Jen Posted 17 October , 2003 Share Posted 17 October , 2003 Hi, has anyone got any info on Private Thomas William Saunders who enlisted in the 5th Labour Corps, Service No. 150514? Any info would be greatly appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivor Lee Posted 17 October , 2003 Share Posted 17 October , 2003 Jen Private Saunders number means that when the Labour Corps was formed in April 1917 he was transferred to it from the 29th Battalion Middlesex Regiment. He was then placed in the 5th Battalion of the Labour Corps. The 29th Middlesex/5th Labour Battalion was a UK based unit made up of men who were medically unfit for service overseas. Unfortunately the 5th Battalion Labour Corps was only in existence for about a month before it was disbanded and the men sent to other units in the UK. The records of these transfers has not survived so I cannot be certain about which unit he went to. However I think it likely that he was sent to either 387 Labour Company at Charlton, 388 Company at Shpeburyness or 399 Company at Folkstone. However there are no surviving records for the UK based Companies of the Labour Corps. Have you checked at the PRO (National Archive) to see if his service record has survived? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Baker Posted 17 October , 2003 Share Posted 17 October , 2003 That is just brilliant, Ivor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen Posted 18 October , 2003 Author Share Posted 18 October , 2003 Blimey ... no, I haven't started to look anywhere yet. I only got his number yesterday and I know how much information and help all you guys are. All we knew about him was that he went into St Dunstan's because he was blind. We didn't know how or where he became blind (we presumed the war), but his record at St Dunstan's said that he was not wounded during the war and he was discharged on 11.7.1917. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trenchwalker Posted 19 October , 2003 Share Posted 19 October , 2003 29th middex i might have a photo of him . it was the 5th and 29th which over the course of the war . were at the enfield drill hall they then marched up to enfield chace to whereever . Also there are alot of hospital which were used in ww1. ne way i have a photo of a bunch of middlex bloke earley 17 and late 15. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen Posted 20 October , 2003 Author Share Posted 20 October , 2003 Hi Trenchwalker I would love to see the photos, whether Thomas is in it or not I think it's always interesting to see them. Jen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ian Bowbrick Posted 21 October , 2003 Share Posted 21 October , 2003 Jen, Was at the PRO this pm and checked up on his record - sorry it didn't survive Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen Posted 22 October , 2003 Author Share Posted 22 October , 2003 Hi Ian Oh, what a shame ... I feel so disheartened now, even though I didn't know you were going there (it was on my list to do!!!). Thank you very much for looking anyway. Does that mean now that I won't be able to find out anything else about him? Jen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen Posted 25 October , 2003 Author Share Posted 25 October , 2003 29th middex i might have a photo of him . Trenchwalker ... any luck on that photo yet??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ian Bowbrick Posted 26 October , 2003 Share Posted 26 October , 2003 Hi Ian Oh, what a shame ... I feel so disheartened now, even though I didn't know you were going there (it was on my list to do!!!). Thank you very much for looking anyway. Does that mean now that I won't be able to find out anything else about him? Jen. Jen, Don't feel downhearted. A lot of people 'give up' when they can't find a service record at the PRO, all I can say is so what! There are other sources of info available - it just takes a bit more to hunt it down. Try absent voters lists, the 1901 census, regimental histories, war diaries, expert info such as Ivor. Hey - you just found what fun researching WW1 soldiers can be! Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trenchwalker Posted 26 October , 2003 Share Posted 26 October , 2003 i have the photo but my scanners on the blink. but if you would like if you want to give me your adress of the thread i can get a copy done up gfor you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen Posted 17 June , 2004 Author Share Posted 17 June , 2004 Trenchwalker I've emailed you quite a few times now. Is there any chance at all of getting a copy of that photo either in paper or electronic format as it's now been 8 months. If you can't/don't want to do it then please let me know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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