Introduction

There can never have been a better time, with so much genealogical information available online, to research old photographs or follow up stories passed down by earlier generations. Leaves from a Leeds Album was originally inspired by ancestors who had the foresight to add names/dates to photos or write down their reminiscences. They would be amazed that it is now possible to make photos and stories available to anyone interested, wherever they are in the world.

Wednesday, 30 October 2013

Sapper Foy, Gillingham 1917

Ernest Bracewell wrote "Sapper Foy, Manchester" on the back of this photo.  It was taken at the Parisian Studios, 161 High Street, Gillingham in 1917 or the beginning of 1918.

 

Sapper Foy was one of Ernest Bracewell's fellow sappers undergoing training with the Royal Engineers in 1917.  He looks very young and the only Sapper Foy in online military records who seems to fit the bill is Herbert William Foy, b 1896 in Salford - his regimental number was 299446 and Ernest's was 299440 which fits the theory that they joined the REs around the same time.

If I've got the right man, Sapper Herbert William Foy was born on 3 August 1896 and was the son of Peter and Dora Foy who were living at 63 Duke Street, Manchester at the time of the 1911 census. Herbert had left school by then and was following in his father's footsteps, working as an apprentice brazier and sheet metal worker.

It looks like he survived the war and died in Salford in 1974.

Sources: military, census and death records on www.ancestry.co.uk.


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2 comments:

  1. Jon3 February 2014 at 17:39

    Hi, my great uncle was a sapper in the 54th Field Coy, killed in Sept 1917 near Ypres. Was Ernest with the Company then? If so do you have any material from that time?

    Best wishes, Jon

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  2. Leaves from a Leeds album7 February 2014 at 16:36

    Hi Jon. Thanks for getting in touch. Ernest had the good fortune to avoid the Western Front and only joined 54th Field Company when they were in Italy so I'm afraid I don't have anything relating to 1917. Have you tracked down the war diaries at the National Archives? If not, the ones for Jan to Nov 1917 are under the heading "54 Field Company Royal Engineers" at ref WO 95/1645/2. 1914 to 1915 are under the same heading at ref WO 95/1645/1 whilst the diaries for 1916 are described as "54th Field Company Royal Engineers" and are at WO 95/1641/5. Also, have you looked at my photo "54th Field Company Royal Engineers Italy 1918" - your great uncle may well have known Matey Caselton who had been with them since 1914 and sounds to have been quite a character. I hope you are successful in finding out more about your gt uncle. Kind regards Kath.

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