Inland Water Transport - Royal Engineers

[jcjeffe]

I have known since the 1980s that my Grandfather was in the Royal Engineers  in WWI and was kept in France until 1919 repairing bridges. I have just downloaded his service record from Ancestry which has his Recruitment in Bristol 1916, Mobilisation to France with the BEF in 1917 and his Demobilisation tin 1919.

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". 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. They must have been using his stonemason skills because shortly after mobilisation he had a pay rise from 1s 8d to 2/- because he was a "Very superior stonemason".

Does anyone have more details of this unit.

Chris Jefferies

[kyt]

By the time he was a member of the RE the IWT had developed beyonf the original remit of ferrying goods, to vitually the entire transport network. So his work could have involved anything from canal banks, to bridges and docks.

K

[jcjeffe]

Thanks, there is so little published about the unit. The "Long Long Trail" web site looked interesting with an IWT page but that just said " I am sorry. I haven't written this page yet!".

As there is nothing in my garandfather's war record about his service in France, does it mean that the only way to get some idea what he did is to hope he is mentioned in the units "diary"?

Chris

[liverpool annie]

Hi Chris and welcome to RootsChat ! 

Can you tell us where he was in WW1 ? ( there was a unit in Mesopotamia as well as France ! ) does it say on his records ? any chance you can tell us his name ?

Annie 

[jcjeffe]

His Name Herbert Josiah Jefferies Born 1881 No 222770 WR504429

The only info on his Service Record on Ancestry is:-

Short Service form -       Campaigns    BEF France 25/2/17

Another
Short Service form -       Campaigns   BEF France 25/2/17 to 25/4/19

On "Statement of Service" sheet there are entries about pay then pay rise which have under Corps:-

IWT.RE PRU Q13 or O13  - Joined F?? in England         28/2/17
IWT.RE PRU Q32 or O32  - Raised to Very Superior     25/4/17
IWT ??   Q13 or O13        - Joined from England          25/4/17
Next Entry Stamp - Transfered to Reserve 24/5/19

Chris Jefferies

[Claire Fraser]

Hi,

I've just found out this week that my grandfather was in the Inland Water Transport and that he was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal whilst in Mesopotamia.  I've found his medal card on Ancestry but unfortunately not his service record.  I would love to find out more about this.  His name was Lionel Walter Long, his regimental number WR/552128 and he was a Sapper (Acting Sergeant Major).  Although the medal card says gazetted on 22/09/1919 I cannot find this in the London Gazette.  The card also says "registered paper 68/GenNo/3451.  Can anyone advise where to go from here please.

[kyt]

His LG entry

WR/552128 Spr. (A./Coy./S.M.) Long,L. W., I.W.T. (Newport, Men.).

http://beta.gazettes-online.co.uk/ViewPDF.aspx?pdf=31562&geotype=London&gpn=11775

A

[Claire Fraser]

Absolutely brilliant. Thank you very much.  All I've got to do now is to find out why he was given it.

[km1971]

If he was still serving in 1921 his papers will be with the MOD, and you will have to apply to them.

Ken