Gunner Charles Banks, 281 Siege Battery, RGA

[Kate Hodson]

I have just discovered that my great uncle, named above, fought in the war and was wounded, eventually having a leg amputated. I know his regimental no. was 185314 and he joined up in December 1916. I think he went to France on 5th September 1917 but I know no more about where he fought or when he was injured. I have seen his Army Service Records but cannot read them clearly. Can anyone recommend where I could find out more?

Many thanks

K 

[ororkep]

K

You could start with the official 281 Sge Bty WD which can be purchased online for a few pounds off the National Archives website ref: WO95/391/3. It covers from their entry to a theatre of war in Mar17 to end of Oct17. Though as Banks(who was compulsory transferred from the RFA) only joined the battery in early Sept17 only a few pages concern you and I don’t think it is worth getting. It is a very poor diary, mostly detailing rounds fired on a daily basis by this mechanised battery of 6in Howitzers.

For the whole of 1918 281 were a component battery within 39 Brigade RGA, a higher formation collective of batteries under control of a Lieut Colonel. This is an excellent Brigade diary (the 2^nd part) and can be downloaded from the same site ref: WO95/391/2. It contains numerous mentions of 281 allowing you to plot its course and details precisely what the battery was involved during the final 100 days when Banks was seriously wounded, though do not expect any names to be mentioned.

Rgds Paul

[MaxD]

His record is not clear on the time for the amputation.  It almost looks as if he sustained the gunshot wound that seems to have been the cause while in France and that the amputation followed later.  Apart from a short leave period of 14 days in Sep/Oct 1918, he was in France from 4 Sep 1917 to 26 Sep 1918 and then 11 Oct - 12 Nov 1918.  He was not discharged until July 1919 with a Silver War Badge which relates to the wounding/amputation.

 

Conjecture but the dates suggest that he perhaps lost his leg after the end of the war whilst still serving.  I can't see it happening during the time with the BEF and him continuing (but stranger things have happened).

 

He actually enlisted in Dec 1915 and was then sent home on the reserve until called forward in February 1917, as Paul says, initially to the Royal Field Artillery.  That looks like an enlistment under the Derby Scheme.

 

Max

[Kate Hodson]

MaxD - Fab, thankyou. We couldn't work out if he arrived back in England on 12.11.18 which would mean he was back just after the armistice had been signed. Orokep - I will download the war diary - thank you. 

K