Photographs: E Battery crew, R.H.A., August 1914 - First Shot

[Gallia Belgica]

I have several original photographs of E Battery crew, Royal Horse Artillery. They include:

• A Sergeant standing beside No 4 gun (a QF 13-pounder), E Battery, R.H.A. This is all clearly displayed in the photograph.
  Written in pencil on the reverse of the photograph - The gun that fired first round in the war Aug 21 1914.

(This QF 13-pounder is displayed in the Imperial War Museum in Manchester and has the same markings).

• This Sergeant pictured with 7 of E Battery crew and a subaltern.
• Lt. C. L. T. Walwyn (section Commander, left section, E Battery) standing beside Geoffrey Neville (senior officer) and another senior officer, Carbery (may be misspelt).

​Also photographs of:

• 2Lt. Alfred Geoffrey Neville and Lt. C. L. T. Walwyn asleep in a caravan.
• 2Lt. Alfred Geoffrey Neville on horseback in 1916.
• Centre Section Detachments - North of Ypres.
• Graveyard at the ruined French village of Fauquissant.
• German prisoners after the Battle of Neuve-Chapelle.
• German trenches at Neuve-Chapelle.
• C Sub Section.
• D Sub Section.
• Centre Section Detachments, North of Ypres.
• Sir John Keane, 5th Baronet - Royal Field Artillery.

Are these of interest to anyone? Are they of value?

[battiscombe]

these are certainly of great interest to many with links to the RHA of WWI . I believe there is a photo of some of the surviving E Battery crews [perhaps this gun crew?] many years later [50 years?] posing with a 13pdr.

[Gallia Belgica]

Thanks for your reply. I have heard of that photograph but I haven't seen it.

This is my photograph of No 4 Gun (QF-13 pounder), E Battery, Royal Horse Artillery with the unidentified sergeant.

I have done some research on E Battery which can be viewed here:

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=202802

[battiscombe]

great photo. Interesting to see the limbers were marked with the battery name.

here is the IWM picture http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205315626 .. including Bdr Osborn

the names of the battery sergeants could be found on the 1914 star roll .. which would narrow down the possible names. It is not Walter McLellan who was a Sgt in the brigade..[not sure if E Bty]. I cant work out who 'carberry' is. is he a definitely a Gunner?

[battiscombe]

I have identified Carberry - this s 2Lt D H M Carberry who joined E Bty 4 Feb 1915 for training.. i think coming from a battery in 27th Division artillery .. he left on 10th March .. so that should date the photo

[rflory]

2 Lieut (later Captain) Alfred Geoffrey Nevile joined E/RHA from 8 Division on 3 January 1915 and left on posting to 36 TM Battery on 6 July 1915. He rejoined E/RHA on 8 August 1915 and received the MC on 4 June 1916. On 5 August 1916 he was posted as Instructor of Gunnery, 'D' Battery at the Artillery School. He was appointed temporary officer commanding of E/RHA on 14 June 1917 and in 1918 was ADC to General Officer Commanding, 1st Army.

Lieut. (later Lt Col) Charles Lawrence Tyndall Walwyn went to France with E/RHA, disembarking on 17 August 1914. He remained with the battery until 22 October 1915 when he was ordered to report to the War office for posting to a New Army battery.

[ianjonesncl]

Just returned from Mons where I visited the location of the first artillery round fired on the Western Front.

I must admit I shared Paul Reeds feelings

https://twitter.com/sommecourt/status/446269714395062272/photo/1

Distraught to find the RHA memorial to the first artillery shots of #WW1 tucked under a bush outside a factory

[Gallia Belgica]

Thank you all for this information, and identifying these men. I find it very interesting.

There is a book by Peter Humphey called Destination Unknown: The Diary of Gunner Bates R. H. A. It names many E Battery members and gives much information about this subject.

Bombardier Osborn might be pictured in my other photograph. Which shows 7 of the crew, the aforementioned sergeant and a subaltern.

It's good to hear Paul Reed is going to contact the Royal Artillery Association.

If there are any organisations who would like to see these photographs I will gladly show them.

[Gallia Belgica]

Here are my photographs:

• 3 E Battery Subalterns. I believe 2Lt. Alfred Geoffrey Neville is standing on the far right.

[Gallia Belgica]

• 2Lt. D. H. M. Carberry, 2Lt. Alfred Geoffrey Neville and Lt. C. L. T. Walwyn. (Left to right).

[battiscombe]

wonderful photos. Thanks for posting.

[Gallia Belgica]

• 2Lt. Alfred Geoffrey Neville and Lt. C. L. T. Walwyn asleep in a caravan.

[Gallia Belgica]

• 2Lt. Alfred Geoffrey Neville on horseback in 1916

[Gallia Belgica]

• German prisoners after the Battle of Neuve-Chapelle.

[Gallia Belgica]

• E Battery crew with the aforementioned Sergeant and a Subaltern.

[Gallia Belgica]

• Graveyard at the ruined French village of Fauquissant.

[Simon_Fielding]

These are great pictures - did many of these men survive the war?

[battiscombe]

Might this be the same RHA sergeant!? what do you think? a photo from 1918..

[Gallia Belgica]

Simon Fielding - Thanks. I don't know how many of these men survived the war. But I have seen a photograph of some of E Battery crew, taken in 1964. I have the names of some of the officers and subalterns so it is possible to find out more about them.

Battiscombe - Regarding your photograph of the RHA Sergeant taken in 1918. They do look quite similar. Do you know any more about him? My photograph is from August 1914. Wouldn't he have been promoted?

[battiscombe]

This is a from a photo of an RHA Battery NCOs in 1918.. I am thinking this is the same man...he has been promoted to a Staff Sgt.. i think.. an additional crown over gun and stripes.. ? and he.. and his colleagues all have overseas chevrons from 1914 ... and 1914 medal ribbon..

I have been checking star roll for brigade and of 18 serjeants I have located for 1914 [not all have battery identified as yet..], at least 8 were commissioned .. so not them.. 2 dead.. a few discharged .. a Sgt Adams is one possibility .. Sgt Castle another ... both in E Bty ... a couple of others did make WOII but this could have been after my photo.. I am wondering if my photo is in fact Sgts of E Bty in 1918.. I have ruled out some others .. this may be the clue I was looking for

[Gallia Belgica]

• German trench at Neuve-Chapelle.

[Gallia Belgica]

• An E Battery Subaltern standing outside a caravan. The same man may be seen standing in middle of the photograph titled '3 E Battery Subalterns'.

[Gallia Belgica]

• Centre Section Detachments, North of Ypres.

[Gallia Belgica]

• D Sub Section, E Battery, with the aforementioned Sergeant.
• C Sub Section.
• Sir John Keane, 5th Baronet, Royal Field Artillery. (NEW)

[Gallia Belgica]

Destination Unknown: The Diary of Gunner Bates R. H. A. by Peter Humfrey has aided me in compiling this list of known members of E Battery.

Battery Commander – Major A. B. Forman.

Battery Captain – H. B. Bartram.

Section Commander (left section) – Lt. C. L. T. Walwyn.

Section Commander (centre section) - Lt. R. L. Palmer.

Section Commander (right section) - Lt. E. B. Maxwell.

2Lt. Alfred Geoffrey Neville.

2Lt. D. H. M. Carberry.

Battery Sergeant Major – William Henry Lane.

Gunner (right section) – Ted Bates (Regiment No. 65331?).

Gunner - A. G. Jenkins (Regiment No. 65202).

Sapper – Alderson (Regiment No. 51283).

Bombardier - Osborn [loaded that first round] (Regiment No. 28942?).

Please correct me if you find any errors.