245 Brigade Royal Field Artillery

[richard2atkinson]

I would be grateful for any information or suggestions please on researching my grandfather, Gunner Horace Atkinson, RFA. He lived in and around Bramley in Leeds and I assume he would have joined 245 brigade at Fenton Street Barracks. Family folklore has it that he served on the Western Front and was gassed at one point, possibly being invalided back to England. Does anyone know when this might have occurred? After the War he became a trainer of horses for Lord Beattie, he of Jutland fame (or infamy). I have Horace's medal card, but online research of his war service record has drawn a blank.

Many thanks

Richard Atkinson

[bigronhartley]

Hello Richard,

Welcome to the forum. Your grandfather's number is not a Territorial RFA allocation. Although he lived in and around Bramley in Leeds he would not automatically have joined 245 brigade at Fenton Street Barracks. His MIC indicates he did not serve abroad before 1916 and he was probably posted to a Brigade that needed bringing up to strength around that time or later. If he served on the Western Front and was gassed, possibly being invalided back to England, then there could be a Newpaper report about him being invalided home. Try the Leeds local papers of the time. Hope this helps.

Regards

Ron

[jay dubaya]

Welcome to the forum Richard,

Horace Atkinson appears in the Absent Voters List (1918) for Leeds and if I've read it right he was living on Bosnia Place which appears to no longer exist. The original can be viewed in the Local Studies Library, Leeds. There is a strong possibility that his battery and brigade are recorded within the AVL,

Jon

[richard2atkinson]

Welcome to the forum Richard,

Horace Atkinson appears in the Absent Voters List (1918) for Leeds and if I've read it right he was living on Bosnia Place which appears to no longer exist. The original can be viewed in the Local Studies Library, Leeds. There is a strong possibility that his battery and brigade are recorded within the AVL,

Jon

Good morning. Thanks for the welcome, and for the replies. Bosnia Place was indeed his address, although my father says that he remembers they had to keep moving to stay ahead of the creditors. He recalls coming home from school one day to find all their furniture on the street as they had been evicted for non-payment of rent.

The online AVL states "atkinson horace 127196 gnr r f a 2547lw "

With your greater knowledge and experience, does this mean anything? Or do we have to go back to the source document? It looks as if the slight difference in army number is a transcription error somewhere. There is only one Horace Atkinson.

Many thanks again

Richard

[bigronhartley]

Hello Richard,

The MIC for Horace Atkinson gives the reference number to the Medal Roll for the War & Victory Medals, it is possible that his RFA Brigade is shown on the Medal Roll. I think you will need to visit the National Archives at Kew, or request a look up on the Forum, to obtain the information. If you know the Artillery Brigade he served with you can establish the Division to which it was attached and thus where he served and his movements during the War.

Regards

Ron

[jay dubaya]

Hi Richard,

you'll have to view the original AVL for further details, the reference 2547lw relates to an index of streets for (Leeds) west. From my experience of AVLs they have always held details of a unit/ship/establishment etc, so I'm sure more can be gleamed from the original. Are you near Leeds?

Jon

[richard2atkinson]

Hi Richard,

you'll have to view the original AVL for further details, the reference 2547lw relates to an index of streets for (Leeds) west. From my experience of AVLs they have always held details of a unit/ship/establishment etc, so I'm sure more can be gleamed from the original. Are you near Leeds?

Jon

Thanks again to both of you. My father (aged 96) and still living in Leeds has accepted a mission to go and view the original AVL. I'll possibly be back on line when I have some more information.