John Manning RFA

[MichelleH]

Hi

I am have been trying to find out about my Great Grandfather John Manning, who joined the Territorial Force.

He was in the 4th South Midland Howitzer Brigade, his regimental number was 342.

He joined in 1911 and was dicharged in 1916. He served in France from March 31 1915 until 26 Jan 1916. He was a shoesmith.

My Nan told me he was gassed at Abbeville, would this have been likely?

Can anyone tell me anything about what he might have been doing or where he may have been whilst he was in France.

Thank you for any help - I am a newbie on here and may have missed something vital out in the info and asked a daft question!

Thanks

Michelle

[Chris_Baker]

My grandfather served in a sister unit. They were in the South Midland Division.

On 30 July 1914, the TF units all across the United Kingdom were departing for their annual fortnight’s camp. At 11pm on 2 August, orders were received to pack up and return home, as there was a crisis and of course, war was declared as the units returned. The men were dismissed to their homes, warned to stand by for urgent recall.

Orders for war mobilisation were received on 4 August 1914 and at once the various staffs got to work getting the battalion organised. By 8 August the men, horses and equipment had been assembled and moved by train to Weymouth. They took over various forts and billets in the area, and assumed their planned role as the home defence force.

On 9 August, another move was made, to Swindon, where the Division was to concentrate. It was here that men were invited to sign the Imperial Service Obligation. Once all the various units were together, they moved en bloc to Leighton Buzzard and defence stations in Essex, where they remained until November 1915, carrying out training. The Division was inspected by King George V in October 1915.

In early 1915, the overseas units adopted their new titles, and what had been the South Midland Division was now the 48th (South Midland) Division.

In late March 1915 the Division moved to France, landing at Le Havre. From there they were sent to Armentieres and attached to units of the experienced 6th Division for familiarisation in trench warfare. After a few days, the entire Division relieved the 4th Division in the front line in the relatively quiet sector between Ploegsteert and Wulverghem.

In June the Division was ordered south, to a sector being taken over by the British from the French Army, on the Somme. It moved to the Fonquevillers to Hebuterne sector, opposite the formidable stronghold of Gommecourt. And there they stayed until well into 1916.

Here's my grandad, for your interest.

John would not have been gassed at Abbeville. He may well have been treated there, for it was a medical centre amongst other things.

[MichelleH]

Hi

Thanks for all that Chris

He was discharged on 4 Feb 1916 under Kings Regs Para 392 (XXI), from what I have read I understand this is a normal discharge? Nothing untoward.

In December 1917 he died in an asylum in St Albans. According to my Nan he died as a result of being gassed, on his death cert he had acute delirous mania. Did the gas and the experiences the men had in France cause such illnesses?

Michelle

[E Wilcock]

We really need to know the meaning of the Medical Examination which took place at Bedford, 1 Nov 1917 and classified Manning in the category "R.R."

Can anyone translate this please?

Does the R stand for Restricted (occupation) ?

Or Reserve Regiment?

We have this man's medal card and his pension record. Nowhere is there mention of any injury prior to his discharge, (which took place when he was on home leave to Coventry) nor of a subsequent recall to the front. The record may be incomplete, but his widow did not apply for medals subsequent to 1915.

But he did die the month after this examination.