RFA

[Guest pongo]

I am tracing my G/father Driver J.H.Coe 1297 and need some help. I know that he was in this Brigade in France and the Middle East, between 1915-1917, before he transfered to the 53rd Railway Comp RE.

I have found he named in the book Romford to Beirut by R.W. Humphris as being one of the original Brigade members.

I am looking for tracing what the Brigade did and where, and What the 53rd Railway comp did?

The picture is him in 1940 in the AFS in London He is 4th from the right(with ww1 trio).

wacko:

[pw643]

see link

http://www.1914-1918.net/rfa_tf.htm

1st Essex were Stratford and 2nd were Romford

Paul

[dsowerby]

The Book, "From Romford to Beirut.." covers all of the battery's movements and actions from mobilization in 1914 to demobilization in 1919; it is one of the most in depth unit histories i've seen, and would be worth a buy...if you are feeling sufficiently flush!

Also the 2nd East Anglian RFA War Diary survives at the NA.

hope this helps,

David

[Stebie9173]

The 271st Brigade was part of 54th Division:

http://www.1914-1918.net/54div.htm

The Divisional artillery didn't serve in Gallipoli, though some of the batteries did serve briefly on the Western Front, and rejoined the Division in Egypt for duty in defence of the Suez Canal throughout 1916 (though heatstroke was the major enemy at this point). From early 1917, the British Army advanced into Palestine fighting 3 battles at Gaza in March, April and November 1917. Reaching and capturing Jersualem by Christmas 1917, the Division then assisted in the pursuit of the Turks through various smaller battles in 1918.

I have found that the following Wikipedia articles give a good basic overview of the campaign:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Suez_Offensive

The NA (National Archives) reference for the War Diary as mentioned above:

WO 95/4642 271(1/2 East Anglian) Brigade Royal Field Artillery 1916 Jan. - 1919 June

Steve.

[Stebie9173]

His Medal Index Cards (Cards were compiled by hand at differing times and occasionally couldn't be matched together to include all info on one card), shows a date to France typical with the short tour of duty in France before heading to Egypt.

The Royal Engineers number (531879) is part of the series of R.E. numbers issued to Essex (Fortress) Company R.E. (numbers 530001 to 532000)

http://www.1914-1918.net/TF_renumbering_re.htm

Steve.

[Stebie9173]

The following extract from another man's records would suggest that he transferred to the Royal Engineers on or around 31-8-1917 whilst still in the Middle East. I would prefer to find more records to confirm the date and place as it can be dangerous to base dates of just one set of Records, but I've posted the extract below anyway! Also, just because this man was posted on to a certain unit, doesn't mean that other men with similar number were.

Steve.

[MAW]

I attach excerpts from the available War Diary of the 271st Brigade RFA, as part of research into the life of another member of B (2nd Essex or ‘Romford’)Battery, 271st (2nd East Anglian) Brigade, Royal Field Artillery (TF) - Harold Arthur LEITH.

War Diary, 271st Bde RFA, Jan 1916 to June 1919, WO95/4642:

WAR DIARY

EGYPTIAN EXPED FORCE

54TH (EAST ANGLIAN) DIVISION

271ST (1/2 E.A.) BRIGADE R.F.A.

1916 Jan - 1919 June

(formerly 1/2 East Anglian Bde RFA)

[Commanding Officer: Lt.Col. R.M. Laurie, later DSO].

1/1/16 Brigade marched from Ames to Therouanne (billeted).

31/1-8/2/16 Embarked on transports at Marseilles.

8-15/2/16 Disembarked Alexandria and proceeded to Cairo to camping ground at Mena.

...

3-5/4/16 Entrained Cairo and detrained Kubri (Suez Canal).

5/4/16 2nd Essex Battery marched from Kubri to Ayun Musa.

1st and 3rd Essex Batteries marched from Kubri to El Shatt.

Apr-June 16 ‘During April, May & June the Brigade took over the artillery positions of A & B subsections Canal Defences’.

1/7/16 (Sinai) Aeroplane raid on El Shatt camp by two German aeroplanes. Bombs dropped in Gun Park, horse and camel lines.

Strength of Brigade on 28/8/16 at El Shatt:

25 officers

608 other ranks

12 18-pounders

(plus horses, limbers, etc and attachments of RAMC,

AVC, AOC, DAC, RE and Chaplain).

Sept 16 Reconaisance made around Shatt and Mabeiuk.

Oct 16 Reconaisance and practice.

14/11/16 C Battery at El Shatt Railhead and Gebel Murr was relieved by B Battery from El Shatt.

17/11/16 Hostile aircraft flew overhead. Four rounds fired at it by B Battery from El Shatt Railhead.

...

8/1/17 B Battery moved from El Shatt Railhead to El Shatt.

9/1/17 A and C Batteries entrained for Moascar (from Kubri).

28/1/17 Orders received that Division to be placed on Desert Column Establishment (Provisional Establishment of a Division with Camel Transport) to march east at once.

Strength of Brigade on 28/1/17:

27 officers

717 other ranks

12 18 pounders

2 4.5 inch howitzers

31/1/17 Marched from Moascar to El Ferdan (on Camel Transport Establishment and grouped for the march with 161st Infantry Brigade). [Gunners travelled by rail].

1/2/17 To Kantara.

2/2/17 Gilban.

3/2/17 Pelusium.

4/2/17 Romani [camels drawn here].

10/2/17 Rabah.

11/2/17 Khirba.

12/2/17 Abd.

13/2/17 Salmana.

14/2/17 Telul.

15/2/17 Mazar.

22/2/17 Maadan.

23/2/17 Bardawil.

24/2/17 El Arish where the Brigade occupied gun positions taken over from 53rd Division.

2O/3/17 El Burge.

21/3/17 Sheikh Zoweid.

24/3/17 Rafa.

25/3/17 Bene Sala then Deir El Belah.

26/3/17 0430 hours came into action in the open supporting 159th

Infantry Brigade (53rd Division) under CRA 53rd orders.

Brigade position - one mile NE of Mansura.

Objective - a strongly entrenched hill just SE of Gaza.

Fire was effective and hill was stormed by infantry.

Fire then directed at Ali Muntar and Green Mound

position supporting attacks by 53rd Division and 161st

Infantry Brigade.

Brigade withdrawn at dusk and stood by at El Burgabye.

Casualties - one man wounded.

27/3/17 Ordered to support 159th Infantry Brigade detailed to

hold line just north of Mansura Ridge. Various positions

taken. Considerable amount of hostile shelling.

Brigade withdawn during night to Deir El Belah, covering

the withdrawal of the infantry. No casualties.

29/3/17 The Brigade, under orders of CRA 54th Division, occupied

concealed positions along the NE end of the Goz El Taire

ridge in support of outpost line held by 162nd Infy Bde.

17/4/17 To Sharta (dug in) to support attack on Sheikh Abbas.

18/4/17 Bombardment (from Sheikh Abbas ridge) of enemy works and

trenches. 3000 rounds expended during the day.

20-29/4/17 Batteries consolidated positions. Harrowing fire on enemy positions.

Strength 30/4/17:

20 officers

446 other ranks

1/5/17 The Sheikh Abbas salient (held by 161sy Infy Bde) was heavily shelled by enemy.

[Enemy trenches along the Gaza-Beersheba Road].

May 17 Held at the Sheikh Abbas salient - various activities.

12-13/6/17 Brigade moved to Kurd Hill and El Sire on a ridge

dominating Gaza (a position west of Sheikh Abbas) -

excellent view of enemy's works S, SE and SW of Gaza.

20/7/17 Supported raid on Unbrella Hill.

27/7/17 Supported another raid on Umbrella Hill.

...

24/10/17 Marine View.

31/10/17 Sheikh Ajlin.

8/11/17 Sheikh Hasan.

19/11/17 Ludd.

17/12/17 Selmeh.

22/12/17 Mulebbis (Petah Tikweh).

...

22/7/18 B Battery left Surafend en route for Jordan Valley.

...

23/10/18 Acre.

24/10/18 Mezerieh.

25/10/18 Ras El Ain.

26/10/18 Nahr El Kasymir.

27/10/18 Ain Burar.

28/10/18 Saida (Sidon).

29/10/18 El Damur.

3O/10/18 Shuweifat.

31/10/18 Through Beirut to Mar Rukos. Peace - noon.

Nov/Dec 18 Beirut.

11/12/18 Embarked for Egypt.

Included in the June 1918 section of the War Diary is a typed nominal roll of all the officers in the Brigade (by this time consisting of four batteries).

The following names are listed under B Battery:

Major H.R. Wilson

Captain A.D. Hough

Lieut. H.E. Russell

Lieut. A.G. Gould

2/Lieut. A.G. Ballard

........

Mark