War Diaries - RGA 298, 13, 27 & 30 Siege Batteries

[Daniel]

Hello.

 

First post on here - I am lucky enough to have my great grandfathers WW1 service record. I can see that he served in the RGA 298, 13, 27 and 30 Siege Batteries, but can only find War Diaries at TNA for 30th. Does anybody know a reason why the other units might not have a War Diary, or if they exist where I might find them?

 

many thanks.

[Dai Bach y Sowldiwr]

Hi Daniel, and welcome.

Lots of Siege Batteries don't have surviving diaries of their own.

But some may exist in the diaries of the 100 odd Heavy Artillery Groups (also known as Brigades RGA).

I think most of the HAGs have pretty comprehensive surviving diaries that you can consult.

If you can tell us the dates  when your grandfather was in each Siege Battery, the experts on here can tell you which Brigades the batteries belonged to at the time.

Then you can download the diaries of the relevant brigades, which usually includes the movements of batteries in and out, also location of the brigade HQ on a regular basis.

[Daniel]

Thank you Dai. From the service record:

 

298 siege - posted August 1917

13 siege - posted April 1918

27 siege posted June 1918

30 siege posted April 1919

 

Daniel

[petwes]

Daniel

I think these are the Artillery Brigades you are after:

298 SB 33 HAB

13SB 17 HAB

27 SB 7 HAB

30 SB 59 HAB

 

Peter

 

[rflory]

Daniel:  The following may help you:

 

1. The war diary for 298 Siege Battery from Mar 1917 to Jan 1918 is availabe at TNA under WO 95/305. For the period after Jan 1918 you will need to consult the war diary for  33 Brigade, RGA (WO 95/305).

 

2. The war diary for 13 Siege Battery (except for the period Apr 15 to Sep 15) has not been traced and you will need to consult the war diary of 17 Brogade RGA (WO 95/388).

 

3. The war diary of 27 Siege Battery for the period June 1918 to April 1919 has not been traced so you will need to consult the war diary for 7 Brigade, RGA (WO 95/211).

 

4. The war diary for 30 Siege Battery for the period April 1919 to May 1919 is not available so you will need to consult the war diary for 59 Brigade, RGA (WO 322) which only goes through May 1919.

[ororkep]

Hello Daniel,

are we by chance talking about Chas ROBERTS?

Rgds Paul

[ororkep]

yes I can now positively say it is 156462 C Roberts. You are reading his records slightly wrong; I think you have mistaken 'BEF' for 13 Sge. Your man was wounded  (shell wound) in Oct17 with 298 SB and returned to England spending 24 days in Hospital. His next Bty in a theatre of war was 27 SB, where he was a gun number in 'A' Sub Section, manning a 6in Howitzer 26cwt for the duration.

Rgds Paul

[Daniel]

Wow! This is a fantastic help - thank you so much everybody! This will keep me going for hours!

 

A question please to Orokep - Absolutely spot on - Charles Roberts! Thank you for correcting me on the record. I was aware that he had been injured, but had interpreted this as being by a gas attack "wd wo Gas dist Ha 14798" is this completely incorrect? Also, are you saying that what I had interpreted as "13 Sge" is in fact "13 BEF"? If so do you know what it stands for (assume not British Expeditionary Force)?

 

Many many thanks again.