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The Labour Corps
The Labour Corps was raised in 1915 and disbanded in 1921, today thier roles are udnertaken by the Royal Logistics Corps.
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Pte. James Page 12th (Service) Battalion Cheshire Regiment In researching my grandfather's WW1 career, we would like to know how much a private soldier was paid, and how he managed to send money to his wife and young baby. My grandfather enlisted in September 1914, was sent to Salonika in 1915 and was not discharged until 1919. In 1918 he suffered from malaria, stated to have 20% disability and was transferred to the Labour Corps. I should be grateful to know about his pay, as I can find nothing online on this subject. |
Sjt. Mjr. William Northcroft Johnson 6th Btn. Essex Regiment William Johnson was badly wounded at Gallipoli, having landed tehre on teh 11th of August 1915 with the 6th Essex. His name is listed amongst the wounded published in the Essex Chronicle on the 17th of Sept 1915. He was evacuated to Alexandria. He is mentioned in a letter from Sergt. Jack Brady of the 1/6th Essex Regiment, sent from Alexandria in 1916 “The ex-hospital men here (several of whom are Essex) are improving in health wonderfully, and some are quite well again. Sergt-Major Johnson, who did such good work on the Peninsula, where he was severely wounded, is looking well in the circumstances, and after the day's duties are finished he keeps the boys alive with a ventriloquial entertainment, and as a ventriloquist he is excellent.”
William later served as CSM with an employment company of the Northamptonshire Regiment and on the 30th of May 1917 he was commissioned as Temp. 2nd Lt. into the Labour Corps and commanded and Area Employment Company as Acting Captain on the 11th of May 1918. |
Pte. Herbert Messenger West Yorkshire Regiment Herbert served with the West Yorkshire Regiment, The Royal Engineers, The Labour Corps and the Scottish Rifles. |
Pte. Thomas Harold Bentley West Yorkshire Regiment Fantastic website! It has helped me research my maternal grandfather's Army service in WW1. He was Pvt Thomas Harold Bentley who served in the West Yorkshire Regiment, KOYLI, Labour Corps,RF. He served on the Western Front.
Also the site has helped me research my great uncle: Pvt George Eaddie, RAMC (Royal Army Medical Corps). He served in Eqypt, Sulva Bay, Dardernelles, and the Western Front.
God Bless you both.
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A/Cpl Joseph Sefton South Lancashire Regiment I have done some research on my Grandfather Joseph Sefton
I have a record from Ancestry.co.uk stating he was regt no 2029 on attestation to the 1st Btn South Lancs in Oct 1886, but it mentions that he had served with the 4btn Liverpool Regiment (saying at the age of 18).
I also have several other Regt numbers appearing on his records. 124 (1901 record) 8109 (1905 record) and 267813 (1914 record).
He was discharged in Oct 1898, re joined in 1901 given Regt no 124.
He subsequently went to to Gibralter, Malta, Egypt and South Africa and was discharged in 1906.
He then joined up once more 1/10/1914 He lied about his age and said he was 44 when he was 46, he had six children
(one my mother) He was posted to South Lancs and also served in the Labour Corps (I think) and stayed in until
Feb 1919.
Unfortunatly I have been unable to gather any information regarding the following:
What(if any) medals would have been awarded for all or any of his service? Was he actually in the Liverpool Regiment? Are there any photgraphs of the South Lancs?
I Would love to find out more about him or the South lancs. Can anyone help? |
James Davies Yorks & Lancs Regt The above post card was sent to my Grandmother from her husband. His regiment was the Yorks and Lancs, number 1538 He finished his army career in the Labour corps due to shrapnel in his legs and came home after the war. I am sure that one of these is Grandad James Davies. |
Lt. Walter Beakley 5th Btn. Sherwood Forresters My grandfather Walter Beakley could not talk about the war I know he was wounded in the arm as he was not able to play the flute after the war I know he trained at Halton near Wendover Buckinghamshire. I believe he fought at the Somme with the 5th Sherwood Forresters and also served with 194 Coy, Chinese Labour Corps. |
Reuben Zinzendorf Bullock Sussex Regiment Reuben Bullock was my great-grandfather. He had been employed as a gardener at Penlynn Castle before the war, he continued this when posted to France. We have some of his records showing detailed accounts relating to the growing of various crops whilst serving in the Labour Corps. He was also with the Royal Sussex Regiment. Paperwork lists his role as a scout, which earned him a mention in dispatches. He was awarded a number of medals, which we are currently researching. |
Pte. Duncan Campbell Labour Corps (d.20th Oct 1918) Duncan Campbell was the youngest son. Two of his older brothers, Thomas and David, both also served in WWI but, although wounded, they survived. David was with the Canadian Army. I have been unable to find out in which unit Thomas served. Duncan is buried in Grevillers British Cemetery. |
Sjt. Althol Williamson 6th Btn. Highland Light Infantry My Grandfather Althol Williamson was honourably discharged on the 30th November 1917
He was so badly injured during one battle that his friend hitched him to a gun carriage by his kilt. He was taken back behind British Lines where he was laid out under a sheet as he was presumed dead. We have no further details on this as my grandfather died in 1965. He didn't really want to talk much about this.
My grandfather told me that whilst he was lying on the battlefield, someone or something was moving from the bodies lying on the field and when it came to him it told him he would be aright. He said it was a bright light in the form of a man.
He was sent home, and used to sleep between his mother and father owing to the severe shellshock
One day he went out in London where he then lived using his crutches, he got onto a bus and sat on one of the side seats, the conductor took his crutches and put them under the stairwell. A couple of stops later a woman got on the bus, she was wearing a hat with white feathers in it, she took one of the feathers and put it in my grandfathers lapel. He did nothing, when he got to his stop the conductor gave him his crutches, he looked at the woman, my grandfather said he would never forget her face. He kept the feather in an England's Glory matchbox for many years, and told me he wished he could find that woman to give her back the feather
He remembered waiting in the trenches with the german machine gun bullets pinging on the top of the trench. All waiting for the officer to blow the whistle knowing that as they climbed the ladder to the top of the trench some of them would be instantly killed, my grandfather told me that even with them knowing this no-one faltered and up that ladder they went.
He was 6' 6" tall and cut himself out a special place when they were in the trenches, one day when he came back from a sortie, someone was using my grandfathers special cutout, my grandfather commented to the other soldier but he stayed in my grandfathers cutout. As my grandfather moved along the trench a shell exploded above his cutout and the occupant was killed.
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Pte. George Palmer MSM. 30th Coy Labour Corps George Palmer was my grandfather who died in the year of my birth 1949.
As a child I was told that he won his medal saving the life of a fellow soldier who had fallen into a frozen river in 1917. I love to be able to confirm this but in any event would welcome any details as to where and if his battalion saw action during WW1.
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List of those who served with The Labour Corps during The Great War
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