1st Australian Field Artillery Brigade service with 29th Division

[aslackigan]

G'day All,

I am researching a relatives service at Gallipoli and on the Western Front. His name was Andrew Hugh Carrigan he was a Bombardier with the 1st Battery, 1st Australian Field Artillery Brigade (I have seen it referred to as the 1st New South Wales Brigade). I believe he went ashore at ANZAC cove on the 26th April 1915 where the 1st Battery, with a single gun at "Shell Green", "... remained in action the whole day firing upwards of 500 rounds at ranges of about 400 yards." The gun was reloaded onto HT Atlantian and the Brigade moved to Cape Helles arriving in the early hours of the 4th May 1917. He was wounded on the 23rd July 1915 and shipped out to Malta, rejoining the Brigade in November 1915. By 31st August 1917 he was a Lt with the 113th Howitzer Battery, 13th Australian FAB, 5th Division AIF, and was awarded the Military Cross near Ypres. He was killed in action on the 2nd November 1917.

It appears that the Brigade was formally attached to the 29th Division on the 5th of May 1915. There is almost no mention of the 1st FAB in the Australian 1st Division Artillery War Diaries from late April until 1 October 1915. I was wondering if there was any mention of the Brigade in the 29th Division Artillery Diaries.

Thanks for your help.

Regards,

Andrew.

[ander11]

Andrew Hugh Carrigan - aged 29.

Lieutenant

date killed 02/11/1917

Australian Field Artillery

Cemetery VLAMERTINGHE New Military

Grave ref - XI.E.9

You might get some information on this link http://1914-1918.net/29div.htm

Ianander

[frev]

There is almost no mention of the 1st FAB in the Australian 1st Division Artillery War Diaries from late April until 1 October 1915.

Hi Andrew & welcome to the forum.

Have you also looked at the actual War Diaries for the 1st FAB itself?

http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/war_diari...sp?levelID=1510

Cheers, Frev

[aslackigan]

G'day Guys,

Thanks so much for the quick replies. I probably should have given some more background.

I can access his service record from the national archives in digital form. I have copies of the 1st and 13th FAB war diaries, I also have copies of the 1st and 5th Divisional Artillery war diaries for the periods Andrew was attached. I also have a copy of the medal recommendation.

However the Brigade war diaries for the Cape Helles period do not give very good positional information for the different batteries. This information is sometimes easier to find in the Divisional war diaries. I have been unable to find a digital copy of the 29th Divisional Artillery War Diaries for the Cape Helles Theatre of operations. I am interested in the period between the 4th May 1915 and the 23rd July 1915.

[sotonmate]

AM

The Commander Artillery for 29 Division has a War Diary for the period Jan 1915 to Feb 1916 in WO95/4306,which is not yet digital. There is no specific reference in the Catalogue of 29 Div Diaries of that period to 1AFAB,but I'd say that their deployments will be in the Diary I quote here.

I will get back to you in a few days on this.

Sotonmate

[aslackigan]

G'day,

Thank you so much Sotonmate. In the diaries 1 AFAB may be referred to as 1st New South Wales Field Artillery Brigade.

There is no rush and I really do appreciate your help.

Regards,

Andrew.

[aslackigan]

Bump

[sotonmate]

AM

I was a bit pushed yesterday but can confirm that there is reference to the 1 AFAB in the 29 Div Artillery War Diary. I have a few digipics you can have from arrival and a sample for another month later,as they were clear and typewritten ! Send your e-mail by PM and I will post them.

It was interesting to read that they arrived in time for their almost first duty in support my Great Uncle's Battalion (2 Hampshires/29 Division) in it's attack on Krythia on 8 May !

Sotonmate

Note: You will need to make another post before you can send a PM . I think it is 5 before you can do this.

[aslackigan]

G'day Sotonmate,

Thanks so much for that!! Hopefully this post will allow me to PM you let's see. I will look in the 1 AFAB war diary to see if there is any mention of the 2 Hampshires. I did notice reference to a detachment of East Lancs artillery attached to the 1 AFAB, but that was a little later in the campaign. The diary is all handwritten and can be very difficult to read, although I have noticed that the more you read the easier it gets.

Regards,

Andrew.