Hoplophile Posted 30 May , 2004 Share Posted 30 May , 2004 The kind replies to an earlier post of mine (one dealing with the "tardy siege batteries at Neuve Chapelle") riased the issue of the 7th Siege Battery, RGA. Here is what I know about it. The 7th Siege Battery arrived in France on 6 October 1914. At that time, it was armed with two 6" guns (not howitzers) and a 9.2" piece of some sort (I'm not sure whether this was a gun or a howitzer.) Before the end of 1914, the battery gave up the 9.2" piece and obtained two more 6" guns. As far as I can tell, the 7th Siege Battery did not take part in the bombardment prior to the Battle of Neuve Chapelle. There is a war diary for the battery at the PRO. This war diary runs from October 1914 through late 1917. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rflory Posted 30 May , 2004 Share Posted 30 May , 2004 I have a feeling I have already done this but here goes: The 7th Sg By, RGA formed at Woolwich on 2 Oct 14 from companies at Sheerness, Dover and Plymouth. It was armed with a 9.2" gun on railway mounting and two 6" guns. The 9.2" gun was shipped at Elswick and proceeded directly to the port of disembarkation. The remainder of the battery began loading stores at Woolwich at midnight on 3 Oct 14; the guns and tractors were sent on a separate ship. Loading was completed by 9.15 that morning; and the ship carrying the 9.2" gun met the convoy at the Nore. The battery arrived at Ostend on 6 Oct 14 and a special train carried the advance party to Antwerp on the afternoon of that day. On arrival at St. Nicholas, 12 miles SW of Antwerp it was ordered to return at once and the next morning the party was back in Ostend. On the 6th all three guns were landed at Ostend. At 5am on the 8th the battery received orders to leave at 8am. After the train had been loaded the order was cancelled at 830am. On 10 Oct orders were received for the battery to re-embark and on the 11th loading was completed. The battery disembarked at 10am on the 13th and later that day orders were issued for the 9.2" gun and its personnel to return to the UK. On 22 Oct 14 the battery, with 8th SG By, RGA, proceeded to Bologne, arriving there after numerous problems, on the 27th. At 7am on 4 Nov 14 the battery marched to Hazebrouck, arriving on the 6 Nov and remaining there until the 23rd. Later on the 23rd, No. 1 gun was sent forward to a position 3/4 mile south of Locre and was attached to the 5th Division. On 26 Nov, two rounds were fired by this gun to test the platform, and that evening No. 2 gun arrived and took up a position 1/4 mile nearer Locre and fired its first round on 30 Nov. The two guns remained in action in that area for the rest of the year. On 25 Dec 14 the left half-battery with two more 6" guns arrived, completing the battery. On 31 Dec the left half-battery came into action south of Neuve Eglise. The above is paraphrased from the Journal of the Royal Artillery, Volume 50, p. 173-175 (1923-1924). Regards. Dick Flory Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoplophile Posted 30 May , 2004 Author Share Posted 30 May , 2004 Many thanks. This solves the mystery of the "lost" 9.2" gun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terryb95 Posted 31 May , 2004 Share Posted 31 May , 2004 The War Diary for the period 3 Oct 1914 to end of Dec 1914 is posted to the War Diary section of the Long Long Trail Terry Barrett Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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