crodgers Posted 7 July , 2014 Share Posted 7 July , 2014 Hi all, I recently acquired a very badly damaged Victory medal and have been researching the owners service. I have been able to locate a bit of information including a photo which is fantastic but I am hoping someone is able to assist me in filling in some gaps. This is what I know The London Gazette has him unattached in 1911 but commissioned into the RHA in 1914 and served with N Battery who were in India (attached to the Secunderabad Cavalry Brigade) when war broke out. They moved to France in November 1914 and he died of wounds on the 25th February 1915. I would love to find out the circumstances of his death and where N Battery was stationed when Augustus was killed. Any assistance or guidance would be gratefully received. Cam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterhastie Posted 7 July , 2014 Share Posted 7 July , 2014 Try here http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=C7351762 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crodgers Posted 7 July , 2014 Author Share Posted 7 July , 2014 G'day Peter Thanks for the advice....went and downloaded the war diary and managed to determine that on the 8th of February Augustus was temporarily transferred to the 103rd Battery RFA ...the next note in the war diary states that Augustus was killed whilst attached with them....... I'll now focus my attention on the 103rd. Thanks again for the tip re diaries. Kind regards Cam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterhastie Posted 7 July , 2014 Share Posted 7 July , 2014 Can only find 1915 Aug. - 1917 Oct and 01 November 1917 - 31 March 1919 for the 103rd. Not much use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rflory Posted 7 July , 2014 Share Posted 7 July , 2014 Lieut. Augustus George Hess, RHA/RFA Born on 11 Nov 1891, the son of J F Hess Educated at Winchester College from 1906 to 1910 (School IV, 1909) and New College, Oxford, 1910 In August 1914 he was serving as a Lieut. in 55th Battery, 37th Brigade in the 4th Division Transferred to N Battery, RHA on 12 Jan 1915 Temporarily transferred to 103rd Battery, RFA (31st Brigade, RFA, 28th Division) on 8 Feb 15 (vice 2nd Lieut. A S Kennedy of 103rd Battery) Died of wounds near Ypres on 24 Feb 1915 On 2 March 1915, N/RHA was informed that Lieut. A G Hess was killed in action while serving with 103rd Battery, RFA near Ypres on 24 Feb 1915. Sources: Winchester College 1884-1934; Wykehamist War Service Roll; A Memoir of Lt.-Col. Edward Anthony Steel, DSO RHA and RFA 1880-1919; War Diary of N Battery, RHA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crodgers Posted 8 July , 2014 Author Share Posted 8 July , 2014 Thanks for the replies lads. Much appreciated. I will post an update if I locate anything else.....On the plus side I now have the war diary of N battery for my collection. Kind Regards Cam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest N Bty History Officer Posted 21 November , 2014 Share Posted 21 November , 2014 crodgers Very interesting to read that you have a personal interest in 2Lt Augustus Hess. I am the history officer for N Battery RHA (now called N Battery (the Eagle Troop) RHA). I have been doing some research into members of the Battery who served in WW1 and came across Augustus Hess who was the first member of the Battery to be killed in action (although as you rightly point out above, he was detached to 103 Bty at the time of his death). I am putting together a short biography of him to coincide with the centenary of his death next February. If you have managed to find out any further information on him I would be very interested to hear it. My email is 3RHA-N-Leslies-FSTComd@mod.uk . Regards Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Posted 21 November , 2014 Share Posted 21 November , 2014 Here is a newspaper clipping of his reported death Regards G 2Lt Hess.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crodgers Posted 24 December , 2014 Author Share Posted 24 December , 2014 Hi Don and Matt, Sorry I have been on leave and have only just see your posts. Thanks for the replies much appreciated and Matt I have sen you a email with what information I have collected. Hopefully it will assist with your bio. Kind Regards Cam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crodgers Posted 14 January , 2015 Author Share Posted 14 January , 2015 Hi all, Just thought I would update with a bit more information from another member (Thanks Catherine) who provided an extract from the diary of H. C. Budd on the circumstances of Augustus death. extract for 24th February 1915. It's from the diary of H. C. Budd, which is held in the Imperial War Museum in London. "This is a day to be remembered. The enemy started shelling the battery. We are sure now they must have been trying to find us for the last week. After about 20 rds had come over our Sergeant Major Barton was wounded in the thigh. The heavy fire broke our telephone wires so one of our telephonists Gunner Smith went to mend the break which was just outside the telephone hut. Just as he got there 3 heavy shells fell, one of the telephone hut one on the officers hut and the 3rd on D Subsection wagon which exploded our own ammunition. This lot caused the following casualties: MAJOR Hope wounded LIEUT HESS killed LIEUT CUMMINGS killed GUNNER Smith killed DRIVER LING killed Owing to the lack of having no officers left we were forced to withdraw from action. This was the worst day we have every experienced. The shock of these German 6 inch high explosive is terrific. One burst not 12 yds from one of our gunners who was lucky enough to escape being hit, but the shock of the burst hurled him right off his feet, but he had no other injuries except bruises." I suppose the implication here is that Hess and the other officers were in the "officers hut." I have also located a portrait photo of Augustus https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/sJ_92dfFQGI65uhcsL-rY9MTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=directlink Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 8 June , 2017 Share Posted 8 June , 2017 I am researching my grandfather Sergeant Major John Henry Barton who served with 103 Battery RFA. He is mentioned as being wounded on 24th February 1915 in the diary extract of H C Budd. Could anyone advise where I might be able to obtain a full copy of the diary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clk Posted 8 June , 2017 Share Posted 8 June , 2017 Hi C Barton, Welcome to the forum. The Imperial War Museum has a copy, but not available for download - see here. If your grandfather was 47959 Brigade Sergeant Major J H Barton 103 Battery RFA, Forces War Records have a transcribed record for him. It says that he was admitted to 3 Casualty Clearing Station on 25th February 1915 with a wound to his right thigh, and passed to 9 Ambulance Train on the same day. At the time 3 CCS appears to have been based in Hazebrouck - see here. Regards Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 19 June , 2017 Share Posted 19 June , 2017 Chris, Many thanks for your help it is much appreciated. Clive Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David_Blanchard Posted 9 August , 2021 Share Posted 9 August , 2021 Just as a follow up- having looked at the War Diaries of 31 Bty and CRA 28 Division, struggling to locate position of 103 Battery on 24 February 1915- apart from near Ypres. Does anyone have any ideas? David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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