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Remembered Today:

No 1 Area Gas School


Mike Cross

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This is said to be a photo from 1916 and is entitled 'No 1 Area Gas School'; photographer A G Price. Among this mixed group is a man or possibly men from 132nd Oxfordshire (Heavy) Battery, RGA. It would be good to identify the location of the photo and purpose of the training given. The known man enlisted in May 1915, crossed to France in March 1916, spent from September 1916 until early January 1917 in a UK Hospital and probably did not return to France. All help appreciated.

MC

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Looks to be a few austrailians and rfc in the pic as well.Could well be training in the handling of gas shells. RFC men could have been wireless people attached to battery.

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Mike

This a little complex as there were three No1 Area Gas Schools, by Command, as follows:

Southern Command: Chiseldon Camp, Chiseldon, Wiltshire.

Eastern Command: Connaught Barracks, Dover.

Western Command: HQ Mersey Garrison, 33 Rodney St, Liverpool. This was probably the HQ administrative address.

All three were formed on 5.9.16.

If I were asked to make a guess, I would plump for Chisledon.

TR

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The only photographer of that name that I can find worked out of Weymouth.

Interesting, Great Grand Pa Mogg was with the 132nd HB and he was from Weymouth

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Thanks for all contributions. At Soldiers of Oxfordshire we are collecting the names/photos etc of the men of the various Oxfordshire Heavy Artillery Batteries and this photo has come from a contributor. Chiseldon does seem favourite but was this training for the aggressive use of Gas or maybe to plan for the protection of Batteries ? The soldier's family had believed that the photo had been taken in France.

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I have a postcard by "A. G Price, 12 Cornewall (sic), Hereford" showing "ASC boys training Salisbury Plain 1915".

It could be "R G Price" and the writing is the same as on Mike's card. The "boys" are having a mock boxing match outside a hut that doesn't look like one at Chisledon, which isn't on Salisbury Plain, but Mr Price could have visited several camps on his foray from Hereford or Weymouth.

Moonraker

PS Just Googled, and Cornewall is a street in Hereford.

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Mike,

Out of interest I thought you might like to see this one. Hand written on the back is Anti Gas School, Crowborough Camp, October 3rd 1917. Unfortunately they aren't wearing caps, but there appear to be a mixture, including possibly a couple of Canadians.

Phil

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