RFA "A" bty 184th brigade

[garfyboy]

Hi all , i am researching a chap from above unit that was killed on 13/11/1916 - first day battle of the ancre.

I know its hard to research artillery chaps, are there any experts willing to give me a idea as to whom his unit was attached to? poss war diary? advice?

thanks

Andy

ps: the chap is EDWARD MILES HOMER

[sotonmate]

War Diary is WO95/2574/5 but not yet digital. 39 Division.

[garfyboy]

thanks sotonmate

[garfyboy]

So bloody frustrating trying to find your man and getting nowhere, mic & sdgw, thats it, frustrating not to find him on the cencus and no war diary!!

dead end

[spof]

According to LLT, 184 Bde was in 39 Division

[rflory]

On 13 Nov 16 the 39th Division took part in a large attack north and south of the River Ancre. The attack commenced at 5:40 am and by noon Beaumont Hamel and nearby villages were taken with hundreds of German prisoners. Corporal E M Homer and Driver J H Arnold who were both killed in action on 13 Nov 16 were the last two casualties of 184th Brigade, RFA as the brigade was disbanded on 1 Dec 16 upon the re-organization of the 39th Divisional Artillery.

Source: A Short History of the 39th (Deptford) Divisional Artillery 1915-1918.

[garfyboy]

rflory - i wasnt expecting such detail, thankyou kindly sir, that just about finishes my research off, how can we be sure these two chaps were the last casualties of the 184th brigade? i know the 13th was the first day of the battle of the ancre but was this the last action they were involved in before disbandment ?

cheers

Andy

[battiscombe]

This history lists all the casualties - available online - A Short History of the 39th (Deptford) Divisional Artillery 1915-1918. http://archive.org/details/39thartillery00weibuoft

[rflory]

Andy: As battiscombe indicates, the unit history lists all of the casualties for the 39th DA and they are the last two casualties for 184th Brigade, RFA. Dick Flory