Royal Engineer Signal Service

[MaxD]

Is it possible to detect from his army number whether a man served in the RE Signal Service as opposed to any other branch of the Sappers?  (Paul Nixon's magnificent work on service numbers does not cover the Royal Engineers).

maxD

[ScouseBoy]

Have you any more details?  Did he volunteer or was he conscripted?    Or was he in the Army before the war started?

[MaxD]

Short answer is - don't know!  This is very much a shot in the dark that I am fully aware won't really get me very far.  My man's service and pension records have not survived.  There are a couple of medal cards for Royal Engineers (we know he was a Sapper, we have a clear photo in uniform).  He was an engineer in PO telegraphy before the war and it seems likely that he would have been drafted into the Signal Service (many PO employees were). He survived the war. From this, I wondered whether one of the numbers on the MICs could be said to be a Sapper in that branch.  I am fully aware that the cards on their own are not much help unless they cross check with other info - and we haven't got any!
So, even if a number can be identified as a Signal Service member, I know that all I could say is that x is more likely to be our man than y.  As admitted, doesn't help a great deal but always better than nothing!

[ScouseBoy]

My other thought  would be to find out whether  "GPO Telephones"  if they were called that in the 1920s  had an HQ building somewhere  that they had a plaque  engraved with the names of their  staff  who had fallen during  WW1.

In my local Post Office there is plaque listing the men from the town  who had fallen in WW1

Secondly,    Men from the local railway  were listed on a Marble plaque at the railway station.  Recently it was re-located to the Parish church  and there was special consecration service.

If the Royal Signals  have a museum,  it may be worth looking at their web site.

[MaxD]

Yes thanks Scouseboy.  We have seen the catalogue of the Postal Museum and intend a visit there.

[JustinL]

Is he wearing an armband in the photo?

Men in the Signal Service wore a white-over-blue armband, which is still distinctive in black and white photos.

I have only recently realised the significance of this armband in the photos of my grandfather.

This attached photo is of two of my grandfather's mates.

Justin

[MaxD]

Unfortunately, the photo is head and top of shoulders only but thanks for the thought Justin.

maxD

[Certacito]

My other thought  would be to find out whether  "GPO Telephones"  if they were called that in the 1920s  had an HQ building somewhere  that they had a plaque  engraved with the names of their  staff  who had fallen during  WW1.

In my local Post Office there is plaque listing the men from the town  who had fallen in WW1

Secondly,    Men from the local railway  were listed on a Marble plaque at the railway station.  Recently it was re-located to the Parish church  and there was special consecration service.

If the Royal Signals  have a museum,  it may be worth looking at their web site.

They certainly do.http://royalsignalsmuseum.co.uk/WebSite/

[MaxD]

My man survived the war and if he left the service after the war would not have been a member of the Royal Signals as they weren't formed until 1920 (as your username tells me I'm sure you know certacito).

Nonetheless, another possible avenue, thanks.