Please help...searching for more info on Reginald Buttle, Gunner 93911

[Scottiegirl44]

Hello everyone,

I am delighted to have found this forum. Looking at some of the posts it is very interesting.

I am currently researching my great-great uncle Reginald Buttle. He originally enlisted in London in Aug 1915. At the time he was only 15, lying about his age, and was placed into the Royal Field Artillery 183rd Brigade #L36975 as a driver. His father wrote in to inform them that he was not old enough and Reginald was discharged as of Jan 1916. Fast forward to 1917 and somehow he has re-enlisted under a new # 93911 with the 224th Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery as a Gunner. I cannot find his 2nd attestation paper nor his service record under #93911. He was killed in action on October 29, 1917, buried in the Ypres Town Cemetary Extension.

I am looking for more information on his involvement with the 224th, when he may have re-enlisted and where/how he was killed if possible.

Any help would be appreciated.

[BillyH]

The war diary for this unit is available at Kew here :

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7349964

Unfortunately for you, (in Canada), it has not been digitised yet but it may be done soon - keep checking.

He is unlikely to be mentioned by name but it would be well worth reading.

also, there is a little information about Siege Battery's on the Long Long Trail website (top left of this screen)

http://www.1914-1918.net/siege-battery-index.htm

I cannot find service or pension papers for him either. No doubt they were destroyed in the London blitz.

also. Soldiers Died in the Great War confirms that he was :

born Westminster, Middlesex

enlisted in Whitehall, Middlesex

residence Pimlico, Middlesex

BillyH.

[kevinrowlinson]

His number indicates that he re-enlisted around the 6/7th June 1916 and being sent to No.1 Depot, Fort Burgoyne, Dover. He may have been posted to 57th Company, Pembroke Dock, before being posted to 224th Sge. Bty. which was formed at Plymouth from the 12th Aug. 1916. The battery went out to France on the 10th Jan. 1917. You will have to check whether he was still under age at that time.

It may be a case of waiting until the diary is available on line before you can trace the batteries moments, hopefully in the not too distant future.

Kevin

[woollamc]

Have you seen the concentration report on CWGC's website (here)? It gives a map reference for the original location of Reginald Buttle's grave, before he was re-interred at Ypres Town Cemetery.

C

[Scottiegirl44]

His number indicates that he re-enlisted around the 6/7th June 1916 and being sent to No.1 Depot, Fort Burgoyne, Dover. He may have been posted to 57th Company, Pembroke Dock, before being posted to 224th Sge. Bty. which was formed at Plymouth from the 12th Aug. 1916. The battery went out to France on the 10th Jan. 1917. You will have to check whether he was still under age at that time.

It may be a case of waiting until the diary is available on line before you can trace the batteries moments, hopefully in the not too distant future.

Kevin

Thank you very much for your reply! It doesn't seem he was out of the service long before he managed to get back in. He would have still been underage at the time according to my records. I will keep watching for his battery to be digitised as I would love to read about what he went through. It is so hard to imagine what he would have gone through, specially at such a young age.

Where did you find all this information if you don't mind me asking? I have looked around and googled and searched but was never able to find out what you did.

[Scottiegirl44]

Thank you Billy H! I did go and check the National Archives and requested a quote to digitise the war diary. If it isn't too expensive I will order it otherwise I will just have to be patient...or save enough to travel to England.

Thank you Wollamc for the information. I didn't see the concentration report. So I understand he was obviously moved. Would it be from another cemetery or would they have been buried on the field of battle? Is there a place to find out where he was moved from? I see the map reference is there somewhere to cross reference that?

I have to say it is getting more interesting by the moment. Reginald has captured my interest probably because no one even knew of his existence until I found him doing family research. He deserves to be remembered.

[Glen]

The concentration report does not give a map Number so I have to assume it is 28 as that cover the Ypres area

Typing the coordinates into the converter gives this location

http://rdf.muninn-project.org/TrenchCoordinates.html?q=28.i.4.b.7.7

The other 3 on the concentration report were all killed earlier in the year, so I would think that it was a small field cemetery close to where he fell.

[Scottiegirl44]

Thanks Glen! That was so awesome to see an actual physical picture of the area. What an interesting website as well. Had to use my son's computer because it wouldn't show on mine as I use Internet Explorer. I can see why the graves would have had to have been moved being so close to those building, looking like someone's farm maybe?

Hopefully, one day I will be able to visit over there. It's on the bucket list.

[triscle]

@Scottiegirl44 - I've got a similar wish too - I'd like to get to the Arras Memorial where my great-grandfather is remembered. (his burial spot is unknown). I hope you get more information!

[BillyH]

Scottiegirl,

I suggest posting a request in the war diaries section of the Forum, someone may be able to help you.

Also there are people on the Forum here who may be able to copy it at Kew a lot cheaper than National Archives will charge.

Also have a look at the 2 pages here : http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showforum=104

BillyH.

[Scottiegirl44]

Thanks again BillyH! I will do that!

Triscle: Hopefully you get there soon. The more research I do the more I want to be able to visit all the places of my ancestors. Good luck with your research.