Do I have enough to identify the war diary?

[richardg]

Hello All

My grandfather Herbert Graham was a Corporal in the Royal Engineers (Signals Service). He was awarded the Military Medal (MM) and the Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM). I am trying to track down the war diary for his unit. He was in France from 31st August 1915 (originally with Field Artillery then RE) until July 1919.

The medal index cards give me the following in addition to his number.

MM: H.Q. 108/A. BDE RE

DCM: SIG SERV: T'LG: CENTRE: RE

For the MM, I assume A. BDE means 'A' Brigade. Can anyone please tell me what the 108 indicates? H.Q. will be Headquarters, but how does this help me in tracking down his movements?

For the DCM does T'LG centre mean 'TELEGRAPH'?

Many thanks for any help any one can offer.

regards,

RichardG

[Coldstreamer]

Assuming he is 311707 - He was in charge of a telephone cart at the time so possibly

his award (if you didnt know for the DCM is

http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/archiveVi...;selHonourType=

[richardg]

Many thanks Coldstreamer

I did have the DCM citation from Kew, but had never found it on the Gazette site.

RichardG

Assuming he is 311707 - He was in charge of a telephone cart at the time so possibly

his award (if you didnt know for the DCM is

http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/archiveVi...;selHonourType=

[Coldstreamer]

if you play around with the gazette you should get the mm date as well - there wont be a citation though - they are super scarce!

[Stebie9173]

Probably 108th Army Brigade R.F.A.

Signallers were often attached to Artillery Units (or recruited therefrom):

CVIII (108th) Brigade. New armies 24th Division from formation in September 1914 until became an Army Brigade on 25 January 1917

http://www.1914-1918.net/rfa_units.htm

24th Division went overseas in August 1915, which fits the date of Herbert graham's embarkation.

http://www.1914-1918.net/24div.htm

These are the War Diary refs.:

WO 95/456 108 Army Field Artillery Brigade 1917 Feb. - 1918 Sept.

WO 95/2197 108 Brigade Royal Field Artillery 1915 Sept. - 1916 Dec.

The M.M. is almost the same time:

LG 6-8-1918

311707 Cpl. H. E. Graham, R.E. (late R.F.A.) (St. Leonards).

http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/archiveVi...;selHonourType=

This would seem to confirm the R.F.A. link to me.

Steve.

[richardg]

Wow! these are great leads - many thanks Stebie9173 (Steve), I will definitely be looking up these

war diaries.

My knowledge of how the army was organised is not good, so please excuse some further questions.

- When the change occured from 108th Brigade, 24th Division to 108th Army Brigade was the latter

brigade no longer attached to a Division?

- From the link you provided, 24 Division was part of the K3 (third army?). When Herbert received his

award the overall commander was General Rawlinson who was commader of 4th Army - so did the 108 Brigade move into 4th Army?

- Is there any significance to the 'HQ' mentioned on the MM? Presumably the HQ moved around a fair bit?

Many thanks once again

RichardG

Probably 108th Army Brigade R.F.A.

Signallers were often attached to Artillery Units (or recruited therefrom):

CVIII (108th) Brigade. New armies 24th Division from formation in September 1914 until became an Army Brigade on 25 January 1917

http://www.1914-1918.net/rfa_units.htm

24th Division went overseas in August 1915, which fits the date of Herbert graham's embarkation.

http://www.1914-1918.net/24div.htm

These are the War Diary refs.:

WO 95/456 108 Army Field Artillery Brigade 1917 Feb. - 1918 Sept.

WO 95/2197 108 Brigade Royal Field Artillery 1915 Sept. - 1916 Dec.

The M.M. is almost the same time:

LG 6-8-1918

311707 Cpl. H. E. Graham, R.E. (late R.F.A.) (St. Leonards).

http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/archiveVi...;selHonourType=

This would seem to confirm the R.F.A. link to me.

Steve.