East Lancashire Division RFA (T)

[brianmorris547]

972 later 710221 Gnr Tudor Vaughan Williams and his younger brother 1050 later 710280 Sgt John Hugh Williams. (Tudor has WO 364 papers).

I recently posted a picture of Sgt John Williams from the Bolton Chronicle  (See The Long and Short of it in Soldiers) and mentioned his brother Tudor. The family featured in a library publication 36 Stewart St. The brothers had both enlisted into the Bolton Artillery pre war. In 1914 Tudor went out to Egypt with 3 East Lancs Bde RFA (T) and the book says that he later went to Gallipoli where he contracted malaria and dysentry. He was invalided home in 1916.

His papers show that he served in Egypt until 29/10/1915 when he was invalided home. He later served in Salonika.

The Bolton Evening News 09/06/1915 reported that 20 Bty left Alexandria on 06/05/1915 and arrived in the Narrows on 08/05/1915. Bdr Beresford describes guns being fired from the Ships. On 10/06/1915 it quoted Tudor Williams in a letter home. He also described the Warships but said that they were now back in Alexandria.

The Bolton Artillery could not land in May and had to return to Egypt but they did get there in September. There is no record in his papers that Tudor served in Gallipoli, but the book seems to confirm it.

The book records that John was too young to be sent overseas in 1914 (he was 16) but served with the Reserve Brigades in Southport and later in France. He was a Sergeant at 18 years old and was Commissioned in 1918.

Pictures courtesy Bolton Library.

[brianmorris547]

More Bolton Artillery MMs

Gnr Arnold Appleyard. Service number shown in LG 30364 of 02/11/1917 as 936066 (Bolton). MM Card shows A/50 Bde. The June 1917 WD of 50 Bde RFA (WO 95/1751) names him and six other MMs from A/50 and seven other MMs from C/50 but it does not give their numbers. The Awards were from September 1916 to date. None of the others from A/50 are named in the same Gazette.

The Medal Rolls show him as 195408 and his SWB under that number records that he enlisted on 11/10/1915. The Bolton Evening News Rally to the Flag shows A Appleyard of 44 Howarth St enlisting into the Bolton Artillery on that date. 

The Bolton Journal 19/09/1919 pictured him and reported that he had been presented with his medal at the Town Hall. It was awarded for putting out a fire in a dump in Arras. He had enlisted in October 1915 and had gone to France in November 1916. He was wounded in April 1918 and on recovery volunteered for the Army of the Rhine going to Germany in February 1919. He was discharged as unfit for service in September. Perhaps he was renumbered before going to Germany.

John Edwin Collier. RFA 1506 / 710056 and RE 443909. LG 30873 29/08/1918. His Service Record shows that he transferred to 66 Div Signals Co in 1917. The Bolton Journal 21/02/1919 pictured him and reported that he had been presented with his medal at the Town Hall. It was awarded on 21/03/1918 on the Somme for taking a message to the Battery when all other communications were severed. He had enlisted in January 1915 and had gone to France in 1917.

Another man with a Bolton Artillery number 1561 / 710712 Harold Cawkwell was awarded the MM. He is named in the LG 30962 21/10/1918 (Hull). His MM card shows that he was serving with X / 1 Div TMB (thanks to Ivor for being able to read it) and he is named in the WD of 1 Div A&QMG 29/07/1918. It is possible that at some time after 1911 he moved to Bolton and enlisted into the TF Artillery. No mention in the Bolton papers though.

[brianmorris547]

The Bolton Evening News Rally to the Flag 22/05/1915 shows that Harry Grundy of 50 Higher Darcy St enlisted into 3 East Lancs Brigade at Bolton Town Hall. His RFA numbers were 2113 and later 711096. At some point he transferred to the RE 42 Div Signals Co and was renumbered 443934.

He was awarded the DCM which is mentioned in the LG 31370 30/05/1919. His Unit is shown as 42 Div Sigs Co att 211 Brigade RFA and he was from Bolton. The Citation is in the LG 31819 09/03/1920. For gallantry and devotion to duty particularly between 17/09/1918 and 11/11/1918 when he maintained communications under fire.

I will see if there are any reports or photographs in the papers on my next visit to the library.

Brian 

EDIT No photos in the Bolton papers.

 

Edited 10 May , 2022 by brianmorris547
additional info

[brianmorris547]

The East Lancashire Div RFA attempted to disembark at Cape Helles on 09/05/1915. Only 5 Bty and 6 Bty less one Section, of 1 East Lancs Brigade, The Blackburn Artillery, managed to do so and the remainder returned to Alexandria. On 25/07/1915 18 Bty of 3 ELB, The Bolton Artillery, landed at Cape Helles, on 23/09/1915 the other Section of 6 Bty landed followed on 24/09/1915 by the remaining two Batteries of 3 ELB, 19 and 20 Batteries.

This report in the Bolton Evening News 20/07/1915 records that four men of the Bolton Artillery, including Lt Clare Scowcroft, were ashore in June acting in some capacity with what must have been 9 and 10 Bns Mcr Regt and 4 and 5 Bns East Lancs Regt of 126 Infantry Brigade, East Lancs Div. I could not find any mention in the relevant war Diaries.

Harry Eatock is named on the ROH for Dobson and Barlow (Turning Dept) and also in the Times OCL 23/07/1915 under 3 East Lancs RFA - wounded. 

Edited 22 April , 2023 by brianmorris547
typo