Labour Corps

[sunic]

Is it possible a man could have enlisted into the Labour Corps 28/12/14, but remained in his job at Portsmouth Dockyard until he was mobilised on 27/8/16, been demobbed back to the Dockyard on 27/8/18 but not being discharged from the Labour Corps until 29/3/19?   I am having great trouble finding any information on my Grandfather's War Service.  His name is Alfred Austen Thompson (also known as Augustine) dob 8/5/1892.  I can find a medal card for an Augustine Thompson giving the enlistment and discharge dates, I also have his employment record from the Dockyard giving his mob/demob dates.  Am trying to figure out if it could be the same person, bearing in mind the unusual name and the fact I can find no other records. 

[Treetotal]

Unfortunately not all WW1 records survived the blitz...read more here:

http://www.greatwar.co.uk/research/military-records/british-soldiers-ww1-service-records.htm

Carol

[jim1]

He could have been in the Special Reserve of the Labour Corps.
This allowed men to stay in their job until required for service.

[newburychap]

The Labour Corps didn't exist in 1914 - he could have been Special Reserve or National Reserve, presumably with his local infantry regiment (Hampshire Regt). As the war progressed and the demand for men resulted in a lowering of standards (age and fitness) - the Labour Corps took many men who weren't deemed fit for combat service.  Even some fitter men would be kept in important jobs - and there would have been plenty of those in the Dockyard. 

Without his service record it will be a difficult story to tell.

[km1971]

Does the dockyard employment record mention a regiment/corps? If not it looks like two different men. The fact he was mobilized for exactly two years suggests some kind of reserve corps. You could join the TF Reserve for two years. His trade or level of fitness may have kept him out of the regular army. If he did not go overseas there would not be a medal card for him.

Alternatively he could be in a 'Docks' battalion that kept men in their normal jobs, but under military orders. Again, as there was no overseas service he would not have received a medal.

If you have his address you could check the 1918-19 electoral roll. While you are at the Record Office you could check the local newspapers around his mob/de-mob dates in case there was a notice posted.

Ken

[sunic]

Thanks for your help everybody. 

The Medal card I found says the reason for discharge is Para 392XV1a, which apparently is a medical discharge.  It doesn't give any details of posting except Regiment LC - which I take to be Labour Corps and a 'regiment number'…. is that the same as a Service Number?.  It also says Action taken List LC/5069.  It does give the whole name as Augustine, but there is another possible Augustine Thompson in London.  That one appears on an Electoral Register in Wandsworth in 1918.  I'm not sure what time of year these were taken as MY Augustine was still mobilised until the end of August 1918.  I will check the Electoral Register for Portsmouth next time I go to the Library.  However London ones weren't published for 1916/1917…I don't know if Hampshire was the same.

[jim1]

The 1918 Register was the Absent Voter's List for men serving, so although listed it doesn't mean he was there at the time.It should give a rank & no. with his name.

[sunic]

There was only his name, no rank and number.

[Gwil]

The AVL part of Wandsworth 1918 is at the rear of the book. Augustine Thompson is there at the same address as in the front of the book but for some reason the Ancstry search didn't pick it up. It does however pick up the other person at the address, George Frederick Reed and you should see him on page 2379 of 2872 (page as in Ancstry Viewer page, down the bottom in the middle).

That Augustine Thompson was 149875 in 388th H S, Labour Corps. This is the one you have quoted partial Medal Card details above.

His number is within the block allocated to Labour 5th Battalion  which was created from 29th Bn Middlesex Regiment in May 1917***.
Long Long Trails says this about the 29th Bn, Middlesex Regiment.    "29th (Works) Battalion
Formed at Mill Hill on 29 June 1916. By March 1917 was at Thetford. In April 1917, transferred to the Labour Corps as 5th Labour Bn."

H S means Home Service and this particular one, 388, was formed in autumn 1917 and was based at Shoeburyness***



So, my interpretation of this Augustine Thompson is that he enlisted 28 12 1914 (Regiment n/k), transfers to 29th Works Bn, Middlesex Regiment end June 1916, trans to Labour Corps 5th Bn April 1917. At some stage moves to 388th HS Coy. Might have had other internal transfers in labour Corps.

All told, not likely to be your man I'd say.

Gwil




*** No Labour,  No Battle (Stirling & Lee)