Trains and regiments

[Blackdog]

I know my grandfather served on trains in the war but have no idea if it was a proper regiment.  I have attached a photo and my grandfather is under the D but is that a uniform.  We know he ran away to sign-up under age but his mother got him back, but on the second attempt she left him too it (he was still only seventeen).  The date must have been 1916 onwards.  Any clues what-so-ever (even the type of train) would be of help and interesting, thanks. Ady

[meles]

"ROD" is the Raiway Operating Division of the Royal Engineers.

And that photo was not taken in the UK - that loco is not English.

I'll see what else I  can find out about it.

meles

[mmm45]

Hi Ady
What was his name??
Royal engineers used Railways to move equipment and carry big guns on if you post his name we may be able to find him on the medal rolls online.

Ady

[Blackdog]

Thanks,  His name was Aaron Walker.

[meles]

I can't find anything identical to that locomotive, but there are several very similar ones built by the Baldwin locomotive company in the USA.

I wonder if they were sent over to England or mainland Europe for use in WW1?

Certainly Britain bought US locomotives during and shortly after WW2.

meles

[O1dgobbo]

Hi Ady

Welcome to Rootschat.

There are a couple of A Walkers L/Cpl RE in the medal rolls.  On was decorated in the French Theatre and is listed as in F Corps Signal Company RE and the other, who I think is the more likely, was Regt No 19745 L/Cpl gazetted 17.12.17 in Salonica, presumably for some action against the Turks.  If you have access to any of his medals you should find his name and regimental number engraved round the rim.  This would confirm whether my guess is right or not.

Good luck

Gobbo

[mmm45]

Do you have any other photos? there is an Aaron Walker who was in the Army Service Corps as a driver/electrician on the Medal Rolls the cap badge is hard to make out

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/search-results.asp?searchtype=browserefine&query=first_name%3daaron%7clast_name%3dwalker&catid=10&pagenumber=1&querytype=1&mediaarray=*

[Blackdog]

Thanks,  there was never any hint of medals and he was very reluctant to talk about anything other then quickly dispelling any glory in war.  The photo says taken in France on the back but was added much later and not by him.  I know he visited the Menine Gate area as he spoke a little about it when I visited it as a young schoolboy.  He never referred to any other area of service and his only memento was the typical brass shell engraved Ypres.
I have enlarge a photo showing a shoulder flash and can make out the RE, but none of the cap badges on him or his colleagues in the photos can be made out.  The best difined one is a jacket button (attached), I don't know if this tell us anything?
I have a photo of a second identical engine but with the number 1516 instead of 1517 and a different crew and so assume that it was part of a fleet (right word for a group of trains?) rather then a one off, maybe you are right with the American link and part of a large shipment.

[Blackdog]

Sorry, forgot to attach the button photo.