82nd Brigade RFA

[Guest ANDY C]

Hello,

Can anyone help please?

My Fathers Great Uncle, Gunner 128358 WE Comley was killed on 28th May 1917 and buried at St Martin Calvaire cemetary south of Arras.

We have been to the cemetary and found that along side him are about 7 others men of the same RFA brigade and battery all killed on the same day.

They were all in D battery 82nd RFA Brigade

Looking at the war history of the area at this time there seems to be no great pushes from either side so I am intreaged on what might have happend on this day

Is there a brigade war diary or history that may mention this incident?

Where is the best place to start?

WE Comleys grave stone also shows MM after his name which presumably means an award of the Military Medal, could this be a mistake as the family have no record of him recieving this medal

Where could we find this out?

I and my father would be most grateful for any help with our information search.

Thanks

Andy C

[KONDOA]

Hi Andy,

There are several reason for several men of the same battery being killed on the same day:

Limber containing ammunition being detonated.

Breech burst of one of the guns.

Counterbattery fire or similar from enemy actions.

Dug out hit by German artillery.

82nd Brigade Royal Field Artillery WO 95/2024 1915 July - 1919 Mar.

WE Comley does not appear under RFA on the medal rolls in my provisional search.

Roop

[KONDOA]

Oh yes he does!!

Comby, William E

Royal Field Artillery 128358 Gunner

Roop

[Guest ANDY C]

Roop,

Thanks for your help with information on Gunner WE Comley

My father has since found out that he was killed while loading the gun

As for his MM, I have searched the on-line London Gazette for both his name Comley and the one you provided Comby with no luck.

Is your information on the RFA medal roll generally available somewhere?

I have also tried both names on the National Archive Campaign Medal site as his mother was sent the Victory Medal and British War Medal after his death, they don't appear there either, unless I'm doing something silly!

Thanks once again for helping.

Andy C

PS

I now realise this section of the forum was probably the wrong one for this subject

please accept my apologies.

[KONDOA]

Andy,

Your man appears on the NA medal index site as

Comby, William E

I dont have any other source for this information.

You are perhaps putting either too much info into the search box or your dates are wrong.

Medals were not issued until 1920 - 22 so a general search from 1900 -1930 catches most stuff.

Just put his number in and Royal Field artillery in the CORPS box and some dates and up he will pop so you can download.

Roop