MrEd Posted 16 November , 2018 Share Posted 16 November , 2018 Hi all does anyone have, have a transcript or know where I can get/look at the War Diary for 252 Siege Battery of the RGA. i have the war diary from the national archives that covers 01 Feb 1917 to 31 jan 1918 but it doesn’t continue beyond that. 252 were in theatre after january 1918 and I would like to look for some specific dates during that year. can anyone help? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ororkep Posted 16 November , 2018 Share Posted 16 November , 2018 You require the WD for 53 Brigade (f: HAG), which 252 Sge came under its control 14.07.17 NA ref: WO95/226/2 Rgds Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrEd Posted 16 November , 2018 Author Share Posted 16 November , 2018 Brilliant thanks, for 3.50 I will download that. Cheers muchly! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrEd Posted 16 November , 2018 Author Share Posted 16 November , 2018 4 hours ago, ororkep said: You require the WD for 53 Brigade (f: HAG), which 252 Sge came under its control 14.07.17 NA ref: WO95/226/2 Rgds Paul i cant find much about 53 HAG - can you shed anymore light please? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevinrowlinson Posted 17 November , 2018 Share Posted 17 November , 2018 17 hours ago, MrEd said: i cant find much about 53 HAG - can you shed anymore light please? If you have downloaded the war diary as Paul suggested, using that reference, then you it should cover July 1917 to Dec. 1918. What part of 53 HAG/Brigade can you not find? It should all be 53 HAG/Brigade's diary. Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrEd Posted 17 November , 2018 Author Share Posted 17 November , 2018 5 minutes ago, kevinrowlinson said: If you have downloaded the war diary as Paul suggested, using that reference, then you it should cover July 1917 to Dec. 1918. What part of 53 HAG/Brigade can you not find? It should all be 53 HAG/Brigade's diary. Kevin Sorry in the war diary I can find loads, I meant using google etc I can’t find much mention of 53bgd - will keep searching though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevinrowlinson Posted 17 November , 2018 Share Posted 17 November , 2018 9 minutes ago, MrEd said: Sorry in the war diary I can find loads, I meant using google etc I can’t find much mention of 53bgd - will keep searching though. They are the same thing! Simply it was an organisational change from HAGs, where batteries were moved between different HAGs for various operations, to Brigades where the batteries then stayed with the same Brigade. This change, from the start of 1918, also meant that the battery didn't need to keep a war diary. Look around the start of 1918, in the diary, and it should start using Brigade instead of HAG. Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrEd Posted 17 November , 2018 Author Share Posted 17 November , 2018 (edited) On 17/11/2018 at 09:02, kevinrowlinson said: They are the same thing! Simply it was an organisational change from HAGs, where batteries were moved between different HAGs for various operations, to Brigades where the batteries then stayed with the same Brigade. This change, from the start of 1918, also meant that the battery didn't need to keep a war diary. Look around the start of 1918, in the diary, and it should start using Brigade instead of HAG. Kevin Hi Kevin, thanks for clarifying that- I was struggling with what search terms to put into various search engines/websites to try find additional photos/information etc about either 252 SB or 53 HAG/Brigade but can find precious little. i did find one mention in dispatches for he commanding officer for 252SB - an Australian officer - but I can’t tally up the signature in the war diary with the name and can’t find any other information using search engines etc (yet). Thanks ed Edited 26 November , 2018 by MrEd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrEd Posted 18 November , 2018 Author Share Posted 18 November , 2018 (edited) Well I cracked it, once I was able to find what HAG or brigade 252 was attached to the war diaries came thick and fast and I have been able to work out what 252 was attached to and when for the period my grandfather served with them. not easy tbh, the batteries seem to chop and change all over the shop! am I right in thinking that often the guns didn’t actually move physical location but it was the Corps commanding them that shifted with the ebb and flow of the war, thus necessitating the batteries to switch commands fairly regularly? The war diaries are exceptionally interesing although very varied in the detail of the content. and isn’t the Australian war memorial site excellent? High quality scans and for free! Edited 18 November , 2018 by MrEd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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