Albert NEWTON, Royal Engineers: Really need some help please...

Discussion in 'Royal Engineers' started by Needhelpplease, Nov 4, 2013.

  1. Needhelpplease

    Needhelpplease New Member

    Hi all,

    I may be grabbing at straws here and i dont have much info to go on at all... at all :(

    Like many people on here; i am trying to track down info on my grandad (my hero).
    I really have no information at all about him nor any other family to ask to gather further information.

    All i have is that he fought in Holland & possibley Belguim but not 100% on the latter.
    His name was Albert Newton (no middle name) - Could well have been a sargent (60% chance)
    And he was a Royal engineer.
    He lived N/W London in the UK.

    I've been trying to find even a list of Royal engineer regiments that fought in Holland so i can start to filter down that way. Is there a list out there anywhere?
    or
    Is there a list of Royal engineers in WW2 that i can view on the web?

    I also have not a penny to my name so signing up/paying for information via MOD etc is not an option.

    I really appreaciate any help given.... & respect to all those who were there.
    Regards & many thanks,
    Lee.
     
  2. 4jonboy

    4jonboy Daughter of a 56 Recce

    Hello and welcome to the forum Lee.

    With so little information to go on you have a hard task ahead of you.

    I am sure a member could tell you which Royal Engineers went to Holland, but I would suggest that the ONLY way to find out about your Grandfather is to find the money at some point and get his service records. They will tell you which unit of the Royal Engineers he was in and where he served, and from there you can obtain the war diaries for his unit. You will get a much better picture of his war I can assure you. I knew nothing about my father's war until I got his army records-I can tell you it was the best 30 quid I ever spent in my life :) and it is essential you get the records first.

    Lesley
     
  3. Needhelpplease

    Needhelpplease New Member

    Hi Lesley - Thanks for your reply - will deff send off for his records once i have the money.

    I managed to find out a little more about him though via a friend of a friend and a letter he sent to my nan:

    In the letter he has the numbers 767-/115 or 967-/115 (theres a fold in the paper!) with the word 'Regiment' underneath it - maybe thats a big clue or maybe its his service number or something?

    He died - 30th July 2001
    Born - 28th Dec 1914

    He was in the war for the whole duration
    He was a sargent

    Also in the Letter he sent to my nan at the begining he says that he is leaving for Cambridge (maybe training camp or maybe thats where they all go before the are sent off into the war?

    Even if i cant track him down specifically, it would be fantastic if i could even find out where his regiment was deployed to etc.

    Again... thanks so much for your reply!
    Lee.
     
  4. Needhelpplease

    Needhelpplease New Member

    Hello Again,

    First of all... respect to all that fought during the war - never forgotten.

    Secondly, little did i know that my little brother did a school project many years ago about our grandad and has dug up this information - If anyone has anymore information that they can add to this it would be gratefully appreaciated - even a Regiment number as this is one thing i cant seem to get info on :(

    He also named 2 other soliders - Freddy Crowther & Fred Harness


    - grandad was 25 when war broke out
    - He trained in the Torton Barrocks (I wrote torton but might be Thornton?) - oct 1940
    - for the first 6 months of the war he was in the rescue squad to help injured people
    - he fought in France, Belgium, holland and Germany
    - he mentioned a man called Freddy Crowther who died in an accident when his vehicle rolled into another which was carrying a cannon and it went through the windscreen and killed him. Freddy was buried in Holland (pic attached of his grave)
    - another man was killed called fred harness who (with his friends) were practising shooting off the ship. One mans bullet rebounded and hit fred. He was buried at sea whilst going past isle of white
    - grandad became a 3 stripe sergeant
    - he usually had to wait two days to get a couple of hours sleep
    - he got 14 days leave every 6 months
    - he was in Nottingham when Bernard (our uncle) was born
    - he used to sleep in a hole in the ground with trees covering it
    - he made 2 Dutch friends who still send him Xmas cards
    - he got 4 service medals and fighting in the Battle of Britain was another
    - he was also in battles at Falaise gap and the Arnhem bridge
    - he was in the war from beginning to end
    - he had a 10 week rest from work when he returned
    - he then worked as a travelling vehicle mender (pic on the bike far right)

    - nan received more money when grandad became a sergeant
    - she was down in the shelter from 9am to 4pm sometimes
    - she gave grandad a picture of her and their 2 boys which he carried around with him during the war (pic attached)
    - nan and her mum used to be the only ones who looked after the children whilst grandad was away
    - when grandad returned home, Norman or Bernard (our uncles) got scared of him as they did not know who he was

    I did have a quick look this afternoon and think this article might be the Freddy that he mentioned: http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories/05/a6165605.shtml (pic attached where Freddy is mentioned)


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    Owen likes this.
  5. Wildcamper

    Wildcamper Member

    The only Crowther in Royal Engineers buried in Netherlands according to Commonwealth War Graves Commission is Crowther WR (Freddy may have been a nickname) dod 18/01/45
    55 Field Coy. Royal Engineers
    Perhaps this may help you trace your Grandfathers Company
     
  6. Pat Atkins

    Pat Atkins Well-Known Member

    What's the badge above his sergeant's stripes? Might give a clue to his occupation in the army. I know RE in the first world war would often put up the Corps grenade over stripes (for swank, I think), but I don't think that's what it is. Some trade or proficiency badge, perhaps?

    Pat
     
  7. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    It's a cannon.
    He's in the RA in that photo.
    Wouldn't worry about this thread it's so old.
    The thread starter hasn't been on here since Nov 2013.


    As for Freddy Crowther who died...
    Fred Crowther on cwgc
    Casualty


    115 HAA Regt

    115 is mentioned above.



    As for Harness mentioned above also 115 HAA Regt.

    It's Albert Harness

    Casualty
     
    Last edited: Jun 16, 2019
  8. PRADELLES

    PRADELLES Well-Known Member

    Hi,
    There was a Albert Newton in the 249th Field Company Royal Engineers, 6th Airborne Division.
    When did he passed away ?
    Kind regards,
    Xavier P
     

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