What did George do - and where did he do it?

[Sheila M]

My husband's grandfather, George Bennett, enlisted in The Royal Field Artillery on 5/1/1915.  His service number was 31760 and his rank was "gunner".
I've checked out his service record on Ancestry and it seems that George served in France and in 1917 transferred to the Royal Engineers with a rank of "pioneer".  He was posted to Second Army Signal Company RE  under AO No. 4 of 1916.  The reason given for his transfer was "Benefit of the Service".  In 1918 He remustered as a Signalman A with OCH Army Signal Coy.  By this time his service number had changed to 249189.

We know he served in France, but we don't know where or what he did.

What has really confused us is the Protection Certificate and Certificate of Identity attached to his records (presumably issued on demobilisation) stating that the Theatre of War or Command was Germany.

If someone would like to do a bit of research and give me a clue as to what George may have done (and where he did it) I'd be eternally grateful.

[scrimnet]

If nobody else does this...I'll fill you in later when I get home, as I'm packing up at work now...

Suffice to say that there was a British Army of occupation in Germany at the end of the war...I have some pics and some have been posted on Rootschat as well!

[Sheila M]

Thanks for the offer of assistance scrimnet.

Is there any way of finding out WHERE in France George served?   It doesn't say in his Army records - just "France" or O/S (which I presume means overseas?)

We knew the British Army were in occupation in Germany - we just hadn't realised George was there at the time!

Sheila

[liverpool annie]

I suppose you've already been here Sheila ? ......  fascinating site ... but rather complicated ..... !!

The Allies advance (The last hundred days) (8 August - 11 November) - In the advance through the Hindenburg Line and on towards Germany the divisional and Army Troop engineers were deeply involved in assisting the armies to move forward, their work included road and rail repair, reconstructing bridges across rivers and canals.

In October while the Field squadrons were awaiting to accompany their cavalry divisions forward they were engaged in the establishment of water points, filling in road craters, making diversions and searching for mines and traps

http://www.remuseum.org.uk/corpshistory/rem_corps_part14.htm

[forester]

Hello Sheila,

Any chance of a link to his record?
With 379 to choose from, it's not easy.  
With his artillery brigade number, it should be possible to trace that period.

Phil

[Sheila M]

Annie, thanks for that link - no I hadn't seen it before.

Phil, not sure how I would post a link to his record but, as I said he enlisted at Stafford in January 1915 with a service number of 31760.

The record is in very poor condition but what I have managed to work out is:

7.1.1915 RFA 5th Bde Posted
8.2.1915 RFA 77 Bde Posted
19.11.1915 77 Bde AC Mustered Gunner
25.2.?? 77 Bde Hqrs Posted Gunner

?? Royal Engineers Transferred Pioneer (it was about this time that his number changed to 249189)
29.4.1917 Sig Sub List joined from 2nd Pioneer
AFA Bde ?? Sigs Coy
23.6.1917 Transferred to Royal Engineers as a Pioneer and posted to Second Army Signal Company RE 28.4.1917 under AO No 4 of 1916.  Reason for Transfer - Benefit of Service.

23.6.1917 Transferred to RE and posted to 2AHQ Sig Coy as a Pioneer
12.8.1918 ??887 AFA Bde Remustered Spr No 27 Signalman A Profit ?? R3/30658/18

Under Trade and Qualifications is the entry:
Remustered 12/8/1918
Signalman A Proficient OCH Army Sig Coy
(SSS, 77AFA Bde No. 27d/1910/18

Then there is the Protection Certificate, part of which reads:
Midland Sig Co RE
RE Signals Spr 24919

Can you make any sense of that?

[forester]

Hello Sheila,

Sorry about the delay, but I've suffered a computer failure and lost all my links, amongst other things.

For the time being he was in 77th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery from February 1915 to April 1917. It looks like he went from one of the batteries, to the Ammunition Column and then the Brigade Headquarters. 77 Bde were part of the 16th (Irish) Division up until Feb. 1917.

The link below will tell you where 16 Division were in action, but you will have to be patient; the site is being refurbished at the moment.

http://www.1914-1918.net/16div.htm

Hopefully I will be able to add more when I get myself sorted out.

Phil

[Sheila M]

Thanks Phil,  I'm most grateful for your help.

We spoke my husband's aunt tonight (one of George's daughters) and she thinks he may have been transferred to Signals because he could ride a motor cycle.  Does that sound a likely explanation?

Sheila

[forester]

I would have thought it was more likely that he had already qualified as a signaller with the RFA. It all appears to happen at about the time that 77 Bde became an Army Brigade.

I think I read in another thread some time ago (Scrimnet  ) that signallers became centralised, possibly in the Royal Engineers and then in the Signals Corps; but don't take my word for it.

Phil