Inland Water Transport

[ourpeg]

My grandfather enlisted in the Royal Engineers Corps, Inland Water Transport on 26.2.1915. Originally he was a Sapper, then a Corporal and finally a Sergeant. He served with the BEF and I know that he was serving in France prior to his demobilisation in July 1919. I have copies of some records which show that he was admitted to hospital in April 1919 and evacuated to the UK per "A T Brighton" in May 1919. I presume he suffered some gas poisoning as he died not long after his discharge from severe respiratory problems. I am trying to find out where, in France, the Inland Water Transport were serving. On another document he is shown as on Canal Transport. Can anyone help?

[forester]

Hello ourpeg and welcome to Rootschat.

The Inland Waterways and Docks Companies were a part of the Royal Engineers and comprised a good number of companies, so you need to know which company he was with. From there, you would need to find a war diary, which would be held at the National Archives.

In the first instance, I would suggest that you post his basic details: name and service number and if possible, a link to his service record, which you have presumably located on Ancestry.

Phil

[ourpeg]

Hi Phil

Many thanks for your message. I have no idea of the company but he was attested at Longmoor and his name was John Leonard Schofield. His number was 68483 and his WR number was 500359. Your suggestions are very useful but I need to re-register with Ancestry as my membership expired.

OurPeg

[forester]

Hello ourpeg,

I have never seen so many pages for a service record. It's taken me two evenings to plough through them.

It appears that I was probably wrong on one count. The IWT seems to be a single entity, not split into Companies, although it does appear to be broken down into Sections. The only place I can see mentioned in his record is the depot at Richborough, Kent.

The only war diary I can locate is WO95/56; Director Inland Water Transport;
Covering dates Sept 1916 to March 1917.
 It is held at the National Archives.

All in all, not much help.

Phil

 

[ourpeg]

Hi Phil

Thanks for looking. Yes - the pages are fascinating, although quite upsetting. He was my mother's father and she is now 98 but still has a memory of how ill he was when he came home, even though she was only 6 years old. From reading about the IWT it seems it was huge and we have noted that there is a reference to DAD in front of the IWT, which could be a division. Also he was transported home in AT Brighton which we think could have been SS Brighton which was used as an army hospital and also conveyed troops. Fascinating stuff!

Our Peg

[forester]

Our Peg,

DAD stands for Deputy Assistant Director.

Phil

[ourpeg]

Hi Phil

Many thanks - simple when you know the answer!!!

Ourpeg

[Lesray]

We have a great number of postcards sent by Joseph Deane #132995 to his home when he was in the IWT in both Corfu & Mesopotamia 1916/19. His service record says he embarked in Corfu on the SS Barletta on 9th June 1916 bound for home. We have a postcard posted from Chambery in France dated 13th June that says he's looking forward to getting home in about 10 days time.
Anyone any thoughts on this. Why get off a ship and continue the journey on what rail, road?  As its not in his record it would seem he was travelling back to UK,  not on actual "service"