helicon25 Posted 10 November , 2014 Share Posted 10 November , 2014 Hello , I was wondering if any of you here could help me find out what unit my Great Grandfather was in and where he may have been,I have found his medal index card but there is no information on it apart from his service number and rank, there are no other clues . GNR Andrew Reading Jones D.O.B May 10th 1883 Royal Garrison Artillery Service number 171870 I have searched on Ancestry and Findmypast but cannot find any other records Thank you Joanne. The_National_Archive_Order_()_04-08-2014T16_18_35.zip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnboy Posted 10 November , 2014 Share Posted 10 November , 2014 A lot of records were destroyed by fire during WW2. Did he survive? How sure are you that is your man apart from the name? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helicon25 Posted 10 November , 2014 Author Share Posted 10 November , 2014 Yes he survived ,he died in 1970 and a family member has his medals so I know the service number is correct ,he briefly told my father that he was on the railway guns but he didn't say where . I might be completely wrong but would he have been in one of the Siege Batteries ? I understand that a lot of records were lost in a fire and it seems that his were as I cannot get any further in my searches . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Clifton Posted 10 November , 2014 Share Posted 10 November , 2014 Hello Joanne, and welcome to the Forum! There isn't much I can add, I'm afraid, except to say that railway guns were organised into Siege Batteries of two guns each. There were about thirty such batteries, which doesn't help much, but as there were about 550 Siege Batteries of all types it does narrow it down quite a bit. Does the family have any info, even anecdotal, which might tie him down to a place and approximate time? Even the gun type might help - 9.2" gun? 12" gun? 12" howitzer? 14" gun? Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helicon25 Posted 10 November , 2014 Author Share Posted 10 November , 2014 Hello and thank you Ron I'm afraid he didn't speak about his time in the war ( as so many didn't) ,my father said he was a young boy when he mentioned the railway guns to him and that was the only time he spoke about it .His daughter (my Great Aunt ) who is 93 has also said that he never spoke about it to her ,her other siblings including my Grandma have passed away so unfortunately we have no more spoken information to go on . I do know that there are some family photo's ,documents etc but she is very reluctant to let us look through them ! Its very frustrating to think that there could be more information there but we have to respect her wishes . Thank you again for your help . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnboy Posted 10 November , 2014 Share Posted 10 November , 2014 Do you know his occupation before he enlisted? His place of birth>? His place of residence [1911 Census]? Can you give the direct link to what In assume is his Medal Index Card? I know, more and more questions! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helicon25 Posted 11 November , 2014 Author Share Posted 11 November , 2014 Do you know his occupation before he enlisted? His place of birth>? His place of residence [1911 Census]? Can you give the direct link to what In assume is his Medal Index Card? I know, more and more questions! He was a carpenter and he was born and resided in Newtown Montgomeryshire (now Powys ) Mid Wales . http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?new=1&gsfn=Andrew+R+&gsln=Jones&rank=1&gss=angs-c&msbdy=1883&msbpn__ftp=Newtown+Montgomeryshire&msddy=1970&msdpn__ftp=Newtown+Montgomeryshire&msrpn__ftp=Newtown+Montgomeryshire&msidy=1914&sbo=0&pcat=REMEMBRANCEDAY2014&h=4797627&recoff=9+10+11&db=MedalRolls&indiv=1&ml_rpos=1 http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/5119/41629_611411_5417-00241/1446818?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.uk%2f%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3findiv%3d1%26db%3diwoservicemedalawardrolls%26gsfn%3dAndrew%2bR%26gsln%3dJones%26_F0007E0F%3dRoyalGarrisonArtillery%26_F0007E0F_x%3dXPN%26_F8007A65%3d171870%26_F8007A65_x%3dXPN%26rank%3d1%26gss%3dangs-d%26pcat%3dUK_WWI_COLLECTIONS%26fh%3d0%26h%3d1446818%26recoff%3d5%2b7%2b89%2b90%26ml_rpos%3d1&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnRecord Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnboy Posted 11 November , 2014 Share Posted 11 November , 2014 On the medal Roll it only gives him as base RGA. Others are given as Siege Battery. Hopefully an RA expert will be along. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helicon25 Posted 11 November , 2014 Author Share Posted 11 November , 2014 On the medal Roll it only gives him as base RGA. Others are given as Siege Battery. Hopefully an RA expert will be along. I hope so too ! One other and only anecdote my father remembers is that my Great Grandfather told him that when the men were being signed out ,the Officers (?) disappeared and left him to do it, I don't know if that is true or just a tale he told him ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnboy Posted 11 November , 2014 Share Posted 11 November , 2014 Family stories should be taken with a pinch of salt until proven. They can lead to a lot of wasted time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helicon25 Posted 11 November , 2014 Author Share Posted 11 November , 2014 Family stories should be taken with a pinch of salt until proven. They can lead to a lot of wasted time! Yes I agree ! It's just the only other time he spoke about his service . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helicon25 Posted 15 November , 2014 Author Share Posted 15 November , 2014 Fantastic result today ! Spent a few hours this afternoon rooting around my Great aunts attic after she told my dad there could possibly be a photograph of Great Grandad when he was in the war . After looking through loads of boxes and trunks we were about to give up when I noticed a few picture frames tucked down by the eaves ,after carefully stepping over, I picked up the first on the pile and BINGO !!! - A photo of my G Grandad and his Battery ! I am over the Moon as I didn't think I would find any more information about him . Details are - 63 Siege Battery R.G.A 1915-1918 I have had a look on here and found that they were in France March 2nd 1916 The photograph shows a large gun which I think is a 12 inch Howitzer If any of you have any more information I would be so grateful ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnboy Posted 15 November , 2014 Share Posted 15 November , 2014 Can you post the pic? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helicon25 Posted 15 November , 2014 Author Share Posted 15 November , 2014 I have two very bad quality scans but it won't let me upload as it says the files are too big . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helicon25 Posted 15 November , 2014 Author Share Posted 15 November , 2014 I've tried sending them as zip files but they still won't upload Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnboy Posted 15 November , 2014 Share Posted 15 November , 2014 You might be able to resize them to keep under the limit. 63 SB was equipped with 2 railway 12" howitzers. Do you know how he fared? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ororkep Posted 15 November , 2014 Share Posted 15 November , 2014 Joanne, you might like to know he joined 63 SB on 6.4.1918, and he was a Fitter Rgds Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helicon25 Posted 15 November , 2014 Author Share Posted 15 November , 2014 You might be able to resize them to keep under the limit. 63 SB was equipped with 2 railway 12" howitzers. Do you know how he fared? He survived and came home Joanne, you might like to know he joined 63 SB on 6.4.1918, and he was a Fitter Rgds Paul Thank you Paul I have the photo's here https://livesofthefirstworldwar.org/lifestory/2141207#timeline Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helicon25 Posted 16 November , 2014 Author Share Posted 16 November , 2014 I have found this while looking around http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=mndgDUfE_ZgC&pg=PA15&lpg=PA15&dq=63rd+heavy+artillery+group&source=bl&ots=VWZ6Ofqo86&sig=ZIRGGegpOfgYXc8ZGYr4fwiq6gc&hl=en&sa=X&ei=jhpoVI3pAs_iasSMgZgN&ved=0CCAQ6AEwADgU#v=onepage&q=63rd%20heavy%20artillery%20group&f=false Scroll down to pg15 ,it lists 63 SB as joining the 25th HAG on April 4th 1918 at Ypres ,would he have been there ? ,it ties in with the date Paul gave me . Also could he have possibly have been in another SB before joining the 63rd in 1918 as the family are under the impression he joined up earlier . I also have this photo which is on a postcard and has Caernarfon 1912 Training camp written on the back in my G G'S handwriting ,could anyone shed any light on this too ? Thank you again for all your help . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helicon25 Posted 16 November , 2014 Author Share Posted 16 November , 2014 Resized 63 Siege Battery photo's,very bad quality though . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 16 November , 2014 Share Posted 16 November , 2014 Training camps were usually for the Territorial Force (equivalent of the modern T.A.) or Special Reserve, both of whom were part time. The Terriers would attend weekend training etc at local Drill Halls and then attend a summer camp in July. Because of the nature of that service nearly all men were local to the Drill Halls. The cap badges do not look like artillery so he may have been in the local Infantry or Yeomanry (Territorial cavalry) regiment. Men would continue in their civilian jobs as their primary occupation. T.F. soldiers very rarely noted their T.F. service on Censuses or Marriage/Birth certificates in peace time. A close up of the cap badges from the 1912 pic may help. Newtown was home to "B" Company of the 7th (Merioneth and Montgomery) Battalion Royal Welsh (Welch) Fusiliers (T.F.) and "C" Squadron of the Montgomeryshire Yeomanry. The cap badges look rather like Fusiliers (a grenade with flames atop) from this distance. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 16 November , 2014 Share Posted 16 November , 2014 The partial Medal Roll posted by Johnboy shows 171868 Fred Preston at the top. His records show that he was a Derby Scheme volunteer in December 1915 and was mobilised in August 1917. Andrew Reading Jones will have probably done the same: http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/1114/MIUK1914A_086273-00398/564593?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.uk%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3findiv%3d1%26MS_AdvCB%3d1%26db%3dBritishArmy%26rank%3d1%26new%3d1%26MSAV%3d2%26gss%3dangs-d%26gsfn_x%3dXO%26gsln_x%3dXO%26_F0007CF4%3dgarrison%26dbOnly%3d_F0007CF4%257c_F0007CF4_x%252c_F8007A65%257c_F8007A65_x%26_F0007CF4_x%3d1%26_F8007A65%3d171868%26_F8007A65_x%3d1%26uidh%3d5k3%26pcat%3d39%26fh%3d0%26h%3d564593%26recoff%3d43%2b44%26ml_rpos%3d1&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnRecord#?imageId=MIUK1914A_086273-00409 Other records, e.g. 171880 Robert Bacon and 171896 Thomas Llewellyn Evans show the same dates - December 1915 volunteer and 1-8-1917 mobilisation. Each would have probably have been given exemption / deferral from call up due to the combination of their marital status and employment. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helicon25 Posted 16 November , 2014 Author Share Posted 16 November , 2014 Thank you Steve ,that is very interesting indeed ,it all fits in with his marital status ,he married my G Grandmother in 1909 ,my grandma was born in 1912 and she had an older brother and sister (not sure of their dob's) I have managed to zoom in on the badges but they are not great quality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 16 November , 2014 Share Posted 16 November , 2014 I always hesitate a bit with Royal Welsh Fusiliers because there are far more qualified people here to ID the badges but they look like R.W.F. to me! I've zoomed in on other parts (as much as I can without pixellating) and the shoulder titles seem to have an extra part to them. RWF at base with "7" and "T" above in that order would mean 7th Battalion but I doubt we could get in that close. The older chap at the front with the flat cap looks like he MAY have T.F. efficiency stars on his right cuff. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnboy Posted 16 November , 2014 Share Posted 16 November , 2014 The cap badges look like Fusiliers which would tie in with Steves post #21. The pics of the gun seem to show rail mounted guns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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