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Albert Reynolds

Sapper, Telegraph Battalion, Royal Engineers – Anglo Boer War

- Queens South Africa Medal with clasps Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901 & 1902 to 9500 Sapr. A. Reynolds, Tel. Bn. R.E.

Albert Reynolds was born in Marylebone, London in 1862 the son of George Reynolds, a Shoe Maker, and his wife Ann.

The 1871 England census recorded that the Reynolds’ family were resident at 26 Little Church Street in Marylebone. Along with his parents Albert, aged 9, was joined by older brothers George (17) and Edwin (12). Ann Reynolds took in laundry to help with the family’s finances.

What became of young Albert in thereafter is difficult to fathom as an exhaustive search of the census data failed to reveal his whereabouts. It was left to the marriage he solemnized at St. James Church in Halifax, York to Esther Mynett to show that he had resurfaced. Aged 34 and a Wireman by trade he wed Esther, 27, on 2 August 1897 whilst he was resident at 21 Grant Street

The Boer War which commenced in October 1899 was the next event of import in his life. Already 38 years old he had joined the ranks of the Telegraph Battalion of the Royal Engineers as a Sapper with no. 9500. The Telegraph Battalion of the Royal Engineers at the turn of the century had two divisions, of which the first was sent to South Africa. Ordinarily it was stationed at Aldershot, employed in purely military work, and constantly being exercised, while the other division was attached to the Postal Telegraph Service, and had charge of a large district in the South of England.

The first section of which Albert Reynolds was a member comprised 16 staff sergeants and sergeants, 3 trumpeters, 18 corporals and second corporals, 4 artificers, 77 sappers, and 5 drivers, with 65 horses, but the staff had been expanded for work in the field. Each section of a telegraph division was supplied with twenty miles of line, part of it being air-line and part insulated cable. A two-horse cart carried the latter, and there were three six-horse waggons for the air-line, besides other vehicles for supplies, technical equipment, and baggage.

During the Boer War the Telegraph Battalion’s section laid 18,000 miles of telegraph and telephone cable. A total of 13,500,000 messages were handled in 4 years and the Battalion grew in strength from 600 to 2,500 men.

The first time a telegraph battalion provided technical and strategic communications for the army was when General French used telegraph and telephones to control artillery fire. Telegraph and telephone wires for the railway defences were added to the existing railway routes which were used extensively.

This was thus the life Reynolds led whilst engaged in action against the Boers – laying at some personal risk miles and miles of cable to enable and allow communications (no matter how rudimentary they were at the time) between field commanders and other sections.

He was to spend quite some time thus engaged earning for himself the Queens Medal with clasps Orange Free State, Transvaal and, because he had less than 18 months service in the field, the two date clasps to the aforementioned medal.

The war over he took his discharge and returned to England and his civilian pursuits. According to the 1911 England census he was, at the age of 46, a Wireman with the Colonial Telephone Company. The family had moved up the road to 38 Grant Street in Halifax and the couple now had several children in the form of Laura (10) and Kathleen (9). Three years later the world was at war and Reynolds, now an aging 47, lost no time in offering his services to King and Country. On 21 April 1915 he completed the Short Service (for the Duration of the War) forms at Aldershot and, after passing his medical examination, was enlisted as a Sapper with no. 36102. Confirming that he had 7 ½ years military experience with the Telegraph section he stated that he lived at 13 Freedom Street, Commercial Road, Halifax and that he was a Wireman by trade.

Interestingly and as a precursor to his enlistment; permission for him to serve had to be requested. This came in the form of a memorandum to the Recruiting Officer from the Director of Army Signals wherein it was stated that,

“I have been requested by the Officer in Charge, Royal Engineers Records to send you Mr. Reynolds, a Post Office servant, for enlistment as a Line Telegraphist in the Royal Engineers (Regular Army), if he is eligible in all respects, will you kindly send the recruit at once with this letter to the Officer Commanding, Reserve Signal Company, Aldershot, and forward the attestation to the same officer.”

Having been found “suitable” Reynolds was to be deployed on the continent. Physically he wasn’t a very large man at 5 feet 3 inches. Posted as a Permanent Line Telegraphist Reynolds entered the Theatre of War (France) on 13 May 1915 and commenced duty but, as has been seen, he was no longer in the prime of youth and illness began to take its toll on his health. On 24 January 1916 he was discharged from the army on the grounds of sickness and issued with a Silver Wound Badge no. 188754. He was also awarded the 1914/15 Star, the British War Medal and Victory Medal for his efforts – the whereabouts of these are unknown.

Albert Reynolds lived on until, at the age of 79 he passed away on 22nd March 1941 at 45 Charlestown Road, Halifax.

Good Morning Rory......

Again a great mornings read..... Thank You.......

Is there a name of the Officer who did the letter??????

I am thinking of my man Gandy who is in here......

Mike

Hi Mike

The letter was signed by a Colonel A.M. Ogilvie

If that helps at all.

Regards

Rory

Rory

Excellent write up and informative as usual. Good to see a QSA to the R.E. named to the actual unit, i.e. Tel. Bn, as more often than not it is only on the medal roll that the unit is listed

Jon

Rory wrote: Hi Mike

The letter was signed by a Colonel A.M. Ogilvie

If that helps at all.

Regards

Rory

Thanks Rory.....