Royal Garrison Artillery

[GUILLEMOT DOMINIQUE]

Bonjour à tous,

Ces pièces d'artillerie pourraient-elles appartenir à la Royal Garrison Artillery (la 185e) ? Cette photo a été prise en octobre 1918 sur la Grand Place de Marchiennes (Nord de la France) ?
Merci d'avance pour votre investissement.

[ianjonesncl]

1 hour ago, GUILLEMOT DOMINIQUE said:

Ces pièces d'artillerie pourraient-elles appartenir à la Royal Garrison Artillery (la 185e) ? Cette photo a été prise en octobre 1918 sur la Grand Place de Marchiennes (Nord de la France) ?

Could these artillery pieces belong to the Royal Garrison Artillery (the 185th)? This photo was taken in October 1918 on the Grand Place de Marchiennes (North of the France)?

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Les photogrpahs montrent un obusier démantelé de 9,2 pouces en cours de transport. C’était le canon dont la 185e batterie de siège était équipée. 

En février 1918, la 185e batterie de siège est affectée à la 79e brigade RGA. Début octobre, leurs batteries s’étaient déplacées dans la zone autour de PONTRUET pour soutenir les opérations contre le secteur HINDENBURG LINE BELLENGLISE.  

Le 19 octobre, la brigade s’est déplacée dans la zone autour de WASSINGY où elle se trouvait lors de la signature de l’armistice.

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The photogrpahs show a dismantled 9.2 inch howitzer being transported. This was the gun that 185 Siege Battery was equipped with. 

 In February 1918, 185 Siege Battery was allocated to the 79th Brigade RGA. At the begining of October thier batteries had moved to area around PONTRUET to support operations against the HINDENBURG LINE BELLENGLISE sector.  

On the 19th October the Brigade moved to the area around WASSINGY where they were located when the Armistice was signed.

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[ororkep]

Dominique,

185 Siege Battery changed Brigades several times just after Armistice and did not reach Marchiennes until 30 November 1918 under 19 Brigade RGA. It looks to me that the camouflage has been taken off the howitzers so it’s after Armistice anyhow. Be careful though as 158 Siege Battery were also positioned at Marchiennes as was 79 Siege, and both had exactly the same armament (9.2 Hows)!

Rgds Paul

[petwes]

They look like the Mark 2s. I think they are either being assembled or dismantled. Note the nearest Howitzer has the barrel inserted in the cradle and is sitting on its bed (or timbers) but the 3 behind have empty cradles and are still on the transports.

 

Peter

[petwes]

I wonder if this is the event, assuming the brigade was in Marchiennes.

Extract from !9th brigade war diary courtesy TNA. 

Sorry I should have made clearer. But as my French is very weak the text reads in full English "inspected by G.O.C ( General Officer Commanding), H.A. ( Heavy Artillery)". 

Peter

Edited 11 August , 2022 by petwes

[GUILLEMOT DOMINIQUE]

Hello to all,
I would like to thank you for the valuable information you have given me.
Private John PURCELL, 185th Royal Garrison Artillery, drowned in my home village - Marchiennes - on 30 December 1918. Probably in the Scarpe, the river that runs through the village.
Best wishes.

[ianjonesncl]

Commemorated in his home town of Darlaston

Darlaston War Memorial (historywebsite.co.uk)

 

[GUILLEMOT DOMINIQUE]

Good evening,

thank you for these photos. In 2018, for the centenary, I traced the life and the fatal destiny of the 130 Poilus of the war memorial of my native village, Marchiennes.
Do you think it is possible to obtain, via the forum, the photo of the war memorial of the other English soldiers who died in Marchiennes?

Best wishes.

[Bob Davies]

1 hour ago, GUILLEMOT DOMINIQUE said:

Good evening,

thank you for these photos. In 2018, for the centenary, I traced the life and the fatal destiny of the 130 Poilus of the war memorial of my native village, Marchiennes.
Do you think it is possible to obtain, via the forum, the photo of the war memorial of the other English soldiers who died in Marchiennes?

Best wishes.

Bonsoir, est-ce ce que vous cherchez. Ou un autre ?Il y a des liens sur la page qui montrent les noms des soldats tombés, la plupart semblent être français mais il y a quelques britanniques.There are links on the page which show the names of the fallen soldiers most seem to be French but there are a few British. Good evening,Is this what you are looking for. Or another? https://monumentsmorts.univ-lille.fr/monument/467/marchiennes-place/

Edited 12 August , 2022 by Bob Davies

[Bob Davies]

Brebieres British Cemetery Brebieres was occupied by British troops in October, 1918, and from the 28th October to the 1st November the 23rd Casualty Clearing Station was in the village. The British Cemetery was made in October and November, 1918, and further graves were added later from a number of cemeteries, Marchiennes new communal cemetery being one of them. So a matter of finding the 6 men.  NOUVEAU CIMETIÈRE COMMUNAL DE MARCHIENNES, qui contenait six sépultures britanniques. Un lien ici;  MARCHIENNES NEW COMMUNAL CEMETERY, which contained six British burials. A link here; https://www.cwgc.org/visit-us/find-cemeteries-memorials/cemetery-details/33202/brebieres-british-cemetery/

Edited 12 August , 2022 by Bob Davies

[Bob Davies]

A list courtesy of CWGC, These are the six British men Re buried here from Marchiennes;

Edited 12 August , 2022 by Bob Davies