams, Samuel 161819 A/Sjt. Not renumbered Stapleton, Albert 161820 Pioneer renumbered WR/255331 Giblett, Frederick S 161821 Sapper renumbered WR/255332 Ebbo[r]n, George 161822 Corporal renumbered WR/201044 Bolton, George 161823 Pioneer renumbered WR/255334 Day, Henry J 161824 Sapper renumbered WR/255335 Fisher, Alfred A 161825 Corporal renumbered WR/255336 Hamilton, William 161826 Pioneer Not renumbered Haycock, Leonard 161827 Pioneer renumbered WR/255337 Mahony, John S 161828 Sapper renumbered WR/255338 Matthews, Charles H 161829 Pioneer renumbered WR/255339 May, William 161830 Serjeant renumbered WR/255340 Nicholls, William T 161831 Pioneer renumbered WR/255341 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 4 May , 2006 Share Posted 4 May , 2006 I have seen a decent amount of the WR/ Royal Engineers that were renumbered in sequence. It certainly suggests that they were part of a unit together. It might be worth looking up the ones that were not renumbered and seeing if there is an SWB for them. And, of course, service records for the lot of them. If it's any help I've seen a fair few enlistment/transfer dates in mid-1916 for numbers around the 150-160000 mark. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveE Posted 5 May , 2006 Author Share Posted 5 May , 2006 I have seen a decent amount of the WR/ Royal Engineers that were renumbered in sequence. It certainly suggests that they were part of a unit together. It's certainly an assumption that I am happy with, for the moment at least. It might be worth looking up the ones that were not renumbered and seeing if there is an SWB for them. And, of course, service records for the lot of them. Agreed, that was going to be my next course of action if this wonderful forum failed to provide a result. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveE Posted 5 May , 2006 Author Share Posted 5 May , 2006 If it's any help I've seen a fair few enlistment/transfer dates in mid-1916 for numbers around the 150-160000 mark. That's certainly consistent with the one Medal Card I have for the range quoted, that of my GGFather. The lack of a 1914-15 Star and no entries in the 'theatre of war' and 'date of entry therein' boxes indicates a post 1st January 1916 dis/embarkation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KONDOA Posted 5 May , 2006 Share Posted 5 May , 2006 You may recall that many other units and arms of service were scoured for men with relevant experience. Thus it does not follow that if the WR number is seqential that they had any connection with each other or their previous units.In Steves case there does seem to be a correlation and from some units there would be a large proportion of men with similar experience ie Miners etc.. Roop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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