Peter King Posted 14 July , 2019 Share Posted 14 July , 2019 Can anybody tell me which brigade of the Royal Field Artillery included 398 Battery? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Porter Posted 15 July , 2019 Share Posted 15 July , 2019 Welcome to the Forum Peter, 398th Battery was an independent, Home based, battery and not part of a brigade. It was formed in December 1916 at Westfield Camp, Cupar, Fife to replace 2/B Honourable Artillery Company RHA which was going overseas. In Summer 1918 the battery moved to Claremorris then to Ballinrobe, both in Ireland. There will be no war diary. Are you researching a battery member? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter King Posted 15 July , 2019 Author Share Posted 15 July , 2019 Hello David That's wonderful, thank you. I am researching my grandfather, Walter Lawrence Dixon, aka Walter Lawrence George Dixon. I have a photograph of him in uniform which is annotated "B sub-section, 398 Battery RFA", but no other evidence of his service. He was born on 4th March 1899. My late mother, his daughter, claimed that he enlisted under-age. The photograph is not dated. It is appropriate that he seems to have served in Ireland, because his own grandfather was born in Dunboyne in County Meath. Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Porter Posted 16 July , 2019 Share Posted 16 July , 2019 Peter, Do you have a service number for him? That might give me more clues. There doesn't appear to be any obvious military record for him. As for being under-age, that is quite possible. Mid 1915 seems to be the peak time for this with the raising of "pals" batteries at local level. These young men would have an L prefix to their number. Many were returned to England in the latter part of 1916, either to their parents or a home unit. Alternatively, he could have volunteered under the extended Group Scheme (from September 6, 1916) with the assurance that he would not be called up until at least his 18th birthday in March 1917. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter King Posted 17 July , 2019 Author Share Posted 17 July , 2019 Hello David Unfortunately I have no other information, and no service number. I have two other photographs of him clearly in a military setting but in somewhat informal semi-uniform dress, including one on a horse (with two other men!) Neither is annotated in any way. I would be happy to send you the photos privately if that is possible. I am very grateful for the information that you have already provided. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tct979 Posted 10 January Share Posted 10 January Peter, I am researching also my Grandfather. Born 1899. So far my documents have him in the 398th Battery stationed at Kildare Barracks, Ireland. (Old post card sent to him from his sister) Address also has a number by his name "3945" Also have his whistle which is engraved "Royal Field Artillery - 120 Brigade - 38 Division - 1915-1919 My Grandfather never went overseas as far as I can tell I will continue to follow find out a little more information. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin DavidOwen Posted 10 January Admin Share Posted 10 January Welcome to the forum Tom @Peter King hasn't logged in for a while but hopefully the tag will alert him to your post. If you could share details of name etc for your Grandfather and what info you already have then I am sure the members will step up to assist you. Good luck with your research David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter King Posted 10 January Author Share Posted 10 January Hello Tom Peter King here. I envy you the postcard and the whistle! I don't think that my grandfather went overseas either, apart from Ireland. I have not been able to find any record of his service apart from the photograph mentioned earlier in this thread, so I have no service number for him. My understanding is that his unit, “B sub-section, 398 Battery, RFA [Royal Field Artillery]”, was an independent, UK-based battery formed in December 1916 at Westfield Camp, Cupar, Fife, to replace 2/B Battery, Honourable Artillery Company RHA [Royal Horse Artillery], which was going overseas. In Summer 1918 the unit moved to Claremorris, then to Ballinrobe. Both of these towns are in County Mayo on the west coast of Ireland. At the time, what is now the Republic of Ireland was still a part of the United Kingdom. As you say, the unit was also based at some time in Kildare. There were three roles for home-based units of the Artillery: 1. As depot or training units; 2. For providing mobile artillery forces for use in the event of enemy attack (or, as proved to be the case in Ireland in 1916, for use against insurrection); 3. For providing static artillery forces to defend key ports and coastal installations. I look forward to seeing whatever else you can discover. Best wishes Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 10 January Share Posted 10 January (edited) Given the lack of available records it might be worth looking at the few identifiable service records for men of 398th Battery that have been indexed by Findmypast. It may not produce anything but who knows. In Findmypast military search I put Regiment as Royal Field Artillery then in keyword I used "398th battery" . This seems to give 53 service records of men who were at some time in 398th Battery. Worth a look? https://www.findmypast.co.uk/search/results?sourcecategory=armed forces %26 conflict&keywords=" 398th battery"®iment=royal field artillery&sourcecountry=great britain&sid=998 Ps. Interested to note there's a Sergt Copeland 100520 who died Nov 1918 in France and CWGC have him as 398th Bty RFA? Edited 10 January by charlie962 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tct979 Posted 10 January Share Posted 10 January Peter, David said you would be alerted, thanks Dave. My Grandfather was born in Central Cardiff, Wales in 1899. Rumor has it that he joined when he was underage. I'm not sure, I think like most of us we would have asked a lot more questions when they were alive. Your information you present is fantastic! I'm learning so much from the research on the "flavor" of the those times also. Politically and socially. The post card has a #3945 which I think may be his ID # but seems to be missing some digits. Don't know. My sister put the note of April 1918 Scotland. Not sure this is correct. What a journey. Thank you, Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tct979 Posted 10 January Share Posted 10 January Peter, My sister mentions the group picture was taken at the Scotland Annes Camp. Research finds no camp with that name so far. One more of my Grandfather on a horse and a picture of the back. Postcard to be mailed but never did. My Grandmother's writing. Hate to think how many photo's and writings they thought were just junk and threw out. Close one door another opens. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 10 January Share Posted 10 January 1 hour ago, Tct979 said: Grandfather on a horse and Qualified signaller. Crossed flags on left sleeve above one good conduct chevron. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tct979 Posted 10 January Share Posted 10 January 13 minutes ago, charlie962 said: Qualified signaller. Crossed flags on left sleeve above one good conduct chevron. Charlie, Thank you! You have good eyes! My sister just found a few more items that I'll post. She is more on the "family tree" side of the history with some documents starting to make sense. My Grandfather's brother died 1916 in Macedonia, Greece She just sent me the service record pic Thank you and everyone so much! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Porter Posted 10 January Share Posted 10 January Tom. Your grandfather was eventually given the number 651874. This indicates he was probably returned to the UK as underage in December 1916 or later. The fact that the whistle states he was in 120th Brigade RFA of 38th Division from 1915 leads me to suggest he was W/3945 or W/3745 with that unit and entitled to some medals for overseas service. 38th Division was Welsh based, hence the W prefix. Also, if born in 1899, he was definitely underage at enlistment. It is a shame that the Kildare postcards cannot be dated accurately as I'd like to know when 398 Bty were there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alantwo Posted 10 January Share Posted 10 January No.25060, Private, William Walter Lewis, RAMC, mentioned above, appears to have died on 27 March 1916 at 2nd Southern General Hospital, Bristol. He is buried Caerphilly (St Martin) Churchyard, Son of William Walter and Charlotte Lewis, of 10 Van Terrace, Caerphilly. A photograph of the CWGC headstone can be found on the Find a Grave website. Regards Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tct979 Posted 10 January Share Posted 10 January Alan, Many many thanks to you, As you can see, through time, dates get changed and information changes. Thanks to you we have the information that is correct which can be past onto our future generations. Thank you Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tct979 Posted 11 January Share Posted 11 January All, This may be the last of the paper work we have. I would like to thank everyone for your help. Truly from the bottom of my heart. I loved my Grandfather so much and think of him everyday. He passed away 1979. Thank you, Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter King Posted 11 January Author Share Posted 11 January @charlie962: Thank you for your suggestion about the Findmypast search. Sadly, my grandfather Walter Lawrence Dixon was not amongst the 53 hits. I noticed that the source of several of these records was National Archives (TNA) "WO 363 - First World War Service Records 'Burnt Documents'". TNA says that "In September 1940, as the result of a fire caused by an incendiary bomb at the War Office Record Store in Arnside Street, London, approximately two thirds of 6.5 million soldiers' documents for the First World War were destroyed. Those records which survived were mostly charred or water damaged and unfit for consultation and became known as the 'burnt documents'." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 11 January Share Posted 11 January 10 minutes ago, Peter King said: @charlie962: Thank you for your suggestion about the Findmypast search. Sadly, my grandfather Walter Lawrence Dixon was not amongst the 53 hits. I noticed that the source of several of these records was National Archives (TNA) "WO 363 - First World War Service Records 'Burnt Documents'". TNA says that "In September 1940, as the result of a fire caused by an incendiary bomb at the War Office Record Store in Arnside Street, London, approximately two thirds of 6.5 million soldiers' documents for the First World War were destroyed. Those records which survived were mostly charred or water damaged and unfit for consultation and became known as the 'burnt documents'." Yes, destruction of a high proportion of records is a huge problem. Sometimes by looking at the details of 'similar' men whose records have survived one can draw a few conclusions that help fill in the gaps. 'similar' could mean near service numbers that were issued at the same time or it could be; or it could be men who served same time same unit. It requires care, though, not to draw too many conclusions. 8 hours ago, Tct979 said: All, This may be the last of the paper work we have. I would like to thank everyone for your help. Truly from the bottom of my heart. I loved my Grandfather so much and think of him everyday. He passed away 1979. Thank you, Tom Great to see those docs. Thanks for sharing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter King Posted 11 January Author Share Posted 11 January Especially for David Porter, I attach my photo of men of 398th Battery. Note the caption at the bottom. My grandfather, Walter Lawrence Dixon, is second from right in the back row. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 11 January Share Posted 11 January I might be distracted by the moustache but those two have a similarity? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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