Wheelwrights serving in WW1

[johncrowner]

Can anyone help? My grandfather signed up in April 1916 into the field artillery. he was 37/38 at the time,so presumably was needed for his skills as a wheelwright.He suvived the war. How can I find out where he served? His service no.was 124448,and his name was Joseph Crowhurst

[jds1949]

There doesn't seem to be a Medal Index card for 124448 Joseph Crowhurst, which usually means that the man concerned saw no wartime service overseas. Any surviving records will be held on Ancestry or available for personal visitors to the National Archives at Kew, with the usual caveats concerning the fact that only a percentage of those records survived the Blitz of WW2.

jds1949

[youngtug]

Just had a look on ancestry, if it is the same man ;- mother -Alice. also has another note ; brother- George .From Framfield Sussex. A bit mixed up the records will need someone who knows the army records to have a look. But if I am right he was in France.

[johncrowner]

Thanks for the info.Yes, josephs mother was alice and one of his brothers was called George. He did serve in France ,and brought back 'trench art'inscribed J.Crowhurst,'Wheeler' He may have been sent home before the end of the war, with TB. Could this be a new lead?

[johncrowner]

Thanks for the details.J.Crowhust was in france,some Trench art still remains engraved J.Crowhurst 'Wheeler'. He may have been returned prior to the end of the war, as he may have contracted TB.Would any medical records confirm this?

[youngtug]

Cannot see any reference to TB on the service records.  Dates where;-home; from-11-12-15 to 1-5-16. france from; 2-5-16 to13-9-18. on furlough from ; 14-9-18 to28-9-18. france from;29-9-18 to20-4-19. home;21-4-19. Identification notes;- scar;-right index finger. height 5foot 5 inches. The rest of the information really needs someone with more knowledge to look at. John.

[forester]

Hello John,

Crowhurst is a good Sussex name 

Here is a breakdown of his service:

Joseph Crowhurst,  124448, Royal Field Artillery
Attested at Uckfield 11th December 1915
Joined at Woolwich 14th April 1916 (No. 4 Depot RFA) as Driver
Took trade test, appointed Wheeler and posted to 20th Reserve Battery on 24th April 1916

Overseas to France 2nd May 1916 (extremely fast posting!!!)
From 6th May 1916 to 27th July 1917, when he went on leave, he was with 32nd Divisional Artillery: Divisional Ammunition Column;  “C” Battery, 168 Brigade; a spell attached to IOM Workshop(?) and then to Divisional HQ.
He returned to the DAC on 6th August 1917 until a further 2 week period of leave to the UK commencing 14th September 1918.

The next bit is unreadable and there appears to be a couple of months missing, but he was with the Army of Occupation in Bonn on 16th April 1919.
Dispersed at Crystal Palace 21st April 1919 and transferred to Class Z Reserve.

He was awarded the British War and Victory Medals.

There are no health problems reported on his discharge document.

Phil

[johncrowner]

Thanks, Forester, for all of this information. It amazes me how so much knowledge can be accessed so easily through this site.I willnow try to use this to locate exactly where 32ndDivisional battery was located during the conflict.(He never spoke to his family at all about his experiences,but coming from,at that time ,a very rural location,it must have been some shock!)

[ainslie]

Just putting a spoke in the wheel, but is 'wheeler' the same as a wheelwright?  It is not a rank, as are 'gunner' or 'private', but I have a faint memory that one of each pair of drivers [who sat on the horses] may have been known as a wheeler.  Perhaps someone with RHA knowledge could help here as it was long before my RA time.
A