Known as sappers, we are unique, motivated and intelligent. Photo by royal engineers no 1 printing company iwm via getty images. Royal engineers diver heavy knit scarf one size 165 x 20cmcomes with regiment logo embroidered on. Army signals in world war one and the role of the royal. Ww1, royal engineer tunnelling companies, nicknamed the moles, were specialist units of the corps of royal engineers within the british army, formed to dig attacking tunnels under enemy lines during the first world war. Dec 10, 2014 noooo thats fine legs id rather know exactly what its like the good and the bad i previously used to drive a van for a living for a well known supermarket for two years and then left for an apprenticeship within the government in a healthcare regulating environment. I was told to report to the royal engineers in aberdeen where i did my training. Finally, you go the defence school of driving near leconsfield for 12 weeks. Operational diving was introduced in 1839 and royal engineers became involved in flying at the time of the american civil war. Field companies of the royal engineers the long, long trail. It looks like a possible re cap badge but it could be army service corps having looked at the cwgc entry and found he was charles isaiha hooker there is a medal card to one pte charles i hooker south wales borderers and asc. History of the corps royal engineers 194860 vol x institute of royal engineers, chatham, 1986. A brief history of the royal engineers the story of the corps of royal engineers covers over nine hundred crowded years and cannot be rivalled by any other arm or service. This community aims to remember the people who served in the royal engineers during the first world war.
The corps of royal engineers was formed in 1856 from the royal engineers and the royal sappers and miners. Corps of royal engineers badge history modifications. Bldg 108, chetwynd barracks, chilwell, nottingham ng9 5ha 01159 572439. Census records etc show him as a family man in civilian employment. Learn about the history of the royal engineers including their roles in world war. A driver with the battery had two horse and harness to care for. G30241, then labour corps either in 1917 or 1919, cannot read handwriting.
Royal engineers in the great war the wartime memories. Pre world war one organisation in 1908 the telegraph battalion royal engineers based at aldershot and two companies based in london for telegraph and postal duties formed the nucleus of the royal engineers re signal service. Records show him as enlisting in the northumbrian royal engineers tf in 1908 service no 371, for one year only. Image right bmb courtesy of british military badges daniel baker. Photos, obituaries and short service records all available to view and download. This section of the long, long trail will be helpful for anyone wishing to find out about the history of the units of the royal engineers. I also offer a comprehensive, fast and costeffective military history research service. In 1908 the corps became the west riding divisional royal engineers as part of the new territorial force. Additional name information from the lives of the first world war. History of the corps royal engineers 193848 vol viii institute of royal engineers, chatham, 1958. Whips were issued to drivers horse handlers, a driver riding postilion had a short whip with a stout octagonal wood handle 40cm long and a plaited leather thong 90cm long with a cotton cracker on the end. I have military record document from 1964 and also his medal card indicating he transferred to royal sussex regiment in 1918 reg no. They designed and built the frontline fortifications, creating cover for the infantry and positions for the artillery.
Jun 23, 2017 incredible photographs offer a rare insight into the daily lives of the royal engineers who kept the allies on the move during the second world war, from the western desert to the rhine. The modifications from 1856 when the corps of royal engineers officers and corps of royal sappers and miners were amalgamated and came under army control to 1952 involved a change to the crown and cypher in 1901, to the cypher in 1936 not shown here and to the crown and cypher in 1952. What was the rank of driver in world war 1 answers. Here, you learn military engineering skills such as knots and lashings, demolition, mine warfare and bridge building. Men of the royal irish rifles in the trenches during the opening hours of the battle of the somme on july 1, 1916. The great war was the first conflict in which motorcycle despatch riders played any sort of role in battlefield signals. The corps of royal engineers, usually just called the royal engineers re, and commonly known as the sappers, is a corps of the british army. Scartho road cemetery, grimsby, north east lincolnshire, uk. Without engineers there would have been no supply to the armies, because the res maintained the. The 1st of september 2019 is the wartime memories projects 20th birthday. Army engineers in ww1 when the united stated entered the war in april 1917, there were only 3,000 enlisted engineers.
To search for another sapper, use the find your mates link above. During the siege of lucknow in 1857, royal engineers were asked to undertake countermining. Royal engineers in the great war the wartime memories project. The royal signals was created in 1920, after winston churchill, secretary of state for war issued a royal warrant declaring that there should be a corps of signals within the british army. Royal engineers had drivers who were mounted moving heavy equipment etc. Royal engineers archives page 18 of 39 ww1 roll of honour. Use this guide if you are researching the british army, the royal navy andor the royal. This site is free, paid for by me and hopefully always will be. In 1870, c telegraph troop, royal engineers, was founded under captain montague lambert. In the united states army, they are members of the corps of engineers. The troop was the first formal professional body of signallers in the british army and its duty was to provide communications for a field army by means of visual signalling, mounted orderlies and telegraph. These are held at the national archives for pre 1920s 0208 876 3444 or the army personnel centre 0345 600 9663. In the british army they may be royal engineers divers or commando engineer divers.
The history of military engineering in india in the 20th century can be traced through the study of the india general service medals. History of the corps royal engineers 18851914 vol iv institute of royal engineers, chatham, 1952. In 1911 the corps formed its air battalion, the first flying unit of the british armed forces. It provides military engineering and other technical support to the british armed forces and is headed by the chief royal engineer. Unfortunately from september 1 st the museum will be closing its library, archive and enquiries service. Field companies of the royal engineers the field company of the royal engineers provided technical skill and knowhow in support of the fighting units of the formation known as a division. Then its off to the royal school of military engineering regiment near camberley for nine weeks. Diaries and papers of officers and soldiers who served in the various units 19th20th century. The members of the east anglian royal engineers, who sailed for the dardanelles with the division to which the 15th bedfordshires are also attached, were not engaged in the severe fighting which fell to the lot of the infantry after landing, but since they landed on the peninsular they have repeatedly been under shell fire, and one lutonian has already been killed. This section of the long, long trail will be helpful for anyone wishing to find out about the history of the.
Ww1 battlefront homefront to battlefront living history group. It is still a work in progress, but is not intended to be a complete list created by. The great war is very much the focus of the story and in particular the war beneath the western front involving the men who served in tunnelling companies of the royal engineers. See more ideas about royal engineers, world war i and world war. First world war casualty details for driver joseph jones royal engineers. By the end of the war in november, 1918, the demand for their expertise had required the services of almost 400,000 engineers. The supply of good water to the troops is a matter of the highest importance, and the practical work rests with the royal engineers. In 1882 the engineers moved their headquarters to buildings at the corner of glossop road and gell street, but these became too small and a new building on the site opened in december 1907. Haunting photos of wwi soldiers at the battle of the somme. Included were some pictures of him during his army career. Papers relating to the history of military communications from the crimean.
Daily lives of royal engineers during wwii daily mail online. When sir redvers bullers camp was pitched at spearmans hill, the supply was very bad, but the sappers, as is their custom, were equal to the. Tamblin, army service records of the first world war surrey, 1997. Please note that the watermark is not on the original postcard image. A group of men of 527 2nd durham field company, a territorial unit that served under command of 5th division. The corps of royal engineers, usually just called the royal engineers re, and commonly. Each driver was responsible for his two horses feeding. The website and our group will continue long after the 201418 events are over. Royal engineers in the second world war 19391945 the. Drivers royal field artillery other great war chat great. Incredible photographs offer a rare insight into the daily lives of the royal engineers who kept the allies on the move during the second world war, from the western desert to the rhine. Military engineering in india was the responsibility of the royal engineers, the indian sappers. It is still a work in progress, but is not intended to be. We provide essential support to all areas of the british army in peacetime and on operations.
Jul 28, 2019 in april 1911, eight years after americans wilbur and orville wright made the first flight of a selfpropelled, heavierthanair aircraft, an air battalion of the british armys royal engineers. In 1862 the corps also absorbed the british officers and men of the engineer corps of the east india company. Ww1, royal engineer tunnelling companies, nicknamed the moles, were. Armed forces records held by other archives the national archives. Royal engineers museum library and archive royal engineers museum, prince arthur road, gillingham, kent, me4 4ug. Res also operated the railways and inland waterways. The corps of royal engineers in the first world war the long. Served at rank of driver 19151921, corporal 19211928, and then sergeant 19281938. A driver in ww1 rode on team horses which pulled wagons, guns, ambulances, equipment. You will be able to specialise in crane, tank transporter, automotive bridging equipment and selfloading dump truck operation. Known as sappers, royal engineers have served in all of the armys campaigns. Specialist driver royal engineers what does the role.
To find information about an individuals personal service history visit the following websites. As a royal engineer driver, you will operate a variety of vehicles on and offroad. Great grandfather help with dating uniforms royal engineers. Military engineers in india royal engineers and military. These divers have similar skills and qualifications as professional divers. I have a couple of postcards sent to driver delves from his wife.
Corps of royal engineers ww1 including royal engineers signal services formed in 1908 the forerunner of the royal corps of signals. During the second world war, the corps had over 150,000 members. Royal engineers great war photos ww1 photos centenary. The wartime memories project is the original ww1 and ww2 commemoration website this website has been running for 20 years and receives in excess of four million hits per month. In 1770, the company of soldier artificers formed a specialist tunnelling troop in gibraltar to dig defensive positions into the rock. As a royal engineer driver, you will operate a variety of vehicles on and offroad, in all conditions, day and night. Typical terms of enlistment for the regiment changed over the years.
You will be required to transport resources and personnel to vital locations. The corps can claim direct descent from the military engineers brought to england by william the conqueror and an unbroken record of service to the crown since then. Papers relating to the history of military communications from the crimean war to the present day. Those with motorcycle experience were brought in when volunteers flooded in after the outbreak of war to cope. Army engineers in ww1 to honor the vererans of ww1. For a good summary of the royal engineers during the first world war, see the royal engineers on the long, long trail website. The following year, the royal engineers and royal sappers and miners became a unified corps as the corps of royal engineers. Tunnelling companies of the royal engineers wikipedia. The corps of royal engineers in the first world war. Please note that roughly 60% of service records between 1914 and 1920 were destroyed during the.
On 26 may 1716 a royal warrant of george i authorized the royal regiment of artillery and the corps of engineers as separate entities. The official channel for videos related to the british armys corps of royal engineers. The royal engineers are combat soldiers with a technical edge and have a role in every area of the battlefield. I sent off to the mod earlier this year and recieved his service records, so i know he was in the royal engineers, joined up aged 19 in 1915.
My research also shows that men already skilled in handling heavier horses were specifically directed to the artillery and were not that young. The corps of royal engineers in the first world war the. The royal engineers took on the main task of providing them and men were specially trained pre1914 to operate motorcycles. Usually a wagon had a team of 6 horses, 3 pairs of 2. Aug 30, 2011 for a good summary of the royal engineers during the first world war, see the royal engineers on the long, long trail website. An archive of first world war research information on soldiers in the royal engineers. Without engineers there would have been no supply to the armies, because the res maintained the railways, roads, water supply, bridges and transport. Those with motorcycle experience were brought in when volunteers flooded in after the outbreak of war to cope with the expansion of the army.
Army engineer divers are members of national armies who are trained to undertake reconnaissance, demolition, and salvage tasks underwater. Tonight the long awaited dramatisation of sebastian faulks novel birdsong will be broadcast on bbc1. If you would like to send us a present, a donation, no matter how small, would be much appreciated, annually we need to raise enough funds to pay for our web hosting or this site will vanish from the web. I know this re company was involved in the hms hythe disaster and wonder if he survived that too if so, a very lucky man. The re is a corps of the british army, and thus uses the same rank structure as the rest of the army, the only difference being that private soldiers are called sappers. I developed this site because im a sapper and i know how hard it can be to find old friends, id like this to be the place to find anyone who served with you in the royal engineers. Armoured vehicle royal engineers avre, also known as assault vehicle royal engineers is the title given to a series of armoured military engineering vehicles operated by the royal engineers re for the purpose of protecting engineers during frontline battlefield operations. This speciality led from balloons, airships and manlifting kites to powered flight and the formation of the air battalion royal engineers which became the royal flying corps, precursor of the royal air force in 1912. Explore the history and collections of the corps of royal engineers by visiting the. Commissions were awarded on merit, unlike the cavalry or infantry, where they were purchased. Formed in 1716, this corps helps keep the british army in the field by providing. The royal engineers museum, library and archive collection covers the history of the corps, from its origins to the present day, and is available for researchers to view by appointment. At the front they support the rest of the army, bridging rivers, using explosives to destroy bridges or clearing routes through minefields.
The royal engineers res has been involved in every major conflict the british army has fought. History of the british army postal service wikipedia. The royal engineers museum, library and archive collection covers the history of the corps. The national archives for pre 1920s and world war one. During the first world war 191418, the corpss duties expanded into. When serving as the senior noncommissioned officer with one of the engineer volunteer or militia corps submarine miners, fortress engineers, etc. See more ideas about royal engineers, military engineering and world war. Their motto is ubique everywhere awarded in 1832 as the unit has been involved in. His service no with the northumberlan fusiliers was 292, a very low number.
Specialist driver royal engineers what does the role entail. The history of the corps of royal engineers is currently in its 12th volume. Was a member of no 9 section of the local fire brigade. February 1918 please use the comments box below if you can provide more information about this person. It is a riding crop but it is a walking out item not an issued drivers whip. Royal dublin fusiliers royal engineers royal field artillery royal flying corps royal fusiliers royal garrison artillery royal horse artillery. Strategic tunneling operations assist first world war efforts. Royal engineers supplying water to the camp at spearmans hill. On august 4, 1914, men of the royal anglesey royal engineers, recently dismissed after their annual summer training at kingsbridge camp, near. The information on this post has been compiled as a result of examining service records in wo 97 online with findmypast and wo 363 and wo 364 online with ancestry. Also see my post on a range of royal engineers numbers.
559 1236 651 113 1543 1179 1244 1539 207 1471 100 939 1206 1206 1236 974 1450 1051 500 1428 545 238 1027 754 667 441 153 119 636 1197