A Joiner Joiner
Sapper Robert Boyce Royal Engineers
The Man Robert Boyce was born on Saturday 24th August 1907 in Manchester. Son of Robert senior a Labourer and Clara Elizabeth. The family lived at 5 Camp Street, and Robert was one of five children, George born in 1900, Ethel 1901, Florence 1903 and another sibling who died very young possibly during childbirth. He was Baptised on 11th September 1907 at St Matthews Church, Manchester by Reverend J Jolly. Following his education Robert became a carpenter and joiner and on 2nd May 1927 aged 19 enlisted into the Army Supplementary Reserve, 8th Ardwick Battalion Manchester Regiment Territorial Army. His service number was 3522111 and on 14th December 1930 he transferred to the 104th Army Troop Company Royal Engineers (SR). He was described on enlistment as being 5’.4” tall, with a fresh complexion, blue eyes, fair hair and with an old scar under his left armpit! Robert appears to have enjoyed his reserve service as he re-engaged for a further two years from 15th December 1934, and again from 15th December 1936 and then for four years from 15th December 1938. From 1930, Robert served at home, and does not appear in the 1939 census, it is likely he had been mobilised already and on 13th September 1939, 10 days after the outbreak of World War II was sent to France as part of the British Expeditionary Force. The 104th AT Coy RE served with BEF lines of communication in 1940 in France. The BEF participated in the Dyle Plan, a rapid advance into Belgium to the line of the river Dyle, but the 1st Army Group had to retreat rapidly through Belgium and north-western France, after the German breakthrough further south at the Battle of Sedan (12–15 May). A local counter-attack at the Battle of Arras (1940) (21 May) was a considerable tactical success but the BEF, French and Belgian forces north of the Somme retreated to Dunkirk on the French North Sea coast soon after. It is possible that Robert was evacuated from Dunkirk in Operation Dynamo (26 May–4 June) after the capitulation of the Belgian army, but more likely as part of Operation Aerial (15-25 June) from the French Atlantic and Mediterranean ports as he returned to the UK on 19th June 1940. Once back home, Robert married Edith Brookes in Barton on 15th December 1941 at St John’s Church in Manchester and they lived at 27 Fulford Street and later 8 Hawis Side Lane Marton, Blackpool. He received the usual inoculations and was quickly sent abroad again seeing active service in the Africa Campaign and then Italy. Having survived a very active war, Robert was discharged and awarded the 1939-45 Star, Africa Star (Pt II Order No 310 dated 10 Feb 44 refers), Italy Star, Defence Medal, War Medal 1939-45, Efficiency Medal with Militia clasp in circa 1941 and the first clasp (Army Order No 2228 of 13th December 1944 refers). Little is known about Robert’s later life except that he died very young during the final quarter of 1961 aged just 54 in Blackpool.
The Story The medals awarded to Robert Boyce were acquired from Norman W Collett on 28th June 2019. They had been looked a for some time, and of interest because of the paperwork, the named Royal Engineers cap badge and the Militia clasp to the Efficiency Medal with additional long service bar. Although only basic biographical details were found from Ancestry.UK and the papers included, it does at least provide a historical record of a man who served for many years voluntarily ‘between the wars’, saw active service in three theatres of war, received the scarcer ‘Militia’ clasp to his Efficiency Medal and sadly passed away far too young. Another unsung hero whose deeds are now preserved for future generations.
Medal Details:
- 1939-45 Star: Unnamed as awarded.
- Africa Star: Unnamed as awarded.
- Italy Star: Unnamed as awarded.
- Defence Medal: Unnamed as awarded.
- War Medal 1939-45: Unnamed as awarded.
- Efficiency Medal 'Militia' and clasp: 3522111 SPR. R.BOYCE. R.E.
This page last updated 26 Aug 19
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