Inland Water Transport - Royal Engineers

[mmm45]

http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead.aspx?cpage=1

He accidentally drowned at Richborough in Kent May 1918

http://www.open-sandwich.co.uk/town_history/richborough_port.htm

Ady

[misfit]

That was quick! Thank you for that info, I was unable to find a place and cause of death. How sad to have drowned so young, but I suppose there were worse possible deaths in those times....
I am using ancestry to check for records and I could tell from their CWGC info that he didn't die in France, should have gone to the website direct. I still can't see that ancestry show a death certificate for him which seems strange. I wouldn't order one now you have given me that info but it should still show up.
It is also the ancestry record of UK soldiers died in the Great War that says he enlisted in New York and this could be a mistake. I have corrected a lot of their wrong transcriptions but this doesn't show the original record to check against.
His parents are still living in Liverpool at his death in 1918 but I haven't been able to track them beyond that.
Again many thanks for the info. I didn't know anything about the port of Richborough and the work that was done there so that has been educational.
Cheers from Canberra in Australia!
Dianne

[mmm45]

Maybe he was registered on marine deaths instead ? Im unsure on how to access those deaths though
He may have gone overboard on a trip to France he definately had overseas service as he has two campaign medals awarded

Ady

[misfit]

Thanks again Ady
Yes I don't know how to find the record if his death counts as a death at sea.
How do you know he had overseas service and campaign medals? I checked with Forces War Records but they seem to just get their info from other sites. They suggested he may have been eligible for some medals but I think they are just adding stuff to make it look more authoritative so I don't believe them without further proof.
Dianne

[mmm45]

His Medal Index Card is on ancestry it gives British War and Victory medals which means he had to have served in a theatre of war not just UK.
http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/1262/30850_A000915-02644/254446?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.uk%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3frank%3d1%26new%3d1%26MSAV%3d0%26msT%3d1%26gss%3dangs-c%26gsfn%3dGerald%2bfrederick%26gsln%3dKnowles%26sbo%3d0%26uidh%3dip5%26pcat%3d39%26h%3d254446%26recoff%3d9%2b10%2b11%26db%3dMedalRolls%26indiv%3d1%26ml_rpos%3d2&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnRecord

Ady

[misfit]

Thanks Ady
I had seen that document but hadn't registered the info about the medals and didn't know what it signified re overseas service anyway. I think I may have taken this as far as I can go, at least as far as asking questions on this forum. It is great to have knowledgeable people like you who are so willing to help. Thanks again. Over and out!
Di

[lindyb1954]

Hi

Wonder if anyone can help me with some information about my grandfather.  I have his service record from ancestry but cannot tell if he ever left England during his service.  There are various documents as part of his service record and these are the details about him and what I can make out.

John James Barbour
age 27
no: 158007
rank: sapper
attested: 10 dec 1915 old town hall, lancaster
mobilised: 28 July 1916
batt No2 ATA - posted gnr 29 July 1916
RFA 68th div - posted 7 Sep 1916

On a protection certificate and certificate of identity

John James Barbour
Regt No 307415
Rank Sapper
Unit 9 W?   RE
Born 1888
Medical cat C1
Theatre - Western
first joined 28 july 1916


On another page it states

rank gnr regt no TF741345
dated 29 Aug 1917 transferred to RE


I would love to have some idea what he did and where.   He was a tool trader so could understand him being in the Royal Engineers but was surprised to see him in the Inland Water Transport Section.

Thank you in anticipation for any help/information you can offer.

Linda

[Martin Briscoe]

Been searching through my notes and files, trying to find the name of the sapper who died at Laggan Locks (Caledonian Canal).  I think he was buried in Manchester / Salford area and it was probably 1918/1919.

I will have to pop in the archive next week and look at the police record book again.

(not the same as Sapper Gaffney who died at Banavie)

[Martin Briscoe]

Been searching through my notes and files, trying to find the name of the sapper who died at Laggan Locks (Caledonian Canal).  I think he was buried in Manchester / Salford area and it was probably 1918/1919.

I will have to pop in the archive next week and look at the police record book again.

(not the same as Sapper Gaffney who died at Banavie)

I found my notes!

Sapper Patrick MULLEN age 38 from Newcastle on Tyne died at Laggan Locks, Invergarry on 1st November 1918.  The report says he was closing the bridge over the canal when he fell into the lock and was drowned.  It was 7.30 pm so would have been dark, his body was found 15 minutes later.  He is buried in Newcastle.

He was married with two children.