6th Bn Buffs / Royal Egineers

[Essexboy68]

Hello,

After the great response to my last post, I will try with this one......

Jeremiah Regan was my great-grandfather & worked in Tilbury Docks for Wm Cory & Sons. He was among the first 100 employees of that company to join the Buffs in august 1914, & I understand that he served throughout the entire war.

I have found out a few details about him, & have dowloaded his medal Index Card, which has actually muddied the waters a bit more.

Right, I know that he joined up in August 1914, that he enlisted in the Buffs (despite living in Essex, his employers were based in Kent); went to France with his battalion in June 1915, & was listed as wounded in early 1916.

I have been led to understand from conversations with my late grandfather that he suffered from shellshock & had been treated at Warley Hospital, which I understand was a specialist centre for those so afflicted. Additionally my mother remembers he did like to take his shirt off in front of others as he had scars from shrapnel, & allegedly he still had fragments there.

Anyway, I am now confused as his Medal Index Card shows he was in the RE as well, would this be because he had been a docker, or due to any wounds, physical or mental he sustained, rendering him unfit for infantry service? Also, nobody had ever mentioned he was in the RE although strangely enough my grandfather, his son, served as a Sapper in WW2.

Can anyone help?

Thanks

Mark

[Michael]

Mark

My roll of honour states that he was a stevedor for Cory's. There are a number of reasons why men were transferred but I wouldn't think it was purely because of his previous occupation.

I've had a look at my 14/15 star rolls and he isn't in the large alphabetical list. Can you tell me what the reference for the star is on the MIC, it may be on one of the supplemental pages.

You say he was listed as wounded in 1916. Where have you seen it listed ? Or has it been passed down the family ?

Any chance of a scan of that photo ?

Mick

[stevem]

Hi Mark

948 Pte. J Regan is listed as wounded in the Kentish Express and Ashford News of April 8 1916, no other details I'm afraid.

Regards

Steve

[Michael]

He could possibly have been injured nr Hohenzollern Redoubt where the 6th were in March 1916. The 6th March is a significant date for the Buffs because this was when Cotter won the Buffs' only WW1 VC.

Mick