124th Siege bty RGA

[warbuff1]

Hi guys.New to this site and have to say what a fantastic place. Anyway down to business, carrying out bit of research for a friend and wondered if any of you guys can help.

His Great uncle Herbert Sidebotham served with Royal Garrison Artilley in the 124th Siege Battery.

He was killed in action 18th October 1917 and is buried in Talana Farm Cemetry near Ypres.

I'm trying to find any info on 124th siege battery, in particular what type of heavy guns they would use and what there role was in October 1917. I understand from visiting Talana farm last year that it was used by the artillery in 3rd battle of ypres but as for anything else that its really. If anyone can help all info much appreciated. Even any info on Herbert himself if anyone can help too.

Thanks Wayne

[Ron Clifton]

Hello Wayne

124 Siege Battery was equipped with 9.2-inch howitzers - originally four, but made up to six in Sept 1917. At this period it was part of Fifth Army Troops in the Ypres Salient. I think it was in 93 Heavy Artillery Group: when Groups, originally of fairly fluid composition, were turned into Brigades RGA in early 1918 124 SB was in 93 Brigade.

In mid-October 1917 the final stages of "Third Ypres" were in progress, and specifically the First Battle of Passchendaele.

I hope this helps.

Ron

[kevinrowlinson]

Welcome Wayne,

I do not know whether your friend has the records for Herbert Sidebotham, but it is probable that he enlisted at the end of October 1915 at Stockport into the 155th East Cheshire Heavy Battery. Without his records it would be difficult to say how he progressed to the 124 SB, but he may have also served with at least one other battery.

Regards Kevin

[essdee]

Wayne

124 Siege left the 3rd Army joining 8th HAG (Heavy Artillery Group), XIV Corps Heavy Artillery, 5th Army on the 15th Sept'17. They remained within 8th HAG until 4th Nov'17 where they transferred to 93rd HAG

They moved to a position SE of BOESINGHE as part of the Right Bombardment Group (Q Group) aka 8th HAG and had the code name of HAVANT.

The attached map gives and idea of where the battery was and when. The beginings of Boesinghe is up to the left.

You can see their position as of 6th Oct, square B12c and to the left the position of the left section (LX) on the 15 Oct. The right section, Rx, at the same time had moved to a forward position in square C8a.

By the 20th Oct the battery is complete ie 4 guns, the Lx having moved up to join the Rx.

Stuart

[warbuff1]

Thanks guys for the info, much appreciated. Will need to find out more about Herbert if i can and may be in touch again soon

[warbuff1]

Welcome Wayne,

I do not know whether your friend has the records for Herbert Sidebotham, but it is probable that he enlisted at the end of October 1915 at Stockport into the 155th East Cheshire Heavy Battery. Without his records it would be difficult to say how he progressed to the 124 SB, but he may have also served with at least one other battery.

Regards Kevin

Hi only thing i have is his number which i have 2 for 296972 and also 171421, i know he was from Chapel En le Frith as his name his on their war memorial

[kevinrowlinson]

Wayne,

The 171421 number is for another man. He would, however, have had another number before the 296972 one and would have probably been around the 8550s region.

Regards Kevin

[warbuff1]

Ok cheers, sadly my friend doesn't have the service record if anyone out there can assist i'd be very grateful

Wayne

[ANDREWPARTINGTON2]

Thanks for the information everyone.

Herbert is a relation on my wifes mother's side from chapel-en-le-frith near buxton.

thanks for the information regarding his joining up day as i always thought that there was an error on the memorial at chapel.

The memorial is quite strange as it list everyone who served,with a little cross for the brave men who did not return.

was interesting to learn of the stockport battery, would love to know where in stockport they were based.

From what i can now gather herbert joined up at the same time as his brother thomas. thomas survived but i dont know anymore.

Is it possible they joined up together?

Great site

[ANDREWPARTINGTON2]

found this little bit of info about almagamation of two units anyone know any more

The 185th Siege Bty, R.G.A. was a Regular Army unit formed at Aldershot, Hampshire on the 18th July 1916 from 97th Company, R.G.A., which was also a Regular Army unit. On the 29th September 1917 442nd Siege Bty, R.G.A. was broken up and sections of this unit were dispersed between 124th Siege Bty & 185th Siege Bty, R.G.A..

thanks

Andy

[ororkep]

Andy/ Wayne,

Some more snippets for you that I hope may be of interest.

On the 12/10/17 the headquarters of the 8 HAG (Heavy Artillery Group) which 124 were part of at the time, was at Elverdinghe Chateau.. 124 SB became part of ‘Q’ bombardment right group and 5.25 am was zero day in support of an attack by the Guards Div on the left of the front line, with 17 Div in centre and 4 Div on right.

2/Lt F W Boulton of 124 SB was chosen as the FOO for the group at METRE HILL, and one 9.2 How of 124 was in action.. Orders were given that instantaneous fuzes were to be used. A second order said that at least 2 signallers and 2 linesmen were to accompany him with sufficient runners to carry 3 miles of cable, 2 telephones, lamps and flags. Lamp and flag signals to be used if visibility was bad, as used with success on the 9/10/17. An intermediate station was to be set up at LOUIS FARM, again manned by a 124th Officer, to relay all signals as quickly as possible back to HQ.

The diary records: ‘124 siege, 82 rounds distant barrage as on programme the howitzer went out of action at 8.35 am owing to the platform sinking in the mud’. Source 8 HAG diary.

This gives you some idea of the conditions. A few days before on the 9/10/17 the diary notes ‘Rates of fire reduced where situation permitted owing to limited supply of ammunition to forward positions’. I would take this as problems again associated with bringing the ammunition forward under said wet conditions. 124 lost five gunners that month.

On the 18/10/17 124 SB, between 5.00 and 5.30am were answering SOS counter (Battery) preparation calls. That is all the HAG diary notes for that day on 124 SB, hopefully the official 124 diary may enlighten you more.

Previously as Ron and Stuart mentioned they had been a 4 gun battery and in order to bring it up to a 6 gun establishment, a centre section joined the existing left and right sections on the 29 Sep from 442 ‘A’ Siege, which had arrived in Flanders on the 23 Sept. but was broken up and its two sections of personnel only (no guns) posted between 124 and 185 SB’s. Note this had an ‘A’ prefix so as not to be confused with 442 Siege Battery that went out to the Western front 19/10/1917.

Rgds Paul

[warbuff1]

Cheers Paul for info i beleive 124th war diary is at Kew so were planning a trip there in the near future or if anyome wished to look for us much appreciated

Wayne

[ANDREWPARTINGTON2]

Thanks very much that information is really helpful and makes lots of sense with the other info we have found out over the last couple of days.

im really eager to get down to kew now to see the 124th diary as i really want to know what happened to herbert on the 18th october 1917

i suppose its a posability that one of the guns was hit as there is a fair number of r.g.a burried at talana farm

[warbuff1]

Sadly not been able to get to Kew to get copy of 124th war diary and no time before we go in 2 weeks. Any chance a fellow pal has a copy of it for the month of October 1917?

Wayne