1870335 Thomas William Davidson, Driver - 17th Field Company Royal Engineers

Discussion in '1940' started by Thomas Davidson, Oct 16, 2013.

  1. Thomas Davidson

    Thomas Davidson New Member

    Hi everyone

    I am trying to trace the movements of my uncle Thomas William Davidson who was a driver in 17th Field Company RE. I am particularly interested in the dates between 19.9.1939 when he arrived in France to his death on 30/05/1940.

    Thomas William is buried in Veurne Communal Cemetery Extension, Veurne, Belgium

    Any help, advice or direction would be appreciated.
     
  2. sapper

    sapper WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Our re sister company in the Third British Infantry
     
  3. Thomas Davidson

    Thomas Davidson New Member

    Hi Sapper

    Sorry for delay in response, I have been away with work. Could you give me more information on the sister company please. As I am struggling to get more info on my uncle's movements and maybe this could give me some clues.

    According to Thomas's War Record he signed up aged 21- 04/09/1933 for 12 years. 3 Years with the colours and 9 years in the Reserve.

    04/09/1933 - 08/10/1935 Home Home
    16/03/1934 posted to 17th Field Company
    09/10/1935 - 07/09/1936 Egypt
    08/09/1936 - 17/12/1936 Palistine
    18/12/1936 - 04/01/1937 Home
    05/01/1937 Army Reserve
    15/06/1939 Called up for service and re-posted to 17th Field Company
    18/09/1939 Embarked Southampton
    19/09/1939 Disembarked France
    30/05/1940 Killed in action (France)

    Thom
     
  4. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Sorry for the delay - Here's a couple of pages covering the Company's last few days in France when your man was killed.

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  5. Rich Payne

    Rich Payne Rivet Counter Patron 1940 Obsessive

    It might be worth mentioning that 'Furnes' is the French-language spelling (adopted almost universally in British documents and maps) of 'Veurne' . It would seem that 17th Field Company were being used as infantry on 30th May.
     
  6. Thomas Davidson

    Thomas Davidson New Member

    Andy

    Thank you for the pages. I will look them over.

    Rich

    Thank you for the heads up on Furnes.
     
  7. JanBower

    JanBower Member

    Hi There
    My Uncle Leslie Gerald Parsonage born 1913 Portsmouth Hampshire and died of his wounds sustained in Belgium on 18th May 1940 - He was Sapper #1867228 or #1867288 (found both numbers online!!! but am sure one is a typo!!!) - He was in the 17th Field Company Royal Engineers - also a boy apprentice in the Army from 1927 and then a pre-war Reservist. He was buried at Aaigem Communual Cemetery Erpe-mere Oost-Verlaanderen Belgium (May 1940). I have also found a reference to the Expeditionary Force in France online. Can any one add anything more to his story - such as the exercise he was partaking whilst in Belgium in May 1940 before he died.
    Many thanks for any help
    Jan Bower
     
  8. harkness

    harkness Well-Known Member

    Parsonage04.jpg

    Parsonage01.jpg

    Parsonage01a.jpg

    Parsonage01b.jpg

    Parsonage02.jpg
     
    Rich Payne and CL1 like this.
  9. JanBower

    JanBower Member

    Many thanks for posting these snippets - especially the baptism entries of Leslie and his twin brother Leonard.... I do have their actual baptism certificates but not the records from St Andrews RM Barracks church. Thanks.... I posted in another topic too and have had a message back from Steve.... he has told me that Leslie was part of a demolition party sent to blow up bridges over the rivers on their retreat back to France but apparantley more explosive must have been used than was needed and he was caught up in the actual explosion.... along with a local woman from the village who was standing 300 metres away!!
     

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