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Remembered Today:

Anti-aircraft ‘K’ Beach?


alantwo

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A gunner with the 4th Highland (Mountain) Brigade RGA, was fined for disobedience at a place described as “Anti-aircraft ‘K’ Beach”. I think the location must be on Imbros, but can anyone confirm this or advise elsewhere.

My thanks in advance.

Regards

Alan

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23 minutes ago, alantwo said:

A gunner with the 4th Highland (Mountain) Brigade RGA, was fined for disobedience at a place described as “Anti-aircraft ‘K’ Beach”. I think the location must be on Imbros, but can anyone confirm this or advise elsewhere.

My thanks in advance.

Regards

Alan

Hi Alan.

This is the WD entry for the 4th Highland (Mountain) Brigade RGA at Imbros. 

Maybe of some use?

Gunner

Image courtesy of Ancestry.

 

324EA19E-FE0F-4A04-811E-AEF093438DCC.jpeg

Edited by Gunner 87
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This page also records embarkation and disembarkation of the Battery at Imbos.

 

8EBAE641-2F52-4B0F-B1E2-6D89B424A983.jpeg

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Gunner 87 many thanks for your help. The date of the event is not clear, but appears to be January 1916. 

Kind regards

Alan

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3 minutes ago, alantwo said:

Gunner 87 many thanks for your help. The date of the event is not clear, but appears to be January 1916. 

Kind regards

Alan

The WD on Ancestry only goes to December 1915. The NA hold the full diary at https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C4557953

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Hi Alan,

'K' Beach is Kephalo on Imbros. The term was not used a lot, but I have seen it before.

regards, Michael

 

 

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12 minutes ago, michaeldr said:

Hi Alan,

'K' Beach is Kephalo on Imbros. The term was not used a lot, but I have seen it before.

regards, Michael

 

 

Thanks both. The 30th Anti-aircraft Section were at Imbros in December 1915. There is a reference to a AA Detachment at Rocky Point in this unit's war diary.

Alan

Edited by alantwo
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Alan. If you let me know the soldiers name I can check both Ancestry and Find My Past to see if the disciplinary hearing / courts martial is held

Edited by Gunner 87
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Gunner 87 thanks again, He was 2262 and 301687 Gunner James Ramsay (b.1892) Argyll Battery, 4th Highland (Mountain) Brigade RGA. The Active Service Form indicates he had a 7 day pay deduction, which seems relatively minor. The date given is the 7th January, though it is written up some months later.

The unit had a presence (base?) at Imbros, but where, near the Anti-aircraft unit? Other Imbros references 2278/300423 Gunner Goodfellow and 2212/301613 Acting Bombardier Lamb.

The War Diary at Kew is the same as Ancestry.

Kind regards

Alan

Edited by alantwo
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2 hours ago, michaeldr said:

'K' Beach is Kephalo on Imbros

Alan,

the map below (late 1915) shows 'K' Beach.

It's worth mentioning that my impression is that, for the Navy it was very specific, however for the Army it was probably used as a general name for the encampment. Perhaps rather similar to war diary entries which say "To rest camp at W Beach" when in fact they mean the hinterland behind the beach. 

regards, Michael

image.jpeg.099ca18b4692d6b2fc13b734fc2da4bd.jpeg

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2 hours ago, alantwo said:

Gunner 87 thanks again, He was 2262 and 301687 Gunner James Ramsay (b.1892) Argyll Battery, 4th Highland (Mountain) Brigade RGA. The Active Service Form indicates he had a 7 day pay deduction, which seem relatively minor. The date given is the 7th January, though it is written up some months later.

The unit had a presence (base?) at Imbros, but where, near the Anti-aircraft unit? Other Imbros references 2278/300423 Gunner Goodfellow and 2212/301613 Acting Bombardier Lamb.

The War Diary at Kew is the same as Ancestry.

Kind regards

Alan

Alan.

Unfortunately there is nothing else held at Ancestry or Find My Past. J Ramsay, Bute Battery, 4th Highland Brigade, RGA, is subject to a Courts Martial on the 01/02/15 at Bedford and possibly 12/11/18 at Withernsea, though the surname is spelt Ramsey and only the details RGA given. But as you know he has a very poor disciplinary history. In both cases a subscription with Fold3 is needed to view the records which, if you haven't had an account before, are able to take advantage of a two week free trial. I have had an account so can't view the full report. 

Very interesting thread, I hope you solve this.

Gunner

 

 

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3 hours ago, michaeldr said:

Alan,

the map below (late 1915) shows 'K' Beach.

It's worth mentioning that my impression is that, for the Navy it was very specific, however for the Army it was probably used as a general name for the encampment. Perhaps rather similar to war diary entries which say "To rest camp at W Beach" when in fact they mean the hinterland behind the beach. 

regards, Michael

image.jpeg.099ca18b4692d6b2fc13b734fc2da4bd.jpeg

 

Michael

Thank you for the map, that's excellent. Are other similar detailed maps of the island available or were the allies only on this part of the island? I understand your point about the location of an army unit, I was just curious to know how and why a RGA man was disciplined with a reference to "Anti-aircraft K Beach"; at least I have the right place, perhaps the GHQ to the west has relevance. 

Kind regards

Alan

Edited by alantwo
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2 hours ago, Gunner 87 said:

Alan.

Unfortunately there is nothing else held at Ancestry or Find My Past. J Ramsay, Bute Battery, 4th Highland Brigade, RGA, is subject to a Courts Martial on the 01/02/15 at Bedford and possibly 12/11/18 at Withernsea, though the surname is spelt Ramsey and only the details RGA given. But as you know he has a very poor disciplinary history. In both cases a subscription with Fold3 is needed to view the records which, if you haven't had an account before, are able to take advantage of a two week free trial. I have had an account so can't view the full report. 

Very interesting thread, I hope you solve this.

Gunner

 

 

Gunner

I had seen the Fold3 outline description of the Courts Martial at Bedford, but not the one at Withernsea. Thanks for taking the time to look up Ramsay/Ramsey.

Kind regards

Alan

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6 hours ago, alantwo said:

The 30th Anti-aircraft Section were at Imbros in December 1915. There is a reference to a AA Detachment at Rocky Point in this unit's war diary.

'Rocky Point' is seen here on this second map which dates from 1917 (or later). It is the headland and Signal Station (or Navigation Beacon on the 1915 map) seen just above 'K' Beach.

image.jpeg.8df9475c95a7b9693cda76ca10e5e7a1.jpeg

1 hour ago, alantwo said:

perhaps the GHQ to the west has relevance. 

The site marked GHQ on the 1915 map is that to be used in the winter. Hamilton had it built there, but was sacked before he could move in. His first GHQ was on the peninsula to the east of Kephalo Bay. The pier, also marked on the 1915 map, was built so that he could quickly cross the bay by boat to get to 'K' Beach. 

The two maps were published in The Gallipolian accompanying an article by Colonel M. A. Nolan.

regards, Michael

 

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2 hours ago, michaeldr said:

Looking down on Rocky Point and the piers at K Beach https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205248841

Michael

Thanks for your help. I think the gun pits of the 30th Anti-aircraft Section are likely still to be found at Rocky Point. The war diary refers to the nature of the ground being solid rock which "necessitated blasting operations" by the use of gelignite. I'll download a copy of The Gallipolian, August 2005, from the Gallipoli Association website and read the article. Thanks also for posting the link to the IWM website, an excellent illustration of how busy the port was.

The War Diary for the 24th Anti-aircraft Section has thrown up a possible connection with the 4th Highland (Mountain) Brigade. 15 men of the Argyll Mountain Battery were attached to the Section in September 1915. They left in October and were replaced by men from the RHA and although it's not a great deal to go on, it might be a possible piece in the jigsaw.

Thanks again.

Alan

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  • 2 months later...
On 02/02/2024 at 04:24, alantwo said:

I think the gun pits of the 30th Anti-aircraft Section are likely still to be found at Rocky Point. The war diary refers to the nature of the ground being solid rock which "necessitated blasting operations" by the use of gelignite.

Alan, I've walked over Rocky Point several times but not seen anything obvious yet. Doesn't mean it's not there, though. Quite a large area. And I might've seen it but not connected it with an AA gun. For example, there is a circular feature at the summit but I assumed it related to signals or maybe a beacon. There are lots of interesting features in the landscape.

Edited by b3rn
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On 09/04/2024 at 03:32, b3rn said:

Alan, I've walked over Rocky Point several times but not seen anything obvious yet. Doesn't mean it's not there, though. Quite a large area. And I might've seen it but not connected it with an AA gun. For example, there is a circular feature at the summit but I assumed it related to signals or maybe a beacon. There are lots of interesting features in the landscape.

Bernard, many thanks for taking the time to look into this. There is a signal station referred to on the map posted by Michael above which I guess could be the feature you mention. The war diary states the gun was “run in” which suggests wheeled access, from a nearby track perhaps? The guns were, at least originally, lorry based, albeit they were dismantled by the navy prior to departure from the UK without consulting the OC. Nothing else has turned up as yet, the CRA War Diary mentions the arrival of the unit but not the location, and the IWM has a couple of photographs of an anti-aircraft gun being dug in, however these are on Lemnos.

Kind Regards

Alan

Edited by alantwo
Spelling what else!
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38 minutes ago, alantwo said:

The war diary states the gun was “run in” which suggests wheeled access, from a nearby track perhaps?

Perhaps on the northern side, as the southern side is relatively steep, and perhaps too crowded. Will walk that area next time, deo volente.

From memory they got a lorry-mounted AA gun up Kiretch Tepe, which is impressive! 

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