This section of the long, long trail will be helpful for anyone wishing to find out about the history of the units of the royal engineers. Ww1 home front royal engineers enamel sweetheart p. Tunnelling companies of the royal engineers wikipedia. British base depots in france, 19141918 the long, long. Ww1, royal engineer tunnelling companies, nicknamed the moles, were specialist units of the corps of royal engineers within the british army, formed to dig attacking tunnels under enemy lines during the first world war. Royal engineers archives page 18 of 39 ww1 roll of honour. The field company of the royal engineers provided technical skill and knowhow in support of the fighting units of the formation known as a division. Apr 06, 2008 royal engineers had drivers who were mounted moving heavy equipment etc. Inland water transport royal engineers ww1 and ww2 war.
The royal engineers trace their origins back to the military engineers brought to england by william the conqueror, specifically bishop gundulf of rochester cathedral, and claim over 900 years of unbroken service to the crown. However, women have been a formal part of the army for more than 100 years, and the wider story of. Officers of the royal engineers in a communication trench on the somme, 1 july 1916. Driver thomas alfred ernest rickard great war stories.
Daily lives of royal engineers during wwii daily mail online. Military records reveal the extraordinary deeds of your bravest ancestors. At the outbreak of war in august 1914 the 2nd battalion, royal berkshire regiment were in jhansi, india. Bbc ww2 peoples war boy soldiers of the royal engineers. As im off to the somme to make a documentary with dan snow this week, it will be a sommethemed week on great war photos this image shows a group of men from a divisional signal company of the royal engineers. Commonwealth war graves commission cwgc casualty records transcription. A history of the world is a partnership between the bbc and the british museum that focuses on world history, involving collaborations between teams across the bbc, and schools, museums and.
Royal engineers during ww1 preparation for the battle of arras 1917 from october 1916 the royal engineers had been working underground, constructing tunnels for the troops in preparation for the battle of arras in 1917. Although british armies have included engineers since medieval times, they were first constituted as a corps in 1717, the year in which an officeronly corps of engineers was established. Daily lives of the royal engineers who kept the allies on the move through. They were responsible for the transport system behind the front line, operated vital communications equipment, constructed trenches and fortifications and surveyed the enemy. If you join as a regular soldier over 17 years 1 month. Photos, obituaries and short service records all available to view and download. A timeline of women in the army national army museum. Royal engineers build bridges and clear rubble, soldiers on front line receive food and rations. In 1855 the board of ordnance was abolished, and the royal artillery, together with the royal engineers, came under the commanderinchief and the war office like the rest of the army. The great war is very much the focus of the story and in particular the war beneath the western front involving the men who. Fingers crossed that i have attached a photo and would welcome comments. The corps of royal engineers, usually just called the royal engineers re, and commonly known as the sappers, is a corps of the british army. Specialist driver royal engineers what does the role.
The cme museum holds over 9,000 photos from the history of the canadian engineers and over 10,000 reference books and training manuals for research purposes. In april 1911, eight years after americans wilbur and orville wright made the first flight of a selfpropelled, heavierthanair aircraft, an air battalion of the british armys royal engineers. The regimental headquarters and the royal school of military engineering are in chatham in kent, england. Inland water transport royal engineers world war one.
For much of the war, the small french village of vignacourt was always behind the front lines as a staging point, casualty clearing station and recreation area for troops of all nationalities moving up to and then back from the battlefields of the somme. Drivers royal field artillery other great war chat. The soldiers, units, regiments and battles of the british army of the first world war, and how to research and understand them. Once youve served for around 12 years, you may be promoted to the rank of sergeant. Dec 01, 2007 many thanks for the information that you have provided. There were asc drivers whose sole job was driving the horses and were found in the ammunition columns. In 1859 the companies ceased to be organised into battalions, and were brigaded instead, at the same time being referred to as batteries instead of companies. Engineers have always served in the armies of the crown. Dec 10, 2014 hello guys it seems i may of wittled my choices down to the specialist driver in the royal engineers, but i was wondering what exactly does that role entail. This is a senior role, and usually involves being second of command of a platoon or troop of up to 35 soldiers. Perhaps you had a grandfather in one of the world wars. A firing party was provided by the 10th battalion the leicestershire regiment who were based at rugeley camp. Royal engineers history 3 volumes ww1 reference books.
I am researching a fellow who was a driver in the royal engineers during ww1. The corps of royal engineers was formed in 1856 from the royal engineers and the royal sappers and miners. Inland water transport and docks in december 1914, as part of the railways directorate, the inland water transport and docks section was formed to deal with transportation along the canals and waterways in france and belgium. The corps of royal engineers in the first world war this section of the long, long trail will be helpful for anyone wishing to find out about the history of the units of the royal engineers. Then there were gunners as drivers whose assignment was as a gun team driver, but who were also trained as gunners to enable them to function in that role. Most of the facilities of the base depots were manned and operated by the army service corps sometimes working with with infantry, labour corps or royal engineers depending on the job in hand. You can start with any relative who you think was in the army, navy or raf. British wwi soldiers on the western front 1 of 4,000 photos uncovered in an attic in northern france. The royal engineers took on the main task of providing them and men were specially trained pre1914 to operate motorcycles. Meanwhile back in england driver george gough died of his wounds on the 9th december. It provides military engineering and other technical support to the british armed forces and is headed by the chief royal engineer. To commemorate the centenary of the conflict, we have launched this definitive collection of ww1 films, created from our. This tag is allocated to all individuals listed on this website who served in the royal engineers. As a stonemason it seemed logical for him to be a sapper in the royal engineers but i was surprised that he is in the inland water transport corps.
Inland water transport royal engineers ww1 and ww2 at present no image of this war memorial is available for online display. Aug 30, 2011 the corps of royal engineers was formed in 1856 from the royal engineers and the royal sappers and miners. Different parts of the collection cover units serving in. British army war diaries 19141922 the national archives. Specialist driver royal engineers what does the role entail. A french soldier in the carrierpigeon service holding a pigeon at the royal engineers pigeon pens at sorrus, 2 june 1918. Youll also be working closely with junior officers. The information on this post has been compiled as a result of examining service records in wo 97 online with findmypast and wo 363 and wo 364 online with ancestry.
Norton canes royal engineers cannock chase district. On 12th march 1915 he attested at bedford into the 21st east anglian division signal corps of the royal engineers as a driver. Medal index cards were created by the army medal office towards the end of the first world war. Albert john lambert, 108th engineers, ripley county, indiana work of engineers was to build bridges across the meuse, build roads, dig trenches, put up barbed wire. We provide essential support to all areas of the british army in peacetime and on operations. During the battle of the somme the royal engineers carried out a whole range of duties. Royal engineer tunnelling companies, nicknamed the moles, were specialist units of the corps of royal engineers within the british army, formed to. Ww1 home front royal engineers enamel sweetheart phone cards five penquins cards and one british army royal engineers falklands. Royal engineers ww1 other equipment great war forum. This comes from my neighbour who thinks it is an uncle charles hooker who was royal engineers, and who was wounded by a sniper whilst rigging up telephone wires. I have his ww1 trio mounted for display, and was looking for some insignia to accompany the medals.
Nov 15, 2008 as a stonemason it seemed logical for him to be a sapper in the royal engineers but i was surprised that he is in the inland water transport corps. Without engineers there would have been no supply to the armies, because the res maintained the railways, roads. The corps of engineers was formed in 1716, consisting of only 28 officers. Charles hooker met his end in a 1943 bombing raid whilst serving with the gravesend home guard. There are some jobs in the army that are available to soldiers once theyve.
Many thanks for the information that you have provided. Known as sappers, royal engineers have served in all of the armys campaigns. Essential engineer operations contributed to allied success in the second world war. The royal signals was created in 1920, after winston churchill, secretary of state for war issued a royal warrant declaring that there should be a corps of signals within the british army. Inland water transport royal engineers world war one page. During the second world war, the corps had over 150,000 members. In my research there were two categories of drivers. The royal engineers signals service on the western front, 19141918 imperial war museums. Dec 11, 2015 this is to document some information i found out recently which was not immediately apparent. Here, you learn military engineering skills such as knots and lashings, demolition, mine warfare and bridge building. The places selected for base depots became centres of very considerable industry with workshops, stores, barracks, camps, hospitals, etc.
Formed in 1716, this corps helps keep the british army in the field by providing. As a driver within my unit im lucky in that i can use those skills on a daily basis, and still keep studying for extra qualifications. Royal engineers ww1 uniform royal engineers, world war i. Then its off to the royal school of military engineering regiment near camberley for nine weeks. An archive of first world war research information on soldiers in the royal engineers.
Beneath arras itself there is a vast network of caverns called the boves, consisting of underground quarries and sewage tunnels. There was no royal signals in ww1 and signalling work was done at battalion level by infantry signallers and for larger formations by the res. Jesse mead enlisted in luton, and died on august 31st, 1916, whilst on home service, and based at the royal engineers signal depot at fenny stratford. It looks like a possible re cap badge but it could be army service corps having looked at the cwgc entry and found he was charles isaiha hooker there is a medal card to one pte charles i hooker south wales borderers and asc. There is only a short paragraph on the unit on the royal engineers museum web site mentioning transport on french canals and seagoing barges across the channel. The corps of royal engineers in the first world war the long. The corps of royal engineers, usually just called the royal engineers re, and commonly. Typical terms of enlistment for the regiment changed over the years. There are many personal diaries and all of the world war ii war diaries from engineer units. Signalling was very much the province of the royal engineers and specifically its telegraph battalion and it was they who attempted to use wireless for the first time in a military conflict during the boer war in south africa. I joined the army in at the age of 14 years, as an apprentice tradesman in the royal engineers, on the 6th july 1939. These records are the unit war diaries of the british army in the first world war and are held by the national archives in record series wo 95.
They are not personal diaries try the imperial war museum or local record offices for those. This is to document some information i found out recently which was not immediately apparent. Royal engineers for sale in uk 61 used royal engineers. A brief history of the royal engineers the story of the corps of royal engineers covers over nine hundred crowded years and cannot be rivalled by any other arm or service. Army engineers in ww1 to honor the vererans of ww1. Photographs the royal engineers signals service on the western front, 19141918. In response to increased british mining, german artillery and trench mortar fire intensified in early may 1916. The commonwealth war graves commission has 21,716 recorded ww1 deaths for the royal engineers. He was buried with full military honours in the churchyard of st james church in norton canes. They record the medals that men and women who served in the first world war were entitled to claim. He enlisted into the royal engineers in february 1915 and was wounded twice. British base depots in france, 19141918 the long, long trail.
They returned home, arriving in england on the 22nd of october and joined the 25th brigade in winchester for a short period of training before proceeding to france to reinforce the bef, landing at le havre on the 5th of november 1914. He left behind his widow of 3 years, minnie nee warren whom he married in the 4th quarter of 19. Tonight the long awaited dramatisation of sebastian faulks novel birdsong will be broadcast on bbc1. Timeline awards mentioned in despatches mid british awarddecoration source. But it was not equal to the task and it was left to the royal navy to show the way. Before the second world war, royal engineers recruits were required to be at least 5. I did not realize that there were so many branches of the engineers. The corps of royal engineers in the first world war the. If you join as a junior soldier under 17 years 5 months, youll do a 23week basic military training course at harrogate.
Ww1 button bearing the emblem of the engineers corps, courtesy of the indiana war memorial archives. Regular reserve this is available as a full time army role. On 1st january 1915 bert attested at bedford for the 31st east anglian field company of the royal engineers. Albert john lambert, 108th engineers, ripley county, indiana work of engineers was to build bridges across the meuse, build roads, dig trenches, put up barbed wire entanglements, dig dugouts and dressing stations. The great war was the first conflict in which motorcycle despatch riders played any sort of role in battlefield signals. Youll start with your initial military training which will teach you how to be a soldier this will cover everything from fieldcraft to how to handle a rifle. Since 2018, they have been able to serve in all combat roles alongside male colleagues. They designed and built the frontline fortifications, creating cover for the infantry and positions for the artillery. Born in ludworth, edward and his family had been associated with the forge smithy for generations.
Many of these roles continued during the second world war 193945. Without engineers there would have been no supply to the armies, because the res maintained the. There are currently twelve volumes available in the series history of the corps of royal engineers there are three volumes relating to the great war which are volume v. The great war is very much the focus of the story and in particular the war beneath the western front involving the men who served in tunnelling companies of the royal engineers. Ww1, royal engineer tunnelling companies, nicknamed the moles, were specialist units of the corps of royal engineers within the british army, formed to dig. The corps of royal engineers in the first world war. Royal engineers great war photos ww1 photos centenary. The corps can claim direct descent from the military engineers brought to england by william the conqueror and an unbroken record of service to the crown since then. The royal engineers immediately deployed tunnelling companies of the royal engineers along the front to combat the german mining operations.
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