4th PB Labour Coy

[Lg80]

Hello,
 
Im researching Private Edward Arthur Penny 2229, 7th The Queens, Royal West Surrey Regiment. He was killed on either 10th/11th July 1917 and is buried at Coxyde Military Cemetery. I know he was wounded previously from a newspaper article and I would assume at The Somme, while serving with the 7th Queens. But I found in our local parish magazine that when he died he was with the '4th PB Lab Coy'. Does this mean 'Permanent Base'? Is this the 4th labour company, The Queens or am I barking up the wrong tree?I can't find anything about this labour company and I would be very grateful for any help. Does anyone know where this labour company were when Edward died?
 
Thank you
Lauren

[tonepad]

The Parish Magazine might have a printing error and the PB should read RE for Royal Engineers and your man served in The Labour Corps of 1917-1918 after being wounded:

http://www.1914-1918.net/labour.htm


There was a 4th Labour Battalion, Royal Engineers:

https://livesofthefirstworldwar.org/community/501

[MaxD]

4th Labour Company Queens Regiment was one of the short lived infantry labour companies later, at about the time he was killed, incorporated into the Labour Corps. All his records show him as 7th Battalion Queens because that was his regiment.  Had he lived, he would no doubt have ended up in the Labour Corps.
 
PB may well have been the Parish attempting something like Pioneer Battalion
 
maxD

[Lg80]

 I have found that the majority of the men buried at Coxyde military cemetery were part of 'operation hush'. There is one other soldier buried at Coxyde called  'Walter James' who was in the York and lancs but on the CWGC website at the time of his death on 12th July 1917 it says 25029, 94th Coy Machine Gun Corps 'attached P.B labour Corps'. Perhaps there are more soldiers buried here who were in the 4th PB labour corps but there records are lacking information. It certainly is a mystery!

[tonepad]

The book referenced below mentions several casualties from the 24th Labour Coy, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment) which became 132nd Coy. The term 'Permanent Base' is also in the book:

https://books.google.co.uk/books?isbn=0750958847
Alan Weeks - 2014 - ‎History
The Memoir of Private George Weeks of the Labour Corps 1917-1919 Alan ... 17 30 May 17 24 Coy Queen's (132 Coy) arrives BOULOGNE for employment in ...

https://books.google.co.uk/books?isbn=0750958847
Alan Weeks - 2014 - ‎History
The Memoir of Private George Weeks of the Labour Corps 1917-1919 Alan ... 2 (Permanent Base) and 132 Companies and 65 and 73 PW Companies 1/2 ...

[se3]

Hello I stumbled across your post whilst researching my great uncle Harold Taylor of the Border Regt. who was killed KIA on the night of 10/11 July 1917 his grave is on row I.I. Coxyde cemetery. From his service record I  found out that on the 13 June 1917 he reported to the Army Service Corps. depot to P.B. Bu. Etaples, transferring him to a labour company. Also that his death was reported by by the Officer Commanding 4 P.B. Labour Company.
John Henry Gillbanks is also buried on row I.I. His parents received a letter, from a Captain in command of a Labour Company in France stating with deep sympathy that Private John Henry Gillbanks was killed in action on 10 July whilst very nobly doing his duty. see https://keswick-at-war.yolasite.com/roll-of-honour-g-to-j.php
Also buried on row I.I. is  Albert Tasker whose parents added this Inscription to his headstone, Whilst doing his duty he nobly fell.
I am continuing to search for other mebers and info re the 4th PB labour company Best regards S.