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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

My great grandad


Stacgil

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Hi I am trying to find any thing out about my great grandad Henry Eric Gilbert 159794 I know he was with the Royal Garrison Artillery and was with the 247 battery and went to Italy late 1917 

Edited by Stacgil
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This link will tell you how to find any information that may be out there. it will also explain how the bits of information fit together, as well as explaining the jargon and abbreviations you're bound to come across.

http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/soldiers/how-to-research-a-soldier/

 

You're already way ahead of many people who post similar threads - you know his army number and his unit (quite a rarity for people researching artillery soldiers.

Edited by John_Hartley
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Stacgil

 

This would be 247 Siege Battery, which first landed in France in Dec 1916 and went off to Italy later in 1917.

I am getting a block on the War Diary reference for this unit in France. There would be a second one for Italy too, again no hits seen.

It may be that it fought inside another,largfer group. Hopefully someone from the Artillery experts can help here.

You can learn from the Diaries where the unit fought.

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His Service Record survives, its here on FindmyPast

 

Charlie962

 

Edit  He seems to have been 172 Siege Battery ?? Where did you find 247 ?

A man of many talents: previously a Railwayman then qualified Signaller RGA then off to Cookery School !

Gilbert HE.JPG

 

EDIT EDIT:  ah I suspect you misread the Medal Index card which gives a Roll reference 249B ?  Or did you have another source? Do you know if he really went to Italy ?This (Roll reference) is nothing to do with the battery he served in. Any way you are in luck with the Service record that survives despite its water damage. I am not aware that 172SB went to Italy although LongLongTrail says 171 did.

Edited by charlie962
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There is a L/Bdr (Thomas) ROBSON Royal Garrison Artillery (but 350 Siege Battery) who died in the Ypres area on 29.3.1918. He died and is buried in Duhallows ADS (Advance Dressing Station) Ypres.

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Although his records only show 172 SB, it would have been quite possible that he also served with 247 SB, although there is no indication in his records he did. Another signaller he went out with was actually posted from 172 SB to 247 SB at the time they both went to Italy on the 17th Nov. 1917.

The war diary you need is 24 Brigade which at the moment you can only view at the Nat. Archives, Kew. Reference WO 95/4205

 

Kevin

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Highly likely the Robson you refer to was 60910 Andrew Robson MM, also a signaller, and someone he would certainly have been working with.

 

Kevin

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He also mention about the menin road saying they called it "Clapham Junction"  and there being a Australia dugout near by and about the 1st Warwicks with there 60 pounders

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16 hours ago, Stacgil said:

 yes he did go to Italy he mentions montello ridge and knocking out Austrian guns in the valley

Do you have a diary or some other personal record of his service days?

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