Malc Knowles Posted 15 October , 2013 Share Posted 15 October , 2013 Hello Forum My relative Gunner 122621 Bernard Clarke of the 276 Siege Battery died on the 6th December 1917. I have his grave details, medal card and a newspaper report of his death, however I am lacking in the details of the circumstances surrounding his death. I am aware that the battery records are held at Kew but I am not in a position at the moment to visit. Can anyone help with any details please. Regards Malc Knowles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ororkep Posted 15 October , 2013 Share Posted 15 October , 2013 Welcome to the forum Malc, From my notes: Date: 05-12-1917 Position: Ravine Wood I.34.c.2.8 276 SB were under control of 9 HAG, which was under temporary command of Major F S Watson since the 29th Nov; he was the actual Major of 276. Capt F Wilkinson had assumed temporary command of 276 and the HAG HQ was at Vierstraat. Bty armament was 4 x 6in Hows, although it had already been brought upto 6 gun establishment personnel since August 1917. Participating in operations by IX Corps, mostly neutralisation and concentration shoots in relief of the New Zealand Div. Although no particular incident is mentioned, the following casualties wounded in action occurred in the Battery that day (5th not 6th): Gnr Kerr W DoW Gnr Leyton D aBdr Hunt F R Gnr Clark B Gnr Davis E That is all I have, but there used to be a forum member that held a personal diary for the battery, but he appears not to have been active for some time and I cant recall his name anyhow. Rgds Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malc Knowles Posted 16 October , 2013 Author Share Posted 16 October , 2013 Hi Paul Many thanks for the information. Have you any knowledge of Ravine Wood ? Do you know what the reference 1.34.c.2.8 indicates ? Do you know what HAG stands for ? Sorry I am a complete novice and unsure of some of the terminology. My information is that Bernard died of wounds received in action on the 6th so I assume he was wounded on the 5th and died the next day. I have found the member you mentioned Roger Sleath, Guisborough, N. Yorks His Grandfather Diary sounds like a gem. I an going to attempt to find him I think he is on Twitter so I intend to tweet him which will be a first for me ! Again Many thanks Regards Malc Knowles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevinrowlinson Posted 16 October , 2013 Share Posted 16 October , 2013 Malc, I would suggest that you view the service records for 81156 Fordham, Harry Joseph, and 128820 Kerr, Lamont. Both were signallers and if your relative was one also then there is a chance that he too was involved in the same incident. Both records hold an accident report for the time that these men were clearing a shack and a german shell exploded. It was assumed that it had been booby trapped. HAG stands for Heavy Artillery Group. Kevin edit. Also the records for 132469 (2111 Hants.RGA) Malins, Frank Edward. Of course it may have been a completely different incident that day. Apologies but I am a year out. It is a completely different incident. Please disregard. Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John(txic) Posted 16 October , 2013 Share Posted 16 October , 2013 There you go Malc - told you you'd do well here! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malc Knowles Posted 16 October , 2013 Author Share Posted 16 October , 2013 Hi John Thank you very much its been brilliant so far. Whatever did we do in the old days before the old World Wide Web ! Malc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevinrowlinson Posted 16 October , 2013 Share Posted 16 October , 2013 Malc, I'll try again. It was Gnr. Kerr that confused me. I would suggest that the DOW was supposed to go beside Gnr. Clarke's name in the diary. 122621 indicates that Gnr. Clarke was conscripted/mobilised to No. 4 Depot at Clipstone Camp around the 20th September 1916. Those gunners who were injured the same day and whose records survive are 132266 (1124 Hants RGA) Layton, David Ernest and 1310/340912 Hunt, Frank Richard. Both these records show that they were first sent to 53 Casualty Clearing Station. Although he may have been an original member of 276th Sge Bty, there is a possibility that he went out with 404th Sge Bty when it was made up to 6 guns. 276 SB was formed at Portsmouth which is why there was a high number of Hants RGA TF gunners in the battery. They were renumbered with regular numbers and ran from approx. 132266 to 132273 and 132450 to 132496. Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malc Knowles Posted 16 October , 2013 Author Share Posted 16 October , 2013 Thanks Kevin I take it that is Clipstone Near Mansfield ? If so that would figure as it isn't far from Bernard's home. I have searched the CWGC site and they have Gunner KERR listed as killed on the 5th and buried in Spoilbank Cemetery which is not far from Bernards grave in Bailleul. Does your information say if Bernard was taken to 53 Casualty Clearing Station ? Just doing a little research 53 CCS was also known as North Midland CCS which was across from church Saint Vaast, The Asylum in Bailleul. Can you tell me where the information came from about Bernards conscription/mobilisation. Regards and many thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevinrowlinson Posted 17 October , 2013 Share Posted 17 October , 2013 Malc, Men from dIfferent enlistment areas were sent to mainly 1 of 4 depots. It is by chance that at exactly that time No. 4 Depot had moved from Gt. Yarmouth to Clipstone Camp, Notts, although there is a possibility he first went to Yarmouth and after just a day or two had to move with them to Clipstone. The depot was only there for about a month before moving on to Ripon. These details I have obtained from viewing a number of records. I now notice that the CWGC has incorrectly given 76th Sge Bty for Gnr. William Kerr who I mistook for Lamont Kerr. Two men of the same name killed while serving with the battery. Have a look here, http://lt1.mcmaster.ca/ww1/wrz4mp.php?grid=28&map_id=322&view , and find square 34 to give you some idea of where they were. If you look at the records for men I have given you will notice that they were then sent on to a stationary hospital. Whether your relative made it to the hospital is impossible to say without his service records. Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malc Knowles Posted 17 October , 2013 Author Share Posted 17 October , 2013 Hi Kevin Thanks the map is exactly what I was looking for. If you follow the reference Paul gave above it gives a position very close to where Gunner Kerr is buried. Thank you for taking the time to help I very much appreciate it. Regards Malc Knowles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhillyJ Posted 6 January , 2017 Share Posted 6 January , 2017 On 16/10/2013 at 19:58, kevinrowlinson said: Malc, I'll try again. It was Gnr. Kerr that confused me. I would suggest that the DOW was supposed to go beside Gnr. Clarke's name in the diary. 122621 indicates that Gnr. Clarke was conscripted/mobilised to No. 4 Depot at Clipstone Camp around the 20th September 1916. Those gunners who were injured the same day and whose records survive are 132266 (1124 Hants RGA) Layton, David Ernest and 1310/340912 Hunt, Frank Richard. Both these records show that they were first sent to 53 Casualty Clearing Station. Although he may have been an original member of 276th Sge Bty, there is a possibility that he went out with 404th Sge Bty when it was made up to 6 guns. 276 SB was formed at Portsmouth which is why there was a high number of Hants RGA TF gunners in the battery. They were renumbered with regular numbers and ran from approx. 132266 to 132273 and 132450 to 132496. Kevin Just found this thread, I can confirm that my Great Great Uncle, Ernest Reeves, service number was 132267 and he was assigned to 276th Siege Battery RGA according to what I know from the CWWGC, he was from Swanmore which is not far from Pompey in Hants. He died in nbr 2 Canadian CCS June 4th 1917 from severe burns and wounds, although not sure where or when or how he suffered these. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevinrowlinson Posted 6 January , 2017 Share Posted 6 January , 2017 As indicated he falls within that block of numbers that were allotted to men posted to 276 SB from the Hants. RGA TF. He would of course had a TF number before this from the time he joined which for the TF was normally 4 years, with many of the men then taking out yearly extensions. The nearest place he was likely to have been is where Paul gave in post #4, for late May, in the other thread you have contributed to. He probably wasn't the only gunner to have died that day so finding the names of the others and checking if their service records have survived may, or may not, add something. Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhillyJ Posted 6 January , 2017 Share Posted 6 January , 2017 Thanks Kevin, he enlisted 1911 so I must really try to track down his earlier military service. We know quite a lot about his older Brother, Harry, who sadly died when HMS Fortune was lost at Jutland June 1st 1916, so almost a year to the day earlier. Phill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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