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1042100 Company Quartermaster Sergeant
JAMES MICHAEL FLYNN
Royal Engineers  

by

Lieutenant Colonel Edward De Santis, MSCE, PE, MInstRE
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
(January 2022)  

Figure 1. Sergeant James Michael Flynn, Hong Kong, 1936.
(Image courtesy of The Sapper, May 1936)   

1.  INTRODUCTION  

            This research project was started by the acquisition of Company Quartermaster Sergeant Flynn’s Long Service and Good Conduct Medal.  The research was further prompted by his Royal Engineer’s Tracer Cards which contained the notation:

Death Killed – Found Shot.
14-7-41.

This was an interesting comment because in July of 1941 Flynn was in the U.K. and not abroad in a war zone.  The comment would seem to indicate that perhaps he had been murdered or had committed suicide and that he was alone when he died; that is, his body was found at some time after his death.  His death certificate explains the circumstances and these circumstances will be discussed later in this narrative. 

            A study of his R.E. Tracer Cards indicated that Flynn spent quite a bit of time at the School of Military Engineering and at other training establishments.  It seems more likely that he had been an instructor during most of these postings and not a student.

            In addition to his R.E. Tracer Cards, many sources of information were used to compile this narrative.  These sources included family trees found on Ancestry.com, other internet sources, Royal Engineers Quarterly Lists and 35 editions of The Sapper magazine published between 1926 and 1936.  The Sapper published during this period was printed in small type which made reading very time consuming and eye-straining.  I carefully read all the Station News entries in the magazines at the places where Flynn had been posted.  I am certain that I must have overlooked his name in some instances; however, I have tried to compile a story of his life and military service as accurately as possible, given the reference materials available.  Where no reference is cited for a specific fact, the reader should assume that the information was taken from Flynn’s tracer cards. 

2. EARLY LIFE AND FAMILY INFORMATION

            According to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) he died in 1941 and the age of 46, thereby making his year of birth 1895.  The U.K. Military Discharge Indexes list his date of birth as 5 September 1894.  His tracer card (see Figure 2 below) indicates that he was 25 years old at the time of his enlistment in 1919, also making 1894 his year of birth 1894. 

            The CWGC indicates that his parents’ names were James and Mary Flynn, thereby giving a more reasonable clue as to his year of birth.  A search for a James Flynn whose parents were James and Mary Flynn uncovered the 1901 Census of Ireland.  The census revealed that the Flynns were a Roman Catholic family living in the town of Grange in County Mayo.  In 1901 James and Mary Flynn had five sons living at home with them, aged 4 years to 18 years.  The elder James Flynn (51 years of age) was an illiterate farmer.  Their sons John (18) and Anthony (16) both could read and write and worked with their father on the family farm.  Their son Patrick (12) was a scholar who could read and write and James (6) also was a scholar, but he was not yet adept at writing.  It is this son, James, who is the subject of this research.  His age in the 1901 Census would indicate that he was born in 1895.

1901 Census of Ireland

The Flynn family was still living in Grange when the 1911 Census was taken, although they had moved from House No. 1 to House No. 7 by that time. 

1911 Census of Ireland

             There are a number of changes and discrepancies in the 1911 Census.  Although ten years had passed since the 1901 Census, the ages of the individuals did not show a 10-year difference.  James the elder had aged 14 years and everyone else had aged only 8 years during the 10-year period.  This may be attributed to sloppy work on the part of the census taker, but if the younger James was 14 years old in 1911, then his year of birth would have been 1897.  Patrick was no longer living with the family and Mary, John and Anthony were listed as Farmers while James and Michael still were in school and could now read and write.  John and Anthony had not married.  There is an interesting notation on the original census forms under two columns: “Total Children born alive” and “Children still living.”  Both columns list “6.”  There were only five children listed in the 1901 Census and four listed in 1911.  Patrick obviously makes the fifth child, but who was the sixth? This could not be determined during this research.

            A rather scant family tree posted for James Flynn on Ancestry.com provides no further details regarding his date of birth, nor any further details regarding his parents.  Curiously, his place of death is listed as Scotland in this family tree.  That will be discussed in a later section of this narrative.  The UK Army Roll of Honour, 1939-1945 shows his place of birth as the U.S.A., but no entry can be found in Ancestry.com records to verify his birth there.  The 1901 and 1911 Census of Ireland clearly show that the man believed to be the subject of this research work was born in County Mayo, Ireland.  

3.  ENLISTMENT AND TRAINING  

Enlistment

            The Great War of 1914-1918 raged on for four years.  If James Flynn had been born in 1895, then he would have been about 19 years old when the war began.  If he had been born in 1897 then he would have only been 17 when the war started and could not have enlisted until 1915 when he turned 18 years of age.  There is a web site on Ancestry.com that is the only place where an exact date was found for his birth and that site is U.K., Military Discharge Indexes, 1920-1971.  This site shows the following information:

             If this indeed was his actual date of birth, then he would have been one month short of 20 years old when the war began.  These various dates of birth and his Royal Engineers Tracer Cards (see Figure 2 below) cause a great deal of confusion regarding his initial enlistment in the Army and his service in the Great War of 1914-1918. 

            With regard to his service in the Great War I have chosen to use the photograph in Figure 1 as the starting point for my argument.  A close examination of Figure 1 shows that he is wearing the 1914-15 (or 1914) Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal when he was serving in Hong Kong in 1936.  The photograph is taken from a larger group photograph entitled HONG KONG – R.E. WOs’ AND SENIOR N.C.Os’ MESS    R.E. SUNDAY.    The second page of his tracer card shows that he was posted to the 40^th (Fortress) Company in Hong Kong on 3 January 1933 and he is clearly labeled as “Sjt. J. Flynn” in the photograph.  I do not think that there is any question that the man in the photograph is 1042100 Sergeant James Flynn, R.E. and that he served in the Great War. 

            It appears that he served in the Royal Field Artillery (R.F.A.) during the Great War.  Unfortunately, the tracer card does not give his Regimental Number in the R.F.A., so it is impossible to find a Medal Index Card for him.  Ancestry.com shows that there were three men named J. Flynn., 13 men named James Flynn and one man named James M. Flynn[1] who served in the R.F.A. during the war.  He may be one of them, but without his Regimental Number it is not possible to determine which one he is.[2]

            From his Royal Engineers Tracer Card it appears that his enlistment took place on 5 September 1919.  Then there is a notation that says that he transferred from the R.F.A. to the Corps of Royal Engineers on 13 February 1923.  If we assume that his first enlistment in the Army took place on 5 September 1919, then he would not have served in the Great War and would not have been awarded the medals shown in Figure 1.  Since based on the Army Number on the card there is no doubt that this is James Michael Flynn whose medal is in the author’s collection then it must be assumed that there is an error regarding the dates entered on the card.

            It is the author’s opinion that the entry 5.9.1919 is not an “enlistment” date, but rather a “re-enlistment” date in the R.F.A.  It appears that he served in the R.F.A. until 13 February 1923 when he transferred to the Royal Engineers to serve for a period of 6 years with the Colours and 6 years in the Army Reserve. His Tracer Cards lists his Corps Trade as “Tin & Whitesmith.”  The Tracer Card now introduces another mystery, this one regarding his year of birth.  The card indicates that his “Age on Enlistment” was 25 years.  It is unclear whether this entry is meant to indicate his age when he initially enlisted in the Army or when he transferred to the Royal Engineers.  

            Figure 2. The Royal Engineers Tracer Card of James Flynn (page 1)
(Image from the author’s collection)  

Training

Figure 3. The Crest of the School of Military Engineering, Chatham, Kent.
(Image courtesy of Stuart Gase)  

            Flynn was taken on the rolls of the Royal Engineers on 14 February 1923 as a Sapper, Army Number 1042100.  This number had been issued to him when he was serving in the Royal Field Artillery, and it was not changed when he joined the Royal Engineers.  He was posted for training to “E” Company of the R.E. Training Battalion on this same date and he remained in “E” Company until 17 May 1923 when he transferred to “B” Company, perhaps for advanced trade training.  Now it must be assumed that Flynn received his basic recruit training when he enlisted in the Royal Field Artillery and that he had some proficiency as a Tinsmith and Whitesmith when he joined the R.E., so his period of training at Chatham must have been relatively short.

            Flynn was promoted to the rank of Lance Corporal on 29 October 1924 after only one year and eight and a half months as a Sapper, indicating that his prior service helped him to obtain this accelerated promotion.[3]  Lance Corporal Flynn appears to have decided to make the Army his career when on 26 January 1925 he extended to complete 12 years with the Colours.[4]

4.  POSTINGS, ASSIGNMENTS AND CAMPAIGN SERVICE

AUTHOR’S NOTE: Much of the information regarding Flynn’s service was obtained from the STATION NEWS sections of various editions of The Sapper magazine.  STATION NEWS was provided monthly (or almost monthly) to the editor of the magazine to describe the activities of the unit(s) at a particular station in the U.K. and abroad.  The detail provided depended upon the energy and enthusiasm of the individual in the unit who was tasked with the mission of submitting the monthly news.  The information provided in each edition of the magazine could be from one to as much as three months old at the time of publication.  Additionally, some news dealt with the military activities of the unit while some dealt with the sports and recreational activities such as golf, soccer, tennis, aquatic sports, shooting competitions, dances and parties.  Where information provided in the narrative of Flynn’s service came from STATION NEWS, it will so indicated in the Endnotes.

Malta (1925 – 1931)

            Flynn’s first posting after his training at Chatham was to Malta where he joined the 24^th (Fortress) Company, Royal Engineers on 5 December 1925.  At that time the Chief Engineer (C.E.) on Malta was Colonel Steward Francis Newcombe, DSO, R.E., who had served with T.E. Lawrence in Arabia during the Great War.[5]  He also had been taken prisoner during the war.

Figure 4. Colonel Steward Francis Newcombe during the Great War.

(Photograph courtesy of the Imperial War Museum)

            The Commander Royal Engineers (C.R.E.) when Flynn was posted to Malta was Lieutenant Colonel H.O. Clogstoun, R.E.[6]  Soon after Flynn’s arrival a number of the company officers departed.  These included Captain C.R. Simpson, R.E. (October 1926), Captain W. Benn, MBE, R.E. (December 1926), and Lieutenant W.E.C. Pettman (January 1927).  Replacements for the departing officers included Major F.P. Heath who took command of the company, Lieutenant S. Clements and Lieutenant Grove-White, who all arrived in February 1927. 

            The STATION NEWS published in December 1926 mentions Flynn by name.  Apparently he was a tennis player.  The news that month indicated that “CSM Wood and Mrs. Bryant beat LCpl Flynn and partner” in a tennis match.  Flynn was promoted to Corporal on 5 March 1927, obviously not because of his prowess at tennis. 

                        While in Malta Flynn he performed the normal duties within his trade that were associated with support of the Malta Garrison.  The company would perform duties associated with the maintenance and construction of roadways, buildings, gun emplacements, searchlights and other structures on the island.  In addition to undertaking these types of projects company personnel also would undergo trade training and musketry training and would participate in field exercises at Ghain Tuffleha, the training area used by Army units on Malta.
            In December 1928 the company assisted in rescue operations when the roof of a Portanier Brewery building collapsed trapping a number of civilian workers.[7]  In February 1929 the company completed the construction of a trestle bridge and road at Bahak-Ic-Caighk.  This work had been supervised by Captain Nutt.  In August 1929 the company lost a man.  Sapper A. Haggerty died at Intarfa Hospital as a result of an infection from appendicitis.  The entire company attended his funeral.[8]  That same month the company was inspected at Ghain Tuffleha by the new Chief Engineer, Colonel J.W.S. Sewell, CB, CMG, who was impressed by the company’s turn out.[9]  On 30 September 1929 the new Chief Engineer, Colonel S.F. Newcombe, DSO arrived to replace Colonel Sewell.

Figure 5.  Army Cup Winners, Malta Soccer Competition, 1929-1930.

(Photograph courtesy of The Sapper)  

NOTE: Flynn is not in this photograph but it does show Captain C.R. Simpson, R.E. who at the time was the Officer Commanding the 24^th (Fortress) Company and Lieutenant T.D. Oborne who was the company’s Sports Officer.  Also shown is 1848833 Sergeant A.G. Spyers, the senior NCO on the team.

                In October 1929 Lieutenant Colonel R.N. Bocquet replaced Lieutenant Colonel Clogstoun as the C.R.E.  The following officers were now with the company:[10]

·         Major H.G. MacGeorge, R.E. (Officer Commanding)

·         Major George Stewart Wilson, R.E. (Second in Command)

·         Captain W.G.R. Nutt, R.E.[11]

·         Lieutenant Thomas D. Oborne, R.E.[12] 

Figure 6. Lieutenant Thomas D. Oborne, R.E.

(Photograph courtesy of The Sapper, August 1930)

            The New Year saw the 24^th (Fortress) Company’s training and the work cycle beginning again.  The company constructed a new bakery and some special roadways and concrete walls.  The company also was responsible for running electric light plants for military installation on the island and for water supply to new buildings as well as joinery, moulding and fittings in the Royal Engineers Workshop.[13]

            The company was inspected by the Chief Engineer on 26 July 1930 and a new Company Sergeant Major (CSM Pearson) arrived in August 1930.  In September the company participated in the annual musketry course and in November it completed a Motor Transport Depot using Belfast (Bel-Fast) trusses.  In addition, the company practiced anti-aircraft searchlight drills each night during the month.

Figure 7. A Belfast (or Bel-Fast) Truss.

(Image courtesy of Roof Construction Technology)

NOTE: A Belfast truss was a timber roof structure apparently designed and first used for industrial scale sheds in the town of Belfast, Ireland in the 1860's.  The Belfast Truss consists of a lower horizontal member (tie-beam) and a curved upper member (bow) connecting at each extremity.  The ‘Belfast’ timber truss was developed around the mid-nineteenth century to meet the demand for efficient, lightweight, and longer span roofs, brought about by the Industrial Revolution. It is a very efficient structural form with a curved top member that behaves essentially as an arch in combination with a horizontal tie member.

Chatham (1931 – 1933)

            Corporal Flynn served on Malta until 17 February 1931 when he was posted to “C” Company of the Training Battalion where he probably served as an instructor.  He then found himself working with a new staff of officers, including the following:[14]

·         Lieutenant Colonel George Guy Waterhouse, DSO, R.E. (O.C., Training Battalion.[15]

·         Captain J.H.S. Fea, R.E. (O.C., “C” Company).[16]

·         Lieutenant E.L. Marsh-Kellett, R.E. (OIC, Messing).

·         Lieutenant John Herbert Barder Lowe, R.E.[17]

·         Lieutenant Henry E.M. Cotton, R.E.[18]

·         Lieutenant W.R.G. Walker, R.E.

            Flynn served in the company for a little over a month and a half when on 30 March 1931 he was promoted to Lance Sergeant.  On 20 June 1931 he was transferred to “A” Company of the Training Battalion where he came under the command of a new group of officers:[19]

·         Captain K.M. Papworth, MC, R.E. (O.C., “A” Company).[20]

·         Lieutenant John Guise Cowley, R.E.[21]

·         Lieutenant E. Croghan, R.E.[22]

·         Lieutenant C.M. Singer, R.E.[23]  

                        On 5 September 1931 Lance Sergeant Flynn completed 12 years of service and he opted to extend to complete 21 years with the Colours.  He was now truly dedicated to a military career.  On 9 December 1931 he was transferred to Headquarters Wing of the R.E. Training Battalion.  He then came under the command of a new battalion commander, Lieutenant Colonel William Cave-Browne, DSO, MC, R.E.[27]

Figure 11. Lieutenant Colonel William Cave-Browne, DSO, MC, R.E.
(Photograph courtesy of Wikipedia)  

            Within the Headquarters Wing he probably served in an administrative capacity rather than as an instructor.  The officers that he served under in the HQ Wing included:[28]

·         Captain S.St.D. Skinner, R.E. (O.C. Headquarters Wing)

·         Captain C.M. Singer, R.E.

·         Lieutenant J.E.C. McCandlish, R.E.

·         Lieutenant T. Wright, R.E.

Hong Kong (1933 – 1935)

            Lance Sergeant Flynn was posted to the 40^th (Fortress) Company at Wellington Barracks on the island of Hong Kong on 3 January 1933.  He arrived at Hong Kong aboard H.T. Neuralia along with two Officers, three Warrant Officers, six other Non-Commissioned Officers and ten Sappers all bound for the 40^th Company.  At that time the company was commanded by Major J.H. Mousley, DSO, R.E.[29]

            In May of 1933 the company fired the Annual Musketry Course, took part in combined maneuvers and manned Coast Defence Lights for a 24-hour period.[30]

            In May of 1934 Lance Sergeant Flynn received the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal upon completion of 18 years with the Colours.[31]  This is the fourth medal that he is wearing in Figure 1 above.  At this time the company had also passed through the annual Chief Engineer’s and General Officer Commanding’s inspections and embarked again on its annual musketry training.  To accomplish the musketry training the company had to proceed daily from the Island (Hong Kong) to Kowloon Old City Pier and then march to the ranges.  During the month of May the last troopship of the season arrived in Hong Kong bringing a new draft of officers and men to the company.  This new draft brought the European strength of the 40^th Company up to field company standards[32] with the strength of the company being augmented by an additional 75 Chinese NCOs and Sappers.[33]

            In August 1934 the 40^th Company took part in His Majesty The King’s Birthday Parade which was held with the usual pomp and ceremony in Hong Kong.  After marching past his Excellency, The Governor, the unit proceeded in column of route through the public thoroughfares and finally back to Wellington Barracks.[34]

            The month of September 1934 was spent by the 40^th Company on anti-aircraft training throughout the colony of Hong Kong.[35]  In December 1934 Major Bernard Edward Cooke Dixon, MC, R.E.[36] replaced Major Mousley as O.C. of the company.[37]  Captain R.E. Gillespie also arrived to take over the duties of Second-in-Command of the company.[38]

            Lance Sergeant Flynn was appointed a Temporary Sergeant on 23 January 1935[39] and was promoted to the substantive rank of Sergeant on 26 January 1935.[40]  In February 1935 the company proceeded to Sun Wai where it took part in the usual annual field works and bridging training, this year in cooperation with the 1^st Battalion of the Lincolnshire Regiment.[41]  

Figure 12. Wellington Barracks, Hong Kong.
(Postcard photograph courtesy of Wikiwand)  

            In April 1935 Wellington Barracks were renovated and the company had to move into temporary and rather uncomfortable quarters in bamboo structures at Hop Cheong.  During this period the Commander Royal Engineers, the Chief Engineer and the General Officer Commanding inspected the company at the annual turn-out.  Each officer expressed himself pleased with the performance and appearance of the company.[42]

            Renovations to Wellington Barracks (previously known as the R.E. Barracks) were completed in May 1935 and the 40^th Company was able to move back in.  During this month the company spent a day on the Kowloon Ranges for musketry practice and some competitive shooting.  The annual mobilization scheme for combined operations also was carried out for the first time during this month.  The maneuvers were carried out by land forces in addition to planes from an aircraft carrier and the anti-aircraft searchlights.[43]  As part of the Silver Jubilee celebrations for His Majesty King George V, both the European and Chinese members of the company marched past His Excellency The Governor (Sir William Peel) at the military review held on 7 May.[44]

            The annual Hong Kong Small Arms Meeting finals were fired in June 1935 on the Kowloon Ranges and members of the 40^th Company took part in this competition.  During this month there also was a rumour circulating that the 40^th (Fortress) Company and the 22^nd (Anti-Aircraft Searchlight) Company, which also was stationed in Hong Kong, might be formed into a battalion.[45]

Figure 13.  Sir William Peel, 18^th Governor of Hong Kong.
(Image courtesy of Wikipedia)  

            In July 1935 the company was back to its trade training which would enable Sappers to obtain higher rates of pay, while consideration was still being given to the battalion organization of the fortress and anti-aircraft searchlight companies.  The company experienced a rising rate of serious sunburn among the troops visiting bathing beaches at Sheko, Repulse Bay and Castle Peak.  As incapacitating sunburn was an offense, coming under “self-inflicted” injuries, the men were being cautioned to take care when bathing.[46]

Chatham (1935-1939)

            The October 1935 issue of The Sapper indicated that Sergeant Flynn was to leave Hong Kong for posting to the 1^st Anti-Aircraft Group at Blackdown, Hampshire, however his tracer card indicates that he never made this move.  Instead, on 13 February 1936, Flynn reported to Headquarters Wing of the R.E. Training Battalion at Chatham.  It seems that at this point in his career he had been placed into a fortress company/training battalion pattern; that is, he would alternate postings between these two types of units.  When Flynn arrived at Chatham he found the Training Battalion commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Walter Hayes Oxley, MC, RE.[47]  His company commander was Captain Basil Charles Davey, R.E.[48]  On 4 September 1937 Flynn completed 21 years of service while serving at Chatham, including his time in the Royal Field Artillery.  This would again indicate that he had enlisted in 1916.

Figure 14.  Major General Basil Charles Davey, CB/CBE/U.S. Legion of Merit (Commander)
(Photograph courtesy of Wikipedia)

Colchester (1939 – 1940)  

            Sergeant Flynn was next posted to No. 4 Training Battalion, R.E. at Colchester, Essex on 26 October 1939.  This battalion had just been formed at Colchester the previous month and it was in need of experienced non-commissioned officers.  Flynn was assigned to “C” Company, but his stay there lasted for less than a year.  On 5 September 1940 his tracer card indicates that he was posted to the 552^nd Army Troops Company which had been activated in that month and scheduled for overseas service.  The company went to Egypt to serve in the 8^th Army, but apparently Flynn was posted out of the unit before it deployed and he returned to No. 4 Training Battalion on 12 September 1940.  The battalion had moved from Colchester to Yorkshire during the year.[49]  While he was still assigned to the Depot Company of No. 4 Training Battalion for administrative purposes, Sergeant Flynn was sent to East Lancashire on 23 January 1941 to work in the office of the Commander Royal Engineers in that area.  This posting lasted for only about three weeks when on 11 February 1941 he was posted to the Depot Battalion of 24 Chemical Warfare Group and assigned to “A” Company of the battalion.  Chemical Warfare Groups (Royal Engineers) were formed during 1939 and 1940 to handle poison gas weapons and bulk contamination equipment.  They basically were training units; that is, the men of the CW Groups would go out to all units in the Army and train them in the use of and defense against chemical weapons in anticipation that these weapons would be used again in the Second World War.[50]  These units were disbanded in about 1941 when it was determined that chemical warfare training should be performed by all regiments and corps within their own units.

Figure 15.  The Formation Sign of the Royal Engineers Chemical Warfare Groups.
(Image courtesy of the Imperial War Museum)

            At some point in 1941 it appears that Flynn was promoted to the rank of Company Quartermaster Sergeant.[51]  His tracer card contains the cryptic notation discussed in Section 1 of this narrative indicating that he was found shot and a family tree on Ancestry.com  indicates that he was found in Scotland.  The family tree is incorrect.  His death was registered in the Sub-District of Andover, Southampton on 24 July 1941.  His death certificate provides the following pertinent data:

When and Where Died:          Fourteenth July 1941, Barton Stacey R.D.

Name and Surname:                James Flynn

Age:                                        46 years

Rank or Profession:                 Company Quartermaster Sergeant Royal Engineers

Cause of Death”                     By a rifle bullet self inflicted whilst the                                                  balance of his mind was disturbed.

            Unfortunately without his medical records it is not possible to know if Flynn was being treated for any mental disorder prior to his suicide.  

Figure 16.   The Gravestone of CQMS James Michael Flynn, R.E.
(Photograph courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission)  

Flynn’s gravestone is marked as follows:

1042100 CQMS
J.M. Flynn
Royal Engineers
14^th July 1941     Age 46
Time can bring
No vain regrets
Nor take away sweet memory  

            The lack of a date of birth on the gravestone only adds to the mystery of his birth that was discussed in Section 2 of this study.  It should also be noted from Figure 17 below that page 2 of his tracer card shows his highest rank as Sergeant, however his gravestone and his memorial posted by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission show his rank to be Company Quartermaster Sergeant.  It is unclear when he was promoted to this higher rank.  

Figure 17.  Tracer Card of CQMS James Michael Flynn, R.E. (page 2)
(Image from the author’s collection)

            Flynn was buried in the St. Helen Churchyard in Cliffe, Kent about five and a half miles east-north-east of Gravesend.  During World War 2 there was a prisoner of war camp in the locality.  The churchyard contains war graves from both world wars.  There are four graves from the Great War, one grave of a Home Guard member and only two graves from the 1939-45 War, of which Flynn’s is one of them.  In all likelihood he was buried at Cliffe because his wife was from Gillingham, Kent, a distance of just under eight miles from the cemetery.

Figure 18.  St. Helens Churchyard, Cliffe, Kent.
(Photograph courtesy of Wikipedia)  

5.  RELEASE FROM SERVICE

            It appears that Company Quartermaster James Michael Flynn was still in the Army when his body was found therefore his service ended on 14 July 1941, the day that his body was found.  Flynn’s total service in the Royal Engineers therefore, is reckoned as shown in the tables below.  It does not include his prior service with the Royal Field Artillery.

NOTE: As the later part of his service was during the war years, it is almost certain that he would have been posted abroad had he not committed suicide.

__________________________________________________________________________

                        The following sections are presented in tabular form to summarize Sergeant Flynn’s promotions, appointments, military training and qualifications and the medals that he was awarded during his time in the Army.  They are provided to give the reader easy access to these aspects of his military career.  The tables are followed by sections dealing with his marriage, personal information and post-service life.

__________________________________________________________________________

6.  PROMOTIONS AND APPOINTMENTS

            James Michael Flynn received the following promotions during his time in service:

 NOTE: Between 1916 and 1923 he probably served as a Gunner in the Royal Field Artillery.

7. MEDALS, AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

            As previously discussed, for his service in the Royal Field Artillery during the Great War of 1914-1918 Flynn would have been awarded the 1914 Star or the 1914-15 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.  These three medals appear on his uniform in Figure 1 and are shown in Figure 19 below.  These are not Flynn’s medals.  

Figure 19.  From left to right: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
(Photograph from the author’s collection)  

            The fourth medal in Figure 1 is the Army Long Service and Good Conduct medal which is in the author’s collection and is shown below in Figure 20.

Figure 20. CQMS James Michael Flynn’s Long Service and Good Conduct Medal.
(Photograph from the author’s collection)  

            Flynn was awarded the medal when he was a Corporal.  It is named to him on the rim in impressed upper case letters as follows:

1042100 CPL. J. FLYNN. R.E.

            It should be noted that on his medal and his tracer cards only his first initial is shown.  This is also true wherever his name is shown in The Sapper magazine.  His middle initial “M” is first used on his Graves Registration Report Form[52] and the Saunders Ipswich Ltd. Contract Form for his gravestone.  His full middle name, Michael, first appears in the Commonwealth Graves Registration memorial book and commemoration form.

8.      MARRIAGE AND PERSONAL INFORMATION

            While serving in the Royal Engineers Training Battalion at Chatham, Kent it appears that Flynn met a young lady from the area with whom he fell in love.  James Michael Flynn married Daphne Clare Peacock (1908-1996) of Cliffe, Kent.  Early in 1939 Daphne was living at 50 Strover Street in Gillingham as an Unpaid Domestic.  She probably was working to add to the income of the family while her husband was serving in the Chatham/Gillingham area.  It is not known whether she accompanied him to Colchester, to Yorkshire or to East Lancashire during his subsequent postings.  It also is not known whether the Flynns had any children.

            Daphne Clare Flynn died in Chatham in June 1996 at the age of 89.

Figure 21.  50 Strover Street, Gillingham, Kent.
(Photograph courtesy of Google Earth)

REFERENCES:

Books  

PAKENHAM-WALSH, R.P.  The History of the Corps of Royal Engineers, 1938-1948.  Volume VIII.  The Institution of Royal Engineers, Chatham, Kent, 1958.  

Census  

1. National Archives of Ireland – 1901 Census.

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Mayo/Ardagh/Grange/1573815/  

2. National Archives of Ireland – 1911 Census.

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Mayo/Ardagh/Grange/701710/  

Documents  

1. Graves Registration Report Form, United Kingdom District, 27 May 1957.
2. Saunders Ipswich Ltd., Contract Form H/2.
3. Commonwealth War Graves Commission Memorial Book, Cliffe Churchyard.
4. Death Certificate, Registration District ANDOVER, dated 24 July 1941.

Family Trees  

1. Guy Stevens Family Tree (Daphne Clare Peacock)

https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/167015595/person/232173132966/facts  

2. Guy Stevens Family Tree (James Michael Flynn)

https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/167015595/person/232173143775/facts  

Internet Web Sites  

1. Commonwealth War Graves Commission

https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2824554/flynn,-james-michael/  

2. England and Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1916-2005.

 https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/167015595/person/232173132966/facts  

3. England and Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007.

https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=7579&h=3190679&ssrc=pt&tid=167015595&pid=232173132966&usePUB=true  

4. England and Wales Register, 1939.

https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/16391306:61596  

5. Find a Grave

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/32151564/j.-m-flynn  

6. Imperial War Museum (Chemical Warfare Groups, Royal Engineers)

https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/30072122  

7. Regiments of the Malta Garrison: Royal Engineers

https://www.maltaramc.com/regmltgar/royalen.html  

8. Roof Construction Technology.

https://roofconstruction-terminology.blogspot.com/difference-types-of-trussed-roofs  

9. U.K. Roll of Honour, 1939-1945. James Flynn.

https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/44356:1604?tid=&pid=&queryId=49e142a431f032fa98c6d7ccdca61a23&_phsrc=iWN6460&_phstart=successSource  

10. U.K., Military Discharge Indexes, 1920-1971.

https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=61448&h=253201&tid=&pid=&queryId=659cd0ecd2f5acbbc6354187223b26d9&usePUB=true&_phsrc=iWN6502&_phstart=successSource  

11. WW2Talk (551 and 552 Army Troops Companies)

http://ww2talk.com/index.php?threads/551-552-army-troops-companies-r-e.53031/  

Periodicals  

The Royal Engineers Quarterly List  

1. The Royal Engineers List, April 1930, p. xxiii
2. The Royal Engineers List, January 1931, p. xxii
3. The Royal Engineers List, April 1931, p. xxi
4. The Royal Engineers List, October 1931, p. xxi.
5. The Royal Engineers List, October 1935, p. xxi.

The Sapper Magazine  

1. The Sapper, November 1926.
2. The Sapper, December 1926.
3. The Sapper, January 1927.
4. The Sapper, February 1927.
5. The Sapper, January 1929, p. 166.
6. The Sapper, March 1929.
7. The Sapper, June 1929, p. 316.
8. The Sapper, August 1929.
9. The Sapper, September 1929.
10. The Sapper, November 1929.
11. The Sapper, December 1929.
12. The Sapper, September 1930.
13. The Sapper, October 1930.
14. The Sapper, December 1930, p. 143.
15. The Sapper, June 1931, p. 311
16. The Sapper, October 1932, p. 115.
17. The Sapper, April 1933.
18. The Sapper, June 1933.
19. The Sapper, May 1934, p. 274.
20. The Sapper, June 1934, pp. 295 and 309.
21. The Sapper, July 1934, p. 329.
22. The Sapper, August 1934, p. 359.
23. The Sapper, September 1934, p. 385.
24. The Sapper, October 1934, p. 413.
25. The Sapper, December 1934, p. 467.
26. The Sapper, January 1935, p. 495.
27. The Sapper, February 1935, p. 519.
28. The Sapper, April 1935, p. 576.
29. The Sapper, May 1935, p. 603.
30. The Sapper, June 1935, p. 637.
31. The Sapper, July 1935, p. 652.
32. The Sapper, August 1935, p. 25.
33. The Sapper, September 1935, p. 46.
34. The Sapper, October 1935, p. 73.
35. The Sapper, May 1936, p. 255.

Service Papers  

Royal Engineers Tracer Cards.

ENDNOTES: