Army Corps - Italy

[Zonta72]

On 11/08/2011 at 22:32, Ruth Ward said:

The history of the Medical Services certainly gives the impression that they were separate. However, I've found an entry in the 94th brigade war diary for July 1918 - General Narrative, stating that, "Whilst the Batteries were at Tiarno di Sotto arrangements for an Italian M.O. to inspect the sick were made, and for the men to have hot baths." Presumably this was a rare enough occurrence for it to be mentioned in the GN? I haven't come across any other refs in the WD.

Hi,
I live in Italy near Tiarno di Sotto (Trentino - Italy).
I look for confirmations of the batteries had been moved to Trentino. Hugh Dalton writes in the book "With British Guns in Italy" that he is in Tiarno di Sotto. Can you send me a copy of the diary of the 94th brigade between June and August 1918?

Thanks.

[ororkep]

Zonta72,

Welcome to the forum.  

I can confirm that three siege batteries under control of 94 Brigade RGA were positioned at Tiarno di Sotto in July 1918. They were the 302 Sge Bty which later changed Brigade, 316 Sge Bty and 391 Sge Bty (which also later changed Brigade). Advance parties of each battery started preparing positions on July 3rd. A section of each battery (2 x 6in Hows per Bty; total 6) were in position by July 11th. There was considerable difficulty reaching the positions due to the terrain. The other sections (2 x 6in Hows; total 6) of each of the three Btys were positioned at Tolla a few miles away. 390 Sge Bty was under a different Brigade positioned in the Carriola Valley.

May I enquire why you are interested? 

Rgds Paul

 

[scottmarchand]

Posted on wrong thread - sorry

Edited 20 November , 2019 by scottmarchand
Error - wrong thread

[Zonta72]

20 hours ago, ororkep said:

Zonta72,

Welcome to the forum.  

I can confirm that three siege batteries under control of 94 Brigade RGA were positioned at Tiarno di Sotto in July 1918. They were the 302 Sge Bty which later changed Brigade, 316 Sge Bty and 391 Sge Bty (which also later changed Brigade). Advance parties of each battery started preparing positions on July 3rd. A section of each battery (2 x 6in Hows per Bty; total 6) were in position by July 11th. There was considerable difficulty reaching the positions due to the terrain. The other sections (2 x 6in Hows; total 6) of each of the three Btys were positioned at Tolla a few miles away. 390 Sge Bty was under a different Brigade positioned in the Carriola Valley.

May I enquire why you are interested? 

Rgds Paul

 

Thank you very much. 

I know these places very well.

I'm interested because in the archive of Storo (Trentino - Italy) I have found the death certificate of this person:

surname SMITH name SIDNEY born in Bridgwater the 6th December 1898 death the 24 July 1918 - artilleryman of the 391 Siege Batteries

 

But in other documents he turns out to be an RAF mechanic: 

https://it.findagrave.com/memorial/21624248/sidney-austin_goodland-smith

https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2000694/smith,-sidney-austin-goodland/
Was he an artilleryman or a RAF air mechanic?

 

I am interested in the 3 RGA batteries that came to Trentino between July and August 1918, including Dalton's.

 

Is your information from the diary of the 94th Brigade? Where can I find the original document?

Thank you for your help. Yours faithfully.

[ororkep]

Zonta72,

2AM (2^nd Class Air Mechanic) SMITH Sidney Austin Goodland was RAF not artillery. He would have been attached to the battery, working in the Battery Command Post liaising with Aeroplanes on aeroplane assisted battery shoots; as they directed and observed the fall of shot from the battery howitzers from their aerial advantage point.

His rather spartan RAF service record can be found on Find My Past and indicates his casualty card was destroyed but that he died of natural causes in an Italian hospital. Prior to enlisting he was a railway clerk and in the National Railway Museum there is apparently a photo of him in a railway magazine and I would assume an obituary.

Be aware that all three Sge Btys had moved from the position mentioned in my previous post before the date of his demise (24 July). 391 Sge Bty and 302 Sge Bty both pulled out the night of the 22/23 July. 316 Sge Bty pulled out the following night. They all arrived at Desenzano Sul Lago for three days rest; before moving on and coming under different Brigades.

My information comes from notes taken from the war diary of the 94 Brigade RGA held at National Archives Kew. Unfortunately the relevant diary has not been digitised so cannot be obtained online. I will however send you some of the information above via the forum PM internal messaging system in due course.

Rgds Paul

 

Edited 21 November , 2019 by ororkep

[Zonta72]

Thank you for your help