IanA Posted 23 April , 2006 Share Posted 23 April , 2006 Hi Folks, I am interested in finding out what there is to be found out about the above formation. I have already checked the PRO and, as suspected, there appears to be no war diary for the 30th. Am I correct in thinking that they would form part of an artillery group and it is this group which would keep a war diary? If so, can anyone tell me the group which the 30th belonged to and (this is too good to hope for) if a diary exists? Thanks, Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Tom Posted 23 April , 2006 Share Posted 23 April , 2006 Hello, Welcome! The Heavy Batterys were part of the RGA Brigades allocated to Armies. E.g. 1st Army had 16 and 5th Army 5 at the end of the war, but allocations changed from time to time. I'm afraid I can't help with diaries, but I expect one of the artillery experts will be able to say where the 30th were. Old Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
essdee Posted 24 April , 2006 Share Posted 24 April , 2006 Ian I've looked through Orders of Battle and the Heavy Batteries allocation list and can not find a 30th Heavy Battery. There is a 30th Heavy Artillery Brigade which is a formation of 4/5 batteries. Its also possible that they were not known by a number but rather a name e.g. 1/1 Essex Heavy Battery. Stuart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanA Posted 25 April , 2006 Author Share Posted 25 April , 2006 Stuart, I recognise a voice of authority when I hear one! I have perhaps made an assumption based on flimsy evidence - if I give you all the informantion I have then you may be in a position to point me in the right direction. I am interested in the service record of Alexander Carrick who created many war memorials including bronze panels to the artillery and engineers in the Scottish War Memorial. He served with the RGA as a gunner and I have seen one of his sketch books depicting a very battered Ypres c1918 and various scenes of battery life. From the drawings, it is obvious that his battery was one of 8" howitzers. One of the front pages had '30th' inscribed on it and it is from this that I made my lop-sided deduction. Carrick's service number was 95309 and his MIC bears the legend RGA/152 B. I wondered if this indicated the 152nd battery and wondered if he had transferred after the war ended. I know he was still in Flanders in 1919. The same sketch book mentions a Major Henry - can you match up this person with a battery of 8" hows? I would be most grateful for any assistance which you are prepared to give. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Stewart Posted 25 April , 2006 Share Posted 25 April , 2006 Ian & Stuart, There actually was a 30th(Heavy)Battery,R.G.A. it was New Army formation which was raised in August 1914 and disbanded on the 10th April 1915. Doesn't appear to have joined a higher formation or served overseas. Graham. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoplophile Posted 25 April , 2006 Share Posted 25 April , 2006 If the battery was armed with 8-inch howitzers, it would have been a siege battery. I don't know anything about the 30th Siege Battery, but the number would have become available in the middle of 1915 - just about the same time that the first 8-inch howitzers emerged from the workshops. (With the exception of a couple of batteries that had been serving in India before 1914, siege batteries were numbered in a regular series that started with "1.") Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
essdee Posted 25 April , 2006 Share Posted 25 April , 2006 Ian Just as Bruce points out, its a Siege battery not a Heavy battery it being armed with 8" Hows. That being the case the following should be of help WO 95/322 30 Siege Battery Royal Garrison Artillery 1915 Aug. - Nov. This is the War Diary held at Kew for the above, the following the Allocation details. Stuart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanA Posted 26 April , 2006 Author Share Posted 26 April , 2006 Stuart, Many thanks for this. I can't think where I picked up the 'Heavy' now.... I have borrowed his sketch book from his daughter again and it very clearly says '30th Battery' inside the cover. There are also two aerial photographs of artillery shoots loosely inserted (one of the Zillebeke Road) with '30' pencilled on the back so I was convinced that the 30th must have existed! Most of the sketches are dated summer 1918 and, judging by the passing references to 'diggers' they have some association with Australians. I am still puzzled over his MIC reference to 'RGA/152 B'.....Might it be that this is not a battery number and I'm barking up the wrong tree (again)? I will follow up your lead and am most grateful to get this sorted out. Cheers, Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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