91 Brigade Royal Garrison Artillery

[markg1]

Does anyone have a copy of the War Diary? I'm trying to locate details of the action which resulted in my Great Grandfather, Corporal Charles Smith, receiving the DCM in October 1918. I have the London Gazette entry, along with the amendment, but it doesn't give details of the date or location of the action. He was attached to the 336th Siege Battery.

Thanks

Mark

[ororkep]

Mark,

as a rule you should not expect RE to be mentioned in a RGA WD attached or otherwise, but need to trace the specific RE WD.

336 SB had nothing to do with 91 Brigade, I think there has been some confusion with 326 SB which were part of it.

For all of 1918 336 SB came under 84 Brigade.

Rgds

Paul

[markg1]

Paul

I may have misunderstood a response from my previous query

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=198555&hl=%22cpl+charles%22

Mark

[markg1]

Paul

Any suggestions on tracking the correct RE diary? The details I have on his actions which resulted in the award of the DCM are as follows

I have the service records from Ancestry and the MIC. Charles was attested into the Royal Engineers in December 1914 and saw service in France from July 1915. The MIC gives two regimental numbers 58166 and WR/251270.

Charles was awarded the DCM, the citation and the amendment are set out below.

Supplement to the London Gazette, 3 October, 1918. 11680

W.R. 251270 Cpl. C. Smith, R.E., attd. R.G.A. (Cambridge). For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. When a truck containing ammunition was set on fire and one shell had already exploded, he mounted the burning truck amidst exploding cartridges and extinguished the fire, throwing out whole live cartridges. His action prevented further shells from exploding and dumps in the vicinity from igniting.

Supplement to the London Gazette, 12 March, 1919. 3393

Amendments

WR./251270 Cpl. C. Smith, Rly. Oper. Div.,R.E., attd. 336th) Sge. By., R.G.A. (Cambridge). (London Gazette, dated 3rd October,1918.)

Thanks

Mark

[ororkep]

Marc,

I do not research RE so can offer no advice there. The 15 star and V&BM references on his MIC refer to rolls held at Kew which may proffer further information, or at the very least they should be viewed if only for elimination purposes. If it were me for the RGA I would go one level higher for which Corps 84 Brigade came under at the time. While under several during 1918 the main one from April to Nov 1918 was 6 Corps. I would therefore check out the ‘Adjutant and Quarter Master General’ file 6 Corps (WO95/781) as I know from others they often contain rolls of medal recipients for all units within the Corps; and you could do worse than also explore Commander Royal Engineers 6 Corps covering the period (WO95/791). These are very large files, and can be between 500-800 pages in a single box. Failing these there are also a couple of Commander Royal Artillery 6 Corps files.

That’s assuming 336 SB and 84 Brigade are correct. I say this because I could understand his attachment to a 6in How Bty if perhaps in a Signals capacity, but as it implies Railway it slightly puzzles me. I note the armament of both 333 and 366 were Railway mounted!

Rgds

Paul