ozmi Posted 2 December , 2007 Share Posted 2 December , 2007 I am trying to understand the following service details of my great uncle George Edward TERRY (Reg No:149660) who joined the 529 Siege Battery of the RGA (Hartlepool/Sunderland..?) His Medical Card shows that he was a Gunner and was awarded the Victory and British Medal. His service record shows that he was: Attested: 9 December 1915 Army Reserve: 9 December 1915 Mobilized: 24 March 1917 Posted: 24 March 1917 Home B 24 March 1917 - 29 July 1917 Belgium and France 30 July 1917 - 14 Sept 1917 Home B 15 Septemebr 1917 401 Siege Battery 2 June 1917 306 Siege Battery 4 Sept 1917 CLG? Office 15 Sept 1918 RA Com? (Ripon) 26 March 1918 4/1 S.A.R.B posted 12 June 1918 Appointed L.Bdr 20 Sept 1918 529 Siege Battery 9 Dec 1918 He was discharged 13 March 1919 as L.Bdr (qualified gun layer) Is there anyone that could explain to me any of the above, but in particular, the Army Reserves and/or where the 306, 401 or the 529 Siege Battery(s) were located in France.? Thanks Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevinrowlinson Posted 2 December , 2007 Share Posted 2 December , 2007 Hi Ray and welcome, Your great uncle attested under the Derby Scheme. You can read about this at http://www.1914-1918.net/derbyscheme.html . This is a page on the Long Long Trail, which is linked at the top of this page, and is the best place on the net to explain and research a soldier. I am surprised you have him mobilising at Durham, as the men were usually sent to one of the coastal depots, such as Fort Brockhurst or the Citadel, or the newer depot at Rugeley. I think the 529 SB was stationed at Aldershot, but I am sure someone will come along and tell you about the other batteries. Regards Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Clifton Posted 2 December , 2007 Share Posted 2 December , 2007 Hello Ray For "Siege Battalion" read "Siege Battery" throughout. This is a common mistake: even the National Archives made it! It comes from wrongly expanding "Batt." 401 SB was formed in Liverpool in March 1917 and split up between 306 and 106 SBs in August 1917, making the latter up from four guns to six. I suspect that my source here may have a misprint and 306 should be 309. They were equipped with the 6-inch howitzer. 529 SB was formed at Aldershot in Jan 1918 and consisted of two 12-inch guns on railway mountings. At the Armistice, one gun was serving with Fourth Army and one was on the Lines of Communication. RA Com (Ripon) is probably RA Northern Command - a temporary attachment to a home HQ. 4/1 S A R B is a Siege Artillery Reserve Brigade, a UK-based training and draft-supplying unit which also temporarily held returning wounded. Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozmi Posted 2 December , 2007 Author Share Posted 2 December , 2007 Thanks Kevin It appears that my great uncle signed up to the Voluntary Derby Scheme six days before the last day of registration on the 15 December 1915. After that, all voluntary enlistment was stopped and all males were deemed to have enlisted eg: conscripted... Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozmi Posted 3 December , 2007 Author Share Posted 3 December , 2007 Thanks Ron I take it that the 529 SB that my great uncle was originally assigned to (via the Voluntary Derby Scheme) joined the 401 SB which was subsequently split between the 106 and 309 SB's. Any idea where these SB's were located between 24 March 1917 to 4 Sept 1917. Thanks again for your help. Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ororkep Posted 3 December , 2007 Share Posted 3 December , 2007 Ray, The dates you typed at the start are significant in that it mirrors when 401 SB went out to the Western front 30/07/1917, consisting of personnel only and was split on arrival to 106 and 306 siege batteries. I would be surprised if it was a misprint for 309 SB for these missing 4 weeks, as both 106 & 306 confirms these dates. 309 was the HAC Siege Battery, then positioned near St Julien (Pilckem Ridge) and as such there are books (N&M press) containing lists of the men who served with it, including replacements and the dates they joined, while their centre section is recorded as joining in Feb 1918. Your man is not mentioned in these rolls. I take it you have downloaded his MIC, is there no other information contained on it? I think the misprint is more likely to be 309 for 306 instead of the other way round. Rgds Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozmi Posted 20 December , 2007 Author Share Posted 20 December , 2007 Thanks Paul I have just obtained a copy of the war diary (April - July 1917) for the 306 SB via the NA. The area of activity has been left blank, but later in the body of the diary there is an entry (11 July 1917) for the 'Lys Bridge' Can anyone tell me about the activity at 'Lys Bridge.' Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now