217 Siege Battery RGA

[verdun]

Can anyone provide any operational details of this RGA battery please? I can't see anything on it in The Long Long trail. Thanks if you can help.

[sotonmate]

Peter

There is a War Dairy at Kew for a short period in 1917,when they were "Army Troops" for the 2nd Army: WO95/323 Jan to July 1917.

Sotonmate

[sjustice]

Hello Peter,

The National Archives records mentioned by sotonmate are your first stop. WO95/323 contains war diaries, not only for three of the four batteries that served with 70th Brigade Royal Garrison Artillery (12th, 15th, 217th - 157th is not there per se), but for the brigade headuarters itself for the duration of the war. Information regarding activities and disposition will also be found theirin.

For the larger part of it's existence the 70th was a 9.2" Howitzer Brigade. Therefore the four siege batteries were a mix of 6" and 9.2" Howitzers, six pieces per battery thus:

15th, 157th, 217th - 6" Howitzer

12th - 9.2" Howitzer

70th Brigade RGA were certainly involved in the successful attack of Gommecourt on 23rd August 1918 carried out by 3rd Division (IV Corps/Third Army) infantry and tanks. 70th, together with the 2nd and 3rd Divisional Artillies, 18th, 34th and 76th Brigades RFA and 84th Brigade RGA, fired a creeping barrage of 75% shrapnel, 25% HE, to carry the assault forward.

Good luck and Kind Regards,

SMJ

[mandawa]

Can anyone provide any operational details of this RGA battery please? I can't see anything on it in The Long Long trail. Thanks if you can help.

I have some notes and copies of this battery when at Arras in 1917. My Grandfather was the Major in charge of them and I have a photo of the Battery. What information do you want?