Royal Artillery Unit Histories

[Havrincourt]

Hello Dick

It would appear that you are quite busy doing a number of look ups, Would there be any chance of looking at my RFA & RGA men listed on my signature, they are all conected to my family and would like to have a little more background to them, there is a family story to go along with the RFA connection, I wonder if it might be true, would they have all been on the Somme?,the family are all from the Yorkshire area if that helps, Thomas Harley was a wheeler Sergeant and was a full time soldier who had served in India

Thank you in advance

Andy

[Guest 348reg]

hi dick, i'm going to nery in may and was wondering if you knew the exact positions of the guns of L battery when the germans attacked on the 1/9/14

cheers reg

[terryb95]

Hi Dick,

I'm still researching 7th Siege Bty RGA.

Is it possible for you to let me know what batteries were under command the following HAG's etc for the dates shown.

5th H.A.Bde 6 Apr 15 – 25 Apr 16

18th H.A.G. 26 Apr 16 – 5 Jun 16

11th H.A.G 5 June 16 – 13 Sep 16

35th H.A.G 14 Sep 16 – 16 Oct 16

48th H.A.G 17 Oct 16 – 27 Nov 16

39th H.A.G 28 Nov 16 – 2 Feb 17

65th H.A.G 3 Feb 17 – 15 May 17

32nd H.A.G 16 May 17 – 20 May 17

X Corps Hvy Arty 21 May 17 – 1 Jul 17

12th H.A.G 2 Jul 17 – 3 Sep 17

86th H.A.G 4 Sep 17 – 20 Nov 17

9th H.A.G 21 Nov 17 – 16 Dec 17

11th H.A.G 17 Dec 17 – 13 Apr 18

Second Army Hvy Arty 14 Apr 18 – 1919

Many thanks

Terryb

Westerrn Australia

[matthewjoy]

I am very interested in obtaining a copy of "Dads Diary, A Gunners Experience in War, 1914-1918 (121 Heavy Battery, RGA)". Is the book available for sale anywhere or is this a private manuscript?

My grandfather served with 12th Heavy Battery, which was the other 60 pdr battery with the 121st in 29th Brigade RGA in the final years of the war. I am currently transacribing the battery diary, which for late 1917 and 1918 is essentially the 29th Brigade diary.

I am struggling to find a complete list of men who served with 12th Heavy Battery. I have managed to compile a list of around 60 names from the diary and other documents. Are full lists available anywhere?

[rflory]

GunnerJoy: "Dads Diary, A Gunners Experience in War, 1914-1918 (121 Heavy Battery, RGA)" is available online at: http://www.matthew.pattman.net/roads/index.php I am not aware of any source of a nominal roll of 12 Heavy Battery, RGA but if I find one I will get back to you. Would it be possible to get a list of the officers you have found in examining the war diaries? Regards. Dick Flory

[matthewjoy]

Thank you. That is a huge help.

I have attached a copy of my list of 12th Heavy battery personnel which shows all of the officers identified to date. The diaries are not complete and, as you will see, there is doubt about the spelling of a number of the names. I have also been able to cross-check some of the information against letters and notes at the IWM for a young lad attached to the battery for the duration of the war. Hope this helps. I will send you an update if I find any more information as I complete my review of the diaries (up to September 1918 so far).

[David_Bluestein]

Hello Dick,

Can I please seek your advice as an artillery expert…

I am trying to research an artillery officer Lieut. D. S. SALTER 126th Siege Battery RGA. Died of wounds March 21, 1918.

My knowledge of the RGA is slim to none. I see you have their regimental history and would be grateful for anything related to its activities at the front during the Great War. I know the likelihood of something showing up on this man is a long shot…But if there is a mention I would be equally thrilled to see what’s there.

I will gladly pay for any expenses.

Thank you,

David

[kildaremark]

If anyone is interested, I have the War Diary of the 159th Siege Battery RGA from the National Archives. This unit went to Mesopotamia in September 1916 and remained there until 1919. Diary is not complete but lists mostly officers and very few other ranks.

Mark

[Turfy]

Hello Dick,

Do you happen to have any information on the 124th Seige Battery RGA?

Thanks

David

[rflory]

David wrote: "Do you happen to have any information on the 124th Seige Battery RGA? "

David: Afraid that I have nothing on 124th Siege Battery, RGA. Dick Flory

[Myrtle]

Dick

Will you please see if you have anything on Major Alfred Higgins Burne Royal Horse Artillery? I believe that he could be the same as Lt Colonel Alfred Higgins Burne who was known in the 30s-50s as a published historian.

Myrtle

[Guest kevmaggs]

Hi Dick,

I have been trying to find out about my great grandfather Clarence Earle.

he died on 30/10/1917 and is buried in St. Sever Cemetary, Rouen.

his details are:

RGA

Gunner

298th Siege Bty

service number 113293

if you could look his unit up and give me some details about what they were upto etc.

thank you

regards

kev

[minininja]

dear Dick

i am trying to find some further information on my great grand father PTE Alfred G Sales 2088 of the 3rd monmouthshire regiment, i know he died whilst on parade in 1915 by a stray artillary shell however i dont know much more about what he didprevious to this...

im also finding out about my other great grandad Driver Herbert A Holley L46302 of the RFA, not sure what unit he was with etc.

any info on these would be grately appreciated.

Also where would i find a picture of a driver on horse back towing an 18 pounder! we had one of Herbert in the family but it seems to have disappeared!!

Many Thanks Colin

[Guest rawseqs]

Hi Dick,

I'm looking for information about my father Sidney Ernest Williams, who was in the Royal Horse Artillery as a teenager, ending as a colour sergeant. As a starting point, I'm trying to identify which battery he belonged to. All I know is that he spent the war in the UK, both in Dublin and on the Salisbury Plain, which I understand was an RHA training ground. Are you able to identify any unit(s) that might fit? Thanks very much for your help,

Richard

[Guest SteveinOz]

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

Divisional Artilleries

Narrative of the 5th Divisional Artillery, 1914-1918

History of the 20th Divisional Artillery, 1914-1919

29th Divisional Artillery War Record and Honours Book 1915-1918

Brief History of 31st Divisional Artillery (officers only listed)

History of the 33rd Divisional Artillery in the War, 1914-1918

A Short History of the 39th (Deptford) Divisional Artillery 1915-1918

War Services of the 62nd West Riding Divisional Artillery

Royal Field Artillery Brigades

The War History of the 1st Northumbrian Brigade, RFA TF

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

Hertfordshire Yeomanry and Artillery Honours and Awards (4 E Anglican Bde, RFA TF)

Lewisham Gunners (4th Lond Howitzer Bde, RFA)

London Gunners Come to Town (5, 6, 7, and 8 London Brigades, RFA TF)

Short Record of War Services of the 7th London Brigade, RFA TF

25th Brigade Ammunition Column War Diary (1914)

Roll of Honour and Casualties and List of Officers who have served with 75th Brigade, RFA, 24

August to 11 November 1918.

Push and Return Push (82 Brigade, RFA

The Raising of the 157th Brigade (City of Aberdeen), RFA TF

The History of the Locally Raised 160th Wearside Brigade, Royal Field Artillery

Exploits and Escapades, Brief History of happenings of the 3rd Staffs Battery, RFA

Before the Echoes Die Away (242 Bde, RFA, 5th Warsickshire (How) Battery)

The Story of the Monmouthshire Volunteer Artillery (266 Bde, RFA TF)

Diex Aix: God Help Us (9 Divisional Ammunition Column, RFA)

Royal Field Artillery Batteries

2nd City of Edinburgh Battery, RFA, 1914-1918

Record of the 3rd Devonshire Battery (Tavistock), 4th Wessex Bde, RFA TF, The Great War,

1914-1919

Third Durham Volunteer Artillery (4th Durham Battery, RFA TF)

The Battery Book (1/6 Hants Battery, RFA TF)

The History of Strange’s Battery, Royal Artillery (8th Battery, RFA)

27th Battery, RFA, 1914-1919

The History of A Battery, 84th Brigade, RFA 1914-1919

Field Guns in France (D/151; A/150 Batteries, RFA)

The Long March, Story of “The Devils Own”, B/210 Burnley Battery, RFA 1914-1919

Over There, Commemorative History of the Old Leak Battery, 1908-1919 (C/231, RFA)

An Australian in the RFA (D/242, RFA

A Record of D245 Battery, 1914-1919

History of the Yarmouth Battery, 1569-1926 (A/270, A/264, A/272 Batteries, RFA)Romford to

Beirut via France, Egypt and Jericho (B/271, RFA)

Royal Horse Artillery Brigades and Batteries

History of the 1/1st Hants Royal Horse Artillery during the Great War, 1914-1919

Shropshire Royal Horse Artillery, 1912-1918

The War Diary of “E” Battery, Royal Horse Artillery, 5th Aug. 1914-31st Oct. 1919

The Story of “F” Troop, Royal Horse Artillery (F Bty, RHA)

Some Pages from the History of “Q” Battery, RHA in the Great War

Royal Garrison Artillery Brigades

The 25th Army Brigade, RGA on the Western Front in 1918

61, How Some Wheels Went Round (61 Heavy Artillery Group, RGA)

History of the 77th Bde, RGA, France 1916-19

Nine Days: Adventures of a Heavy Artillery Brigade of the Third Army during the German

Offensive of March 21-29, 1918 (90 Brigade, RGA)

Heavy Batteries, RGA

9 Heavy Battery, RGA, 1914-1919

War Diary and Roll of Honour, 14th Heavy Battery, RGA in France, Belgium, Germany

With the Heavies in Flanders (24 Heavy Battery, RGA)

Dads Diary, A Gunners Experience in War, 1914-1918 (121 Heavy Battery, RGA)

126 Heavy Battery, RGA, 1915-1919

The Hampstead Heavies (138 Heavy Battery, RGA)

Diary of 144th (York) Heavy Battery, RGA, 1915-1919

Siege Batteries, RGA

The Eleventh Siege Battery, RGA, 1914-1918

Notes of History of 19th Siege Battery, RGA

20th Siege Battery, RGA, BEF, France and Flanders, 20th June 1915-11th November 1918

27th Siege Battery, RGA, BEF, France and Flanders, 5 Sept 1915 to 15 Apr 1919.

Memoirs of 42 Siege Battery, RGA, 1914-1918

52 Siege Battery, RGA, August 1915-August 1919

A Short History of the 72nd (South African) Siege Battery

The History of 76 Siege Battery, RGA

History of 81 Siege Battery, RGA

History of the 91st (Siege) Battery, RGA, December 1915 to 11 November 1918

Siege Battery 94 During the World War, 1914-1918

Occasional Gunfire, Private War Diary of a Siege Gunner (118 Siege Battery, RGA)

126th Heavy Battery, RGA 1915-1919

History of the 135th Siege Battery, RGA

144th Siege Battery, R. G. A.

A History of 154 Siege Battery, RGA, France 1916-19

Nominal Roll of 170th Siege Battery, RGA

178 Siege Battery, R. G. A., B. E. F. France

“Two Eleven,” Being the History of 211 Siege Battery, R. G. A. on the Western Front

220th Siege Battery, R. G. A.

“228”, The History of a Siege Battery during the Great War

History of 250 Siege Battery, R.G.A.

With a Siege Battery in France, 303 Siege Battery, RGA

London Gunners (309 (Hon Arty Co) Siege Battery, RGA)

The Honourable Artillery Company in the Great War

332 Siege Battery, R.G.A.

The Record of 355 Siege Battery

A Short Record of the 359th Siege Battery RGA

Canadian Field Artillery

Gun-Fire, An Historical Narrative of the 4th Brigade, CFA

NREF, 16th Brigade, C.F.A.

The Battery, The History of 10th (St. Catherines) Field Battery, RCA (10 Bty, CFA)

The Diary of the 13th Battery, Canadian Field Artillery 1914-1919

Battery Action! The Story of the 43rd Battery, CFA

The History of the Fifty-Fifth Battery, CFA

The 60th C. F. A. Battery Book, 1916-1919

The Story of the Sixty-Sixth C. F. A. (66 Bty, CFA)

Second Canadian Divisional Ammunition Column and Its Part in the Great World War

Canadian Siege Artillery

The Seventh (7 Siege Battery, CGA)

War Diary, 10th Canadian Siege Battery, 1917-1919

Hi Dick,

Am seeking information on Gunner Albert Behar, who served with the 309th Siege Battery of the Honourable Artillery Company. He died in France in October 1917. Would be grateful if you could lookup the HAC book.

[liverpool annie]

Hi Dick !

I don't think you have 176 Siege Battery RGA 1915-1919 - but I wonder if you could direct me to where I could find out !

Thanking you in advance !!

( Hope everything is good in your part of the world !! )

Annie

[tolansmith]

Hi!

I am seeking information about 'A' Battery of the 84th Army Brigade of the Royal Filed Artillery in France between 1915 and 1918. My father served in this unit and I am planning a visit to the Western Front in a few weeks time.

Many thanks, Chris Tolan-Smith

[rflory]

Chris wrote: "I am seeking information about 'A' Battery of the 84th Army Brigade of the Royal Filed Artillery in France between 1915 and 1918. My father served in this unit and I am planning a visit to the Western Front in a few weeks time."

Chris: You need to obtain a copy of "The History of 'A' Battery, 84th Army Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, 1914-1919" by D. F. Grant. It is available online from Naval and Military Press.

Dick Flory

[rflory]

liverpool annie wrote: I don't think you have 176 Siege Battery RGA 1915-1919 - but I wonder if you could direct me to where I could find out !"

Annie: I don't have their unit history but the War Diary of 176 Siege Battery for Sep 16 to Nov 17 is in the National Archives at WO95/325 and for the period from Dec 17 to Feb 18 at WO95/4205. The war diary for the period Mar 18 to Nov 18 has not been traced.

Regards. Dick Flory

[tolansmith]

Chris wrote: "I am seeking information about 'A' Battery of the 84th Army Brigade of the Royal Filed Artillery in France between 1915 and 1918. My father served in this unit and I am planning a visit to the Western Front in a few weeks time."

Chris: You need to obtain a copy of "The History of 'A' Battery, 84th Army Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, 1914-1919" by D. F. Grant. It is available online from Naval and Military Press.

Dick Flory

Dear Dick - Many thanks for your reply about the 84th Brigade. I'll follow up your suggestion. By the way, the D.G. Grant who wrote the Battery 'A' History signed my fathers discharge papers!

With good wishes, Chris Tolan-Smith

[Myrtle]

Dick

Will you please see if you have anything on Major Alfred Higgins Burne Royal Horse Artillery? I believe that he could be the same as Lt Colonel Alfred Higgins Burne who was known in the 30s-50s as a published historian.

Myrtle

Dick

Wondered if you noticed this one ?

Myrtle

[terryb95]

HI Dick,

Do you know the locations of 7th Siege Bty RGA and who the were under comand for the period 12 Nov 1918 to 30 Dec 1918

Thanks

Terryb

[rflory]

Terryb wrote: "Do you know the locations of 7th Siege Bty RGA and who the were under comand for the period 12 Nov 1918 to 30 Dec 1918"

Terry: From April 1918 until the end of the war they were unbrigaded and under HQ, 2nd Army Heavy Artillery. I assume they remained that way after the war was over. Dick Flory

[rflory]

Myrtle wrote: "Will you please see if you have anything on Major Alfred Higgins Burne Royal Horse Artillery? I believe that he could be the same as Lt Colonel Alfred Higgins Burne who was known in the 30s-50s as a published historian."

Myrtle: Sorry, I missed your earlier message. Yes he is the published historian who wrote many books between 1921 and 1959. There is a photo of him and a four-page obituary in the July 1959 issue of "The Gunner." PM or email me you snail mail address and I will mail you a photocopy. Dick Flory

[John84]

Dick, thanks for your kind offer for look-ups from your unit histories. Would it be possible for you to have a look in your book 'The History of 76 Siege Battery, RGA' and please check what they were up to on 3 November, 1917. This is the day one of my local men 382593, Gunner, Arthur Johnson was killed in action. Thanks again Dick.

John.