"UBIQUE"
E-Mail:
REUbique@aol.com
Lieutenant
Colonel (Retired) Edward De Santis, MSCE, BSAE, PE, MInstRE
U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers
©
1999-2024. All Rights Reserved.
I have been a collector and researcher of medals, uniforms, militaria and photographs of officers, non-commissioned officers and men of the Royal Engineers and Engineers of the British Empire and Commonwealth for over 50 years.
On this site I present the names, ranks, and regimental and/or army numbers of the men whose medals or other militaria and photographs are in my collection. In some cases information pertaining to the lives and military service of the individuals is presented in detail. In other cases the information is presented in outline form to be expanded at a later date. Where further research is being undertaken you will find the notation (RESEARCH IN PROGRESS) indicated.
The purpose of this web site is two fold;
1) to provide information of interest to family, friends and fellow soldiers who served with these men, and;
2) to obtain additional information concerning the lives and service of these men from anyone who knew them or served with them.
As my research work is always ongoing, new names and details will be added to the site on a regular basis. If you have any information regarding any of the individuals who appear on this site, or if you would just like to comment on the site or correct any inaccuracies or errors, please contact me. Please contact me as well if you have an interest in the military service of any individual listed on the site for whom service details have not yet been provided. I will be happy to provide you with what I have even before I post the information on the site. Each of the sites listed below has a guest book. Please sign in and let me have your comments and questions.
New additions to the web site will be posted at the bottom of this home page. Please be sure to check for new names or notices regarding the posting of new service details to any existing name. Links to new names are posted in red. Links to new information for previous listed individuals will be posted in blue.
To search this site you may first go to the page for the Corps in which you are interested under "Places to Go" listed below. You can then search each page by using "Find (in page)" under "Edit" or you can simply scroll through the pages. Good luck!
In Memory of
1870074 Warrant
Officer Class I JOHN FIRTH,
Royal
Engineers
(1910-2005)
Tribute and Farewell to an Old Comrade
My old friend and comrade Jack Firth died peacefully in bed on Friday, 19 August 2005, a month after his 95th birthday and shortly after the 60th anniversary of VJ Day. I will miss his friendly smile and optimistic outlook on life, which he maintained despite his suffering during World War 2 as a prisoner of the Japanese. I can only imagine how he must have suffered working on the infamous Siam to Burma Railway. It is a tribute to his toughness of body and spirit that he lived more than a half-century beyond those dreadful years in captivity.
REST IN PEACE, JACK
In
Memory of
Colonel
ARTHUR VINCENT BURGE, MBE, BEM, R.E.
(1919-1991)
Arthur started his military service in 1938 when he enlisted in the Royal Military Police. He was mobilized for service in World War 2 and was with the British Expeditionary Force in France in 1940 and was evacuated from Dunkirk. He served in the Western Desert, in Sicily and in Italy and was mentioned in despatches three times. He had risen to the rank of Regimental Sergeant Major before he was demobilized in 1947. He returned to service in 1953, this time as an officer with the Royal Engineers, and was posted to Hong Kong, Korea and Aden. He was promoted to the rank of Colonel in 1973 and he retired from the Army in 1979. Arthur was a good friend and a true British gentleman. He assisted me on many occasions with my research dealing with the service of officers and men of the Royal Engineers and was always willing to lend a hand with a smile and without any hesitation. Sadly he died at his home in Cirencester on the 30th of January 1991. I still miss his cheerful smile and quiet voice.
REST IN PEACE, SIR.
Places to Go
The Corps of Royal Engineers is divided by ranks; that is, officers, non- commissioned officers and other ranks. These may be searched by clicking the appropriate category below.
1) Officers
3) Other Ranks
British Pioneer Battalions and Labour Corps (Great War Period).
British Army Post Office Corps, including the 24th Middlesex Rifle Volunteers, during the Boer War period
The Royal Canadian Engineers and Canadian Military Engineers, including, Canadian Engineers, Canadian Infantry Works Companies, Canadian Railway Troops and the Canadian Forestry Corps
Canadian Pioneer Battalions (Great War Period).
The Royal Australian Engineers, including Australian Engineers and Pioneer Battalions of the Great War Period.
South African Engineer Corps, including the South African Railway and Harbour Brigade
Indian Sappers & Miners and Indian Engineers, including the Military Engineer Service, Indian Telegraph Department, Indian Public Works Department and the Indian Survey Department
Indian Engineers, including the Bengal and Bombay Engineer Groups (post 1947)
Pakistan Engineers (post 1947)
Indian Pioneer Regiments, including the Bombay Pioneers, Madras Pioneers, Sikh Pioneers and Hazara Pioneers
Colonial Units, including the Railway Pioneer Regiment, Rhodesian Engineers and the Indian Railway Volunteer Rifle Corps
Non-Engineers, including officers, non-commissioned officers and other ranks of other Corps, Regiments and Departments of the British Army and armies of the British Empire and Commonwealth
Information is required on the following individuals:
Photographs wanted for the following individuals:
Major Sydney Alfred Greenfield, R.E.
Captain
William Henry Folkes, R.E.
Major Charles David Riddel, T.D.,
East Lancashire Regiment
Captain Henry James Dean,
R.E.
Brigadier-General Leslie Innes Jacques, C.B., C.B.E., M.C.,
late Royal Engineers
Last Update: 16 December 2024
New
Names:
Colonel
Chichester De Windt Crookshank, D.L., J.P., K.S.J., F.S.A. (added 9
June 2024)
Crookshank, Sydney D’Aguilar, K.C.M.G., C.B.,
C.I.E., D.S.O., M.V.O., K.St.J.
Major Walter Henry Lace, M.C.,
R.E. (added 11 July 2024)
Captain Edward Molesworth Walpole
Sealy (added 18 July 2024)
Major Cyril Spencer Wilson, M.C.,
R.E. (added 23 July 2024)
Lieutenant Frederick William Cooper,
M.C., R.E. (added 31 July 2024)
Lieutenant John Spouse, C.E.
(added 24 November 2024)
Colonel Frank Ridley Farrer Boileau,
R.E. (added 9 December 2024)
New
Information:
Lieutenant
Colonel Henry Schofield Rogers, CMG, DSO (added 14 April 2024)
Major
James Gordon Goodfellow, M.C., R.E. (added 29 April 2024) – see
Frederick William Anderson
Colonel Frederick Augustus Le
Mesurier, C.B., R.E. (added 5 June 2024)
Lieutenant Colonel
Arthur Alexander Crookshank, R.E. (added 5 July 2024)
3218
Sapper George May, R.E. (added 9 December 2024)
4219 Sapper
William Varley, R.E. (added 10 December 2024)
4214
Sapper Alfred Smith, R.E. (added 16 December 2024)
In
Search of Information on Relatives of Visitors to this Website
In
an effort to assist visitors to this website, we are pleased to list
the names of relatives of visitors. Please visit the "In Search
Of" page by clicking on the words above. If anyone has any
information regarding the military service of the men listed on this
page, please contact their relatives by clicking on the name. Your
help will be appreciated.
Battle
Honours of the Royal Engineers and Engineers of the British Empire in
the Great War of 1914-1918
Click
above to select the units you wish to find.
Chronological
Outlines of Units of the Royal Engineers and Engineers of the British
Empire
in the Second World War, 1939-1945 and beyond
Click
above to select the units you wish to find.
Visit these sites of special interest to collectors of British medals and militaria.
The Naval & Military Press. Offering specialist books for the serious student of conflict.
Canadian Society of Military Medals and Insignia. Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria of Canada and the British Empire.
Orders and Medals Research Society. To promote and foster a general interest in the study of orders, decorations and medals.
Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Records of 1.7 million Commonwealth soldiers who died in both world wars.
Royal Engineers Association. Keep in touch with serving and ex-Sappers in the U.K. and around the world.
National Archives of Canada. Soldiers of the First World War Canadian Expeditionary Force.