45th brigade 5th battery RFA

[leighb4]

My Great Uncle died on 11/05/1915 along with 3 other men possibly while moving a heavy gun on horse back when a shell exploded, they are buried next to each other in Lavantie Royal irish Cemetry.He was with the 45th Brigade 5th Battery Royal Field Artillery ,I was wondering if anybody could tell me where abouts he would have been killed on the date,I know he could have been involed at Aubers Ridge on the 9/05/1915 .Many thanks

[sotonmate]

leighb4

You would get the location from the unit War Diary which is at Kew under WO95/1694 and runs from the unit's first arrival in France with 8 Division in Oct 1914 through to 1919. The Diary is not yet digital so needs to be read at Kew or the pages copied ,unless someone here has a copy they can share with you.

Here is a page for the Battle of Aubers Ridge from the Long Long Trail,at top left of this page:

http://www.1914-1918.net/bat11.htm

which will give you an idea of the Artillery role in the action.

Sotonmate

[SFayers]

Just a further thought, if your Great Uncle is buried in Laventie, it might be worth contacting the CWGC to see if they have the burial records for Royal Irish Cemetery. It may be that your relative and his pals were originally buried elsewhere (i.e. closer to 8th Division's frontage before Aubers and Fromelles), and then re-buried at Laventie after the Armistice.

All the best

Steve

[SFayers]

I notice I managed to overwrite my original reply (doh!). Just to say, try checking both the 45 Brigade RFA diary and the war diary of the Commander Royal Artillery 8th Division for the period you're interested in (both available at the NA).

The copy of the 45 Brigade diary I have for May / June 1916 gives details of incidents involving casulaties (though typically no names are given). It's pretty scant with regard to details of the actual battery positions; however, the CRA 8th Division war diary for the corresponding period gives more info in this respect. The nature of the diary contents may be similar for May 1915 - so I'd recommend giving both a go if you can get to the National Archive.

All the best

Steve

Note: Sadly no war diary specifically for 5 Battery RFA exists.

[sotonmate]

leighb4/Steve

CRA War Diary is WO95/1683 for the period Nov 1914 to Dec 1915.

5 Battery,as part of 45 Brigade RFA,will be included in WO95/1694. There are often three elements of a Brigade and sometimes there is a seperate diary within a diary,they can also be operating away from the main unit,but all filed under the Brigade.

Sotonmate