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Remembered Today:

Bute Mountain Battery


Dave McIntyre

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I am doing some research into my grandfathers war service

 

I understand that he was in the Bute mountain Battery and served at Gallipoli but unfortunately that's all I know.

 

He was pvt Hugh McIntyre

 

As we all grow older there are fewer people who would have any recollection of him  Any help would be appreciated

 

Regards

 

Dave (admin@Lvsuk.com)

 

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Hi Dave,

 

Welcome to the Forum,

 

If you are sure he served in Gallipoli then it wasn't with Bute Mountain Battery as only Argyll and Ross Batteries went.

There is a likely candidate - Hugh McIntyre 2221 and possibly later numbered 300296, landed at Gallipoli on April 25, 1915

The 2000 series was issued to Bute Battery so it looks like he got a transfer in early 1915, possibly for 4th Highland Brigade HQ or the Ammunition Column.

Do you have his medals with either number on?

 

There is an archived website here (currently unavailable normally):

https://web.archive.org/web/20170506180913/http://www.butesonsanddaughters.co.uk/battery.shtml

Edited by David Porter
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Unfortunately there are no medals apart from the 1939 - 45 Star and the war medal and these have been lost in a messy divorce 20 odd years ago.

 

My father informs be that it was the Bute Mountain Battery and he says he served at Gallipoli 

 

If it of any help he lived (at that time) at Quarter Farm, Largs, Ayrshire.              

 

I appreciate your help on this matter

 

Regards 

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Yes, Largs was one of the towns called upon to form the Bute Mountain Battery but they did not leave the UK until September 6, 1916 bound for Salonika.

What I have said is that he must have joined another unit, maybe as an attachment, in order to be at Gallipoli in April 1915.

He may well have returned to the Bute Battery when they arrived at Salonika. 

Edited by David Porter
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5 minutes ago, Dave McIntyre said:

As an aside - the link that you put on opened then immediately closed

 

Try a different browser or device - it still works for me in Chrome. There is a lot of detail there once you can get on.

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Many gunners of the Bute Mtn. Bty. went to Gallipoli and served under the Argyll Bty. Many were renumbered with an Argyll number, but without service records it would be difficult to say what that was as only their original Bute number is shown on the 14/15 medal roll, and obviously wasn't required after the TF renumbering to 6 digits.

The author of Butesonsanddaughters page, Mike Morrison, is a fellow member and can be searched for threads that he contributed to using his forum name CSMMo. If you send him a pm he may have your relative listed on his database.

 

Kevin

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I have just checked with my father and the date at Gallipoli (25th April 1915) as this was my aunts birthday.

 

I suspect you may be correct with the attachment and am awaiting information from the archivist at the Bute Museum 

 

I will also PM Mike Morrison

 

Many thanks

 

 

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Gael Force on Gallipoli by Colin Scott Mackenzie indicates:

 

Hugh McIntyre #2221 & 300296 Bombardier/Signaller. Of Quarter Farm, Largs.Transferred from Bute Mountain Battery to Argyll Mountain Battery.

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Forum Folk,

You folk are always helpful!  Dave PM'd me and I replied.  All of your answers are absolutely correct.  One of my goals when I began research on the 4th Highland Mountain Brigade and it's batteries was to try to correct misinformation, particularly in the Official History about their contributions, particularly  at Gallipoli, and to try to keep these brave gunners from obscurity.  This forum (it's members) has been particularly helpful and for that, I humbly thank you all.

 

Mike Morrison

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You learn something every day.   It turns out he was a Bdr not a Pvt and he did indeed transfer to the Argyl Mountain Battery and did serve at Gallipoli. 

 

In the photo that Mike sent me was my grandfather, his brother in law and my grandfathers best buddy.   The picture was taken outside 10 Seamore Street, a street my grandfather lived in all his life after the war.

 

So I guess I am now searching for info on Argyle Mountain Battery

 

The quest goes on

 

Regards and thanks to all

 

Dave 

 

 

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  • 1 year later...

Thank you Dave McIntyre for your post...I too am in search of family history related to Bute Mountain Battery.  While sitting at my computer in North Carolina, USA, I found this discussion via google search of Bute Mountain Battery.  My Grandfather, Robert Cruden Rodger (died 11 June 1961) was said to have mobilized as a territorial with the Largs Company of the Bute Mountain Battery.  He landed in Gallipoli on the first day of fighting and earned the D.C.M.  He was commissioned in the field and later served in the Royal Artillery in France where he received the Military Cross.  He then transferred to the then infant service of the Royal Flying Corps as a navigator and observer.  He continued with the RAF after the war  and went on to India and joined the Indian Police as chief security officer for Bombay Province.  This information was taken from his Obituary attached.  I am looking for more information on his service and the battles he experienced.  I have a copy of his WW1 Medal Rolls Index Card attached, many of the abbreviations I don't understand.   Please set me on the correct path to learn more about my Grandfather's experiences of the great war. 

BritishArmyWWIMedalRollsIndexCards1914-1920ForRodgerRobertCinden.jpg

RCR Obit.jpg

Edited by Karl Erik Cruden Nygard
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Welcome to the Forum Karl,

 

The service record of your grandfather is preserved at the National Archives.

See - http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C1106836

It will obviously be difficult for you to view this file yourself, but there are people who can order and photograph the contents on your behalf.

You can call up lists of independent researches from here - http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/paying-for-research/independent-researchers/

 

His Military Cross citation:

RRodger.jpg.3923558abb4e7ff79a78dadefde5d5ed.jpg

Edited by David Porter
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Karl,

 

As David as pointed out you should probably acquire his service records first. You could also send a personal message (PM) to Mike Morrison, who contributed earlier to this thread.

His citation for his DCM is here - https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/29286/supplement/8863 . You can also use the London Gazette to find the dates for his commission and his raise in rank.

 

Kevin

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Thanks David Porter and Kevin Rowlinson for the great suggestions.  I have PM'ed Mike Morrison.  Interesting as My Grandfather's mother was a Morrison...

 

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Karl, Your grandfather did some fine things during his service.  I have this entry from my nominal roll:

Rodger, Robert C. #2214 Cpl – From Burnmouth Largs, Cpl. Rodgers was awarded the DCM for putting out the fire in an ammunition wagon set ablaze by enemy artillery fire on 28 June 1915 “For conspicuous gallantry on the 28th June. 1915, on the Gallipoli peninsula. When the 97th Battery, Royal Field Artillery, was suddenly enfiladed by the fire of a heavy gun from the Asiatic shore of the Straits, and one gun was at once hit, the whole gun detachment killed or wounded and an ammunition wagon set on fire, Corporal Rodger, with great bravery and presence of mind, and regardless of danger, rushed to the burning wagon, with the aid of two other Non – Commissioned Officers, and extinguished the fire. Several rounds exploded, but the remainder of the ammunition was saved without further loss of life”. (LG 8 Sep 1915)  He had been transferred to the Brigade HQ Staff from BMB, and served in every battery in the Brigade. BMB/AMB/HMB/RMB Distinguished Conduct Medal (Sick)

When the Highland Division was mobilized, all units of the 4th Highland Mountain Brigade (HQ, Argyll, Bute and Ross & Cromarty Mountain Batteries and the Ammunition Column) trained in Bedford.  When Gallipoli was being put together, (and because mountain guns had proved unsuitable in France), the 4th Highland Mountain Brigade - minus the Bute Battery, was assigned to the 29th Division for service at Gallipoli.  Many men from the Bute Battery were transferred into the units going to the 29th to fill out the units of the 4th Highland Mountain Brigade.  The remainder of the battery and brigade HQ formed the new Highland Division Ammunition Column and went to France.

In Gallipoli, one section of the Argyll and one from the Ross batteries each were the first guns ashor at W Beach and were in action by nightfall.  The rest came within the next few days, but, in addition to providing critical fire support for the infantry, the Highland Ponies were sent back to the landing beach to transport ammunition and water to the front lines as no provision had been made for that.

From that point on, there were only three days when they were not in or directly behind the front lines.  They were relieved in August, went off t he Peninsula, re-gunned to replace the worn and blown up pieces, the were first guns ashore at Suvla.

There were 4 Rodgers and possibly a fifth in the BMB at the beginning of the war, Charles, Herbert, Robert and William and possibly Frederick Rogers as well.  Relatives? I know that at least three were from Largs.

 

Mike Morrison

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Thank you for your quick response. I see the Battle of Gully Ravine occured on June 28th, 1915.  Would this have been the battle in which My grandfather was awarded the DCM? Any books or publications you might recommend would be of great assistance to my understanding his experience and period.  My Grand father passed away when I was two years old and my mother rarely spoke of her father and mother.

 

Robert was the only son in his family from Largs. He had 9 sisters.  His father was Andrew Rodger 1851-1939, married Margaret Morrison Cruden 1862-1953, who was the Butler at Curling Hall of John Clark, of Coats and Clark threads. It was my Great-great-great grandmother who was a Morrison. 

Margaret Morrison

1816–1854

BIRTH ABT 1816 • Kilmichael, Argyll and Bute

DEATH 1854 • Renfrew, Scotland

 

Thanks again,

Erik

 

 

Edited by Karl Erik Cruden Nygard
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Hello Erik,

I've been looking into 7th Royal Scots, who were also at gully ravine. Found this quite interesting if your Grandfather was there....

https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Gully-Ravine-Paperback/p/337

 

Dave.

Edited by Dave66
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My appologies to Dave McIntyre for tagging on to your post.  I hope you have found the information you were looking for.  Your post has been most helpful to me.

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  • 1 year later...

Apologies to Karl and Dave but I am researching my grandfather Robert Bone, Rothesay, Isle of Bute who saw service with the Bute Mountain Battery in Salonika. I believe Colonel or Major Hicks was the commanding officer. 

I was hoping to contact Mike Morrison who has written many articles over the years and may have some photographs taken by his grandfather.  With the size of the town I expect our grandfathers were well acquainted. 

I can provide a picture of my grandfather in uniform if requested. 

My grandfather resided on Russell Street so he did not have far to go downstairs to the recruiting office. 

This is my first post and hope that I’ve not bent too many rules. 

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  • 8 months later...

Duncan,

From my compiled Nominal Roll of NCO's & OR's, 4th Highland Mountain Brigade, RGA, TF

Bone, Robert#300517       Bdr – A Mason from 18 Russell Street, Rothesay, Bute, joined the Bde in Salonika in Sept 1916 and contracted Malaria the following November, BMB (Sick)

There is also an Ernest A. Bone and James Wilson Bone Of Bishop's Bray Terrace, Rothesay. Any relations?

Mike Morrison

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