cuey Posted 3 May , 2007 Share Posted 3 May , 2007 Hi all, I have a record showing Depot Boy Conway 27-3-18 121st Field Coy No 19 Joined from REBD 10-4-18 I know the REBD is a Base depot but conway? Is that right. i thought depots where a local area to redispatch troops. And what was a depot boy ANyone know anything about the 121st Field and what the No 19 means. He was wounded with them in 16/10/18 what action where they in at the time? Many thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Baker Posted 3 May , 2007 Share Posted 3 May , 2007 I suspect what you have is "Depot Coy" meaning "Depot Company". Conway is in North Wales and I believe there was an RE base there. REBD = RE Base Depot and was in France. Looks to me as though your man went from Conway to France between the two dates shown. 121 Field Company was part of 36th (Ulster) Division. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 3 May , 2007 Share Posted 3 May , 2007 As mentioned 121st Field Company were in the 36th (Ulster) Division. Therefore this site should be worth a visit: http://www.freewebs.com/denbob/index.htm Good mention of 121st Field Company in the "Bitter End" section but just after your man was wounded. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Clark Posted 3 May , 2007 Share Posted 3 May , 2007 Detailed information like this is available at the Royal Engineers Library, School of Military Engineering, Brompton Barracks, GILLINGHAM, Kent. In fact this is the RE's main historic record depository period. Access can be gained by members of the general public by writing to the Adjutant at the barracks. I appreciate the distances involved in you're case though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Baker Posted 3 May , 2007 Share Posted 3 May , 2007 121 Field Company's war diary will be at the National Archives in Kew. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cuey Posted 3 May , 2007 Author Share Posted 3 May , 2007 Thanks all, That is some fantastic info. If the 121st were with the 36th Ulster then on the day he was shot they where entering Courtrai ans trying to get over the river. The 122nd certainly suffered badly form machine gun fire while trying to get pontoons over the water. I'm new to this so haven't become hardened. It sort of brings a lump to your throat imagining men trying to do hard work under fire. Its tough enough without constantly being shot at. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel Posted 3 May , 2007 Share Posted 3 May , 2007 That is what the RE's did and do and they are easily underestimated by some. The number of VC's won by the Corps is impressive. "When God he created the land and sea; "It's all one" said the Sapper (Kipling). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevem49 Posted 3 May , 2007 Share Posted 3 May , 2007 That is what the RE's did and do and they are easily underestimated by some. The number of VC's won by the Corps is impressive. "When God he created the land and sea; "It's all one said the Sapper" (Kipling). Twenty in WW1 including Major Mannoch (seconded to the RFC). Three in one action. 7 DCMs on one night at Ypres - 5th Fld Coy. Gen Gordon, Gen Kitchener and 'me' - all REs. Rorkes Drift - who led the Welsh chaps and got a VC -yep !! 'The Royal Engineers, as everyone knew, were mad, married or methodist...' From The Longest retreat - The Burma Campaign 1942 by Tim Carew (I was married ) stevem Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel Posted 3 May , 2007 Share Posted 3 May , 2007 "and our Officers Methodist, Married or mad" is from the same Kipling Poem, as is: "When the Israelites builded their bricks without straw they were doing the regular work of our Corps. The work of Her Majesty's Royal Engineers, with the rank and the pay of a Sapper". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry_Reeves Posted 3 May , 2007 Share Posted 3 May , 2007 Cuey The writer is refering to the Royal Engineers Training Centre at Deganwy, which was located in the county of Conway, now spelt Conwy. It was opened in September , 1915. Terry Reeves Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Hugh_D Posted 10 November , 2009 Share Posted 10 November , 2009 As mentioned 121st Field Company were in the 36th (Ulster) Division. Therefore this site should be worth a visit: http://www.freewebs.com/denbob/index.htm Good mention of 121st Field Company in the "Bitter End" section but just after your man was wounded. Steve. This is old but tantalising! I am researching my grandfather, who was a temporary lieutenant in the 121st Field Company Royal Engineers and was awarded the French Croix de Guerre for his part in bridging the Lys at Courtrai on 19 October 1918. But the freewebs.com link above appears to be broken. I appreciate that this original thread is more than two years old, but does anyone know if the material on that site is available elsewhere? Incidentally, my grandfather was not a Methodist but a Quaker Many thanks for your help. Z Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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