Roll of Honour and Casualties and List of Officers Who Have Served with 75th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery

[ia_osborne]

Hello,

 

I am after some help to try and find a small pamphlet that documents casualties of the 75th Brigade Royal Field Artillery.  I have seen it mentioned and referred to a few times.  I believe it may have been created by last wartime commanding officer Lieutenant-Colonel T Kirkland DSO, it is referenced in the book by Sydney Giffard; Guns, Kites and Horses.

 

The reason being is that my Great Grandad served with B Battery, 75 Brigade RFA at least 1918 - 1919 and possibly with other batteries in Brigade prior to that.  Like many I am struggling to find when he actually joined/ served.  Gunner Walter Thorpe 232932.  We believe he was gassed but I cannot find any physical record, just potential dates in the Brigade War Diaries.  Any help would be appreciated.

[David Porter]

Welcome to the Forum,

 

The number 232932 was issued at No. 1 Depot RFA, Newcastle, around May 16, 1917. He would have gone overseas anytime from September 1917. Sorry, I cannot help with tracing the booklet.

[ia_osborne]

Hi David,

 

Many thanks for posting so quickly.  I know the booklet is out there and it might provide some insight so hopefully we'll see.

 

Out of interest, I have been looking at the Army number correlation with service date but I'll be honest I didn't get very far.  I have found over the last year a number of relatives that served, would it be possible to let me know when you think theirs were issued?  Do you have a list of numbers or is by looking at information surrounding that number? 

 

My other great grandfather was Joseph Victor Witherspoon (born 1889).  We have photos of him in DLI uniform, but he never served with them instead serving with Loyal North Lancashire Regiment (29498) and then transferring to Suffolk Regiment (57491).   

 

His older brother 365056 Pte Henry Smith Witherspoon served with the 12th/13th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers and was killed in Operation Michael (presumed killed 21st - 28th March 1918).

 

Again very little history has survived although I have collated some general information.  If it is possible to identify a date and location as above that would be amazing!

 

Many thanks

 

Ian

 

 

[busterfield]

Mentioned on this site may be the book.

http://www.militarian.com/threads/75th-brigade-royal-field-artillery-1918.8267/

Also when IWM is reachable.

https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/1030028669

 

 

Edited 19 March , 2021 by busterfield
more information

[ia_osborne]

Thanks.

 

I have seen the reference already in:

 

http://www.militarian.com/threads/75th-brigade-royal-field-artillery-1918.8267/

 

and also on this one:

 

(4th down) http://www.militarian.com/threads/75th-brigade-royal-field-artillery-1918.8267/ (for some reason i cant get access and a very old link).

 

as mentioned before it is also mentioned in the memoires Eddie Giffard (Guns, Kites and Horses, edited by Sydney Giffard), a good diary on the Brigade. Extract from the page attached.

 

Regards

 

Ian

Guns Kites and Horses extract.pdf

[rflory]

I have the booklet to which you refer Roll of Honour and Casualties and List of Officers Who Have Served with 75th Brigade Royal Field Artillery, Guards Division, France and Belgium 24 August to 11 November 1918.  It is a 12-page booklet with a Roll of Honour; list of Casualties of Officers & Other Ranks; Roll of Officers and Warrant Officers and a Summary.  The only man with a surname of 'Thorpe' listed is 70256 Gnr A Thorpe of C/75.  It is possible that your man was gassed prior to the dates covered by the booklet or that he was never listed as wounded.  The booklet was probably created and distributed by Lt. Col. Kirkland as my booklet is inscribed in ink on the first page "In gratitude / Travers Kirkland / Lt. Col.

 

Sorry that I could not be of more assistance.  Dick Flory

[ia_osborne]

Hi Dick,

 

Many thanks for responding.  That is more than enough, at least i can tick off that part of the research and i appreciate you looking and responding.  As you said he must have been gassed before that date, i know he was not listed as a casualty but did suffer the impacts later in life.

 

Kind regards

 

Ian