144th (York) Heavy/Seige Battery RGA and

[HolymoleyRE]

Hello,

 

After a long period of research about my paternal Grandfather's WW1 service I have subsequently found out that my Great Grandfather served too (no one knew, we all thought his service was early all 1900s) with the 144th (York) Heavy Battery RGA after being mobilsed from the Antrim RGA in 1914.

 

The majority of the records show him as 3802 Sjt Robert Murray RGA MM however we believe he attained the rank of Battery Sergeant Major as one of the Medal cards shows this.

 

There is also mention of 17th New Heavy Battery which I am presuming is a Training Battery?

 

A lot if his service records also show entries from the 2 Res Bde RGA which I presume is his parent Bde before being seconded into the 144th Bty?

 

During the research I also found he was awarded the MM in 1917 which is gazetted in July 1917, which I believe was awarded during the Battle if Vimy Ridge April 1917 as the 144th were firing in support of the 2nd Candian Div.

 

He was also moved back to 11 Gen Hospt Dannes Camiers on 9/9/1917 and 6 Gen Hospt Rouen on the 17/4/1918 both times for Gas.

 

So any information on the 144th would be great, I am aware of war diary extracts held at Kew, but there is a diarised book written by CA Muscroft which covers the war period.

 

Information on the two gassing dates as to likely battles/action would be really helpful...!

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Andy

[kevinrowlinson]

Andy,

 

You are fortunate that his records have survived, but it is their interpretation that you may have had difficulty with.

He was first posted to 17th Heavy Battery and went out with it as an original member of the battery on the 6th disembarking the 7th Oct. 1915.

He was sent home, as an instructor ( qualified gun layer ) on the 24th Jan 1916 to the Heavy Depot. From here he was posted to 144th (York) Heavy Battery on formation and went out with it again on the 16th/17th June 1916. 

On the 6th Sept 1917 he was posted, and promoted BSM, to 147th (Leicester) Heavy Battery. Sent to Base 21st Sept 1917 and back to battery on the 2nd Oct 1917. It is with this battery that he was gassed twice.

Sent home 24th April 1918 to Winchester and posted to the 1st and then the 2nd Reserve Battery Heavy Artillery, from where he was discharged.

You should research all these batteries by seeing if their war diaries have survived, and if not the war diaries of those Heavy Artillery Groups/Brigades that they may have been attached to during that time.

 

Kevin

[HolymoleyRE]

2 hours ago, kevinrowlinson said:

Andy,

 

You are fortunate that his records have survived, but it is their interpretation that you may have had difficulty with.

He was first posted to 17th Heavy Battery and went out with it as an original member of the battery on the 6th disembarking the 7th Oct. 1915.

He was sent home, as an instructor ( qualified gun layer ) on the 24th Jan 1916 to the Heavy Depot. From here he was posted to 144th (York) Heavy Battery on formation and went out with it again on the 16th/17th June 1916. 

On the 6th Sept 1917 he was posted, and promoted BSM, to 147th (Leicester) Heavy Battery. Sent to Base 21st Sept 1917 and back to battery on the 2nd Oct 1917. It is with this battery that he was gassed twice.

Sent home 24th April 1918 to Winchester and posted to the 1st and then the 2nd Reserve Battery Heavy Artillery, from where he was discharged.

You should research all these batteries by seeing if their war diaries have survived, and if not the war diaries of those Heavy Artillery Groups/Brigades that they may have been attached to during that time.

 

Kevin

Thanks for the reply Kevin, it is a real art reading the records, I can now see the very faint detail of the promotion and move to the 147th who were part of the 2nd Army, then absorbed into the 4th which puts him in support the Battle of the Lys and in particular Hazebrouck which ties in with the gas dates, where gas was used by the Germans.

 

Thanks, Andy

[Guest Penny Trixie]

Hi Andy,

I have the original, full set of Charles Muscroft's handwritten diaries. Just let me know if there is anything you'd like me to check out for you. 

[HolymoleyRE]

Penny Trixie, apologies for missing your post, if you have anything from the Vimy Ridge period April 1917 would be good?

 

Thought I would share what I pulled together to present to my Dad, Robert Grandson, Sadly the original are lost, but the replicas are a good set as the other militaria from that era.  If anybody out there would like any medals mounting give me a shout.

 

Cheers Andy

[Roy brown]

Hi Andy 

i have been also researching my family history.

my great great grandfather is Robert morrow Murray 3802

his daughter Martha is my grandmother who married Alexander Houston 

[Roy brown]

On 08/11/2016 at 08:00, HolymoleyRE said:

Hello,

 

After a long period of research about my paternal Grandfather's WW1 service I have subsequently found out that my Great Grandfather served too (no one knew, we all thought his service was early all 1900s) with the 144th (York) Heavy Battery RGA after being mobilsed from the Antrim RGA in 1914.

 

The majority of the records show him as 3802 Sjt Robert Murray RGA MM however we believe he attained the rank of Battery Sergeant Major as one of the Medal cards shows this.

 

There is also mention of 17th New Heavy Battery which I am presuming is a Training Battery?

 

A lot if his service records also show entries from the 2 Res Bde RGA which I presume is his parent Bde before being seconded into the 144th Bty?

 

During the research I also found he was awarded the MM in 1917 which is gazetted in July 1917, which I believe was awarded during the Battle if Vimy Ridge April 1917 as the 144th were firing in support of the 2nd Candian Div.

 

He was also moved back to 11 Gen Hospt Dannes Camiers on 9/9/1917 and 6 Gen Hospt Rouen on the 17/4/1918 both times for Gas.

 

So any information on the 144th would be great, I am aware of war diary extracts held at Kew, but there is a diarised book written by CA Muscroft which covers the war period.

 

Information on the two gassing dates as to likely battles/action would be really helpful...!

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Andy

Hi Andy

my name is Roy Brown I have been doing my own family history 

Robert Murray is my great great grandfather he had a daughter called 

martha who married Alexander Houston can you please get in touch with me 

regards Roy

[bjgironde]

Hi All,

 

I admit to being ignorant of the structure of the Heavy Batteries of the RGA but I have been trying to find out a few facts about my grandfather.

I know from the part of his soldier's record  that I have managed to decipher,  that he signed up in Feb 1916 and was posted to the RGA 144th Seige Battery.as a gunner.

He was from Birmingham, but would this still be the same 144th as in this thread or were there somehow different 144ths?

 

 I think it says he was posted to France in August 1916, but of course it doesn't say where.

 

He was promoted to  "Pd/L/Bdr" ( I think that means Lance Bombardier?) in April 1918

 

In May 1918, he was injured with "G.S.W. head and foot" and the next entry says he was in Leicester Hospital by 23rd June 1918. He did survive, but died earlier than he should have, as a result of continuing problems from his wounds.

I have downloaded the digitised relevant war diaries from the N.A,. but for the 144th, they are only for a brief period (Aug 16- Feb 17)

 

What I am trying to discover is where he was with his unit when he was injured in May 1918?

 

I wondered if anyone might be able to point me in the right direction where there might be more information available, that I have not yet found, about where the 144th was stationed during that period?

As I live in France, I can only research on-line and although I have already visited some of the main battlefields of northern France, I would really like to find where he was.

 

Thank you for any help and advice you knowledgeable people can offer.

[ororkep]

Hello

 

while there is no doubt the forum can assist you in your research. But....you have tagged on to a thread concerning 144 Hvy Bty which is completely different (if I have read your post correctly) from 144 Siege Battery. Different establishment armament and transport etc. Therefore can I politely suggest you start a completely new thread under heading "144 Siege Battery" and please include the full name service number of your GF and I am certain you will receive the answers you require.

Rgds Paul

P.S. Are we referring to Johnson 69780?

Edited 17 January , 2019 by ororkep

[bjgironde]

Hi, Thank you for your response, you see I was right about my ignorance, and yes that is the person, but how do you know that, I am intrigued?

 

Edited 17 January , 2019 by bjgironde

[ororkep]

You gave his rank and told us the battery. So it was easy to find in the SWB roll.