Thomas Doyle

Thomas is listed as Army Service Corps on the Coatbridge Memorial (A.S.C.). On the Commonwealth War Graves Commission site he is listed as 2/4th (City of Dundee) Battalion Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) transferred to 232nd Division, Labour Corps, Employment Company, Service No. 481000. What the Employment Companies done : The Officer Commanding each Employment Company was to maintain a list of men, categorised into the forms of employment for which they were best suited : Batman, Cook, Storeman or Caretaker, Sanitary Duty, Orderly, Clerk, Tailor, Shoemaker, Policeman, Butcher, Regimental Institute, Salvage, Loader and Brakesman, Bath and Drying Room, Laundry, Traffic Control, Telephone Operator. The Companies took over this wide variety of work once they had been established. The Divisional Employment Companies each came under command of the headquarters of a Division, while the Area Employment Companies came under orders of a Corps (sometimes Army or Lines of Communication) command. The Labour Corps of 1917-1918 : Before the formation of the Labour Corps : The Army Service Corps Labour Companies : Among the earliest such units formed, the Army Service Corps Labour Companies originated to provide manpower to unload British ships and operate the docks in France. Two railway labour companies were also formed. See photos for Thomas' Medal Index Card, his CWGC Grave Registration x 2, his Headstone Report, his Service Medal and Award Rolls, his Pension Records x 2, his Army Register of Soldiers Effects x 2, another photo of Thomas' grave, Etaples Military Cemetery, the Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) Cap Badge and the Labour Corps Cap Badge.