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148800 Corporal J. DRAPER
Royal Engineers

by
Lieutenant Colonel Edward De Santis ©2008

Draper enlisted in the Royal Engineers for service in the Great War of 1914-1918. He was posted to the 182nd Tunnelling Company for service in France and Flanders.

The 182nd Tunnelling Company was assigned to the British Second Army Sector at Mount Sorrel on the 2nd of June 1916. It was employed there until the 9th of April 1917 when it was reassigned to the Canadian Corps at Vimy. While serving with the Canadians the company took part in the actions at Scarpe (3 May 1917) and Hill 70 (15 August 1917). The company was next transferred to British III Corps at St. Quentin on the 21st of March 1918, was back with the Canadians at Amiens on the 8th of August 1918, and again supported III Corps at Albert on the 21st of August 1918.

The company remained with III Corps until early October 1918 and took part in the following major actions:

Bapaume: 31 August 1918
Epehy: 18 September 1918
St. Quentin Canal: 29 September 1918
Beaurevoir: 3 October 1918

On the 8th of October 1918 the company was with XIII Corps at Cambrai and remained with this Corps until the end of the war. While under XIII Corps control, the 182nd Tunnelling Company saw action at Selle (17 October 1918) and at Sambre (4 November 1918).

Corporal Draper survived the war and was awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal for his service.

REFERENCE:

Battle Honours of the Royal Engineers. The Royal Engineers Journal, 1925-1932.