118th Heavy Battery Movements

[Ckite]

Hello all,

I'm currently researching my Great Grandfather Francis Squire (Frank) Pinhorne and his movements during WWI. I know he joined the 118th Heavy Battery of the Royal Garrison Artillery 10th Dec 1915 until 1st March 1919. I know that this battery was in the following HAGs on these dates according to the allocations record:

- 42nd HAG 1/9/15-10/11/15

- 18th HAG 14/6/16

-62 HAG  3/12/16

- 73rd HAG 28/1/17

- 23rd HAG 6/2/17

- Broken up 12th Feb 1917 with 1 section going to 1/2nd Lancers Heavy Battery and 1 section going to 1/1st Kent Heavy Battery

I know that he was in the 14th field ambulance on 3rd November 1917 for a nervous complaint and it seems the 14th FA was at that time dealing with the 2nd Battle of Passchendaele to my knowledge (I could be wrong, feel free to correct if you know otherwise!)

But for the life of me, i'm struggling to figure out where he would have been throughout his war time career with each of these Heavy Artillery Groups. 

If anyone has any details on the 118th Heavy Battery movements and what battles he would likely have been involved in or any particular places to look, it would be appreciated as I've scoured the National Archives, Findmypast, ancestry, forces records etc. and have seemingly hit a dead end! All I know is France is the general area. 

[Dai Bach y Sowldiwr]

You need to match the dates with the Heavy Artillery Brigade (aka Group) and seek their diaries on Discovery at the National Archive.
The Brigade/Group diaries are pretty good at giving locations on particular dates, and movements of batteries in/out are usually recorded too, but not the names of non-officer soldiers.

eg. Enter this in the Search box:      8 Brigade Garrison WO95

Look for other HAG/Bdes by changing the number 8 to 4, 42 or whatever.

8th HAG (6/11/14 - 2/7/15) WD can be downloaded at https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/3942ed32f2db489e81ecc3b751948289

If you register with the NA, the download is free.

Edited 12 November , 2023 by Dai Bach y Sowldiwr

[ororkep]

Ckite, welcome,

If you are referring to 144824 Frank Pinhorne then there is something wrong here. Most likely on the casualty return for 3/11/1917 when suffering from shell shock.

His service records clearly show he went out to the Western Front with 398 Sge Bty and his section was posted to 12 Sge Bty, with whom he served with until discharged  in1919?

Rgds Paul

[RussT]

3 hours ago, ororkep said:

His service records clearly show he went out to the Western Front with 398 Sge Bty and his section was posted to 12 Sge Bty, with whom he served with until discharged  in1919?

I agree that his SR is seemingly unambiguous as to his overseas service being only with 12/SB, having proceeded overseas on 29/07/1917 - whereas 118/HB had already been broken up in February 1917.

It would seem therefore that the record keepers at 14/FA were mistaken as to his unit when he was in their care in early November 1917:

Regards

Russ

 

[RussT]

James H Simpson, who had the near RGA number of 144831, also deployed overseas on 29/07/1917 with 398/SB and was posted to 12/SB shortly afterwards - similarly to Pinhorne.

Simpson and 4 others, all serving with 12/SB at the time, were admitted to 14/FA suffering from gas poisoning a few days earlier than Pinhorne.

In their case however, the 14/FA record keepers evidently recorded the correct unit for these 5 casualties.

Russ

(Image courtesy FMP)

[Ckite]

Thank you, definitely seems to be that the 14FA record was wrong and leading me down a rabbit hole as the rest of his records are about the 12th Siege Battery!