28th Trench Mortar Battery

[George Macdonald]

Good morning everyone 

could any member help me find out more about the 28th T M Battery

ive tried to have a look on internet but it’s very limited

looking especially for a capt H E Bennet MC 

who was with the Cameron highlanders 

as a 2nd lieutenant then attached to the 28th

i have details concerning Who he won his MC 

and it was with the mortar battery

any help on this or photos would be very much appreciated 

Edited 23 February , 2021 by George Macdonald

[Acknown]

The War Diary for Jun - Dec 15 (WO 95/1775/9) is digitised and is at the end of the 28th Brigade WD (9th Division) on Ancestry:  https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/60779/images/43112_1775_0-00447?ssrc=&backlabel=Return&lang=en-GB. It's also available From The National Archives (currently a free download once you have created a free account): https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7352565.

Acknown

[George Macdonald]

@Acknownsorry I should have said his MC was in 1918

and he was with the battery then

cheers

[PRC]

His citation, as Harold Edwin Bennet, appears in the Supplement to the London Gazette dated 16th September 1918. While it says he was initially in charge of Stokes Mortars, the only unit referenced is the Cameron Highlanders.

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/results/r/4?_q=28 Infantry&_col=200&_cr1=WO 95&_hb=tna

 

However according to the Long, Long Trail, the 28th Brigade, (and therefore it's associated Trench Mortar Battery), were disbanded in May 1916 and only reformed in September 1918. I suspect the reference to him being a Captain with the 28th Trench Mortar Battery on his Medal Index Card is therefore a reference to the unit he was serving with at the end of the war, not at the time of the events for which he was awarded the Military Cross.

 

Looking at the rest of the 9th Scottish Division, (of which the 28th Brigade were part), the only Cameron Highlanders unit was the 5th Battalion in the 26th Brigade.

https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/order-of-battle-of-divisions/9th-scottish-division/

 

On the August 1918 Monthly British Army List the only commissioned H.E. Bennet in the British Army appears as a Lieutenant in the 5th Battalion, Cameron Highlanders. (Column 1487).

https://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/archive/120469830

 

As they are currently free to download from the National Archive, you may therefore want to also get the 26th Trench Mortar Battery War Diary. They aren't listed separately so are probably included in the War Diaries for the Brigade, (and apologies in advance if that is not the case

 

January 1918 to June 1918: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14017379

July 1918 to August 1918: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14017380

 

To get them for free you just need to sign into the National Archive account - and if you haven't got one, it can be set up as part of placing your first order. No financial details are required.

 

As an officer Harold had to apply for his service medals, which he did in 1922. His address then was 41 Hermitage Gardens, Edinburgh.

 

The answer as to which unit he was serving with, if you can't find reference to him in the War Diaries, will hopefully be in his officer file at Kew. Unhelpfully these have been filed with his surname spelt with a double "t". https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C1098243

 

Hope that helps,

Peter

 

Edited 23 February , 2021 by PRC
Typo

[clk]

Hi George Macdonald,

 

49 minutes ago, PRC said:

I suspect the reference to him being a Captain with the 28th Trench Mortar Battery on his Medal Index Card is therefore a reference to the unit he was serving with at the end of the war, not at the time of the events for which he was awarded the Military Cross.

 

I think that Peter is correct. His annotated MC citation intimates that he was awarded his medal for his actions on 25.4.1918, and the associated index card that he was serving/attached to  26 Light Trench Mortar Battery.

 

 

Images sourced from the National Archives

 

Regards

Chris

[George Macdonald]

Gentlemen

Thankyou,this is very helpful,and explains a few queries I had.

so if I was looking for a possible photo of him where would be the best place to look

5th Cameron highlanders officers or 26th trench mortar battery

thanks

george

 

[PRC]

17 minutes ago, George Macdonald said:

so if I was looking for a possible photo of him where would be the best place to look

5th Cameron highlanders officers or 26th trench mortar battery

 

Neither - local press. Bear in mind it could turn up at any point in his military career like when he was commissioned.

Followed by any institution he attended such as school, college, or university.

Any professional organisation he was a member of - teacher, solictor and the like.

And then finally any regimental museum.

 

regards,

Peter