Grandfather Percy Thomas Batt Royal Engineer

[Guest critter]

Hello to everyone,

I have been a keen observer of this forum for sometime and have finally plucked up the courage to raise my questions. My Grandfather was:

Percy Thomas Batt

Born 22^nd January 1896 at Chart Wents, Chart Sutton, Maidstone, Kent

Who according to my Mother joined the Royal Engineers at Chatham at the age of 18yrs.

I have in my possession a few photographs of him in The RE uniform obviously covering the few years upto 1917 but I cannot find any other details of his RE time except for a pencil written diary for 1917 which although brief, details that he was:

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Nothing in the diary for January

In training at Witham in Essex from 1^st Feb 1917 to 18^th May 1917

In training at Christchurch Dorset from 18^th May 1917 to 2^nd June 1917

Drafted to the Durham RE 25^th June at Silkstone, Yorkshire. He was then picked again for the draft to the 24^th Manchester's on the 21^st August and on the 15^th September at 21:00 Hrs left Silkstone arriving at Folkstone, Kent at 04:30 on the 16^th September into a rest camp then shipping out and arriving in Bolougne, France at 18:15.

There is nothing else written after this date in the diary.

His service number in the 24^th Manchester's is 55477 taken from his medals

I have a fair bit of information regarding his time in the Manchester's but know nothing about his time in the Royal Engineers.

I cannot find his service record on ancestry and his MIC ( see attached) only lists his time in the Manchester's

If anyone can furnish me with anymore information regarding the RE unit he was in or even to confirm his enlistment date I would be most grateful.

I also have a photograph of Percy in the Manchester's out in Italy and another photo, presumably after demob back in the RE uniform.

Many thanks in advance, Trevor

[Guest critter]

Sorry here is the MIC