Mark Hone Posted 6 January , 2008 Share Posted 6 January , 2008 I have just resolved another Bury 'mystery man', Robert Blinkhorn. The Bury Times got his initial and date of death wrong. They record him as Royal Engineers, but both SDGW and CWGC record him as Rifle Brigade which further confused matters. CWGC records him as 250th Tunnelling Company but neither it, nor SDGW, record RE as 'Secondary Regiment' or similar. Was there some special connection beween the Rifle Brigade and 250th Tunnelling Company? I presume that the unit was digging tunnels for the Messines Mines in June 1916. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sotonmate Posted 6 January , 2008 Share Posted 6 January , 2008 Mark I recently finished the library book "Beneath Flanders Fields",as you would have guessed,all about the TCs. I have an idea that there was a considerable amount of "outside"help on some of the RE projects in the form of infantrymen. The Bois Quarante and Grande Bois sites at Messines was.I am sure,one of these. I suggest that you take a peek,if the library hasn't got a copy then a freeby look at the big bookstore with a W-you might even buy it now it is in paperback. Best wishes Sotonmate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tunneller Posted 6 January , 2008 Share Posted 6 January , 2008 I have just resolved another Bury 'mystery man', Robert Blinkhorn. The Bury Times got his initial and date of death wrong. They record him as Royal Engineers, but both SDGW and CWGC record him as Rifle Brigade which further confused matters. CWGC records him as 250th Tunnelling Company but neither it, nor SDGW, record RE as 'Secondary Regiment' or similar. Was there some special connection beween the Rifle Brigade and 250th Tunnelling Company? I presume that the unit was digging tunnels for the Messines Mines in June 1916. 250 Tunnelling Company were indeed in the Messines ridge sector. In October 1915 they began work on the deep mines at Petit Bois ,Peckham and Spanbroekmolen. These mines were a decisive factor in blowing the Germans off the ridge in June 1917. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Longboat Posted 20 June , 2009 Share Posted 20 June , 2009 I have an idea that there was a considerable amount of "outside"help on some of the RE projects in the form of infantrymen. The Bois Quarante and Grande Bois sites at Messines was.I am sure,one of these. Sotonmate A Pte H.S Quaife G/9680 of the 11th Royal West Kent's was killed on the 21/6/1916 while employed with 250th according to the 11ths Battalion war diary, another was wounded. He is buried at Kemmel Chateau Military Cemetery. Having done a search of CWGC with Geoff's Search Engine it came up with 11 men of the 250th killed on the 15/6/1916. Would any pals have any info of what happened? regards Stuart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tartan_Terrier Posted 21 February , 2010 Share Posted 21 February , 2010 Sorry to go slightly off topic, but could you please give me a link to this CWGC search engine? My great grandfather joined 250th Tunnelling Coy. in July 1916, and was gassed in December of the same year, so I'd be interested in finding out more and this search engine may be useful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmac Posted 21 February , 2010 Share Posted 21 February , 2010 http://www.hut-six.co.uk/cgi-bin/search14-21.php Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tartan_Terrier Posted 21 February , 2010 Share Posted 21 February , 2010 http://www.hut-six.co.uk/cgi-bin/search14-21.php Thank you very much indeed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Jones Posted 21 February , 2010 Share Posted 21 February , 2010 Having done a search of CWGC with Geoff's Search Engine it came up with 11 men of the 250th killed on the 15/6/1916. Would any pals have any info of what happened? Answer here: Damned long shift Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Longboat Posted 10 April , 2010 Share Posted 10 April , 2010 Simon, Just caught up with this, thanks for the link Stuart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lespat52 Posted 21 May , 2010 Share Posted 21 May , 2010 Answer here: Damned long shift Just read your post for the first time and realised I had bought my husband a set of medals and plaque that were attributable to one of the sappers that died in the tunnel ,thank you for the story that goes with them it certainly brings them to life Have found his MIC he joined Wilts Reg transfered to RE ,medals have old number and Wilts Reg,grave has RE and new number MIC has both Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nigelcave Posted 21 May , 2010 Share Posted 21 May , 2010 TCs often had significant numbers of infantry attached - anything up to 500 to any one TC. Sometimes this became a semi permanent arrangement for some individuals. I know of one man who was killed working with a TC on Vimy Ridge who is buried under an RE headstone, though in the register he is listed as belonging to his original home regiment. I shall try and dig up the details tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Jones Posted 23 May , 2010 Share Posted 23 May , 2010 Many RE transfers were made retrospectively and back-dated to when a man was first attached. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Daly Posted 23 January , 2012 Share Posted 23 January , 2012 I'm researching the following chap from 250th Tunnelling Company: Sapper Charles Henry Cuff 121551 Age 22 Son of Mr and Mrs Cuff, 22 Chance Street, Landport, Portsmouth 250th Tunnelling Company RE Died 17 June 1916 Lindenhoek Chalet Cemetery, Belgium Soldiers Died in the Great War suggests that he died of wounds. FreeBMD has him as born in Southampton, June Quarter 1894. His MIC states that he was originally Hampshire Regiment, number 12598. He's the only tunneller I have found from Portsmouth so I'm pretty intrigued to find out more about him. I can't find him in the 1901 or 1911 census. Any hints or tips would be gratefully appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arantxa Posted 25 April Share Posted 25 April i have jus posted a question but was Percy William Spooner one of these diggers he was originally Rifle Brigade i believe Sorry Percy William Spanner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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