295 Brigade RFA and Ireland

[triciaking1]

Hi - I am trying to research my grandad's war (George Hendley).  He died long before I was born, but my grandmother told me that he had gone with the army to Ireland in 1916 and she told me some stories about what he'd told her.  I didn't really believe her but having found his unit on the roll of individuals entitled to the War Badge, and followed this up, it appears it might be true.  Can anyone confirm?  The unit he was discharged from on 3 September 1919 was D/295 Brigade, Royal Field Artillery (he enlisted in Derby on 11 January 1915).  I understand that was part of the 2/1st North Midland Brigade, 59th Division.  I would be interested to know, if it is true, what part in the Easter Rising he would have played.  My husband's grandfather was in the RIC at that time. 

 

He also told a story about travelling on a troop ship either to or back from Ireland and a troop ship travelling alongside hit a mine and blew up.  I can't find any evidence of this either.  If anyone can point me in the direction of where I can find details of his Irish service, where else he would have served and anything to confirm the troop ship story, I would be grateful.  

 

Tricia

 

[David Porter]

Hi Tricia,

 

I would say your grandfather was in 2/2nd Derbyshire (Howitzer) Battery which became B (H)/298. It was then converted into D (H)/296 on July 10, 1916, by which time he was promoted to Bombardier. It would appear he was then transferred to D/295 some time after January 1917. The batteries were in Ireland from May 1916 to early January 1917. I have heard of a ship loss around that time between UK and Ireland but do not have the details to hand. 

[clk]

Hi Tricia,

 

There is an overview of the 59th Division on The Long, Long Trail - see here. There is also a 'history' of the Division compiled by Lieutenant Colonel E. U. Bradbridge. It was based on various accounts from some of the more senior officers he gained, and covers the period from the formation of the Division to wars end. There are some references to the time that they spent in Ireland before going to France, but nothing of any comprehensive detail. It is available as a hard copy, or as an e-book.

 

Looking at George, his 806232 service number is one that he would have been allocated as the result of the general renumbering of the Territorial Force in 1917 (prior to that time he probably had a 4 digit number). However, it doesn't fit in with the number block allocated to the 295 Brigade RFA - see here. I did look at (just a couple) of 'near number' men (806222 King; 806231 Wright; 806235 Wilde; 806236 Henson; and 806237 Kemp) whose records seem to indicate that they were serving in 296 Brigade at the point of renumber, or when they died (where service files aren't available). That made me wonder if there might be a typo in the SWB record and it should be D/296 rather than D/295, or if after renumbering he was posted from the former to the latter. In some ways it might be a bit of a mute point as both were part of 59 Division, the broad HQ movements of which are shown as:

 

Image source: Divisional History - E. U. Bradbridge

 

The war diaries for the Commander Royal Artillery (59 Division) should hopefully help you expand a bit (National Archives link). The devil being in the detail though, there are separate diaries for the 295 and 296 Brigades - National Archives search page.

 

Regards

Chris

 

 

[triciaking1]

Dear David and Chris,  thank you very much for your replies.  It is curious that on the SWB record and his pension record, he is classed as a bombardier, yet on the medal rolls and actually on his medals he is recorded as A/B Quartermaster Sergeant.  We have his medals but not the wound badge. I'm not sure if the SWB record is a typo or not.  At first I read it as D/285 but the 8 has been typed over with a 9.  Not that that makes any difference!  I know that he must have received the badge when a shell exploded in front of him when he was riding a horse, the horse fell over and trapped grandad's left arm.  He could never straighten it after that.  He said that his officer was killed by the shell and he had his helmet strap under his chin and the blast decapitated him.  Not sure if that is true either, as my granny knew how to embroider stories.  Thanks for the various links - I shall keep searching.  

[rflory]

Tricia:  "A/B Quartermaster Sergeant" is short for "Acting Battery Quartermaster Sergeant".  During the Great War many soldiers has a permanent rank but could be appointed in a higher "Acting" rank.  Your grandfather may have held a permanent rank of Bombardier and for a period of time was appointed an Acting Battery Quartermaster Sergeant.  The medal rolls for the British War Medal and the Victory Medal show the highest rank held in a theatre of war (i.e. Battery Quartermaster) but his permanent rank "Bombardier" was used for the SWB and pension records .

[triciaking1]

Thank you very much for that, very interesting and explains a lot.