archivist Posted 27 November , 2013 Share Posted 27 November , 2013 Does anyone know where this was? Are there any photographs? Is there anything to be seen there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianjonesncl Posted 30 November , 2013 Share Posted 30 November , 2013 This is from the Ordnance Survey map for 1895 and it shows the location of the Artillery Barracks on the appropriately named Barrack Road. I presume this was the depot. A post WW1 version also shows the location as Artillery Barracks. I am not sure if you know Newcastle, but find St James Park and you are on Barrack Road. The location is currently a TA Centre, all modern build. The only remnants of the I am aware of are the old gate area which includes a Japanese restaurant - Google Street view is worth a look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archivist Posted 30 November , 2013 Author Share Posted 30 November , 2013 Many thanks for your reply. I have been able to get an idea of what it looked like from Street View as you suggested. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianjonesncl Posted 1 December , 2013 Share Posted 1 December , 2013 The link below details that the old Officers and Sergeants messes buildings are still there and are listed buildings. http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/QuickResults/Default.aspx?qs=fenham%20barracks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archivist Posted 1 December , 2013 Author Share Posted 1 December , 2013 Many thanks. I am very grateful. My late grandfather Alfred Greetham was a gunner in RFA and survived the war but spoke little of his wartime experiences as is often the case. Another kind respondent on this forum has indicated, given the regimental number that I have from the medal record that it was given on, or just after, May 24, 1917 at No.1 Depot RFA, Newcastle. Surviving records of men with nearby numbers suggest a batch were posted to 4B Reserve Brigade at Boyton, Wiltshire on June 1, 1917 arriving there the following day. Those that remained in Newcastle were posted to 1A Reserve Brigade for training. Is 1A Reserve Brigade likely to have also been at the same Newcastle barracks? Could I also ask your advice on the best way to find out what that training might have entailed. He was wounded at the very end of the war and my grandmother visited him at a hospital in New Mills, Derbyshire which I have been able to locate via Internet sources and I have contributed details of the hospital to the list which is growing on our forum. I have replied in this detail partly as a thank you to you for your kind assistance as I imagine it may be interesting to have a broader indication of the background to an enquiry and partly in case you can help me with my further query about any possible training with 1A Reserve at Newcastle. Kind regards, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianjonesncl Posted 1 December , 2013 Share Posted 1 December , 2013 This film on my blog shows Gunners training at Woolwich. It includes Field Artillery, Heavy Artillery and AA Guns. I would suggest the Field Artillery training would be very similar in Newcastle. Basically gun drill, into and out of action, deployment. There are open areas around the barracks where field artillery could deploy, they may have used these areas, though on the map they are not designated for military use. The closest live firing ranges would be Redesdale and Otterburn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianjonesncl Posted 1 December , 2013 Share Posted 1 December , 2013 There is a memorial lectern to the men of 1st and 2nd Reserve Brigades in St Andrews Church in Newcastle.http://www.newmp.org.uk/detail.php?contentId=8217 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archivist Posted 2 December , 2013 Author Share Posted 2 December , 2013 Many thanks for all that. Really interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Tait Posted 3 May , 2021 Share Posted 3 May , 2021 I'm a newbie on here and am trying to research the RFA service history of my Grandfather: A/Bombardier Thomas Albert Tait, Regimental no 750936 (previously 2190). I have a copy of his medal card which lists his award of 'Mutt & Jeff'. No campaigns are listed on it which I understand means he served in France (which I recall him saying). He was a Tynesider from Gateshead so presumably began his service at No. 1 Depot RFA Newcastle upon Tyne. It would appear that his service records were destroyed in the air raid in 1940 so other than his date of birth (1898) this is about as much as I've been able to discover. Like almost all ex-servicemen he said very little about his time during the Great War. Can anyone on here suggest how i should proceed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Porter Posted 3 May , 2021 Share Posted 3 May , 2021 Welcome to the Forum Tom, His six figure number is linked to 1st Northumbrian Brigade RFA (TF) so he would not have begun his service at No. 1 Depot RFA as this was for Regulars. Enlistment looks like it was early June 1915 from the number 2190. To get his six figure number he would have remained in the brigade to at least January 1917. He is most likely to have served overseas with either 50th Division (250th Brigade RFA) or 63rd Division (315th Brigade RFA). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Tait Posted 3 May , 2021 Share Posted 3 May , 2021 19 minutes ago, David Porter said: Welcome to the Forum Tom, His six figure number is linked to 1st Northumbrian Brigade RFA (TF) so he would not have begun his service at No. 1 Depot RFA as this was for Regulars. Enlistment looks like it was early June 1915 from the number 2190. To get his six figure number he would have remained in the brigade to at least January 1917. He is most likely to have served overseas with either 50th Division (250th Brigade RFA) or 63rd Division (315th Brigade RFA). Many thanks for this David, i'll see what I can turn up based on your (gratefully received) information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Tait Posted 5 May , 2021 Share Posted 5 May , 2021 Many thanks for this David, I haven't had much luck in tracing him any further but I'm very new to this; any suggestions will be gratefully received. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Porter Posted 5 May , 2021 Share Posted 5 May , 2021 Not much to go on but this may give an indication. 2188/750934 George Harbottle enlisted on May 31, 1915 and went overseas with B/315 2197/750941 Thomas Ramsay enlisted on May 31, 1915 and went overseas with B/315 So this pins down the enlistment date, but there is no guarantee he was with B/315. If you can find other men with a similar combination of numbers in the surviving service records it might give a range of possibilities. A long shot is to look at local newspapers of the time. It is very difficult without him appearing in any record or a specific photograph. Having said that 315th Brigade RFA is more likely than 250th Brigade RFA on the basis he doesn't have a 1914-15 Star (though a move to 250th is possible in 1916). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Tait Posted 5 May , 2021 Share Posted 5 May , 2021 That's a really useful reply David, many thanks once more. I'll do as you suggest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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