Captain Maurice Joseph Colclough, Royal Engineers

163258 Captain
MAURICE JOSEPH COLCLOUGH
Royal Engineers
(formerly 1868629 Company Sergeant Major, R.E.)

Lieutenant Colonel Edward De Santis, MSCE, PE, MInstRE
Ó 2021. All Rights Reserved.

Figure 1. Crest of the Corps of Royal Engineers.
(Image courtesy of S. Gase)

The principal references used in the preparation of this narrative were from a number of sources. They include military documents, official registries in the United Kingdom, a number of family trees, The London Gazette, The Sapper magazine and internet web sites. All sources are contained in the REFERENCE section at the end of the narrative and are cited throughout in the ENDNOTES. Every effort has been made to accurately portray the life and military service of Captain Colclough. Additional information regarding Captain Colclough’s life and military service may be available from the Army Personnel Centre in Glasgow. Unfortunately this agency has been working with minimum staffing due to the COVID-19 virus and requests for military service papers have been put on hold pending the improved situation with the pandemic. This research was prompted by a medal from the Royal Engineers Training Battalion that was awarded to him during his recruit training. This medal was acquired by the author some years and it is described in detail in Section 8 of this report.

2. FAMILY INFORMATION AND EARLY LIFE

Maurice Joseph Colclough’s great grandfather, Robert Colclough was born in November 1916 in Newtownforbes, County Longford, Ireland. Robert Colclough enlisted in the 15^th Hussars in Dublin on 12 March 1834, Regimental Number 445, thus beginning the military history of the Colclough family.[1]

At the time of Robert’s enlistment the regiment had been stationed in Ireland since April of 1834. Sailing to Bombay and then Madras in 1840 the regiment reached Bangalore, a major British garrison at that time, where it remained for 13 years. The 15^th Hussars returned to England (Exeter) in 1854. While the regiment itself was not committed to the Crimean War (1853-56), in a controversial aspect of what was to become famous as 'The Charge of the Light Brigade', it was Captain Louis Nolan of the 15th Hussars who, in his capacity as a Staff Officer to Lord Raglan, conveyed the misunderstood order to 'charge the guns' to Lord Lucan.[2]

Robert Colclough left the 15^th Hussars and transferred to the 12^th Royal Lancers in 1854. On 1 February 1854 when he joined his new regiment, 1385 Lance Sergeant Robert Colclough, 12^th Royal Lancers soon was destined for the war in the Crimea. In 1855 the 12^th Royal Lancers sailed from India to the Crimea to reinforce the Light Cavalry Brigade, which had been decimated by the charge at Balaclava and the severity of the winter of 1854. For its service in the Crimea Robert’s the regiment received the battle honour ‘Sevastopol.’ During the winter of 1855 Lance Sergeant Colclough spent 52 days in hospital at Scutari.[3]

Figure 3. Trooper, 12^th Royal Lancers
(Image courtesy of British Cavalry Regiments)

Robert Colclough, an Army Pensioner, died at the Infirmary of the Chelsea Royal Hospital on 14 December 1895.

Maurice Joseph Colclough’s grandfather, Robert Francis Colclough, was born in Bangalore, India on 14 May 1849 while his father was serving in the 15^th Hussars. Robert joined the 11^th Hussars at Westminster, London on 24 June 1867 (Regimental Number 983).

The 11th served in India for 11 years (1866-1877) and created for itself a good reputation while there. The regiment had two fine commanding officers, Charles Fraser VC up until 1873, and then Arthur Lyttleton-Annesley. Two of the squadrons were mounted on bays while the third was on greys. The regiment consistently had glowing inspection reports and was praised for 'the cordial good feeling which prevails throughout all ranks, and the almost total absence of crime.'[4] Just how long Robert Colclough remained with regiment was not determined during the course of this research. It appears, however, that he had the good fortune to serve with a fine cavalry regiment. Robert Francis Colclough died in Kingston, Surrey on 21 January 1929.

Figure 4. Trooper, 11^th Hussars, Crimean War.
(Photograph courtesy of Wikipedia)

Maurice Joseph Colclough’s father, Maurice Colclough, was born on 27 May 1883 in the Army Barracks of the 11^th Hussars at Nechells, Birmingham. Maurice served in the Great War of 1914 to 1918 and rose to the rank of Colour Sergeant (Regimental Number 5949) in the Royal Irish Fusiliers. Maurice Colclough was discharged from the Army on 11 July 1921.[5] For his service during the war he was awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal.[6]

Figure 5. The Medal Index Card of Colour Sergeant Maurice Colclough.
(Image courtesy of Ancestry.com)

Maurice Joseph Colclough was born on 5 June 1912 at 20 Asylum Road in Caterham, Surrey.[7] His father had married Kathleen Kinna (1889-1976) in Godstone, Surrey in January of 1911. The Colcloughs were Roman Catholics.

The 1911 Census indicates that the couple was living in Army Barracks of the Royal Irish Fusiliers at Barracks Hill, Armagh, Ireland prior to Maurice Joseph’s birth. As a senior Non-Commissioned Officer Maurice Colclough would have been married with leave; that is, with the permission of his commanding officer. He and his wife would have been placed on the married roll, thereby giving his wife the benefits that came with this status. A man who married without permission had a hard time indeed, for his wife and children were denied quarters of any sort and were given no extra rations; the wife had to work or starve.” Fortunately this was not the case for the Colclough family.

A glance at a map of Surrey shows that Caterham, where young Maurice was born, lies a little more than six miles due north of Godstone where the Colclough’s were married. Kathleen’s family probably lived in this area and it may be safe to assume that Kathleen went to live with her family prior to giving birth rather than having her baby in the army barracks in Ireland. She certainly would have gone to her family’s home during the Great War while her husband was in France.

Maurice Joseph Colclough enlisted as a Boy Soldier in the Royal Engineers on 6 September 1927 for a period of 8 years with the Colours and 4 years in the Army Reserve. He was 15 years old at the time of his enlistment. Once his enlistment was certified he was given Army Number 1868629 and sent to the Army Technical School in Chepstow, Wales.[8] His enlistment must surely have been influenced by the fact that his father, grandfather and great-grandfather had all been serving soldiers.

Colclough would receive his military training at a relatively new Army school. The advent of mechanized warfare during the Great War left the Army requiring technically-skilled tradesmen in large numbers. Realizing that not enough qualified tradesmen would be able to be recruited from civilian life, the Army Council resolved in 1919 to develop a system to train boys as tradesmen directly after leaving school. There were already a few boys' training establishments in existence; but the decision was taken to establish a new central school, which would be able to accommodate around a thousand boys. This led to the opening of the Boys' Technical School at Chepstow on 28 February 1924. Five years later in 1929 it was renamed Army Technical School (Boys). Recruits joined as Apprentice Tradesmen at age 14 or 15, and usually spent three to four years at the school before being posted to one of the Army's technical corps (mainly Royal Artillery, Royal Engineers, Royal Army Service Corps and Royal Tank Regiment).[9] Maurice completed his training at Chepstow and joined the ranks of the Royal Engineers as a Sapper on 5 June 1930.

Sapper Colclough went from Chepstow to “B” Company of the Royal Engineers Training Battalion where he underwent his recruit training as an engineer soldier. Upon completion of his training his trade designation was Electrician, A, III.[10] It was at this time that he was awarded the medal mentioned in Section 1 of this narrative. Further details regarding this medal will be provided in Section 7.

Following his recruit training at Chatham, Sapper Colclough was posted to the 4^th Fortress Company at Gosport, Hampshire. He arrived at Gosport on 16 May 1931 but remained there for a very short time. As the Royal Engineers School of Electric Lighting was located at Gosport, Colclough, as an Electrician, may have spent some weeks at the school.

On 5 August 1931 he was posted to the 33^rd (Fortress) Company in Southern Ireland. The role of a fortress company was to assist in the defence of ports and harbours that had significant military importance. This was accomplished by the use of mines and searchlights and by supporting the Royal Artillery garrison co-located with the fortress company. As an Electrician he most likely was primarily involved in the repair and maintenance of the searchlights being used for harbour defense and perhaps even the electrical cable that were used for the submarine mines at the fortress.

One of the primary fortresses in Southern Ireland was that at Spike Island off the coast at Cork. The 33^rd (Fortress) Company had detachments stationed at Spike Island and it is probable that Colclough spent some time on the island.

On 29 September 1933 Sapper Colclough was posted to “C” Company of the 1^st Anti-Aircraft Searchlight Battalion at Blackdown, Surrey. His posting to this unit again appears to be related to his trade as an Electrician and perhaps also with his experience working with searchlights in the fortress companies. Presumably he was able to function as a member of a searchlight section. A typical searchlight of the period was mounted on a 4-wheel cart and was towed into position by horses or perhaps by a light truck or tractor. The carbon-arc searchlight shown in Figure 7 below was manned by a 7-man section consisting of a sergeant, a corporal or lance corporal and five sappers. Colclough may have served in a section such as this.

During this period many men of the Royal Engineers were being posted to duties with anti-aircraft searchlight units as these units were being organized, trained and deployed in the United Kingdom and overseas to react to potential enemy air attacks.

Figure 7. A Royal Engineers Anti-Aircraft Searchlight Section.
(Photograph from the author’s collection)

On 1 April 1934 Colclough was transferred to “B” Company of the battalion. Then on 1 October he was posted to “A” Company. While with “A” Company he was promoted to the rank of Lance Corporal on 1 June 1935 and he remained with the company until the fall of 1935. His transfer between companies of the 1^st Anti-Aircraft Searchlight Battalion may indicate some of the growing pains that the battalion was experiencing during it formation and reorganization.

Lance Corporal Colclough was posted to the island of Malta on 3 September 1935 as one of the Malta Reinforcements sent there by the War Office as a precaution against an Italian invasion. The infantry reinforcements for the island consisted of the 14^th Infantry Brigade composed of the 2^nd Lincolnshire Regiment, the 2^nd South Wales Borderers and the 1^st King’s Own Scottish Borderers. These units arrived on 28 September. The Royal Engineers on Malta at this time consisted of the following units:

· Headquarters Fortress R.E. Malta with a strength of 2 Officers and 3 Other Ranks

The role of the two fortress companies was to provide searchlight support to anti-aircraft and anti-shipping artillery batteries as well as engineer works in and around the harbour areas of Malta. Specifically, the companies and the R.E. Works Service personnel were employed on the following types of projects:

The 24^th (Fortress) Company was located in Floriana Barracks and the 16^th (Fortress) Company was based at Marsamxett Barracks. Without his complete service records it is not possible to know to which unit Colclough was posted.

Colclough returned to the U.K. on 9 October 1936 and was again posted to “C” Company of the 1^st Anti-Aircraft Battalion. He was appointed a Temporary Corporal on 29 January 1937 and on 27 February 1937 he was made a full Corporal. On 8 December 1937 Corporal Colclough was posted to “E” Company of the 2^nd Anti-Aircraft Battalion, probably indicating the need for junior Non-Commissioned Officers with searchlight experience for this newly-formed battalion. He was promoted to Lance Sergeant on 18 April 1938 and on 12 June 1939 he was back with the 1^st Anti-Aircraft Battalion.

Lance Sergeant Colclough was posted to the Army Training School (Boys) at Chatham on 23 June 1939 where he probably served as an Instructor. He served there until 12 January 1941 when he was discharged from the ranks so that he could accept a commission as a Lieutenant in the Royal Engineers. At the time of his discharge he was a Company Sergeant Major.[11]

Great Britain had been at war with Germany since September of 1939 and it became obvious that experienced men were required as officers within the Corps of Royal Engineers. Colclough was considered to be one such individual with a considerable amount of experience in fortress companies and anti-aircraft searchlight battalions.

Maurice Joseph Colclough received an Emergency Commission from the War Office on 13 January 1941 as a Lieutenant (Army Number 163258). On 13 January 1942 his Emergency Commission was changed to that of a Lieutenant in the Royal Engineers.[12] No information was uncovered regarding his service during World War 2. It might be assumed that he served with an anti-aircraft searchlight unit, although most of these duties were turned over to the Royal Artillery during the war. Unfortunately during the course of this research only the following limited information was uncovered regarding Colclough’s postings as a commissioned officer.

Colclough was promoted to Captain on 13 January 1948. In February of 1948 he was serving in Palestine and was awarded the General Service Medal (GVIR) with clasp [PALESTINE 1945-1948] for this service.[13] This medal was issued to men who served in Palestine from 27 September of 1945 to 30 June 1948, during the upheavals prior to the birth of Israel. In April of 1948 he was stationed at Barton Stacey in Hampshire,[14] a large training area and Royal Engineers depot.

Colclough had a Short Service Commission. On 24 July 1954 he was transferred from the Active List to the Reserve of Officers, retaining his rank of Captain and his present seniority.[15] He left the Army and took up residence with his family in Surrey and on 5 June 1967 “having attained the age limit (55 years) relinquished his commission and was granted the honorary rank of Captain.”[16]

Figure 7a. Captain Maurice Joseph Colclough, Royal Engineers.
(Photograph courtesy of Sandy Wilder)

The following sections are presented in tabular form to summarize Colclough’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.

Colclough received the following promotions and appointments during his time in service:

Date of Promotion or Appointment	Rank or Position
6 September 1927	Boy Soldier, upon enlistment in the Royal Engineers.
5 June 1930	Sapper, upon attaining the age of 18.
1 June 1935	Promoted Lance Corporal.
29 January 1937	Appointed Temporary Corporal.
27 February 1937	Promoted Corporal.
18 April 1938	Promoted Lance Sergeant.
About 1940	Company Sergeant Major.
13 January 1941	Commissioned Lieutenant, Royal Engineers.
13 January 1948	Promoted Captain.

6 September 1927 to 5 June 1930

Trade training at the Army Technical School, Chepstow.Qualified as an Electrician, A, III.

5 June 1930 to

16 May 1931

School of Military Engineering, Chatham.Qualified as a Sapper.

Since Colclough’s service during World War 2 is uncertain, it is difficult to determine which medals he might have received for service during the war. His service papers would provide details regarding these awards. He may have been eligible to receive the Defence Medal and War Medal as a minimum.

Colclough is known to have received the General Service Medal 1918-1964 with clasp [PALESTINE 1945-48] and he may also have received the Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal.

Figure 8. General Service Medal 1918-1964 with Clasp [PALESTINE 1945-48]
(Photograph from the author’s collection)
NOTE: This is not Captain Colclough’s medal.

As indicated in Section 1 of this narrative he did receive the Royal Engineers Training Battalion Medal for Physical Training shown in Figures 9 and 10 below. The obverse of the medal includes the Royal Engineers collar badge (a 9-flame grenade) over a scroll containing the word UBIQUE.[17] Under the scroll with the word UBIQUE is a 3-segment scroll containing the Latin words “Quo Fas Et Gloria Ducunt” meaning "Where Right And Glory Lead.” The reverse of the medal contains an engraved inscription that reads:

Captain Colclough was released from service (the Reserve of Officers) on 5 June 1967, having attained the age limit for continued service. His total service was reckoned as shown in the tables below:

Location	Period of Service
Chepstow, Wales	6 September 1927 to 4 June 1930
Chatham, Kent	5 June 1930 to 15 May 1931
Gosport, Hampshire	16 May 1931 to 4 August 1931
Southern Ireland	5 August 1931 to 28 September 1933
Blackdown, Surrey	29 September 1933 to 2 September 1935
Malta	3 September 1935 to 8 October 1936
Blackdown, Surrey	9 October 1936 to 22 June 1939
Chatham	23 June 1939 to 12 January 1941
London (War Office?)⁽¹⁾	13 January 1941 to February 1948
Palestine⁽²⁾	February 1948 to April 1948
Barton Stacey, Hampshire	April 1948 to 24 July 1954
Reserve of Officers	25 July 1954 to 5 June 1967

Location	Period of Service
Service as a Boy Soldier	2 years, 8 months and 30 days
Home Service in the Ranks	10 years, 7 months and 8 days
Active Commissioned Service	13 years, 6 months and 11 days
Service Abroad	1 year, 3 months and 6 days
Total Service (Active)	26 years, 10 months and 19 days
Total Service (Reserve)	12 years, 10 months and 12 days

NOTE: His total active service of 26 years, 10 months and 19 days includes his time as a Boy Soldier.

Maurice Joseph Colclough married Ivy B. Robins in Aldershot, Hampshire in March 1953 when he was stationed at Barton Stacey. He was 40 years old when they married. The Colcloughs had one child, Maurice John Colclough (1953-2006), born on 2 September 1953 in Oxford. He died in Pembrokeshire, Wales on 27 January 2006. No record of Ivy’s death was found during this research project.
b. Parents

Maurice Joseph Colclough’s father died at Bethnal Green, London in March of 1944. His mother “Katie,” as she was known to family and friends, died in Surrey on 5 March 1976.

According to family trees found on Ancestry.com, Maurice Joseph Colclough had no brothers or sisters.

Very little information was found regarding Colclough’s life after leaving the Army. Electoral Registers show that he and his wife were living in Reigate, Surrey during the period from 1958 to 1962. Presumably they were living there many years prior to 1958 and after 1962. There is some evidence that they resided in Surrey for many years, although all those years may not have been in Reigate.

Maurice Joseph Colclough died on 18 January 1984 in southeastern Surrey. He was buried in the churchyard of St. John the Evangelist Church, Dormansland, in the Tandridge District of Surrey.

Figure 11. The Churchyard of St. John the Evangelist.
(Photograph courtesy of Wikipedia)

Although his parents were Catholics it appears that Captain Colclough was a member of the Church of England. St John's is the local Anglican church in the village of Dormansland.

Figure 12. The Grave of Captain M.J. Colclough, R.E.
(Photograph courtesy of the Colclough Family Trees)

The information contained in this Addendum was provided by Margaret Robinson from New Zealand (m@robinson.org.nz):

Maurice Joseph Colclough and Ivy Robins did in fact have three children; Maurice John Colclough (1953-2006), Sandra A. Colclough, now Wilder, (1955-) and Robin C. Colclough (1961-). This information corrects the statement in Section 10 of the narrative indicating that they only had one child.

Kathleen (Katie) Kinna also came from a long line of soldiers. Based on research done by Margaret Robinson it was determined that Margaret’s Great-Great Grandfather Thomas Kinna had 10 sons and 5 daughters. Seven of the sons served in the British Army. Thomas served in the 15^th Regiment of Foot (The East Yorkshire Regiment), the 99^th Regiment of Foot and the 1^st West India Regiment, serving in the latter as the Regimental Sergeant Major. He was twice court-martialed while in this regiment and was transferred back to the UK where he joined the Militia. He went on to serve as a Quartermaster Sergeant in the Crimea, where apparently his previous misconduct had been overlooked.

One of Thomas Kinna’s daughters, Eliza, married one Solomon Reid who served in the Royal Engineers during the Indian Mutiny. He earned the Indian Mutiny Medal with clasp [LUCKNOW]. This medal is now in Margaret’s possession.

[1] Family Trees (Ancestry.com).

[2] British Cavalry Regiments.

[3] Family Trees (Ancestry.com)

[4] The British Empire.

[5] Family Trees.

[6] Medal Index Card and medal roll of the Royal Irish Fusiliers.

[7] Tracer card and Family Trees.

[8] Tracer card.

[9] Army Apprentice College (Wikipedia).

[10] Tracer card.

[11] London Gazette, 24 February 1941.

[12] London Gazette, 11 April 1947.

[13] Medal roll.

[14] Ibid.

[15] London Gazette, 31 August 1954.

[16] London Gazette, 6 June 1967.

[17] UBIQUE, Latin for EVERYWHERE to indicate that the Royal Engineers are present in all battles; hence, the Corps of Royal Engineers do not receive individual battle honours like the infantry and cavalry. The Royal Artillery also bears this honour.


Figure 9. R.E.T.B. Medal (obverse)	Figure 10. R.E.T.B. Medal (reverse)
Medal in the author’s collection.

2. FAMILY INFORMATION AND EARLY LIFE

Date of Promotion or Appointment

Location

Location

Total Service (Active)

Total Service (Reserve)