Filling in some detail? RGA 283rd Siege

[ajt55]

I have the records for my great great uncle, Arthur Hindhaugh.

 

It says he had a GSW (gun shot wound?) to the right heel, even though he was in the Royal Garrison Artillery. Would they have been put on the front line? How would this have been possible?

 

 

 

Age when signing up: 33 years and 8 months

Height: 5 Feet 7 ½ inches

Religion: Church of England

 

Wounded:

Wa. W.O Cas. List. H.A 25272

Wa. W.O Cas. List. H.B 14270

 

Medals:

British War Medal, Victory Medal.

Clasp: 5194

 

Attested: 1^st December 1915

To Army Reserved Class B: 2^nd December 1915

Mobilized: 6^th June 1916

 

Posted: 6^th June 1916 - No. 4 Depot - Royal Garrison Artillery – Ripon, North Yorkshire.

Posted: No. 13 Company, Royal Garrison Artillery – Landguard Fort, Harwich Coast Defences.

B & Siege: 2^nd August 1916

Appointed: 6^th November 1916

Posted: 23^rd November 1916 -  283^rd Siege Battery

Promoted: Private to Bombardier – 29^th July 1917. RGA.

Appointed: Acting Corporal – 16^th September 1917. RGA.

Appointed: Confirmed in Rank – 16^th September 1917. RGA.

 

Posted: RGA Clearing Office – 14^th September 1918.

Discharged: 10^th February 1919. – No Longer Fit for War Services. (Para. 392 (XVI) K.R.)

Character: Very Good.

Disease: G.S.W Rt. Heel. (Gun shot Wound to right Heel)

Diseased by Service: Yes.

 

Thanks!

[ororkep]

Andrew,

In the book ‘283 Sge Bty RGA’ your ancestor is recorded as:

94608 HINDHAUGH corporal Arthur,

Address: 3 West View Murton S.O. Co Durham.

Occupation: Furnishing and hardware buyer.

23-11-16 (Date of joining Bty) Gun Captain (How employed).

16-6-18 (Date of leaving Bty)Wounded in Action (Reason).

The book is basically just a nominal roll and very short summery of events / movements with no additional information concerning your ancestor than I have just given you. GSW however in this particular case would apply to enemy counter battery shell fire, he being most likely wounded by a piece of shrapnel. The battery was armed with 6 in Howitzers (26 cwt). At the time (of his leaving) 283 Battery came under control of 51 Brigade RGA.

Rgds Paul

[ajt55]

Hi Paul,

 

Thanks for that! So do you have any idea what they would have been firing at or locations? I do he may have been around Poperinge, Belgium, or involved in any assaults or offensives?

 

Andrew

[ororkep]

In June 1918 51 Bde, of which 283 was a component Bty, came under control of 1 ANZAC Corps so you can find precise map locations/ targets etc. freely available to download from the Australian War Memorial site.

Google:

AWM4 13/7/27 PART 2 and PART 1

Or the 51 Bde WD which they joined in Sept17 until Armistice can be downloaded for a small sum at WO95/473/3 off the National Archives site

The book has their positions to be in the vicinity of Heilly Chateau.

Rgds Paul

 

[MaxD]

Additional to ororkep's post. I happen to have the war diary of 283 SB itself from Feb 1917 to Jan 1918 which came as part of a package with 169 SB which was the battery I was interested in.  It is actually pretty useless as far as locations are concerned, presumably the 51 HAG diary mentioned is better.  It has almost no personal information, simply a list of the targets fired each day with some technical detail.  The targets have, as is usual, no record of the map sheet although that could be worked out if one has the locations. It does record the allocation to the ANZAC Corps on 5 Nov 1917.    Not sure if that helps at all?