Archie Ainsley 91st seige battery RGA

[chrisainsley]

Hello again

its been a while since i did all the original research on this soldier (my great uncle)..I have a gap that i still  just cannot fill and wondered if anyone might be able to enlighten me.

Here's what I know..

 

Archie was appointed Paid Acting Lance Corporal on 22/01/16, Paid Lance Corporal 01/04/16, and Acting Corporal 09/05/16. On 19/07/16 he was nominated for a Commission and was granted a Temporary Commission in the RGA on 27/11/16.  from London Gazette....

Hampshire.—Cadet

Archie Robson -Ainsley

to be2nd Lt. (on prob.). 27th Nov.

191

 

191

 

27/11/16  until 10th July 1918 ....no information just cannot find anything...

 

Extracts from 91st Siege Battery history…….

"On July 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th [1918] only the usual concentrations were done owing to bad weather. 2nd Lieut. Dunn joined us on the latter date.  2nd Lieuts. Ainsley and Nightingale joined us about the same time."…

"On Oct. 10th the Battery complete moved to Maretz and billeted…."

"The 12th Oct. was a very bad day for us in Reumont. We had fired a few rounds at active batteries and a few 8" shells came back in return. Lieut. Ainsley, Sergt. Eales, Bombardier Newton, Gunner Graham and Gunner Mc W. McCullough took refuge in a cellar under a house, together with its inhabitants, nine French civilians. A shell hit the house and the cellar collapsed, the ruins of the house falling into it. Lieut. Nightingale was the first to discover the calamity and he, with Bombardier Bradshaw and Gunner Fletcher were conspicuous amongst many in the rescue work which started at great personal risk before the shelling had ceased. The moans and cries of suffocating children were heart rendering and desperate efforts were made to reach them, but in spite of all that could be done it was 7 hours before the last bodies were reached.  All the civilians except a little girl of 15, Marie Louise Lariche, who had a miraculous escape.  The heroism of this child will live in the memories of all who witnessed it so long as they live. The bodies of her mother, brothers, sisters, and grandparents were all removed before her eyes. She was pinned down in the debris only her head being free. She remained conscious all the time and gave most useful help to the rescue party in describing the details of the cellar and telling where the other bodies lay. It was a scene of many painful deaths which I do not care to recall. Lieut. Ainsley, Sergt. Eales, Bombardier Newton, and Gunner Graham were all killed; Gunner Mc W. McCullough was taken out alive and apparently only badly shaken, but he died from concussion next day. Thus only one survived out of the fourteen who were buried by the shell. The work of rescue was exceedingly difficult as there was always the danger of the collapse of the small portion of the cellar which remained, and where Marie Louise was. The services of Lieut. Nightingale, Bombardier Bradshaw and Gunner Fletcher were suitably rewarded. The greatest regret was felt at the loss of Lieut. Ainsley and that of the five N.C.O.s and men who were all members of the battery from its formation. "The deepest possible sympathy was felt for Gunner R. McCullough, on the loss of his brother. The whole incident depressed us horribly.

 

I wondered if anyone might have any idea about my great uncles movements between the time he was granted his commision (27th November 1916) and joining the 91st in July of 1918. would officer training have taken that long? surely not..or maybe? no idea..

very grateful for any information

thank you

Chris

 

[HolymoleyRE]

Hi Chris, 

 

Unless somebody can come up with the goods here....then his file at Kew may well close the gap.

 

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C670653

 

Curious as to why his file says RASC?

 

The time frame is long, but we to remember that he would attended training to become an Officer, then training to be an Arty Officer.

 

Regards

 

Andy

Edited 12 January , 2018 by HolymoleyRE

[chrisainsley]

Thanks Andy

I got all the records available at Kew a few years ago..

It didnt shed much light on the "gap" to be honest

I presume the reason his file says RAMC was that was where he first joined up.

I guess he got a bit bored on home service and applied for his comission to get in amongst the action.

like many others, on reflection, a brave choice but not a good one.

if anyone reading this could offer a timescale of training to 1) be an officer and then 2) training in RGA (seige battery) then i would be grateful. Perhaps that might shed some light on where he was between Dec 16 (gazetted) and July 18 when he joined 91st.

Thanks

Chris

 

[Sumpysaz]

Hello Chris,

I recently became the Memorial Custodian for the village of Swanmore and your Great Uncle Archie Robson Ainsley is commemorated here.

I am putting together as much detail as I can about the men and women on our Roll of Honour and I would be very grateful if I could use the picture of Archie that you have posted here?

I have attached a photo of the Memorial after the first step in returning it to its former glory.

Many thanks.

Gary

Edited 21 April by Sumpysaz

[Michelle Young]

Welcome to the forum. @chrisainsley hasn’t visited the forum for some years. Hopefully, my tag will alert them to your post. 

[Matlock1418]

Promotion to Lieutenant - a standard 18 months from commissioning. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/30737/supplement/6889

ROYAL GARRISON ARTILLERY. ... The undermentioned 2nd Lts. to be Lts. : — ... A. R. Ainsley. 27th May 1918

M