sean finnis Posted 28 June , 2005 Share Posted 28 June , 2005 Good evening to all, Im seeking information on the 187th siege battery, Royal Garrison Artillery. My Great uncle John Belsey Finnis was killed whilst serving with this battery in August 1917. He is buried at Hospital farm cemetery, Elverdinghe, near Ypres. Any information regarding this battery would be most gratefully recieved. Many thanks, Sean. P.S This is my first posting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
essdee Posted 29 June , 2005 Share Posted 29 June , 2005 Heres a copy of the Allocation of Batteries for 187 SB essdee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sean finnis Posted 29 June , 2005 Author Share Posted 29 June , 2005 Hi essdee, many thanks for the information, the battery war diaries for 1917 appear to be very incomplete, would the HAG have kept a diary? Any ideas how i could obtain any more info on 187th SB, thanks again, much appreciated, Sean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Stewart Posted 29 June , 2005 Share Posted 29 June , 2005 Sean, Not much to go on, but 187th(Siege)Battery, R.G.A. was formed in Plymouth on the 13th July 1916 and was disbanded 1919. Graham. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
essdee Posted 29 June , 2005 Share Posted 29 June , 2005 The Allocation of Batteries shows 187 as part of 81st HAG during most of August 17 The only war diary available at the National Archive for 187 is from April 17 to June 17, just before your time period. It may still be worth a read just to get a feel of the batteries role etc. NA ref. WO95/304 The 81st HAG (Brigade) diary is available at Kew for Dec 16 - April 18 under ref: WO95/230. At the moment I can't say which Corps the 81st HAG was part of during the August period. However, the Corps Commander Heavy Artillery and the Corps Commander Royal Artillery diaries would both be a good source of info. 187 SB were a 6" gun battery (not howitzers) so I would expect to see mention of them in the Corps Commander H A diary. 187 finished the war as part of the 2nd Army and were unbrigaded, as were all 6" guns. essdee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Stewart Posted 29 June , 2005 Share Posted 29 June , 2005 Sean, Order of Battle for 1918 shows 187th(Siege)Battery as unbrigaded on 11th November 1918 and serving as "Army Troops", 2nd Army with 4 x 6inch guns. Again not much use to you, but it's always nice to be able to do a full run down on a units movements. Graham. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sean finnis Posted 1 July , 2005 Author Share Posted 1 July , 2005 Thanks Graham, i did read 187th SB formed at Pembroke Dock? very interested to see you replied Plymouth? Cheers, Sean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sean finnis Posted 1 July , 2005 Author Share Posted 1 July , 2005 Hi essdee, you really know your stuff! Great advice, cheers. Sean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Stewart Posted 1 July , 2005 Share Posted 1 July , 2005 Thanks Graham, i did read 187th SB formed at Pembroke Dock? very interested to see you replied Plymouth? Cheers, Sean. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Sean, I got this information from Volume II "Lineage Book of British Land Forces 1660 - 1978 by J.B.M. Frederick. This volume is dedicated almost entirely to artillery units. According to this book the following Siege Batteries were formed on 13/7/1916;- 186th(S.B.)R.G.A. place Tynemouth 187th(S.B.)R.G.A. place Plymouth 188th(S.B.)R.G.A. place Pembroke Dock 189th(S.B.)R.G.A. place Harwich 190th(S.B.)R.G.A. place Hartlepool Regards, Graham. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sean finnis Posted 2 July , 2005 Author Share Posted 2 July , 2005 That will do for me then Graham! Many thanks for the information, its much appreciated. As you can gather im a new boy to the Forum and have already had much new and interesting information, people know their stuff! I can see me on this Forum hour afterv hour! Best wishes, Sean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don76 Posted 19 June , 2015 Share Posted 19 June , 2015 Hi, I am new to the Forum and can see this info is many years too late, but I have a lot of info on the movement of this battery. My great grandfather was in the 187th siege battery and I have his war diary with all his movements. If Sean still wants info, please let me know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevinrowlinson Posted 19 June , 2015 Share Posted 19 June , 2015 Hi, I am new to the Forum and can see this info is many years too late, but I have a lot of info on the movement of this battery. My great grandfather was in the 187th siege battery and I have his war diary with all his movements. If Sean still wants info, please let me know. Don, I am sure if you started a new thread and included scans, or transcription, of the diary existing and future members would find it very interesting. What is left of the existing war diary for the battery only covers three months in 1917. What was your gt. grandfathers name and number, and are other battery members mentioned in the diary? Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don76 Posted 19 June , 2015 Share Posted 19 June , 2015 Don, I am sure if you started a new thread and included scans, or transcription, of the diary existing and future members would find it very interesting. What is left of the existing war diary for the battery only covers three months in 1917. What was your gt. grandfathers name and number, and are other battery members mentioned in the diary? Kevin Kevin. He was Gunner Robert Edward Bird. His number was 74015. A few others are mentioned in places. Three being men who lost their lives. I want to transcribe the diary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 27 December , 2018 Share Posted 27 December , 2018 Don Did you ever get to publish your Great Grandad's war diaries? My Grandad , William Burton would have fought with him in the 187th SB. I would dearly love to find out which battles he was involved in? I have a lovely photo of him in his uniform in WW1 and later when he volunteered for the Home Guard in Northampton in WW2. Sadly I never got to meet him as he died before I was born. Any help you can offer me in piecing together his military service in WW1 would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks Andrew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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