245 Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery

[Guest dfeakes]

Dear Members,

Does anyone have information on the activities of 245th Siege Battery, RGA in 1917? I know it arrived at Le Harve in late January of that year. My great grandfather served with the battery (Gunner Edward James Wall 122452 from Shoeburyness). I'm particularly interested in events around 23 June and 16 October 1917 when, according to his records my great grandfather was gassed. The first time he was back with his unit within a few days, but the second time he was sent back to the UK (to the Horton War Hospital in Epsom) and didn't return to the war, so I assume his injuries were more serious. Therefore I would be very interested in any information on where the unit was deployed on those dates and any pointers as to where I could find additional information.

By coincidence, I am now working at the international organisation which oversees the global treaty banning chemical weapons (the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons), so my great grandfather's story is of professional as well as personal interest.

Thanks,

Daniel

[ororkep]

Daniel,

245 is a very hard battery to pin down details given the absence of any surviving official war diary.

For the gassing on 23 June, 245 came under control of 17 HAG (Heavy Arty Group) 2 ANZAC Corps, whose HQ was at Oosthove Farm. They had earlier that month assisted in the attack on Messines. Further details may be freely available on the Australian Archives site.

For the 16 October the battery was under 43 HAG, and positioned at Knoll Farm, Ypres. They were part of the Northern Counter Battery Double Group. 10 OR’s were recorded as gas casualties, and two 2Lt’s and one Captain. It was noted that all suffered a serious bout of ‘sneezing’ from a new enemy gas, which was Mustard Gas.

Rgds

Paul

[Guest dfeakes]

Dear Paul,

Thanks for the extra detail. I had read somewhere else on here that there was no official war diary for 245. In that case, what sources have you used to find these details? The war diaries of the HAGs?

Best wishes,

Daniel

[ororkep]

Daniel,

Correct. Notes taken from both HAG war diaries. The ANZAC Corps diaries are free to download online.

17 HAG (NA ref: WO95/388)

43 HAG (NA ref: WO95/321)

There is also a diary held at the IWM by a battery Subaltern (Lt West) which also covers that period and should be explored (IWM ref Private Papers 6376).

Rgds

Paul