33rd Siege Batallion RGA

[steve lawson]

Help please from anyone who may have any information on 33rd Siege Battery, I believe part of 27th Brigade RGA 4th Army. In particular August 1917 a little south of Bethune. What happened up to the 14th

when my uncle died. He is buried @ Noeux-Les-Mines Communal Cemetery,I think from CCS7 (possCCS6)@ Braquemart. My Uncle's name is Frederick Thomas Randell (124099) He was a gunner with the above battery. Anything, however small, I would be grateful for.

Many Thanks

Steve Lawson.

[essdee]

Steve

Attached is the Allocation list for 33 Siege, as you can see they were part of 88th HAG during the August period. I am fairly certain that the 88th HAG was part of 2 Corps Heavy Artillery, 5th Army.

A diary for 88th HAG is at Kew under the following ref:

WO 95/396 88 Brigade Royal Garrison Artillery 1917 Feb. - 1919 Mar.

A diary for 2 Corps Commander-Heavy Artillery is also Available under the ref: WO95/655.

The GOCHA diary is always worth looking at, as in the appendix, if there is one, you quite often find maps, battery allocation lists (positions) etc.

Stuart

[steve lawson]

Steve

Attached is the Allocation list for 33 Siege, as you can see they were part of 88th HAG during the August period. I am fairly certain that the 88th HAG was part of 2 Corps Heavy Artillery, 5th Army.

A diary for 88th HAG is at Kew under the following ref:

WO 95/396 88 Brigade Royal Garrison Artillery 1917 Feb. - 1919 Mar.

A diary for 2 Corps Commander-Heavy Artillery is also Available under the ref: WO95/655.

The GOCHA diary is always worth looking at, as in the appendix, if there is one, you quite often find maps, battery allocation lists (positions) etc.

Stuart

[steve lawson]

Dear Stuart,

I have recieved back all diary entries you advised. They seem to put 88th HAG in Belgium during the period my Uncle was killed.

How on earth did he end up in a cemetery in Noeux-Les-Mines. Is it possible to trace No7 CCS for the week leading up to and including 14/08/1917.

[essdee]

Steve

No 7 CCS were, according to my list, stationed at Bracquemont between 23 April 17 and 10 March 18.

It is not a suprise to find him buried in France when the battery were not that far away in Belgium, after all, the two were just part of one large battlefield.

If he were killed whilst with the battery he would have been buried at one of the many battlefield cemeteries. It suggests that he was evacuated and later died of wounds recieved and was subsequently buried in the cemetery alongside No7 CCS.

Stuart