7th Brigade RHA War Diary

[Guest]

Dear all

I requested some pages from the National Archives from the War Diary for the 1/1 Warwickshire Battery RHA. My relative Herbert Charles Collingbourne died as a result of the attack described in the newspaper report below. I got the reply today but they couldn't give me any information as this diary has been incorporated into the 7th Brigade RHA War Diary.

They did send the scan of the letter stating that the diaries had been merged though (from Captain R H Osbourne, General Staff, 1st Cavalry Division) which is a lot nicer than just telling me!

I have quite a bit of information about Bert (some from a posting on one of the boards here last year + his medal card and entry on the CWGC) but would love to find anything more.

Does anyone have access to the War Diary for the 7th Brigade RHA to find out where Bert would be at the start of January 1916? Or even know what the National Archives reference would be if looking it up is really too much to ask?

Unfortunately I am unable (spirit willing but finances weak) to trek down to Kew to try and find this information myself.

Any help would be very gratefully received.

Best wishes

Sarah

The Coventry Herald

January 7th & 8th 1916

WARWICKSHIRE R.H.A. UNDER FIRE.

COVENTRY MEN AMONG THE FIRST CASUALTIES

The remarkable immunity from casualties experienced by the Coventry section of the Warwickshire R.H.A. during the fourteen months they have been in France has been broken at last as the result of a recent bombardment, when several Coventry men were injured by the bursting of a high explosive shell. The incident occurred at the beginning of last week when, in consequence of a German bombardment, the men sought safety in an old cellar protected by sandbags. One of the enemy shells forced its way through the structure and played havoc among the men. The son of Mr. Chattaway, architect of this city, was among the most seriously injured, and has been visited in hospital in France by his father. Latest reports state that a successful operation has been performed. Gunner Croydon, son of Richard Croydon, has been brought back to Colchester Hospital, while others injured who are well known locally are: Collingbourne, Short, Traherne (Chapel Fields), Reg. Fletcher (son of Mr. C. H. Fletcher). Except in the case of Chattaway, the official notifications of injury have not been received.

The battery, it will be remembered, was the first Territorial Regiment to go to France, arriving there on Nov. 1, 1914. They claim to have been more in action than any other battery, and have been complimented on their splendid work by General French.

Another account of the disastrous bombardment referred to is given in a letter from Gunner Croydon, who, in writing home says:- “ We all went down a cellar for safety, because they were shelling us and as soon as we got down there one of the (5.9) came in and burst. The result was bricks and bits of shrapnel were flying all over the place. About six of us got hurt – Fletcher, Short, Wiliday, Collingbourne, Barklett, and myself. I believe Chattaway was hit, but I don’t know. “Spot” (Phillips) was not there at all , so was not hurt, thank God! I was the only one able to stand, so got out and went for help. I believe I am on my way for England but don’t know. I must look funny. I was hit in the face and you can only see one eye and enough of my mouth to put a ‘fag’ in. The nurses are very good to me, and the doctor, a Leamington man (Dr. Gibbons Ward, Medical Officer of Health for Leamington) is one of the best. I am on a barge on a canal on the way to the coast. Chattaway, it is believed, is seriously hurt.”

[ororkep]

Welcome Sarah,

Sarah,

I’m surprised at that because the catalogue is not showing any change. They are still showing both as large diaries in separate boxes and on the face of it might be put in the same box file but to merge them is a break in the way the filing is normally held. Are you certain the references they gave you in the letter are for

WO95/1103 7 Brigade RHA Aug 16- Apr 19 and

WO95/1116 1/1 Warwickshire RHA Oct 14- Oct 16,

As they are both showing available by download (£8.50 for 10 pages) so you could try that for the month in question I have not seen it for a long time but its strange that the web site has not been updated.

Regards

[Guest]

Many thanks for replying ororkep

I had asked for the pages for the start of January 1916

The email from NA said:

Unfortunately your Digital express order, for images from WO 95/1116 cannot be completed.

The diary entry requested is not located in this document, please see the attached image.

The attached image is a scan of a typed letter from March 1916 the whole of which I have transcribed below:

*********************************

Extract

D.A.G.,

3RD Echelon

B A S E

- - - - - - - -

1. Reference your 140/452 dated 29 February, 1915

(a) O.C. Warwickshire Battery states:-

During the months of December and January this Battery was under the direction of Colonel Commanding 7th Brigade R.H.A. in action.

Orders were received that in accordance with G.R.O. 1187 the necessary information would be incorporated in the 7th Brigade R.H.A. War Diary.

(sgd) R.H. Osbourne Capt.

General Staff,

1st Cavalry Division

G.S.234

21/3/16

*******************************

Not really sure what any of this means (hence posting here where the experts are!). From what the letter says do you think i should try for the January WO95/1103 7 Brigade entries? - thanks ever so much for the reference by the way.

Bert died on 4 January and the newspaper report for the paper on 7/8 January said the incident was at the 'beginning of last week' so should I go back to the end of December '15 to be safe?

Any thoughts?

Thanks again

Sarah