WW1 Look up request

[brendabill]

My husbands grandfather Allan Brown served in the Royal Engineers as a Sapper No:7336 he was born in Clitheroe and living in Preston, Lancs.  He received three medals, Victory, British War Medal and 1914-15 star.

I am looking for any information as to where he may have served.

[down-under]

Hello

Allan Brown

Corps R E  Rank Sapper Regtl No 7336
                                                 428111

Medal              Roll                            Page                        Remarks 


 Victory          CAnnot read notes 164                      3 x 774?                   428111 Class Z  7-3-19

British              Do                                                     Do

15 Star          RE\Y B3                                           395Y

Theatre of War first served in (3) Egypt
Date of entry therein 12-7-15


Pam

[brendabill]

Hi Pam

Thank you very much for your speedy response.  Do you know if his army papers survived the WW2 bombings?

[giblet]

Hi,

Sometimes snippets of them can be found in the London Gazette

http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/

[brendabill]

Hi Pam

I did have a look at the newspaper website but nothing on there.  Thank you for your time.
Kind regards
Brenda

[millymcb]

His service records do exist. There is very little information on them regarding where he was between going out to Egypt  in 1915, suffering with malaria nd dysentary all through 1916, becoming a skilled Carpenter and joiner,  and coming back to UK in 1918.

He appears to have spent all those years in the middle east. The "theatre of war" is Egypt but this could mean anywhere around there - Egypt, Palestine, Gallipoli, Salonika, Greece, Albania etc etc.  He came back to the UK via Salonika in 1918.

This is info from the service papers:

ATTESTATION PAPERS
Territorial Force: signed for duration of war UK and abroad
Enlisted 8th November 1914 in St Helens age 19
Enlisted in W.L.D.R.E.  (This is Royal Engineers but I am not sure what the WLD is at the moment. At a guess I would say possibly West Lancashire Division Royal Engineers - as this fits well with enlistment in St Helens)

Occ: Coach Builder
Address 240 Fylde Road, Preston

5ft 6 inches. Good physical development



Trade in Royal Engineers: Carpenter (Certificate of Trade Proficiency - very good carpenter and wood worker)


Home 15/11/1914 - 27/6/15 (ie in UK, training etc)
I think it says "posted E Force" or "med E Force" 28/6/1915 (ie refers to him being sent out to Egypt with Egypt Expeditionary Force or Mediterranean Expeditionary Force - as shown on his medal card)

There is also a page which lists quite a few things - such as his raising to skilled rate of EP as a joiner.
And various times in hospital with malaria and dysentary throughout 1916.
There are numbers of the hospitals but no specific places mentioned.
With some hard research work you may be able to identify them from their numbers if you can decipher them

In Feb 1918 he left Salonika on route to UK.
Had suffered Malaria and so was posted within UK. 
Got posted to L. E. E Gillingham 20/5/1918
Demobbed 7/3/1919

NEXT OF KIN
Wife - Alice Brown, 27 Norris St, Preston
Son - Robert 24/12/1914

MEDICAL PAPERS
Discharged: 7/3/1919
Given address: 27 Norris St, Preston
Married
Disablility code 23 (Malaria)
Degree of Disablement less than 20% (NB they graded the disability to see how much money they should give them and how long for)

Dispersal Unit papers dated 8/2/1919 say:
Record Office RE Charlton
Granted 28 day Furlough
Born 1895-
Unit London NEE
Regt. RE Electrical

Pension Weekly rate 5s 6d to start 8/3/1919 - and be reviewed in 39 weeks

There is a thread on a St Helens Forum not Rootschat which you may find interesting
http://www.sthelens-connect.net/forums/topic/43525-55th-west-lancashire-division/


Milly

[forester]

I would go with Milly on West Lancs Div RE.

Unfortunately I can't see the St Helens thread without registering, which probably has the answer, but I am thinking along the lines of the 2nd West Lancs Field Company (420th Company), who I believe were attached to the 42nd (East Lancs) Division at Gallipoli from August 1915.

Phil

[millymcb]

Hi Phil

I am not registered on the St Helens forum either - it should show by clicking on it. 

The thread is talking about 55th (East Lancs) mainly - and also offering some look ups which is why I thought it useful.  55th appear to have gone to France from what I can see so your suggestion does seem a good one.

Milly

[forester]

Well I tried again and they still won't let me in.

55th Division is one of those messy ones that splits up and reforms later.

1/2 West Lancs Field Coy (420th Company) was with 42nd Division from August 1915 to June 1916.
Gallipoli and then Egypt.

Looking at the war diaries at NA:
June 1916 to Jan 1917 it is under Lines of Communication - Salonika.
Feb 1917 to May 1917 - not found
June 1917 to April 1919 it is under General Headquarters - Salonika.

Phil