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Remembered Today:

Honourable Artillery Company Help ?


Mr Grinch

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Morning all,

Ive been trying to research an Albert Edward Charles Vandersteen. A bit of digging revealed that he was a Lieutenant in the RFA during WW1 and was wounded by gas and shell fire at Loos on the 9th April 1918. It states that at the time of him being wounded he was with 2/A Battery, Honourable Artillery Company which itself was a part of the 126th Field Brigade, RFA.

Could anyone point me in the direction of as to how i can find out exactly what was happening when my man was wounded ? Maybe he gets a mention ??

Any help or pointers much appreciated.

Regards

James

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James,

may be worth contacting their Museum?

The Honourable Artillery Company Museum

Armoury House

City Road

London

EC1 2BQ

Not been there for many years but they used to have a great Mess and I was led to believe that their playing field on the site was a burial pit from the plague? (May be one of those urban myths!)

Regards and best wishes,

Scottie.

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He gets a brief mention (p.418) in the narrative of "The Honourable Artillery Company in the Great War" (in the section that covers 2/A's actions during the war) by Goold-Walker.

dave.

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I think the best place to look is battery war diary for that day, which will be difficult as it will be at Kew and you can not access via internet, best bet is phone Kew to find out if diary exists.

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He gets a brief mention (p.418) in the narrative of "The Honourable Artillery Company in the Great War" (in the section that covers 2/A's actions during the war) by Goold-Walker.

dave.

Thanks Dave,

Is there any chance of a scan of that page if you have book ??

It would be really helpful.

Kind regards

James

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Hello James

Do not be put off by Dave's reply - Kew is not that far from Essex and a personal visit should be feasible, or you may be able to order a copy of the diary for the relevant period using their website, www.nationalarchives.gov.uk.

126 Brigade RFA, which included both 2/A and 2/B Batteries HAC, was an Army Field Artillery Brigade (i.e. not then permanently attached to a division). Its War Diary can be found under First Army Troops in file WO95/203. Although War Diaries rarely mention other ranks by name, the comings and goings of officers, including casualties, are usually recorded by name.

Ron

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Hello James

Do not be put off by Dave's reply - Kew is not that far from Essex and a personal visit should be feasible, or you may be able to order a copy of the diary for the relevant period using their website, www.nationalarchives.gov.uk.

126 Brigade RFA, which included both 2/A and 2/B Batteries HAC, was an Army Field Artillery Brigade (i.e. not then permanently attached to a division). Its War Diary can be found under First Army Troops in file WO95/203. Although War Diaries rarely mention other ranks by name, the comings and goings of officers, including casualties, are usually recorded by name.

Ron

Thanks Ron.

Yes ive been to Kew on many occasions. Know it well. When im next there, i'll have a look at the relevent war diary. Still his name being mentioned in this book intrigues me.

Regards

James

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Is there any chance of a scan of that page if you have book ??

It would be really helpful.

Apologies for the blurriness at the edge...didn't want to press down on the book on the scanner for fear of breaking the book's spine...March 1918

post-357-1243417726.jpg

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James,

Didn't the email i sent as a result of our PM's on the BMF get through then - it was quite a large file and I dont know if your email account might have blocked it or anything. Not been abble to upload on here - if you want to let me try again - please let me know.

james

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James,

Didn't the email i sent as a result of our PM's on the BMF get through then - it was quite a large file and I dont know if your email account might have blocked it or anything. Not been abble to upload on here - if you want to let me try again - please let me know.

james

Thanks Croonaert, appreciate this.

Hi James, it got through but wouldnt open for me :mellow:

Thanks for your help though.

Regards

James

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