Home Page

1536 (later 476278) Sapper BENJAMIN BROADHEAD
Royal Engineers
and 319517 Private, Royal Flying Corps,
later 2nd Lieutenant, Royal Air Force

by
Lieutenant Colonel Edward De Santis ©2008

ENLISTMENT(1)

Enlisted as 1536 Sapper, 1st West Riding of Yorkshire Field Company, R.E. (Territorial Force).

UNIT OF ASSIGNMENT(2)

1st West Riding of Yorkshire Field Company, R.E., later redesignated the 457th (West Riding) Field Company, R.E. with the 49th Division.

ACTIVE SERVICE IN THE GREAT WAR(3)

Arrived in France and Flanders on 20 June 1915.

BATTLES, CAMPAIGNS & UNIT LOCATIONS(3,4)

Battle of Albert (The Somme), 1 to 13 July 1916

Battle of Bazentin, 14 to 17 July 1916

Battle of Flers-Courcelette, 15 to 22 September 1916

Transferred to the Royal Flying Corps

Applied for the award of the 1914-15 Star, 1 March 1919

Discharged from the Royal Flying Corps to accept a commission, 20 March 1919

Commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force

Posted to the North Western Area, Royal Air Force

Relinquished his commission in 1924

Address after leaving the RAF was Adelphic Hotel, Glasgow, Scotland and later 13 Sarah Court, Masborough, Rotherham, South Yorkshire.

MEDAL ENTITLEMENTS(3)

1914-15 Star

British War Medal

Victory Medal

NOTE: Duplicate awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal were presented to him for his service in the Royal Flying Corps.

REFERENCES

  1. Naming on the Victory Medal.
  2. Army Council Instructions (ACI) 2243 Appendix 192, of 1916.
  3. Medal Index Card.
  4. Battle Honours of the Royal Engineers. The Royal Engineers Journal, Institution of Royal Engineers, Chatham, Kent, 1925-32.