The 142nd (Durham) Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillary

[Guest jennipisces]

I would love to know any information about the 142nd - where they were stationed etc

My great-grandpa, Christopher Oates, was in the unit. We have his medals but I have been unable to locate any of his service records as yet.

My 93yr old grandpa is asking for more information (through the magic of the internet where all the answers lie lol)

[sotonmate]

Welcome to the Forum !

There is a Christopher J Oates 337167 Royal Garrison Artillery who has a Medal Index Card (2 campaign medals)and a first landing in a war zone after 31.12.1915. 142 HB RGA first landed in France on 21.3.1916 but I have been unable to find a War Diary in the NAs Discovery database as yet.

There is a card with a second Charles W Oates 159384 of 307 Siege Battery RGA who had 2 campaign medals and a Mention in Despatches in 1919.

How have you known about 142 HB ?

[kevinrowlinson]

If you want to have an idea about his embodiment and route to 142nd Heavy Battery then you could have a look at the records of either 545/337031 William Dunn or 733/337187 Thomas Wheatley Short. If you are considering going to the Nat. Archives at Kew then I can list the various diaries you would need to look up.

Kevin

[Guest jennipisces]

Thanks guys,

My aunt lives in London & is very interested in this investigation so is going to Kew & the war museums to try and get further information from them - any assistance with where she could look would help.

We think his records could be one of the 75% that never survived the war.

My grandpa said that when he was training to fly his Spitfire for WW2 he sat with his dad and they compared the bombs that gpa would be using against what g-gpa used in the 142nd.

We know he was stationed in France

The only other thing g-gpa ever talked to my gpa about was when a member of his battalion drank all his alcohol rations in one night & was so drunk the next day that he fell down a ridge with their cart of ammo (after that my g-gpa never drank again).

Jen