Sapper

Sapper (abbreviated Spr) is the Royal Engineers' equivalent of Private. This is also the case within the Indian Army Corps of Engineers, Canadian Military Engineers, Royal Australian Engineers,[1] South African Army Engineer Formation and Royal New Zealand Engineers. The term Sapper was introduced in 1856 when the Corps of Royal Sappers and Miners was amalgamated with the officer Corps of Royal Engineers to form the Corps of Royal Engineers.

Sapper Richard Worker

 

Sapper Richard Worker, 807, 1/2nd Field Company, East Anglian Royal Engineers, was killed in action at Gallipoli on September 21st, 1915. It would have been his 20th birthday on October 6th.

Parents George and Isabella Worker, of 87 Warwick Road, Luton, were officially notified of his death on October 8th, after reference had been made to their son's death in letters from his comrades, who said a shell dropped into the workshop in which a party of the Engineers were working. Sapper Worker was struck and killed.

Sapper Arthur Alec Frost

 

Sapper Arthur Alec (Aleck or Alick)* Frost, 1663, 1st (East Anglian) Field Company Royal Engineers, was killed in action on June 25th, 1915. He was aged 25.

Born in Luton in late 1889, the former secretary of Glendale Football Club, whose parents Frederick and Emeline** Lonsdale Frost lived at 82 Park Road West, Luton, enlisted in the Engineers in October 1914 and was drafted to the front around Easter 1915.

Sapper William Edwin Abrahams

 

Sapper William Edwin Abrahams, 1379, No 2 Section, 1/2nd Field Company, East Anglian Royal Engineers, died on September 2nd, 1915, from wounds sustained the previous day at Gallipoli. He had celebrated his 20th birthday on August 27th.

News of his death was sent to his remarried mother, Lilian Harrison at 6 Selbourne Road, Luton, in a letter dated September 2nd from Lieut G. M. Michaelis, commanding No 2 section.

Sapper Albert Walter Bunker

 

Saddler Albert Walter Bunker, 1779, 2/1st (East Anglian) Field Company, was killed in action in Gallipoli on August 21st*, 1915. He was aged 20.

The son of harness maker Albert Bunker and his wife Ella, he and an older brother (Charles Percy) and two younger sisters ( Edith and Ada) lived at 4 Bridge Street, Luton. At the time of the 1911 Census they were living at 7 Alma Street, Saddler Bunker being listed as Walter Albert, aged 15.

Sapper William John Long

William John Long was born in Woburn in August 1875. He was 1 of 9 children born into the large Roman Catholic family of Arthur & Mary.

His father & elder brother Samuel were carpenters & joiners, so William followed into the family business.

William married Annie Mary Ann Dewar on 10th August 1898.

In 1901 William & Annie are living at 36 Ashton Road with their young family, Hilda Annie is 2 & Ethel Alice is just 1 month old.

Sapper Nathaniel John Fowler

 

Sapper Nathaniel John Fowler, 1511, 1st/2nd (North Midland) Field Company, Royal Engineers, died on April 21st, 1915, from abdomens wounds received in action on April 18th. Aged 31 and a native of Harpenden, he lived at Leagrave and left a widow and two children.

Sapper Fowler was the son of the late Mr James Fowler, a bootmaker, of Wheathampstead Road, Harpenden, and his widow, and had three brothers living in Harpenden.

Sapper Ernest Sydney Crick

Ernest Sydney Crick was born in Luton in 1886 to William & Elizabeth.

He was the youngest of 7 children.

In 1891 aged 5 he is living with his parents & 5 of his siblings Emma 19, Eli 16, Albert 14, Arthur 11 & 8 year old Joseph at 64 Stopsley Green. His father is a Horse keeper, his mother & sister Emma are straw hat machinists, Eli is a farm labourer & Albert is a ploughboy. Ernest is at school with his brothers Arthur & Joseph.

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