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Royal Artillery Unit Histories


rflory

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Hi Dick,

Do you have any info about the 16th Bty in WW1 and specifically at Paschendale?

I don't know anything at all about them.

Best wishes

Oliver

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Oliver wrote:

Do you have any info about the 16th Bty in WW1 and specifically at Paschendale?

Oliver: 16th Battery served throughout the war with XIV Brigade, RFA in the 2nd Divisional Artillery. The War Diary of XIV Brigade, RFA can be found in the National Archives (PRO) at WO95/1326 for the period Aug 1914 to Dec 1916 and at WO95/1327 for the period Jan 1917 to Dec 1918. I don't have anything specifically about the brigade at Pacschendaele. Regards. Dick

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  • 2 weeks later...
Guest blackbour

Hi Dick,

Sorry, I was very busy and also ill. Thank you for the reply, this confirms what I also now know but found out also that 2nd Division wasn't at Paschendale, which is all a bit puzzling!!

Oliver

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Hi Dick,

Could do with your help.

Does any of your Lancashire diaries mention the 165 Brigade RFA raised in Fleetwood. My uncle was transferred in, 1917/1918. He died of wounds Aug 9th 1918 originally in the 241/243 brigades Worcester. Bombadier John Ashley Stinton.

Any help gratefully appreciated

Regards Eskimo :rolleyes:

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I can tell you that 165th Brigade, RFA was part of the 31st Divisional Artillery and from April to July it was in the Arras region. I have not been able to locate it after that time. Regards. Dick

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Dick,

Having picked up this thread after the email I sent you, (and I think I may have told you this before) but I now have the all the war diaries (or certainly substantial extracts thereof) of all the RHA batterys which originally deployed with the BEF in Aug 1914 namely D,E,I,J and L and can let you have copies if you are interested.

Likewise if anyone needs any info on these batteries, let me know and I will try and look it up

Regards

David

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David: Good to hear from you. I also received your off-forum e-mail and will answer that tonight also. I would love to have copies of the war diaries that originally deployed in August 1914. Regards. Dick

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Hi Dick,

Thanks for the info i take it Apr-July 1918.

Regards Eskimo :D

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Eskimo wrote:

Thanks for the info i take it Apr-July 1918.

Eskimo. Yes, April to July 1918. Dick

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  • 1 month later...
Mark: It certainly would be a lot easier to do that if we had a name, rank, service number and any other information you might already have. Regards. Dick

The only information I have is as follows:

Name: John Large

Date of Birth: 23/11/1897

Date of Enlistment: 6/4/1915

Army Number: 685759

Date of Discharge: 25/1/1919

The discharge papers show only service in 2/3 West Lancashire Brigade RFA, 'disembodied' with the rank of driver in 1919.

I have obtained the copy of his medal role that does not offer any further information, unfortunately.

Family enquiries are such that he seemingly served in France in 1915 and was wounded at some point late in the war - he met my grandmother in a hospital in Eastbourne - where she worked as a nursing auxiliary - whilst recovering from his wounds. Whilst discharged as fully fit, he did carry shrapnel in his back for the rest of his life and also (I believe) he was caught up in some form of gas attack (although I have no evidence to support this).

Finally, it has always been mentioned that he was at the battle of the Somme and also that he had Canadian pen-friends from his association during the war.

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Guest Fiona Howie

Hello Dick,

I just found out today, thanks to a forum member, that my great Grandfather was in 154th Siege Battery RGA which I understand you have a book/diary on. Is this is a book that you can buy or is it a really old original one?

The only problem is that I don't really have a specific question other than I'd like to know the areas where he fought, where he was when the war ended, where they were at Christmas etc. Also if he is mentioned by name: Gunner Sam Walter Norton 74493. Any info would be nice but I understand that they are difficult to search through. I'd just like to know a little about what he was doing and where he was.

Any information would be great but I understand it's a bit of a task,

Kind regards,

Fi

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Hi Dick,

Do you have any information on 142nd H Bty RGA? According to the LLT Mother site the unit was attached to 34th or 79th Brigade.

My gandfather, Arthur Henry Jones (47626) served with this unit and was awarded the MM in 1918 (Gazette 7 October 1918).

Any information would be much appreciated.

Mike Jones

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  • 3 weeks later...
I have the following Royal Artillery and Canadian Artillery unit histories and would be happy to do lookups as time permits:

Royal Field Artillery Brigades

War Diary of the 1st West Lancashire Brigade, RFA

A Short History of the 1st West Lancashire Artillery Brigade

Kamp News, 1915-1918 (3rd West Lancashire Brigade, RFA TF

Dick

In respect of the items mentioned, is it possible to source copies of these so that I could try to align some of the piecemeal informatino I have in respect of my grandfathers service? i.e. could you point me in the direction of where I could obtain these?

Regards

Mark

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Hiya, I would be grateful if you could do a look up on my grandfather William J Mccarthy gunner no.213499 RA, volunteered in Cardiff, served in the royal field artillery , mainly in no mans land with a field telephone giving information on where to aim the fire. He survived the war, although he was gassed and subsequently hospitalised (dont know where), a photo of him in his hospital blues gives no clue. According to my Dad, he returned a broken man and died in his early forties from the lingering effects of the gas. If you have any info at all I would be very thankful. Regards, Joan Mccarthy

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Dick

Do you have any information on 121 Siege Battery RGA ?

I am trying to research my wife's great uncle Gunner 88581 Thomas William Ward DOW 23/04/1917 buried AUBIGNY COMMUNAL CEMETERY

Was this as a result of the Vimy Ridge battles ?

What exactly is a siege battery and what type of artillery did they use ?

Would it be likely that he was with this unit throughout his service or did RGA men move around.

Would you be able to recommend a good book on the RGA ?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you

Mark Gobell

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  • 2 weeks later...
Guest kentishmills

Hello,

I have just found out that my Great Grandfather, Joseph Frederick Bowskill,

served in the 359th siege battery Royal Garrison Artillery. He died on 29th

April 1917. I would like to know some more about the battery, which I

understand from another site was a rail mounted 12" howitzer. Can you help ?

Matthew Mills

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Hi Dick,

Do happen to have anything on 119 seige bty RGA,I'm interested in what they were doing between 1/1/18 and 26/3/18,particulary any mentions of 2nd Lt A.G.Richardson.

Many thanks.

Stu

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi. I was wondering if anyone had information about the 174th Siege RGA? Thatw as my great-grandfathers unit. Or if anyone could suggest where to find information about it. I'd like to know dates and geography of where they fought if possible. Thanks, Graham.

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Dick

Have you any info on "D" Bty. 94th Bde Royal Field Artillery on 04/10/1917

Regards Doug.

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Dick,

I would really appreciate if you were able to find time for a couple of look-ups in two of your unit histories - 144th Heavy Battery and 81st Siege Battery.

I'm trying to pin down the location at Ypres of the 144th HB (13th HAG) between 3rd and 21st September 1917 and of the 81st SB (48th HAG) between 22nd September and 3rd October 1917.

Have a good weekend.

All the best

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  • 1 month later...

Hello,

I noticed that you said that you may have a unit history for the 144th Seige Battery. I am trying to find out anything I can about my husband's grandfather who was a Gunner. I understand that the battery may have merged with others to make 14th Siege battery? Any information you can help me with would be really appreciated.

Cheers,

Michele.

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Justin wrote:

I would really appreciate if you were able to find time for a couple of look-ups in two of your unit histories - 144th Heavy Battery and 81st Siege Battery.

I'm trying to pin down the location at Ypres of the 144th HB (13th HAG) between 3rd and 21st September 1917 and of the 81st SB (48th HAG) between 22nd September and 3rd October 1917.

Justin:

144th Heavy Battery, RGA (3-21 Sep 17):

3 Sep 17: Battery guns along the Ramports oustside the Menin Gate at Ypres.

5 Sep 17: Two gunners gassed by mustard shells that morning and over a dozen later in the afternoon.

From 5-12 Sep 17: Battery positions under heavy gas and HE fire every night. Many men and all but two of the officers wounded or poisoned by gas.

13 Sep 17: Battery subjected to heavy gas attack. Capt Jones severely gassed.

15 Sep 17: Entire battery went out of line and into Rest Camp for rest of month.

81st Siege Battery, RGA (22 Sep to 3 Oct 17):

up to 27 Sep 17, the battery was at Dead End, Ypres.

28 Sep 17: Battery moved to position near Cavalry Farm.

30 Sep 17: Gunners Norman, Organ, and Wright wounded.

4 Oct 17: Battery moved to vicinity of Bavaria House on Frezenburg-Zonnebeke road.

Regards. Dick

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Michele wrote:

I noticed that you said that you may have a unit history for the 144th Seige Battery. I am trying to find out anything I can about my husband's grandfather who was a Gunner. I understand that the battery may have merged with others to make 14th Siege battery? Any information you can help me with would be really appreciated.

Michele: 144 Siege Battery, RGA went out to the Western Front in August 1916, armed with four 6: Howitzers and joined 19 Heavy Artillery Group (HAG). It transferred to 48 HAG on 13 Sep 16; to 70 HAG on 31 Mar 17; to 44 HAG on 15 Apr 17; to First Army Heavy Artillery (ungrouped) on 14 Apr 17; to 2 HAG on 2 May 17 and to 56 HAG on 23 Jun 17. It was made up to six guns on 1 Dec 17 with personnel from 417 Siege Battery, RGA. I can find no evidence that it was ever merged with 14 Siege Battery, RGA.

Regards. Dick

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Mark wrote:

Name: John Large; Army Number: 685759

The discharge papers show only service in 2/3 West Lancashire Brigade RFA, 'disembodied' with the rank of driver in 1919. Family enquiries are such that he seemingly served in France in 1915 and was wounded at some point late in the war

.

Mark: His service number is correct for the 2/3 W Lancs Bde, RFA TF but I have the 1915 through December 1918 copies of Kamp Knews published by that brigade which have casualty lists for the war and I cannot find his name listed as wounded. There is a Gunner H. Large listed as KIA.

Regards. Dick

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Fiona wrote:

I just found out today, thanks to a forum member, that my great Grandfather was in 154th Siege Battery RGA which I understand you have a book/diary on. Is this is a book that you can buy or is it a really old original one?

The only problem is that I don't really have a specific question other than I'd like to know the areas where he fought, where he was when the war ended, where they were at Christmas etc. Also if he is mentioned by name: Gunner Sam Walter Norton 74493. Any info would be nice but I understand that they are difficult to search through. I'd just like to know a little about what he was doing and where he was.

Fiona: The book I have A History of 154 Siege Battery, RGA, France 1916-19 by M C Walker is an original copy published in 1919. If you could find a copy it would probably cost in the vicinity of £100. It is only 84 pages long and can be copied two pages to a sheet, so send me a PM with your address and I will make you a photocopy and send it to you. Regards. Dick

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