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2^nd Lieutenant
ARNOLD RUDD
Royal Engineers 

by 

Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Edward De Santis, MSCE, P.E., MinstRE
(April 2024)

Figure 1. 2^nd Lieutenant Arnold Rudd, R.E.
(Image courtesy of the Imperial War Museum) 

1.  INTRODUCTION 

            This story of the life and military service of Arnold Rudd is not as complete as it could be.  His military service papers are available at The National Archives at Kew, Reference WO 339/67682.  Unfortunately, they have not been digitized and cannot be downloaded from the TNA web site.  They are Public Records, but one must go to Kew to obtain copies.  I am not located in the U.K., therefore I am unable to do so – at least not just now. 

2.  FAMILY INFORMATION AND EARLY LIFE

Family Information

            Arnold was the son of Robert Willis Rudd (1868-1919), a teacher in the town of Sunderland, Durham.  His mother was Edith Mary Rudd, née Metcalfe (1870-?).  The Rudds had one other child, Thomas Rudd, born in Sunderland in April 1900.[1] 

Early Life

            The 1911 Census of England and Wales shows the Rudd family living at 24 Ivanhoe Crescent in Sunderland.  Robert Rudd’s occupation is shown as Head Teacher and both Arnold and Thomas are students in the Bede Collegiate School in Sunderland.   

Figure 2. 24 Ivanhoe Crescent, Sunderland.
(Image courtesy of Google Earth) 

Figure 3. Bede Collegiate School.
(Image couresy of Wikipedia)

           Following his years at Bede Collegiate School, Arnold entered Sunderland Technical College, which had been established as a municipal training college in 1901.  It was there that he studied Civil Engineering.  On 23 March 1915 he became a student attached to the Institution of Civil Engineers while he was residing at 28 Thornhill Gardens in Sunderland. 

Figure 4.  Sunderland Technical College.
(Image courtesy of Wikipedia) 

            It appears that while he was a student at Sunderland Technical College, Arnold Rudd enlisted in the Royal Engineers Militia – either the Royal Anglesey Royal Engineers (R.A.R.E.) or the Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers (R.M.R.E.).  Without access to his service papers some speculation is required to describe his service in the Militia.  

Figure 5.  The Medal Index Card of Arnold Rudd.
(Image courtesy of Ancestry.com) 

            From his Medal Index Card (M.I.C.) it can be seen that he enlisted as a Sapper, regimental number 7397.  His enlistment may have taken place as early as 1913 when he turned 18 years of age.  Four-digit regimental numbers in the six and seven thousand series typically were issued to men who enlisted in one of the companies of either the R.A.R.E. or R.M.R.E., the Special Reserve of the Corps of Royal Engineers.  The predominant units in the Militia were siege companies. Digitized war diaries during the Great War could be found at The National Archives (on line) for four siege companies of the R.A.R.E. and six siege companies of the R.M.R.E.[2]  

            The mission of the siege companies during the war was to provide general field engineering work at Army and Corps level to reinforce the work of the divisional engineers in the construction and maintenance of field works and fortifications.  This work involved the construction and repair of trench works; of redoubts and other strong points in or near the front line; of emplacements for numerous batteries of artillery; and of paths and roads which linked the front line to rear areas for supplies and reinforcements.  The destructive nature of the conflict presented the companies with constant tasks of repair work, but the static nature of trench warfare meant that there was little movement or change of command once the company came under control of its senior headquarters.[3] 

            The Militia units changed their regimental numbers in 1917. Instead of issuing a set of new numbers, 39 was added to the beginning of the old ones for the R.A.R.E. Similarly, 38 was added to the numbers of those serving with the R.M.R.E,[4]  This explains why Rudd’s regimental number, when he was appointed an Acting 2^nd Corporal, is shown as 397397.  This number would place him, therefore, in a unit of the R.A.R.E. 

            His M.I.C. also provides additional data with regard to his service.  The card shows that he went to France on 15 May 1915 and that he was commissioned on 20 April 1917.  This latter date is incorrect.  He actually was discharged from the ranks on that date, but was commissioned on the next day.[5] 

            If we trace the movements of the siege companies of the Royal Anglesey Royal Engineers during the Great War, we may have some idea of what Rudd did as an enlisted man in this Militia unit.  The Long, Long Trail web site indicates that the 4^th Siege Company of the R.A.R.E. was formed during November and December 1915 at the depot in Beaumaris, Anglesey, Wales.  The majority of men enlisted for this company were from Sunderland and other parts of the North East of England.  Since Rudd was a native of Sunderland it may be safe to assume that he was serving in the 4^th Siege Company.  This assumption, however, presents some difficulty.  Rudd’s Medal Index Card indicates that he went to France on 15 May 1915, but the 4^th Siege Company was not completely formed until December 1915.  Furthermore, the company did not arrive in France until 28 May 1916 when it landed at Le Havre.  What then was Rudd doing in France between 15 May 1915 and 28 May 1916?  This is a question that cannot be answered without referring to his service papers at The National Archives. 

3.  COMMISSIONING AND TRAINING 

Commissioning 

            The London Gazette of 7 May 1917 indicated that Arnold Rudd was a “Cadet to be a temporary 2^nd Lieutenant (on probation)” in the Royal Engineers.  His date of commissioning was 21 April 1917.  Placing him in a list of Cadets is interesting, as he had not been a member of the Officers Training Corps while at University, nor had he attended the Royal Military Academy at Woolwich.  From what we know of him (without his service papers), he was an Acting 2^nd Corporal in a siege company of the R.A.R.E.  How he became a “Cadet” is not understood by the author. 

Training 

It is not clear where Rudd would have received his training both before and after his commissioning.  Pre-war volunteers for the R.A.R.E. would sign on for a period of 6 years.  After preliminary training, men in the siege companies would attend another 5 years of annual training each summer, lasting between 3 and 5 weeks. The training would be spent at Kingsbridge camp, near Llanfaes.[6]  After his commissioning, and as a “Cadet,” he may have attended courses of training at the School of Military Engineering (S.M.E.) at Chatham.  His training at the S.M.E. would have consisted of the study of field fortifications, construction, surveying, telegraphy, electric lighting, submarine mining, photography, chemistry, military law and tactics.  Obviously, to attend the S.M.E., he would have had to return to the United Kingdom from France, leaving his R.A.R.E. unit.

4.  POSTINGS AND CAMPAIGN SERVICE

            Following his commissioning 2^nd Lieutenant Rudd was posted to the 63^rd Field Company, R.E. in the 9^th (Scottish) Division.  The other engineer units in the division at the time of his posting were the 64^th Field Company, the 90^th Field Company and the 9^th Divisional Signal Company, all under the command of Lieutenant Colonel H.C.B. Hickling, D.S.O., M.C., the 9^th Divisional Commander Royal Engineers (C.R.E.). 

            Another unit also performing field engineering duties for the 9^th Division was its pioneer battalion, the 9^th Battalion of the Seaforth Highlanders.  Pioneer battalions were essentially infantry with light military combat engineer skills and equipment,  located at the very forward edge of the battle area.  They were used to develop and enhance protection and mobility for supported troops and to deny it to the enemy.  They constructed defensive positions, command posts and dugouts, prepared barbed wire defences and on occasion breached those of the enemy using devices like the Bangalore Torpedo.  Their skills and capability were broad from building, construction and maintenance to road and track preparation and maintenance. They could also, and did quite often, fight as infantry.  2^nd Lieutenant Rudd surely had frequent contact with officers and men of the pioneer battalion while he served in the 9^th Division. 

            While serving in the 63^rd Field Company, 2^nd Lieutenant Rudd took part in numerous major actions on the Western Front.  The following is a list of those actions.[7]  Men of the company killed in each action are shown.  See Annex A for the full list of company losses during the time that Rudd was in the company. 

            Second Battle of the Scarpe:   23-24 April 1917

·         40166 Sapper Henry Pritchard Butterworth 

            Third Battle of the Scarpe:      3-4 May 1917 

            Battle of Menin Road:            20-25 September 1917 

            Battle of Poelcappelle:            9 October 1917 

            Battle of Passchendaele:         12 October 1917

·         160447 Sapper W.L. Clayden 

            Battle of St. Quentin:              21-23 March 1918

·         36769 Sapper William Wilson

·         53562 Driver James Savage 

            Battle of Bapaume:                 24-25 March 1918 

            The company War Diary recorded that on 25 March 1918 at 2000 hours, 40 Other Ranks under 2^nd Lieutenant Rudd were detailed as infantry and proceeded under a Captain named Young to Dernancourt.  On 27 March 1918, at 1200 hours, a Lieutenant Moffat with two Other Ranks destroyed the bridge over the River Ancre at Dernancourt.  It was a difficult operation, gallantly carried out.  The village had been evacuated and was being shelled by British artillery and 2^nd Lieutenant Rudd was killed by this artillery.  His party of 40 men rejoined the company.  There is no other fatal casualty from the company listed for that day.  The death of 552958 Sapper William James Edmondson is listed in Annex A.  He died on 28 March 1918.  He may have been with Rudd at Dernancourt and died of wounds caused by the same artillery fire that killed Rudd.
 

            Apparently Arnold Rudd’s body was not recovered.  His death is commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial, Panel 10.[8] 

Figure 6.  2^nd Lieutenant Rudd’s Name on the Pozieres Memorial.

(Image courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission) 

5. MEDALS, AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

            2^nd Lieutenant Rudd’s Medal Index Card shows that he was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal for his service.  The Commonwealth War Graves Commission indicates that he received a Mention in Despatches for his service, although a search of the London Gazette did not reveal that this MID was in fact made.  He may have been mentioned in despatches for his role at Dernancourt, but this could not be verified.

Figure 7.  The 1914-15 Star Trio with Mention in Despatches Oak Leaf.
(Image from the author’s collection)

            These medals would have been sent to his mother who was living at 28 Thornhill Gardens  in Sunderland.  In addition, Mrs. Rudd would have received a Memorial Plaque to commemorate his death during the war.  The plaque would have been cast of solid bronze with his name in the rectangle above the lion’s head as shown in the image below.

Figure 8.  The Memorial Plaque.
(Image from the author’s collection)

NOTE: The medals and plaque shown above are not those of Arnold Rudd.  They are presented here for illustrative purposes only.

ANNEX A
Fatal Casualties Suffered by the 63rd Field Company
During the Period that 2^nd Lieutenant Rudd Served with the Unit

 Casualties by Rank: 2^nd Lieutenants, 1: Sergeants, 1: 2^nd Corporals, 3: Lance Corporals, 2: Sappers, 15: Pioneers, 1: Drivers, 1.

Total: 24

REFERENCES: 

Books 

WATSON, G.  Militiamen and Sappers.  Hoope, Smeeden and Pope, Monmouth, Wales, 1996. 

Civil Documents 

1. 1911 Census of England and Wales.

2. UK Civil Engineers List, 1818-1930, July 1916, p. 260.

3. Commonwealth War Graves Commission: Fatal Casualties of the Royal Anglesey and Royal Monmouth Royal Engineers During the Great War.

4. Commonwealth War Graves Commission: Fatal Casualties of the 63^rd Field Company, Royal Engineers During the Great War.

5. Commonwealth War Graves Commission Index No. M.R.27, Pozieres Memorial, Part Eight.

6. Commonwealth War Graves Commission Commemoration for Second Lieutenant Arnold Rudd.  

Family Trees 

Ancestry.com: Arnold Rudd 

Internet Web Sites 

1. Imperial War Museum (IWM): Lives of the First World War: Royal Engineers.

https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/searchlives/Royal%20Engineers/filter/type%3Dagent 

2. The Long, Long Trail: Royal Anglesey Royal Engineers.

https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/the-corps-of-royal-engineers-in-the-first-world-war/royal-anglesey-royal-engineers/ 

3. Great War Forum.

https://www.greatwarforum.org/ 

London Gazette 

Supplement to the London Gazette, 7 May 1917, p.4344. 

Military Documents 

1. Medal Index Card.

2. War Diary, 4^th Siege Company, Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers.

3. Royal Engineers 9^th Division Operation Order No. 95, 28 February 1918.

4. Royal Engineers 9^th Division Operation Order No. 96, 10 March 1918.  

Periodicals 

Battle Honours of the Royal Engineers.  (BHRE). The Royal Engineers Journal, Chatham, Kent, 1925-1932.

ENDNOTES: