48254 Sapper J. Fleming
Royal Engineers
by
Lieutenant Colonel Edward De Santis ©2008
Fleming enlisted as a Sapper in the Royal Engineers and was post to the 83rd Field Company, R.E. at Chatham in September of 1914. In February of 1915 his company was assigned to the 20th Division which was forming at Whitley. In April of 1915 the division was in training on Salisbury Plain and by the 20th of July 1915 Fleming's company was at Amesbury.
The 20th Division arrived at Lumbres, France on the 26th of July 1915. It moved into the Laventie Sector where it remained until the 21st of January 1916. On the 22nd of January 1916 the 83rd Field Company moved to the Ypres Salient when it remained until the 1st of June 1916. From this date on, the company was engaged in the following major actions:
Mount Sorrel: 2 June 1916
Delville Wood: 15 July 1916
Guillemont: 3 September 1916
Flers-Courcelette: 15 September 1916
Morval: 25 September 1916
Le Transloy: 1 October 1916
Pilckem: 31 July 1917
Langemarck: 16 August 1917
Menin Road: 20 September 1917
Polygon Wood: 26 September 1917
Cambria: 20 November 1917
St. Quentin: 21 March 1918
Rosieres: 26 March 1918
Pursuit to Mons: 28 September - 11 November 1918.
Sapper Fleming survived the war. For his service he was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
REFERENCE:
Battle Honours of the Royal Engineers. The Royal Engineer Journal, 1925-1932.