RE 59th (2nd North Midland) Division

8th May 1915 Football in Belgium

16th Oct 1915 The Derby Scheme

1st Dec 1915 Derby Scheme Armlets

11th Sep 1915 Last day of Derby Scheme Recruitment

18th Dec 1915 Military Funeral for Territorial

23rd Dec 1915 Christmas Parcels

10th Jan 1916 Group System Reopens

9th February 1916 Call Ups

If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.

Want to know more about the Royal Engineers?

There are:8880 items tagged Royal Engineers available in our Library

These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Great War.

Those known to have served with
RE 59th (2nd North Midland) Division
during the Great War 1914-1918.

Swallow Alfred Bailey. CSM. (d.21st Mar 1918)

All names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed, please Add a Name to this List

Records of RE 59th (2nd North Midland) Division from other sources.

The Wartime Memories Project is the original WW1 and WW2 commemoration website.

1st of September 2024 marks 25 years since the launch of the Wartime Memories Project. Thanks to everyone who has supported us over this time.

Want to find out more about your relative's service? Want to know what life was like during the Great War? Our Library contains many many diary entries, personal letters and other documents, most transcribed into plain text.

Looking for help with Family History Research?
Please see Family History FAQ's

Please note: We are unable to provide individual research.

Can you help?
The free to access section of The Wartime Memories Project website is run by volunteers and funded by donations from our visitors.
If the information here has been helpful or you have enjoyed reaching the stories please conside making a donation, no matter how small, would be much appreciated, annually we need to raise enough funds to pay for our web hosting or this site will vanish from the web.
If you enjoy this site please consider making a donation.

Announcements

19th Nov 2024
Please note we currently have a massive backlog of submitted material, our volunteers are working through this as quickly as possible and all names, stories and photos will be added to the site. If you have already submitted a story to the site and your UID reference number is higher than 264989 your submission is still in the queue, please do not resubmit.

Wanted: Digital copies of Group photographs, Scrapbooks, Autograph books, photo albums, newspaper clippings, letters, postcards and ephemera relating to the Great War. If you have any unwanted photographs, documents or items from the First or Second World War, please do not destroy them. The Wartime Memories Project will give them a good home and ensure that they are used for educational purposes. Please get in touch for the postal address, do not sent them to our PO Box as packages are not accepted.

World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar great battalion regiment artillery
Did you know? We also have a section on World War Two. and a Timecapsule to preserve stories from other conflicts for future generations.

261284

CSM. Alfred Bailey Swallow 470th Field Coy. Royal Engineers (d.21st Mar 1918)

470th Field Company, R.E., Alfred Swallow is 3rd row up 11 from left

Alfred Swallow was born in 1881 (April- June) at Grantham to William Swallow of Barrowby and Annie Swallow (nee Robinson) of Lincoln. At the time of the census of 1891, Alfred Bailey Swallow was age 9 years; Father William, age 50, was a wheelwright; and they were living at 16, Mile House Barrowby. Alfred Bailey Swallow married Ethel Martha Keal (born 1880 in Grantham) in 1907 (January- March) in Grantham. The union produced one child, Alfred Claud Swallow, born 1908 (July- September) in Grantham. At the time of the Census of 1911, Alfred's wife Ethel Martha Swallow, age 31, was living with their child Alfred Claud Swallow, age 3 years, and her younger brother Albert Maaman Keal, age 29, at 70, Grantley Street, Grantham. Alfred Bailey Swallow, a regular soldier, was killed in action 21st March 1918. Probate: Alfred Bailey Swallow of 46, Houghton Road, Grantham, Lincolnshire, a Company Sergeant Major in the Royal Engineers, died 21st March 1918 in France, administration Lincoln 5th November 1918 to Ethel Martha Swallow effects £ 191- 10s 5d. Son of the late Frederick William and Annie Swallow, of Barrow by Mill, Grantham; husband of Ethel Martha Swallow, of 46, Houghton Rd., Grantham. In March 1977, Ethel Martha Swallow died at age 97 in Grantham. (Researchers: Roy G Stedman and C J Anderson.)
He was awarded the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal; King George's Delhi Durbar Medal. Alfred is remembered on memorials at Grantham St John Spittlegate, Grantham St. Wulfrum, and Barrowby All Saints.
From the Grantham Journal, 4 May 1918: 'Mrs. Swallow, of 46 Houghton Road, Grantham, has been officially informed that her husband, Alfred Bailey Swallow, 2763, C.S.M. of a Field Company, R.E., has been missing since March 21st, and she will be glad to receive any information from his comrades concerning him. C.S.M. Swallow is the youngest son of the late Mr. W. F. Swallow, Barrowby. His friends believe he is a prisoner of war. He left Grantham as recently as March 14th after being home on fourteen days leave. He joined the Royal Engineers nineteen years ago, and has seen considerable foreign service. He was present throughout the Delhi Durbar, and received the Long Service Medal. His service in France covers two years, eight months'.
From the Grantham Journal, 11th January 1919: 'Mrs. Swallow, 46, Houghton Road, would be extremely grateful for any information concerning her husband C.S.M. A.B. Swallow, 470th Field Company, R.E, who went into action on the 21st March 1918. Since then he has not been heard of. It is supposed that he was taken prisoner. Unwounded, but no definite news can be obtained'.
From the Grantham Journal, 3rd May 1919: 'We much regret to announce that Co.-Sgt-Major Albert Bailey Swallow, 470th Field Company, R.E., reported missing on March 21st last year, has now been officially notified as dead. The youngest son of the late Mr. W. F. Swallow of Barrowby, the deceased was well known in the town, and his numerous friends will receive the sad news of his death with much sympathy. C.S.M. Swallow was a soldier by profession, and by conduct he was typical of all that a good soldier should be. He enlisted in the Engineers some twenty years ago, and had seen considerable foreign service, having served in Singapore, Aden and India. He was present on the occasion of the Delhi Durbar, for which he received a special medal, and he was also the holder of the Long Service Medal. On March 14th, last year he returned to military duties, after fourteen days' leave, and seven days later, whilst gallantly assisting to repel the German onslaught, he was severely wounded. That fact was not known at the time to his friends, who presumed that he had been taken prisoner, and nothing was heard of him until last November, when his wife was informed by a soldier returned from active service that her husband was badly wounded on March 21st, and left on the field. This has now been confirmed in a letter written by his commanding officer, Major L. Robinson. He writes "When I was at home, I saw one of my officers (Lieut. Hulse), who was taken prisoner on March 21st, and he told me that your husband was very badly wounded in the head, and they had to leave him when the Germans drove them back, and eventually captured them. There seemed no hope for your husband, and it appeared to be only a few minutes before he would pass away. I am deeply sorry to have to give you this news after all this time of waiting. Lieut. Hulse says your husband was simply magnificent, and cheery and cool during the whole fight, until he was hit. After he was hit, and the ammunition was running out, he pointed to his own belt for them to take his. Nothing I can say can do much to comfort you, I am afraid, but he has left a legacy of valour and uprightness to his children. To me he was invaluable help at all times. My deepest sympathies are with you in your great loss". It was only on Sunday last that Mrs. Swallow received official news of her husband’s death. C.S.M. Swallow, who was thirty seven years of age, married the eldest daughter of the late Mr. Harry Keal, and his widow and two children reside at 45 Houghton Road, Grantham'.
Mark Swallow

Add to this record.

Recomended Reading.

Available at discounted prices.

The Wartime Memories Project
- RE 59th (2nd North Midland) Division during the Great War -

RE 59th (2nd North Midland) Division

Want to know more about the Royal Engineers?

Those known to have served with
RE 59th (2nd North Midland) Division
during the Great War 1914-1918.

Can you help?

If you enjoy this site please consider making a donation.

Announcements

Recomended Reading.

Links

The Wartime Memories Project - RE 59th (2nd North Midland) Division during the Great War -

RE 59th (2nd North Midland) Division

Want to know more about the Royal Engineers?

Those known to have served withRE 59th (2nd North Midland) Divisionduring the Great War 1914-1918.

Can you help?

If you enjoy this site please consider making a donation.

Announcements

Recomended Reading.

Links

The Wartime Memories Project
- RE 59th (2nd North Midland) Division during the Great War -

Those known to have served with
RE 59th (2nd North Midland) Division
during the Great War 1914-1918.