WW1 RE ID Wrist Tag
 

Hi all
Found this in a box of Badges bought from Auction recently. Does anyone specialise in researching individual Soldiers. (I've tried, it's a nightmare).
It is stamped P NEILD. 223426. RE (Royal Engineers). CE (C of E).
It is WM and has a chain and clasp attached.
I would love to know more about him and if he survived please.

There is no medal index card for this man with this regimental number and regiment.

There are, however, a medal index and a Silver War Badge card for the Sapper with the number immediately preceding Neild's and one for the sapper preceding him. The SWB card seems to indicate service with the London Electrical Engineers and an enlistment date of 31st July 1916.

There is only on MIC for a soldier with the surname Neild and the initial P and this Peter Neild served with a Training Reserve Battalion before transferring to the King's Shropshire Light Infantry with the Regimental Number 38608. This may, or may not be the same man. This man was killed in action in September 1918.

https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/c.../neild,-peter/


It would appear that 223426 P. Neild did not serve overseas with the Royal Engineers.

There were only two births registered in England and Wales for male P Neild's between 1885 and 1900.

Births Sep 1898
Neild Philip Henry Chorlton 8c 939

Births Dec 1899
Neild Peter Chorlton 8c 809

Probably unconnected and I can't really see that the "D" in "NEILD" isn't part of the surname despite the wide spacing between "L" and "D" but there was a RE officer named P Neil, listed in the Army List 1916.

Secondary Unit:
Kent Fortress Engineers

Tertiary Unit:
No. 3 Kent Field Company

Quaternary Unit:
Territorial Force

He was entitled to a wound badge and was taken POW.

The wearing of wrist ID was a common practise during WWI, this one is a rough looking workshop one rather than a commercial production.
I'm thinking tho' accept I ma y be wrong that they'd be more likely to be worn by servicemen in a theatre of war than by those serving in the UK and that an officer would be less likely to wear a "homemade" job.

I had checked the London Gazette for the commission dates for officers called Neild but there are none for the Great War. If the name is actually Neil, it would still come up on the MIC search using the service number 223426, but it does not.

I am not sure that the initials P & D would be either side of the name Neil though.

I have a few with initials either side of the surname, I have one called Hagger with an S in front

If he's got that in front I daren't ask what he's got behind.

:D:D:D:D:D

Many thanks for all your replies. I tried for hours and got nowhere.
Shame I cannot definitively identify him.