1st Tunnelling Company, Canadian Engineers

[smiths565]

I am researching people who fell in WW1 and are either listed on our war memorial or are remembered in the churchyard's of the area. Stannington, parish of Bradfield, Sheffield.

I would like to know where the 1st Tunnelling Company, Canadian Engineers were.

I know quite a bit about the man I'm interested in ...

Alfred Oates, no 501002, Sergeant, died of wounds 21-Apr 1918. Etaples, Pas de Calais, France.

Born 15/02/1886. Son of Alfred and Ellen Oats (Nee Crookes) of 116 Myers Grove Lane, Stannington, who were married in 1867. Husband of Mary J. Oates, Dain Avenue Welland, Ontarion Canada. In the 1901 Census, fifteen year old Alfred is a file cutter, his father aged 54 is a Cutler & Spiral Cutler. His mother Ellen is aged 56. Alfred enlisted on the 9th Aug 1915 at Welland. He gave his trade as a miner. He was a member of the 44th militia regiment. He was 5ft 7ins with Brown hair. He gave his religion as Church of England. The regimental war diary states he died of wounds on the 16th April, which is different to the date given by the War graves commision and other records.

Any information would be brilliant

thanks in advance

Robert.

Also - why would the war diary record an earlier death, when he died in Etaples ?

[N.S.Regt.]

Robert

I would recommend a email to the National Archives of Canada and request a date of death from his service record or you can order his service file. I have done this myself and have got a reply but be prepared for a three to five week wait. I do not know the email address I had but try the site here. I also have a group to the 1st Tunnelling Company and he was also a miner.

Regards

N.S.Regt.

[jhill]

. . . snip, snip . . .

I would like to know where the 1st Tunnelling Company, Canadian Engineers were.

I know quite a bit about the man I'm interested in ...

Alfred Oates, no 501002, Sergeant, died of wounds 21-Apr 1918. Etaples, Pas de Calais, France.

. . snip, snip . . .

Also - why would the war diary record an earlier death, when he died in Etaples ?

Hi!

You already have the key sources of information which are readily available. The 1st Tunnelling Coy. was at this time part of the "Corps Troops" of the Canadian Corps, which was in the Vimy sector. Although the ridge itself had been captured a year before, the front line was not far away, and the position was being threatened by the German spring offensive. The 1st Tunnelling Coy, along with other Engineer units, were busy constructing fortifications along the old Vimy lines. They also contributed to one of two scratch Brigades intended to operate as infantry if the situation worsened.

I have had a quick peek and I do not think there is a conflict in dates. The CWGC site lists your man as having died on April 21. The War Diary lists him on the last page of the April diary. I think this merely means that news of his death had reached the company and was being appended to the summary for the month. The "Apr 16" is a (confusing!) reference to "April Diary - Page 16" (or so I think!).

Many men died of wounds at Etaples. That is where most of the Base Hospitals were located. Most casualties would be evacuated there soon after being wounded.

Your fellow must have been wounded some time before April 21. Because the War Diary of this unit seems exceptionally complete you might try looking backward to see if he is mentioned at the time he was wounded. (Of course, if you take the time and expense of getting his service record, that information will probably be there).

[Morval Ross]

Hi

Check out "war underground" by Alexander Barrie, I finishe d a couple of weeks ago, but I will check this book out tonight and post more details in the morning.

Ross,