- 17th (North Eastern Railway Pioneers) Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers during the Great War -
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17th (North Eastern Railway Pioneers) Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers
17th (Service) Battalion (North Eastern Railway Pioneers) The Northumberland Fusiliers was raised in Hull in September 1914 by the North Eastern Railway Company. In January 1915 the became a Pioneer Bn and in June joined 32nd Division. They proceeded to France and landed at La Havre on the 21st of November 1915. They saw action in the Battle of The Somme and on the 19th of October 1916 transferred to GHQ as Railway Construction Troops. In the first week of September 1917 they rejoined 32nd Division until the 15th of November when they rejoined GHQ as Railway Construction Troops. On the 31st of May 1918 they resumed their pioneer role joining 52nd (Lowland) Division who had just arrived in France from Palestine. They saw action on The Somme, Arras, the Hindenburg Line and the final Advance in Artois.
Jan 1915 Specialist Training
17th May 1915 122 Brigade Inspected
29th Nov 1915 Orders
1st Dec 1915 Units Move
3rd Dec 1915 Instruction
4th Dec 1915 Instruction
5th Dec 1915 Instruction
6th Dec 1915 Instruction
7th Dec 1915 Orders Received
8th Dec 1915 Instruction
9th Dec 1915 Instruction
10th Dec 1915 Instruction
11th Dec 1915 Instruction
12th Dec 1915 Reliefs
13th Dec 1915 Instruction
14th Dec 1915 Instruction
15th Dec 1915 Instruction
16th Dec 1915 Instruction
17th Dec 1915 Instruction
18th Dec 1915 Instruction
19th Dec 1915 Instruction
20th Dec 1915 Instruction
21st Dec 1915 Instruction
22nd Dec 1915 Orders Issued
23rd Dec 1915 Reliefs Complete
24th Dec 1915 In the Line
25th Dec 1915 Shelling
26th Dec 1915 Reliefs
26th Dec 1915 Quiet
27th Dec 1915 Reliefs
28th Dec 1915 Holding the Line
29th Dec 1915 Holding the Line
30th Dec 1915 Holding the Line
31st Dec 1915 Reliefs
9th Jan 1916 NER Men at the Front
1st July 1916 In Action
1st July 1916 In Action
2nd July 1916 Reliefs
3rd July 1916 Moves
4th July 1916 In Reserve
10th Mar 1917 Pioneers at WorkIf you can provide any additional information, please add it here.
Want to know more about 17th (North Eastern Railway Pioneers) Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers?
There are:5271 items tagged 17th (North Eastern Railway Pioneers) Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers available in our Library
These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Great War.
Those known to have served with
17th (North Eastern Railway Pioneers) Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers
during the Great War 1914-1918.
- Barker Edward. Pte. (d.2nd Nov 1917)
- Bousfield Sydney Hudson. L/Cpl.
- Furness John Thomas. Pte.
- Gooch Ernest Cecil. Pte.
- Harrison Tom Marriott. Capt. (d.3rd April 1917)
- Hawthorn James Fenwick. Pte.
- Mack Robert. Pte. (d.2nd Oct 1917)
- Morton John. Pte. (d.18th June 1918)
- Needham William. Pte. (d.26th April 1918)
- Oxtoby John William. (d.15th July 1916)
- Peam Thomas Francis. Pte. (d.17th May 1919)
- Remmer George Albert. L/Cpl. (d.27th Aug 1917)
- Welburn William Sawdon.
All names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed, please Add a Name to this List
Records of 17th (North Eastern Railway Pioneers) Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers from other sources.
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Pte. Ernest Cecil Gooch 17th Battalion, B Company Northumberland FusiliersErnie Gooch was my Dad, he was a railway man and volunteered to join the North Eastern Railway Battalion which was formed in the early days of the war. I understand it was unique in being the only complete battalion raised out of the employees in one Company. Training began at King George's Dock in Hull and Dad embarked for France in 1915.In November 1916, the 17th was officially converted to a railway pioneer battalion. Movement of men, arms and munitions was facilitated by the pioneers construction of railways. They were also required to do other work and were referred to as Jack of all Trades and master of all. For instance Dad's company (B)(according to war records) were carrying bombs and water bottles across No Mans Land on the first day of the Battle of the Somme.
One of his story's concerned a French nurse who half carried him out of hospital when it was badly shelled. Regretfully at my age of 82 I can no longer remember the details. Where was the hospital, what were his injuries, what was the name of the brave French nurse and did she survive?
Dad died at the age of 58, he did suffer with nightmares from time to time and Mum would quietly get out of bed until it was over. Mum and Dad had six children I am number four and the last 'still standing'! I would have liked to see his service record but I think it was in the batch burnt in WW2
Rosalind Anderson
L/Cpl. George Albert Remmer 17th (N.E.R. Pioneers) Btn. Northumberland Fusiliers (d.27th Aug 1917)George Remmer served with the 17th (N.E.R. Pioneers) Northumberland Fusiliers and was serving with the 9th Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment at the time of his death.Trevor Richmond
Capt. Tom Marriott Harrison 13th Btn. Northumberland Fusiliers (d.3rd April 1917)Tom Harrison was born on 7th August 1876 in Redhill son of Thomas William and Eleanor Harrison of Redhill, Surrey, he was the husband of E. Ethel Harrison of 17, Holmbush Road, Putney, London. He was an Insurance Clerk before he enlisted with the 3rd Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers. He rose through the ranks, promoted to temp. 2nd Lieutenant with 17th battalion on 20th of November 1914, finally promoted to Captain and attached to 13th Battalion. He died on 3rd April 1917 aged 40 years, Pas de Calais and is buried in Etaples Military Cemetery. "The Cross of Sacrifice" book by SD + DB Jarvis records the cause of his death as "dedacc". Unlike the majority of entries which clearly show killed in action or died of wounds, this suggests he was possibly killed as a result of an accident. This doesn't distract away from the fact he died serving his country.He was a pupil of Bedford Modern School 1899-1902, commemorated on the School War Memorial, which was unveiled in 1923 and in the Roll of Honour, published in The Eagle, December 1923. Information courtesy of www.roll-of-honour.com
Caroline Hunt
Pte. Thomas Francis Peam 17th (North Eastern Railway Pioneers) Btn. Northumberland Fusiliers (d.17th May 1919)Thomas Peam served with the North Eastern Railway Pioneers Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers.Andy
Pte. James Fenwick Hawthorn 17th Battalion, A Coy. Northumberland FusiliersJames Hawthorn served with the 17th Northumberland Fusiliers.R Pollard
William Sawdon Welburn 17th (North Eastern Railway) Btn. Northumberland FusiliersWilliam Welburn served with the 17th North Eastern Railway Battalion, Northumberland FusiliersMark Coates
Pte. John Morton 17th (N.E.R.) Btn Northumberland Fusiliers (d.18th June 1918)John Morton enlisted at York and served with 17th Battalion (N.E.R. Pioneers) Northumberland Fusiliers. He died on the 18th June 1918. He is buried at Aubigny Communal Cemetery Extension. His medal card records the award of the 1915 Star, War and Victory Medals. John was born in Jarrow but unable to trace family in census returns.Vin Mullen
Pte. Robert Mack 17th Battalion (N.E.R. Pioneers) Northumberland Fusiliers (d.2nd Oct 1917)Robert Mack served with the 17th Battalion (N.E.R. Pioneers) Northumberland Fusiliers, he was aged 24 when died on 2nd October 1917. Born Reston, Northumberland in 1893, son of David and Christina Mack of Waterside House, Alnwick. He enlisted in Newcastle.Robert is buried in Coxyde Military Cemetery and is commemorated on the Palmer Cenotaph (west face) Jarrow.
Vin Mullen
Pte. William Needham 17th Btn. Northumberland Fusiliers (d.26th April 1918)William Needham was my uncle and came from a family of 7 siblings, two sisters and 5 brothers. Not a lot is known about him and I didn't know he existed until I started researching my family history. The saying "survivors never really talked about the war" was certainly true in this case. My Father, who was twelve when the war ended, never mentioned these events at all. He also had a second brother, who served with the East Yorkshire Regiment and who was also killed during the war.I can only imagine how his father felt because not only did he lose two sons to the war he also lost his wife and a younger son and daughter during this period which shows that not only did people have to worry about their children fighting in a war but also had to deal with the traumas of every day life as well. Thank God their sacrifices, not only in ww1 but also ww2 and subsequent conflicts, were not in vain and has enabled us to live in freedom as we do today.
John Needham
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