Edwark Keaney

[johno]

Salonika.docDownloaded the medal card for my Grandfather Edward Keaney but dont understand several of the abbreviations on card Can anyone help with these.

RGA/113B, RGA A1/A/3, Page 1273 DV227, Discharge: This looks like bra could be bga 392 xvia (KR).

He started his military service in Eygpt in 1915 as far as the family are aware he was in the army until 1920 and came out unharmed. The discharge is a mystery Please can anyone help?

Brian

[HarryBettsMCDCM]

The two RGA References are for his Medals Probably the 1914~15 Star & the BWM & Victory,which were issued together from a seperate Roll to the Stars,the KR 392 xvia etc;refers to the Silver War Badge & I suspect that your "bra" {fixation??} is in fact "SWB" in script & refers to the SWB War Badge List from which it was issued on Application;All these Copies can be obtained from the NA {Not online}& the war Badge roll page especially might prove helpful.

The fact that he is recorded as Discharged would have meant that he was No longer fit for Military Service {Not neccesarily Wounded,but for many Medical & age related Reasons},& could well relate to 1920,these Badges were still being Granted well into the 20s

[KONDOA]

I cannot actually see any reference to a SWB on this MIC?? Meaning he was not discharged.

Your man does however have two medal cards!! So if a SWB exists it may be on this MIC

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documen...1&resultcount=2

One no doubt for his MM as stated in his name header.

Roop

[johno]

Salonika_gunner.doc

I cannot actually see any reference to a SWB on this MIC?? Meaning he was not discharged.

Your man does however have two medal cards!! So if a SWB exists it may be on this MIC

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documen...1&resultcount=2

One no doubt for his MM as stated in his name header.

Roop

Here is the other medal card for my Edward Keaney. Can we be sure its the same person? Hope you can help on this one thanks for your time.

Brian

[KONDOA]

Hi Brian,

Your man joined the RFA on 31/5/.15 and was discharged from Class P , A reserve 6/2/19.

It is the same man according to the NA as his service number 36729 RGA is the same but does not appear the same on the card.

I am somewhat confused by this card as his medals have been issued as RGA as per first card, It does I beleive give him as a sergeant though.

My only suggestion is that he was a pre war regular in the RFA and that is where he was discharged form . This is conjecture though so do not quote me.

Need to think on this one

Roop

[SteveE]

Brian

IMHO the MIC's for the Edward Keaney's relate to two separate soldiers.

#1 Edward Keaney 36729 RGA has two MIC's, one for his 1914-15 Star (RGA/1 A/3 Page 227), BWM & Victory Medal (RGA/113B Page 1273) entitlement and one for his award of the MM.

I see nothing on his 14-15 Star, BWM & Victory MIC to indicate any service other than RGA and he's on the RGA Rolls which one would expect. He entered theatre of war 3 (Egypt) on 4/8/1915.

#2 Edward Keaney 961371 RFA has a solitary SWB (List RA/3103) MIC, his number does look on the high side (I base this on my knowledge of Infantry numbering not Artillery!!) for an enlistment of 31/5/1915 so my guess is he was a Territorial in the RFA, renumbered to this 'new' number in 1917 but who never served overseas.

Hope this helps.

Steve

[KONDOA]

Would tend to agree if that is what the Reg No says, I cannot read it.

Roop

[SteveE]

Agreed, the RFA service number is certainly unclear but I've based my 'guess' on the NA transcription .

It definitely starts 96, there's "something" where they've put the '1' and I could be persuaded it says 371 (although I could be as easily persuaded it was 571).

Which makes me feel this was a RFA Territorial renumbering.

Any RFA experts out there that can confirm this number range was used by Territorial RFA units?

Steve

[SteveE]

There may be another clue to this being two separate soldiers......

His Corps details on the SWB MIC are given as RFA, Class P A. Res.

I quote direct from the LLT mother site:

"There was also a Class P Reserve, used for some soldiers who were selected to return to skilled industrial jobs including coal mining, while still technically serving in the army."

This could be the reason why #2 Edward Keaney never served overseas.

Regards

Steve

[KONDOA]

961 *** number group is 1/7th & 2/7th London Brigade RFA

And that is definitely not the card I have posted the link to.

Roop

[KONDOA]

Heres your man

[johno]

Thanks to everyone for their input into my research for Edward Keaney my Grandfather. It seems apparent now that it is two different soldiers medal cards. His family ran a farm in County Leitrum Ireland and I am wondering when he volunteered what regiments would he likely to have enlisted in. I know fron the gazette that he was in 185 HY,BY which I believe means Heavy Battery but from that information can I find out what army, division etc he fought in

[KONDOA]

This is the one I meant

And here is the link to the war diary of 18HB at the NA.

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalog...&accessmethod=0

Roop

[SteveE]

Brian

I know fron the gazette that he was in 185 HY,BY which I believe means Heavy Battery but from that information can I find out what army, division etc he fought in

From the LLT Mother site:

185th Battery RGA were part of 79th Brigade RGA (along with 14th, 142nd, 145th, 174th, and 1/1st Essex Batteries) which in turn was attached to 4th Army (as at November 1918).

Hope this helps

Steve