S/S Royal Field Artillery/Royal Horse Artillery KIA 4/4/1917

[eilish67]

I have enjoyed exploring this website on a few occasions and thought Id be brave and join up to ask silly questions.

Im stuck as to what to do next. My Great Grandfather Tom Weatherhog (B. 1886) was KIA on 4/4/1917. I have the Medal Card plus also a couple of other bits of information (hopefully attached to this post),

The Medal card says he was a Gunner, yet the CWG has Shoeing Smith. He came from a long line of Blacksmiths in the village of Sotby in Lincolnshire so being a shoeing smith certainly fits the image. Im also struggling to understand Batterys/Battalions and Regiments and Brigades Are each one a higher level than the previous. I wish Id paid more attention in School. With my family history research Tom is my first man involved in war and its fascinating! I also have a copy of the page with his name on for the Index to War Deaths which Im assuming I use to obtain his Death Certificate.

I also read elsewhere on this site reasons why men didnt join up where they lived. Im asuming maybe Tom having worked with horses meant maybe he was asked/told to join the RFA/RHA rather than locally in Lincolnshire. (pure guesswork as I know nothing! )

I guess my main question is what can/should I do next and can it be done online

Oh and also whilst mucking about with Google today I found an Absent Voter List 1918 with an RGA Gunner with the same number as my Tom. I have attached his MIC also. Is it normal for the numbers to be the same?

Thanks very much for listening.

Ann

[Coldstreamer]

you could try and see if his papers are held at the NA, Kew

[shaymen]

I guess my main question is what can/should I do next and can it be done online

Is it normal for the numbers to be the same?

Ann

Ann

Quite common for the same number to be used - in fact a quick search of your number on the NA site gives 7 different men.

As far as doing it online - well there aren't many (if any) RFA Diaries available on line - you would have to go there to view them.

May be worth posting in Units and Formations and asking if anyone has details 15th brigade RFA - or use the search facility to see if they have been mentioned before.

Glyn

[eilish67]

Thank you both very much for your input, very much appreciated.

The Search continues

Ann

[Barkwith99]

Hi Ann,

I'm working as part of a local history group (East Barkwith, Lincolnshire) and am currently researching the names on our village war memorial, one of whom is Tom Weatherhog (Royal Field Artillery, died 4/4/17). While researching online I spotted your 2006 post regarding your great grandfather.

Our village is close to Sotby and we believe Tom lived here in Barkwith for a time before going off to war. Certainly his uncle (on his father's side) also called Tom, appears on the 1901 census as living in East Barkwith.

I believe the younger Tom was married and had a daughter 'Margaret Ellen' before going off to war?

I believe he was serving with “B” Battery, 15^th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery.

Would be good to hear from an ancestor of someone on our memorial and I'd be interested in any further information you have found out about Tom.

Kind regards,

Neil

[rflory]

It appears that Shoeing Smith Tom Weatherhog was serving with 15th Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery (rather than 15th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery). The war diary for 15th Brigade, RHA for 4 April 1917 indicates that the brigade was at 4 Rue St Barbe, Arras on that date and states "4.4.17. V Day. Batteries fired according to programme. No. 99463 S/S Weatherhog killed and No. 85649 Dr. Elgan wounded by HE, both of 'B', RHA."

Regards, Dick Flory

[Barkwith99]

Thanks very much for the information Dick.

Both the Roll Of Honour website (for the East and West Barkwith war memorial) and probably more importantly the CWGC website, list Tom as being with the Royal Field Artillery, but having explored your information and looked at the war diary, it's clear that it was the RHA. I'm not sure how common this sort of error is?

Regards, Neil

[rflory]

Neil: Unfortunately the confusion between certain RHA and RFA brigades appears to be rather common. This probably results from the fact that while most RHA brigades served with the various Cavalry Divisions, a number of RHA brigades (V, XIV, XV and XVI) served with Infantry Divisions and/or became Army Brigades - assignments much more common to RFA brigades.

Regards, Dick Flory