Trivvieliz Posted 23 November , 2008 Share Posted 23 November , 2008 I am trying to find more information about my grandfathers war service during WW1. My mother is only able to say that he was in the Royal Artillery and that he served at the Somme, however she does not know how she knew this information. His name was Frank Horace Weston and he was born in 1886 in Etchingham in Sussex. I have three photos of him, one early on before he held a rank but clearly visible is the Artillery cap badge and he had a leather "bandolier" across his chest. A second photo shows him with sergeant stripes with another badge just above them - it looks like a man behind a cannon. On his right sleeve halfway between elbow and cuff is another set of three stripes like the sergeant stripes but these are smaller and upside down. He has a medal ribbon above his top left hand pocket. This photo has writing on the back as it was sent to a relation and the note was dated 20 Nov 1918. The other photo is of a four men together and Frank has the same badges but in addition he is wearing a braided lanyard (not a white one like the bombadier has) and on one of the other men you can identify that he has RGA on his shoulder; on the back of this photo is a message from Frank to his future wife and he mentions the others are a corporal and Bom's "out of my section". Frank Weston is a common name but I could only find one image on Ancestry in the Medal Index for a Frank H Weston in the Royal Garrison Artillery and gave his number as 71078. I also found an image for a Frank Weston, 71078, which was a Meritorious Service Record. I do not want to assume that these relate to my grandfather but do not know how to progress further. Could I please ask whether Frank was anything more than a sergeant and what do the other three stripes mean? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devonmaid Posted 23 November , 2008 Share Posted 23 November , 2008 I think they are Overseas Service chevrons, 1 stripe equals 1 year served overseas. They were instituted in 1918 Ellie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trivvieliz Posted 23 November , 2008 Author Share Posted 23 November , 2008 I think they are Overseas Service chevrons, 1 stripe equals 1 year served overseas. They were instituted in 1918 Ellie Thankyou. I have searched the forum for more on the Overseas Service Chevrons. Looking back at the photo the three chevrons are the same colour and so it looks like he did not serve overseas in 1914. If anyone can help with what the insignia above his sergeant's stripes mean and my best way forward in identifying whether 71078 is him, I would be very grateful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ororkep Posted 23 November , 2008 Share Posted 23 November , 2008 Welcome to the forum. I can positively confirm that the middle name of Sgt F H Weston 71078 is Horace, and would be confident it is your GF. His medal roll, like the MSM card, also confirms he served with 129 Siege Battery RGA; a 9.2 Howitzer Battery that went out to the Western Front in April 1916 and participated in the Battle of the Somme. Unfortunately no official war diary for this battery survives, although with some serious delving at the NA some records can be pieced together from the higher formation HAG diaries they were part of at various stages during the war. Also, held in the Liddle collection at Leeds, are some manuscripts of a 2/ Lt S. Jones who served in 129 SB, which may expand on your battery knowledge (ref GS 0869). Rgds Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devonmaid Posted 23 November , 2008 Share Posted 23 November , 2008 Would you be able to post the image? Then hopefully one of our Artillery experts can come up with something for you. Ellie Edit...Well done Paul. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azureus Posted 23 November , 2008 Share Posted 23 November , 2008 Hi on the msm card it states his rank as cprl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devonmaid Posted 23 November , 2008 Share Posted 23 November , 2008 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devonmaid Posted 23 November , 2008 Share Posted 23 November , 2008 As Azureus says.... Cpl on his MM card Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevinrowlinson Posted 23 November , 2008 Share Posted 23 November , 2008 I can only add that his number would indicate someone being given there number at Fort Burgoyne, Dover, around the 23/26th March 1916. Unless he was a transfer from the RFA it would seem unlikely he actually went out with the 129th Siege Battery, but was a replacement a few months later. Of course if you know he was an old regular he may have enlisted 1888/89, and must have been born around 1870. His Gazette entries; http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/ViewPDF.a...t=&similar= http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/ViewPDF.a...t=&similar= Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trivvieliz Posted 23 November , 2008 Author Share Posted 23 November , 2008 Welcome to the forum. I can positively confirm that the middle name of Sgt F H Weston 71078 is Horace, and would be confident it is your GF. His medal roll, like the MSM card, also confirms he served with 129 Siege Battery RGA; a 9.2 Howitzer Battery that went out to the Western Front in April 1916 and participated in the Battle of the Somme. Unfortunately no official war diary for this battery survives, although with some serious delving at the NA some records can be pieced together from the higher formation HAG diaries they were part of at various stages during the war. Also, held in the Liddle collection at Leeds, are some manuscripts of a 2/ Lt S. Jones who served in 129 SB, which may expand on your battery knowledge (ref GS 0869). Rgds Paul Thank you for the welcome. I am afraid I am very new to tracing people in the war and it was a chance remark to my Mother that set me off. Thank you for your confirmation it is Frank Horace; I am just hoping that if I go to Kew that I will be able to read some of the records, although I appreciate I run the risk that his will be one of the burnt ones. I have been reading up on the NA and am just hoping I might find his attestation records which should give his next of kin as Albert (his father). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trivvieliz Posted 23 November , 2008 Author Share Posted 23 November , 2008 I can only add that his number would indicate someone being given there number at Fort Burgoyne, Dover, around the 23/26th March 1916. Unless he was a transfer from the RFA it would seem unlikely he actually went out with the 129th Siege Battery, but was a replacement a few months later. Of course if you know he was an old regular he may have enlisted 1888/89, and must have been born around 1870. His Gazette entries; http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/ViewPDF.a...t=&similar= http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/ViewPDF.a...t=&similar= Kevin Thank you very much ...... yes, the Robertsbridge of the first .pdf you sent adds to the other confirmation that it must have been him. He was living in Salehurst in 1901 census and my mother was born in Robertbridge and he and my Nan lived there until his death in 1961. He was definitely born 1886 as I have a copy of his birth certificate. Maybe he wasn't demobbed until 1919 which might explain his three overseas service chevrons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trivvieliz Posted 23 November , 2008 Author Share Posted 23 November , 2008 Excuse my ignorance...... but does the RGA/135B mean he was in the 135th battery or is a reference to the medals record? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devonmaid Posted 23 November , 2008 Share Posted 23 November , 2008 It is the reference to the Medal Rolls. Ellie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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