wmfinch Posted 14 March , 2012 Share Posted 14 March , 2012 My Grandfather 199319 Gnr Reginald Charles Evans RFA won the MM during the Battle of Cambrai whilst serving with 55th West Lancashire Division D/276 Battery. With grateful thanks to people on this forum, I know have a very good picture of his actions during that period. However, having now studied his Unit Register Card and Certificate of Employment During the War, he ended his service with D/190 Bde RFA as a P/L/Bdr. I also have a Certificate signed by Brig General J Oldfield (?) RU (?) attesting to Bdr R C Evans, D Battery, 190th Brigade RFU (?) being on duty during the victory salute of 101 guns on the west bank of the Rhine at Cologne at 6pm on Sat 28th June 1919. The certificate also states "The honour of announcing the glad tidings fell appropriately enough to the London Division Artillery and I heartily congratulate you on being on duty at the parade which will rank as one of the most famous ceremonial parades in the history of the world" I'm struggling to find information about the 190 Brigade, and when my Grandfather was transferred to it. Any help would be gratefully received. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sotonmate Posted 19 March , 2012 Share Posted 19 March , 2012 wmf There are three segments to the 190 Brigade RFA War Diaires,all for it's time with 41 Division,due to it being moved off to Italy for 3 months from Nov 1917 to Feb 1918: WO95/2625 France and Flanders May 1916 to Oct 1917. WO95/4242 Italy Nov 1917 to Feb 1918,and, WO95/2625 France,Flanders and Germany Mar 1918 to Oct 1919. None of these are digital as yet so need to be read in situ at Kew. Sotonmate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oscarquebec Posted 22 March , 2012 Share Posted 22 March , 2012 WMF My grandfather also served in 190 Brigade RFA, but 'C' Battery. I have a previous post that includes a picture of him as a member of 'C' Battery Cross County Team at Cologne in 1919. So far I've been unable to find out about their role in Cologne but perhaps 'C' battery was part of the 101 gun salute? I would be grateful for any information on that event. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wmfinch Posted 27 March , 2012 Author Share Posted 27 March , 2012 wmf There are three segments to the 190 Brigade RFA War Diaires,all for it's time with 41 Division,due to it being moved off to Italy for 3 months from Nov 1917 to Feb 1918: WO95/2625 France and Flanders May 1916 to Oct 1917. WO95/4242 Italy Nov 1917 to Feb 1918,and, WO95/2625 France,Flanders and Germany Mar 1918 to Oct 1919. None of these are digital as yet so need to be read in situ at Kew. Sotonmate Many thanks for that Sotonmate.....looks like another trip to London :-) WMF My grandfather also served in 190 Brigade RFA, but 'C' Battery. I have a previous post that includes a picture of him as a member of 'C' Battery Cross County Team at Cologne in 1919. So far I've been unable to find out about their role in Cologne but perhaps 'C' battery was part of the 101 gun salute? I would be grateful for any information on that event. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wmfinch Posted 27 March , 2012 Author Share Posted 27 March , 2012 Hello Gunnersdad, I'm not sure how much I can help, because all I have is my Grandfather's Scroll to go by. The full script from the Scroll is as follows:- Peace was signed at Versailles on Saturday 28th June 1919. At 6pm on that day 190th Brigade RFU (or it could be RFA) fired a salute of 101 guns at a position on the west bank of the Rhine, just north of the Hohenzollern Bridge, Cologne. The firing of the salute across the Rhine in the centre of one of the most important cities in Germany signalled the end of a great task. The unparalleled sacrifices and undying heroism of the peoples of the British Empire has ended in victory for our Motherland. The honour of announcing the glad tidings fell appropriately enough to the London Division Artillery and I heartily congratulate you on being on duty at the parade which will rank as one of the most famous ceremonial parades in the history of the world. To Bdr R C Evans, D Battery (hand written), 190th Brigade RFU Signed by J (?) Oldfield Brig. Genl, RU, Commanding London Divisional Artillery. The Scroll must have been produced in significant numbers as the individual names were hand written, whilst the rest of the script is in a lovely printed typeset . Assuming there were 6 people on each gun, there must have been over 600 Scrolls handed out. Is it possible a Scroll exists with your Grandfather's name on it? The local experts here in Cheltenham have never seen such a scroll before, but I'm not sure if the Royal Artillery Museum (Firepower) have seen one. I Googled the modern map of the Hohenzollern Bridge and compared the area with a 1919 Postcard my Grandfather acquired. The Postcard shows all the guns lined up, but from quite a distance, so no individual could be identified. It would be very exciting if your Grandfather was at the same 'event'. Please keep me informed if you find anything else out. V/R Wayne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Porter Posted 27 March , 2012 Share Posted 27 March , 2012 Another of the scrolls was sold at auction in 2008 - this confirms C/190 Bde RFA also took part in the salute. http://www.catalogue-host.co.uk/mctears/2008-01-12/lot_292 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daggers Posted 28 March , 2012 Share Posted 28 March , 2012 Don't think the RFU was armed in or after WW1! D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oscarquebec Posted 28 March , 2012 Share Posted 28 March , 2012 Hi Wayne Thanks for that, I'll certainly keep looking. Any chance you could post the picture of the 101 guns? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oscarquebec Posted 29 March , 2012 Share Posted 29 March , 2012 Just had an email back from the Royal Artillery Library at Woolwich. They apparently have quite a lot of information about 190 Brigade in Cologne but you have to make an appointment to visit the reading rooms to see it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wmfinch Posted 29 March , 2012 Author Share Posted 29 March , 2012 Hello Gunnersdad, Things are looking positive for your search aren't they? I went to Woolwich recently and found them very helpful. On that occasion, I was researching Sgt Cyril E Gourley, who won the VC. My Grandfather won his MM in the same action on 30th Nov 1917. Let them know what you are looking for before you go. When I did that, the relevant files were waiting for me!! I have trouble scanning items to publish here (not sure why), but if you would like to e mail me your address, I'll scan one for you and mail it to you. My e mail is waynemfinch@yahoo.co uk. Cheers, Wayne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wmfinch Posted 29 March , 2012 Author Share Posted 29 March , 2012 Thank you for posting the picture of another Scroll David......it's identical to my Grandfather's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oscarquebec Posted 14 April , 2012 Share Posted 14 April , 2012 Hi Wayne Sorry just picked up on your kind offer. I will send details. Also thanks to David #6 that's what I was looking for Regards Mal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oscarquebec Posted 28 April , 2012 Share Posted 28 April , 2012 Hi Wayne Thanks for supplying these pictures. I now have a copy of the certificate in regards to 'C' Battery. The certificate speaks of 190Brigade RFA so maybe 'A' and 'B' were there too? I think at least one of the statues seen at the end of Hohenzollern Bridge is Kaiser Wilhelm, how appropriate. It's interesting to compare pictures of the bridge in 1945, no train crossing then. I think it was blown up by the German Army rather than the allies. Mal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wmfinch Posted 28 April , 2012 Author Share Posted 28 April , 2012 Hi Mal, Many thanks for posting the pictures. My local 'Snappy Snaps' blew them up to A4 from postcard size. Thankfully, my Grandfather had the foresight to buy them in the first place and keep them safe as family heirlooms. I was looking at a Website about Cologne which shows the bridge collapsed in the middle of the river after a massive air raid, but it could have been blown up before then. Does anyone know for sure? Are you able to post a copy of the 'C' Battery certificate? It would be great to see it :-) All the very best, Wayne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oscarquebec Posted 28 April , 2012 Share Posted 28 April , 2012 According to Wikipedia, German military engineers blew up the bridge on 6 March 1945 when Allied troops began their assault on Cologne. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hohenzollern_Bridge Mal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oscarquebec Posted 28 April , 2012 Share Posted 28 April , 2012 Hi Wayne Sorry missed the second part of your question. Regarding 'C' Battery follow David's link at #6 above. Mal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wmfinch Posted 1 May , 2012 Author Share Posted 1 May , 2012 Thank you Mal, I've read it now :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oscarquebec Posted 3 May , 2012 Share Posted 3 May , 2012 Wayne I've just found this postcard entitled: (6) Watching The Guns Fire From Hohenzollen Bridge June 28th 1919. If this picture is number 6 perhaps there was a whole series, wonder where the others are? Mal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wmfinch Posted 4 May , 2012 Author Share Posted 4 May , 2012 Hi Mal, The postcard you just posted above is definitely part of a set, as the other pictures of the guns were scanned from original postcards passed to me by my Grandfather. Both originals were produced by the same publisher (Hunters, Buxton) and the picture looking at the guns from the bridge is number 2 in the set and the picture looking towards the bridge is number 3. Thank you so much for posting it :-) Does anyone know how to find copies of the rest of the set please? With very best wishes, Wayne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oscarquebec Posted 4 May , 2012 Share Posted 4 May , 2012 Hi Wayne I can't believe it's proving so difficult to find out more information about the event. It was obviously a momentous occasion and judging by the crowds on the bridge and promenade widely publicised. Will keep looking. Mal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wmfinch Posted 16 May , 2012 Author Share Posted 16 May , 2012 Regarding the postcards of the guns lined up along the bank of the Rhine in Cologne on Peace Day 28th June 1919, I now have copies of No's 2,3,4,5 and 6. Does anyone have a copy of No 1 that they could share with me please? Also, does anyone know if any others were produced after No 6 ? Many thanks for your help, V/R Wayne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wmfinch Posted 16 May , 2012 Author Share Posted 16 May , 2012 Sorry, I should have said they were produced by Hunters, Buxton Wayne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Neil Vaughan Posted 7 September , 2012 Share Posted 7 September , 2012 My Grandfather was also present at the salute. Sgt Frank Granville MM (awarded at Passchendaelle). His gun was the 3rd to be fired he kept the scroll and the 18 pdr shell case along with six photo postcards. He was offered £5.00 for the shell case on the day but refused. He spent some time in Italy according to his service and pay book. He was in A Battery 190th RFA by the end of the war. However he enlisted in 1914 as Frank G Brown and after being split up from his brother and friends he re enlisted as Frank Granville to rejoin them. (B Battery 101 brigade RFA) My uncle lost a lung to mustard gas, not getting his mask on soon enough, and Frank Lost many of his pals in counter offensives and offensive creeping barrages. He won his medal at Passchendaelle by retrieveing a gun under fire during a counter offensive that had been left to the enemy. He aquired a team of horses and some men and under his leadership they retrieved the gun without loss of life. I have been given His records and memrobilia to keep from my mother. I'm Honoured to Be a Steward of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Neil Vaughan Posted 7 September , 2012 Share Posted 7 September , 2012 The picture no1 is of the 1st gun being fired, looking from the bridge down the line of guns. sorry but I haven't got a way to scan it. yet! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne Finch Posted 9 September , 2012 Share Posted 9 September , 2012 Hello Neil, Regarding No 1 Postcard, I've now got one.....so I have the whole set :-), but many thanks anyway. I was amiss at not posting that fact earlier. Regarding your Grandfather, he must have been a VERY brave man indeed. Like you, I'm the custodian of my Grandfather's medals and paperwork, and am proud to be so. It's amazing to know that our Grandfathers were at the same 'event'. I wonder if they knew each other? I cannot find out when my Grandfather was transferred from the 55th West Lancashire Division to the 190th (anyone any ideas please?), but I do have pictures of him in Germany in 1919. Incidently, I'm recreating a 55th West Lancs uniform as worn by my Grandfather (with the help of a seamstress). I'll send you copies of the pictures I have on your private e mail as I can't seem to scan them here for some reason. All the very best, Wayne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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