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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

royal garrison artillery


Steve Lamb

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Hi, 

New to this, can somebody put me out of my misery, I have been trying to trace my Great Grandads sevice history, but as he was in the RGA and survived the war I am at a loss. His number was 127850 but thats all I know, no battery number or anything, I live in the North East and London is a long way to go to get information.

Any help would be really appreciated.

REgards, Steve.

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Hi and welcome.

Best to start on the Long Long Trail tab at the top of the forum and then look for the "Researching a soldier" page

It might help if you gave members his name and date of birth to narrow down and give you pointers to.

Also if you have Ancestry or FindMyPast membership

regards

Jon

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14 minutes ago, jonbem said:

if you have Ancestry or FindMyPast membership

Medal Index card HERE if this is the right man

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Is the gentleman in question Joseph Davidson, if so Find my Past has some of his papers.  Resided at 40 Clues Buildings ,Barlow, Blaydon on Tyne. Attested 7th September 1915  at North Shields, Tynemouth Royal Garrison Artillery. Served in "A"  Anti Aircraft Battery.

 

Bob

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In the 1939 he is still living at 40 Clues Buildings, Blaydon, Durham

 

Joseph Davidson born 24/08/1884 Married (General Labourer)

Dorothy Davidson born 08/02/1887 Married (Unpaid Domestic duties)

Albert Davidson born 06/01/1924 Single (Co-Op Milk Roundsman)

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Hi All, This is brilliant, yes Joseph married Dorothy and their youngest son was Albert from Barlow.

Can anyone help with the history of the Tynemouth RGA anti aircraft battery in WW1 and why and where he would have been in France to get his 2 medals.

I dont have access to Ancestry.com or Findmypast as I cant afford it...

Thank you all for your information, VERY appreciated.

REgards, Steve

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20 hours ago, jonbem said:

Hi and welcome.

Best to start on the Long Long Trail tab at the top of the forum and then look for the "Researching a soldier" page

It might help if you gave members his name and date of birth to narrow down and give you pointers to.

Also if you have Ancestry or FindMyPast membership

regards

Jon

Hi Jon, how do I do this, cant find a researching a soldier page.

REgards, Steve

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36 minutes ago, Steve Lamb said:

I dont have access to Ancestry.com or Findmypast

 

You could go to your local library who probably has access to either Ancestry or FindMyPast. If FMP then try both numbers; his original on enlistment as 955 and his later one of 127850.

 

It is higher likely he joined one of the sections that made up A AA Bty., which at the time of joining was 22, 26, 77 and 100 AA Sections.

 

"A" Anti Aircraft Battery's diary is available, downloadable for £3.50, from the Nat. Archives site at http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/821b2d375e3f4f7f89d368284210f0c0 .

The battery started in First Army and ended the war with 5th Army Anti Aircraft Defences.

 

Kevin

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The diary that Kevin cites will cover all his overseas service which lasted from April 1917 to December 1918 and was all spent with A Anti-Aircraft Battery.  It was this service that entitled him to the British War and Victory Medals.  Where and when will be found in the war diary.  His prior service from Sep 1915 with Tynemouth RGA was in UK manning guns defending the Tyne.

Good stuff at the link on AA artillery in the Great war.  Your man was, according to his discharge papers , a height finder.

 

http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/development-of-british-anti-aircraft-artillery-in-the-first-world-war/

 

Max

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Brilliant, thank you so much, still more research to do I think, after 23 years visiting the battlefields of France and Belgium, I am beginning to think that I am a little cog in a great big wheel.

REgards, Steve

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi, 

So much information, 

sorry to be a bore but can anyone tell me about my Grandad who served I believe in B Coy, 1st Durham (Blaydon) Platoon Home Guard.

I dont have his medals but do have a certificate of service.

His name was Matthew Lamb.

Quite frankly folks thats all I've got, I know its a long shot, but please any help would be very much appreciated.

Thank you to all that have have helped me in the past, so amazing to put details to family names and old sepia photos.

Very much appreciated.

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While I am sure folk here would be able to help, the Home Guard were Second World War so you may be better off going to a forum that deals with that conflict? 

 

Max

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Hi Max, 

My relation of the WW1 RGA, served with the Tynemouth RGA before going overseas, any idea how I can get war diaries for this period, I appreciate Home Guard during WW2 not your interest, was just a thought.

Very Best Regards, Steve.

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There aren't any.  The Tynemouth RGA was a UK only coast defence outfit from which in some cases men went on to other units of the RGA.

 

Max

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4 hours ago, Steve Lamb said:

My relation of the WW1 RGA, served with the Tynemouth RGA before going overseas, any idea how I can get war diaries for this period,

 

There's a possibility that something is mentioned in the diary for 12 Company's diary which was a regular unit stationed at Tynemouth. This was amalgamated with the Tynemouth RGA TF companies in Oct. 1918 to form No. 18 (Northumberland) Fire Command. Unfortunately it would mean a trip to the Nat. Archives, Kew, as these diaries have not yet become available to download. Look in the file WO 95/9456 - http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C4558608 . Given he wasn't that long at the AA Depot before going overseas, I suspect he was actually posted to one of the Northumberland AA Companies and is where he did his training - 19, 20 and 21 AA Companies.

 

Edit. The mostly likely place he was with is illustrated on an earlier thread, and the gun is linked in one of my posts;

 

Kevin

Edited by kevinrowlinson
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