kevmc Posted 7 May , 2015 Share Posted 7 May , 2015 He was KIA 28/3/18 and is buried in Bienvillers Military Cemetery. From this thread it is likely he was hit by artillery fire? The batteries were in the fields around Essart at that time. German tactics were to particularly target Artillery during the Spring Offensive. Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trenchtrotter Posted 7 May , 2015 Share Posted 7 May , 2015 Hello Kevin. I have a very good trench map of the area albeit a 1916 one. 1:10000. It would be nice to know where B Battery was exactly but I guess we never will know for sure. TT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevmc Posted 7 May , 2015 Share Posted 7 May , 2015 Hello Kevin. I have a very good trench map of the area albeit a 1916 one. 1:10000. It would be nice to know where B Battery was exactly but I guess we never will know for sure. TT On the 26th March 2 sections per battery were placed in F19 south-east of Essarts. The Diary makes no mention of repositioning over the next few days. The field in question is quite open and slightly undulating. No doubt there would have been minor changes of position within that field to avoid detection. I strongly believe that they would have been within the angle of Gommecourt Trench and Artillery Trench. The 5th April positions were identified by Robin Garrity of this forum, he contributed earlier in this thread. They are further to the rear than at the height of the fighting on 28th March. Acknowledgement given to Robin for the map of which I show a segment. Kevin Bottom photo. The tree line is where Artillery Trench runs across the fields towards Bucquoy. Photo taken 2009. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trenchtrotter Posted 7 May , 2015 Share Posted 7 May , 2015 Kevin Thank you. Excellent info. Will make a recce when next over in France. Our base is always at Fonquevillers so only a stones throw away. TT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianmorris547 Posted 9 May , 2015 Share Posted 9 May , 2015 TT I've just got back from France and Flanders so have not seen your posts till now, On Friday (8th) I was looking at some October/November 1917 gun positions for 210 and 211 Brigades between Oostduinkerke and Nieuport. The death of Tom Vernon Hart was reported in the Bolton Journal and Guardian dated 26/04/1918. He was pictured and there was also a short biography. The Bolton Artillery, 3rd East Lancs Brigade RFA (T) first came into action at Serapeum, Egypt on 02 and 03/02/1915 as the Turks attempted to cross the Suez Canal. Tom was wounded in this action and was pictured in the Bolton papers shortly afterwards, there was also a report describing the action in a letter home from another member of 19 Bty. I can send you the cuttings and also the 211 Brigade WD for March 1918 if you wish. Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trenchtrotter Posted 10 May , 2015 Share Posted 10 May , 2015 Brian, yes please and thanks. Will pm you my email address. TT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poortryon Posted 2 October , 2016 Share Posted 2 October , 2016 Dear all, I hope someone is still monitoring this thread? I have an idea that may appeal to anyone interested in 211 Brigade that I'd like to present and gather feedback. I would appreciate any thoughts that any of you regulars to this forum may have. As some of you may remember from my earlier posts, I have been doing deep research into 211 Brigade, since my Grandfather (David Hirst) was a member of the brigade. Despite my long enforced absence from participation in the forum, my research has continued and I have amassed a very large amount of material covering the entire period of the Brigade on the Western Front. My idea, given the current centenary of WW1, is to publish a blog, one hundred years on, as if I were David Hirst (but obviously with access to information that he could not possibly have had!). The idea would be to tell the story of his war, but actually to show the complete picture of what 211 Brigade was doing, who they were supporting, where they moved and why. I would add documents/maps as I go along. It would be as complete as I could make it, but 'followers' (if any!) would be able to comment and add material, ask questions etc. It wouldn't be updated every day, of course, but I would batch several days for periods of inactivity, or major battles, which would be reported once the action was over, 100 years on! I would propose to start in March or April 2017, with the slow introduction of 42nd Division into the Western Front. I do not under-estimate the commitment that this represents, and so I thought I'd run the idea past this forum to gauge interest. I would welcome any messages of support (or otherwise!), and any ideas about a good place to host such a blog, in case anyone knows anything about it. Thanks for reading, and I hope to hear from you soon! Robin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger H Posted 2 October , 2016 Share Posted 2 October , 2016 Robin it sounds a good idea. Go for it! Roger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianmorris547 Posted 3 October , 2016 Share Posted 3 October , 2016 Robin I still have an interest in the Bolton Artillery so would be pleased to follow it. Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elaine.01944 Posted 2 November , 2016 Share Posted 2 November , 2016 Please can someone tell me what has happened to this thread? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger H Posted 3 November , 2016 Share Posted 3 November , 2016 I'm not sure what you mean. It just shows that nobody has posted anything between the 3rd October and yours of today. Roger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAN Posted 11 October , 2017 Share Posted 11 October , 2017 Well two and a half years after first posting on this thread, which lead me to find the location, near Nieuwpoort, at which my maternal grandfather was severely injured, on Monday (9th) of this week I visited the location 100 years to the day he was injured. So once again I would like to thanks all those contributors who helped me by providing guidance and direction. RAN Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poortryon Posted 11 October , 2017 Share Posted 11 October , 2017 Hi Ran, I am very pleased at your success; I know it is an important and very personal thing to do. Last month, I visited Ypres to follow in my Grandfather's footsteps exactly 100 years after he took part in the Battle of the Menin Road. Very moving. To anyone who has read my most recent posts, (not so recent, actually ...), you may have correctly guessed that I did not pursue my idea of a Blog, 100 years on. I have the material but, due to being inordinately busy at work, I could not commit the time that would be necessary to make such an undertaking successful. However, I have gathered a vast amount of information for every stage of the Bolton Artillery's participation on the Western Front, and have started writing it up. I do not think that it would be appropriate for a commercial publication, and nor can I really find the time to polish the work to the standard necessary for that, but I will probably publish it online in some form. This will, however, take me a lot of time, so please be patient! Kind regards Robin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 20 September , 2018 Share Posted 20 September , 2018 (edited) kevmc, hi sorry but I just noticed this thread and you were talking about your grandfather Henry McGee. My name is Michael Kerr and I live in Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia and it seems we are related although distantly. Your great-grandfather Thomas McGee was the older brother to my great-grandmother Margaret McGee who married Dan Colvin, their daughter Elizabeth married my grandfather Patrick Kerr and they emigrated to Australia. I don't know if you are still interested in pursuing information on your lost relatives but as I am a newbie I cannot PM you but I also would like to fill in some gaps on Thomas's family. I shall try and attach a photo I have of Thomas McGee and his four children which must have been taken around the time of their mother's death. They are from left, Henry, your grandfather, John who never married and died in 1961, Thomas, his daughter Sarah and the eldest son James who is seated, who died in 1944. I was very interested in the military career of Henry and would like to know more. Sorry to hijack this interesting thread. Edited 20 September , 2018 by Guest Updating some info Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Wheatley Posted 22 September , 2018 Share Posted 22 September , 2018 I have just joined the group and researching my Grandfathers ww1 history. His name was Albert E Winchcombe 62317 serving in the Royal Field Artillery as a horse rider (driver?). I know he served at Ypres among other areas. Pictured in ww2 home guard uniform. I know he became a 'batman' to a Captain but don't know which brigade etc he was posted too or the Captain's name I will be walking from the Menin gate to the cenotaph arriving for the parade, as part of 'The Long Walk Home' a charity 100 mile walk to remember all those who fell during ww1 and my Grandfathers war history has even greater releveance at this us time. He was also a member of the GWR old contemptibles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 22 September , 2018 Share Posted 22 September , 2018 10 minutes ago, David Wheatley said: researching my Grandfathers ww1 history. David, welcome to the forum. You would be much better starting your own thread under Soldiers. Your GF was previously mentioned briefly in this old thread Charlie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Wheatley Posted 22 September , 2018 Share Posted 22 September , 2018 18 minutes ago, charlie962 said: David, welcome to the forum. You would be much better starting your own thread under Soldiers. Your GF was previously mentioned briefly in this old thread Charlie Ok.thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Porter Posted 22 September , 2018 Share Posted 22 September , 2018 (edited) Welcome to the Forum David, Albert Winchcombe enlisted at Swindon on June 9, 1910. He was 19 years old and signed up for 6 years with a further 6 years in the reserves. However, war intervened and he was not transferred to the reserves until May 14, 1919. His record also states that he served in France 1914 - 1915, Alexandria 1915 and Salonika 1915 - 1919. This reduces the possible Divisions he served in, being away from France. He was renumbered in the reserves in August 1920 with 1005176, called up briefly in 1921 and finally discharged on June 8, 1922. Source: Royal Artillery Attestations 1883-1942 (Findmypast) EDIT: The Alexandria and Salonika dates could match 130th Brigade RFA, 28th Division. However 22 Bty, then of 3rd Brigade RFA, 28th Division, were not transferred to that brigade until 1916. So looks like he remained with 22 Bty the whole time. Edited 22 September , 2018 by David Porter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sars0785 Posted 15 November , 2018 Share Posted 15 November , 2018 On 11/10/2017 at 22:06, poortryon said: Hi Ran, I am very pleased at your success; I know it is an important and very personal thing to do. Last month, I visited Ypres to follow in my Grandfather's footsteps exactly 100 years after he took part in the Battle of the Menin Road. Very moving. To anyone who has read my most recent posts, (not so recent, actually ...), you may have correctly guessed that I did not pursue my idea of a Blog, 100 years on. I have the material but, due to being inordinately busy at work, I could not commit the time that would be necessary to make such an undertaking successful. However, I have gathered a vast amount of information for every stage of the Bolton Artillery's participation on the Western Front, and have started writing it up. I do not think that it would be appropriate for a commercial publication, and nor can I really find the time to polish the work to the standard necessary for that, but I will probably publish it online in some form. This will, however, take me a lot of time, so please be patient! Kind regards Robin Hi, I would just like to say that your knowledge of this brigade is fabulous and I have just started out on my own research of my great uncle Herbert Lee 711002 RFA who was a gunner and died of gas 25th July 1917 near Neiuwpoort and is buried in Cocxyde Military Cemetery. I have tried ancestry and it seems his service record was one of those that was burned. I have been to his grave which was lovely to pay my respects. I downloaded the war diary for 72nd Army Brigade but I'm still trying to work it out. If you have come across any other soldiers with service numbers close to his it would help me to know when he enlisted or how he came to be in A72. I did find one soldier service no. 711021 acting corporal, d battery, 107th brigade died 31st July aged 29 but don't know when he enlisted either. I am realising that due to the location and dates that he has died after operation strandfest and according to war diary from 72nd brigade A battery was positioned in sheet 11 SE 4. Strangely though the war diary gives M33d3500 on the 11th July then just sheet 11 SE 4 on 24th July when thwy mention mustard gas and severe casualties and 1 death which I also assume must have been him dying the next day. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianmorris547 Posted 15 November , 2018 Share Posted 15 November , 2018 (edited) Herbert Lee enlisted into the Reserve Brigades of 3 East Lancs Brigade RFA (The Bolton Artillery) at Bolton Town Hall in May 1915. This is from the Bolton Journal and Guardian 21/05/1915 which ran a column called "Rally to the Flag" giving the names, addresses and Regiments of recruits. The Reserve Brigades of the Bolton Artillery 2/3 East Lancs Brigade RFA and 3/3 ELB RFA (both TF) became 332 Brigade which was broken up in February 1917. One Battery was initially transferred to 108 Brigade RFA in 1916 as a Howitzer Battery. His death was reported in the Bolton Chronicle 17/08/1917 and 24/08/1917. I am going to the library this afternoon so watch this space. Brian Edited 15 November , 2018 by brianmorris547 typo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sars0785 Posted 15 November , 2018 Share Posted 15 November , 2018 Brian, What can I say other than you are an absolute gem!! I have just finished a night shift so should be asleep by now but thank you so very much. I would love to know how you know this, all you guys on here amaze me on how much you know and inspire me to learn more and more. Herbert Lee has a living nephew who although he never met he resides in Bolton and although well he is in his late 80s now isn't great on his feet and unable to do what he used to anymore. Thank you, you have made my day a very, very good day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sars0785 Posted 15 November , 2018 Share Posted 15 November , 2018 However he died aged 21. I'll post some more info for you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sars0785 Posted 15 November , 2018 Share Posted 15 November , 2018 (edited) Edited 15 November , 2018 by Sars0785 More info Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 15 November , 2018 Share Posted 15 November , 2018 The photo of the original cross in that snowy graveyard is very moving. All the information is there. Thanks for sharing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianmorris547 Posted 15 November , 2018 Share Posted 15 November , 2018 10 hours ago, Sars0785 said: 10 hours ago, Sars0785 said: I would love to know how you know this, Hi When I retired I started to search the Bolton papers for any mention of my Royal Engineers grandfather. I was also in touch with one of my dad's friends whose father served in the Bolton Artillery in Egypt, Gallipoli and France. I ended up indexing all the Bolton Artillery names in the papers from 1914 to 1919. Anyway the printer in the History Centre had conked out today so I had to take a few pictures from the microfiche. Apologies for the quality. 1. From the Bolton Evening News Friday 14/05/1915 Rally to the Flag showing the men who had enlisted in to the 3rd East Lancs Brigade RFA the previous day at the Town Hall. 2. Photograph from the Bolton Evening News 15/08/1917 (also in the weekly Bolton Journal 17/08/1917). More to follow: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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