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Further to your recommendation, I have contacted the Royal Engineers Museum in Chatham and hope their curatorial team and research archives may be able to shed more light. If I get further information following a visit, I'll post an update here. Thanks again.

Hi, I am hoping that the kind folk on here may be able to help to decipher the WW2 war record of my dear late grandad, Joseph Jefferson Bell, who served as a Sapper in the Royal Engineers (14790721). I am particulary interested in the locations of where he was posted in the UK and where he was when mustered overseas. Our family recollection is that part of his service was on the Rhine. Can anyone help work out where he would have been and what he did (e.g. bridge construction) during the period he was overseas 10.05.45 to 07.12.46? The family acquired his war record from the MoD and below is a summary. I have tried searching online to little avail. Thanking you all in advance for any help you can provide. Kind regards, Paul

14790721 – Joseph Jefferson Bell, Sapper, Royal Engineers
 
29.06.44 – Enlisted the General Service Corps. Attested Territorial Army in the rank of Private and posted to 68 Primary Training Wing
10.08.44 – Transferred to Royal Engineers and posted to 22nd Training Centre
07.10.44 – Posted to Depot Wing Training Centre
30.11.44 – Attached to No. 6 Technical Training Centre. Attended and passed course of instruction as Timberman (Port Construction)
03.01.45 – Re-classified Timberman (Port Construction), Group “C”, Class III
04.01.45 – Attached to No. 12 Technical Training Centre
25.02.45 – Attached to No. 2 Military Port Royal Engineers
01.05.45 – Mustered as Timberman (Port Construction), Group “C”, Class III
10.05.45 to 07.12.46 – Overseas Service: British Liberation Army

Overseas Service:
11.05.45 – Posted to 53rd Reinforcement Holding Unit
13.06.45 – Posted to 934 Port Construction, “R” Company
01.08.45 – Posted to 935 Port Construction, “R” Company
25.06.46 – Posted to 937 Port Construction, “D” Company
22.08.46 – Posted to 1052 Port Maintenance Company

Discharges:
20.02.47 – Discharged to Reserve
23.11.55 – Discharged from Reserve. Cause of discharge: attained the age 45; no further liability for recall

Service with Colours:
29.06.44 to 20.02.47

Military Conduct:
Very Good

Hi, if anyone is going to Berkshire Record Office in the near future and may have time to spare to do a look up for me, could you let me know?

I am specifically looking for the admission record of someone admitted to the Abingdon Union Workhouse. I have a good idea of the likely year they were admitted.

Thank you, Paul

Hi Fredsboy

I don't know if you already knew this. The surname of Ellen (John's first 'wife') was Weatherby, according to the birth register for daughter Isabella in Q4, 1880.

Paul

Hi Alan - do you know James got married - and if so, do you have all or part of her name and when they wed? Or are you unsure if he married?