Jump to content
Free downloads from TNA ×
The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

17th Siege Battery RGA -Request for information


Crunchy

Recommended Posts

I am seeking information on the 17th Siege Battery RGA.  In particular when was it raised, and was it a New Army unit? I know it went to Gallipoli and supported ANZAC after the August Offensive. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

Chris 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 2/17/2018 at 01:07, Crunchy said:

I am seeking information on the 17th Siege Battery RGA.  In particular when was it raised, and was it a New Army unit? I know it went to Gallipoli and supported ANZAC after the August Offensive. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

Chris 

 

Theoretically it was a regular unit having been formed from 17 Coy on the 1st Feb. 1915 at Sheerness. A diary exists at the NA - http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/results/r?_q="17+siege"+royal+garrison+artillery .

 

Kevin

Link to comment
Share on other sites

James and Kevin,

 

Many thanks for your replies, and thank you for the link Kevin. They are greatly appreciated.

 

Regards

Chris

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Chris

 

My transcription of the first couple of days of the 17th Siege Battery War Diary mentioned by Kevin.

 

SHEERNESS

1st Jul 1915         2pm      

Receive WO letter 121/ Med /126 M dated 30/6/15 ordering battery to mobilize with 6" Howitzers for service at the DARDANELLES.

War Establishment fixed by this letter as follows

8 Officers, 1 Warrant Officer, 10 Sergeants, 3 Artificers, 2 Trumpeters, 196 Rank & File, 8 Riding Horses

Attached

Transport Details ASC. 1 Officer, 2 Sergeants, 45 Rank & File, 9 Riding Horses

Transport

4 quadruple drive lorries, 4 (30 cwt) lorries ammunition

4 (30 cwt) lorries baggage & stores, 4 (30 cwt) for platforms.

2nd Jul 1915                       

2 Officers, 22 men sent FAREHAM to take over guns & equipment from 16th Siege Battery RGA.

 

Regards

Alan

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm not sure whether this helps but the Battery formed part of the 24th Siege Brigade RGA which has the following opening entries in that War Diary

 

LYDD

3rd Jul 1915        9am

Orders received to mobilise at WOOLWICH.  Three Officers, 1 Warrant Officer and 21 Other Ranks left LYDD on July 5th for WOOLWICH.

[Remarks]

Lieutenant Colonel W.D. NICHOL(1),

Captain W.H. BARKER(2) Adjt.,

2nd Lieutenant A.L. PEMBERTON(3) Orderly Officer.

 

WOOLWICH

6th Jul 1915

Did not receive store tables until noon.  Commenced drawing stores in the afternoon. 

Telegram received from DIRMOBILIZE(1) to report progress on the 8th and to be ready to move on evening of the 9th.

 

Regards

Alan 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Again, many thanks Alan. Very useful indeed. I replied to your earlier post on the 10th Heavy Battery before seeing this.

 

 I am keen to establish the unit's background for the reasons in my reply to your post on the 10th Heavy Battery, especially when it was first raised and whether it was a Regular, Territorial or New Army unit. Your information on when it was mobilised is very useful, and shows the great efforts the British Army went to in getting much needed heavy weapons to support ANZAC, and of course IX Corps at Suvla. This is one of the reasons we wish to add the sidebar or appendix. We are also adding an extensive appendix on all the Royal Navy ships that supported ANZAC.

 

Regards

Chris

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Chris

 

I have a couple of busy days, thus bear with me and I'll send you a pm. I recently went to Kew and I'm fairly sure I got the embarkation details for both the units you are looking for, I just haven't had a chance to add them to my notes yet.

 

Regards

Alan

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello Chris

 

According to Lineage Book of British Armed Forces, by J B M Frederick, 17 Siege Battery was formed on 1 Feb 1915 by the conversion of 17 Company RGA at Sheerness, a Regular unit. This is not to say that there were no TF gunners in it, but the distinction between Regular, TF and NA units is usually a bit blurred in the case of RGA units. Many Siege Batteries were raised in the home coast defences, which contained both Regular and pre-war TF units.

 

Frederick lists almost all the 500+ Siege Batteries under "New Armies" but apart from the fact that they were all raised during the war, they had little in common with the units raised either under Lord  Kitchener or by various local bodies or prominent people. 17 SB is specifically listed as one of twelve as Regulars: these twelve included eight which were raised from pre-war "Siege Train" companies. Only two are listed as TF units.

 

10 Heavy Battery was raised at Woolwich in September, and was basically a "new Regular" unit, though Frederick lists it among the "New Armies" units.

 

Ron

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello Ron,

 

Many, many thanks for this information. Excellent. It certainly helps complete the picture, and most useful for the book. Greatly appreciated.

 

Regards

Chris

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 years later...

Hello

My Uncle John Herbert O’Neill served   in the 17th Siege battery though Gallipoli, and France until the end of the war. He was wounded twice and obtained commissions to Captain, eventually retiring from military service in 1939 as Major. 
My uncle left some pictures of what I believe to be 17 siege battery and a personal diary for 1918. Happy to share the pictures. Kind Regards John O’Neill

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...