121st Battery RFA

[Paul Reed]

Does anyone have any information or pre-WW1 photos of 121st Battery Royal Field Artillery, which was part of 27th Brigade.

I am researching Bdr Ernest Hymas, who was taken prisoner with them on 24th August 1914 and spent four years as a POW.

I took his 1914 trio back to the spot where he was taken prisoner last week; I wonder if he ever thought his medals would go back there one day. But, I digress...

[paul guthrie]

A 2 day war, sounds like my friend Rifleman Doug Hughes KRRC Calais 1940, POW til the end.

[rflory]

Paul: As you probably are aware, 27th Bde, RFA was composed of 119, 120 and 121 Bde, RFA and was part of the 5th Divisional Artillery. In August 1914 the 27th Brigade was commanded by Lt. Col. W H Onslow and the 121st Battery by Maj CNB Ballard.

On Sunday morning, 23 Aug the 5th Division was located west of Mons itself and along the canal. 27th Brigade, RFA was located on the right of the 5th Division line and all the guns were dug in ready for action. During the day there was little action except in 120th Battery which was deployed forward and whose Battery Commander was killed by a sniper in the afternoon.

Before dawn on 24 Aug the German artillery opened fire on the 5th Division . One secton of 121st Battery was in the line with the 1st Dorsets under Lieut. H C Chapman, with one gun in the firing line and one somewhat to the rear of the line. At 0300 hours the Germans appeared to his front at a range of 750 yards and his forward gun fired on and silenced the enemy machine guns.

At 0600 hours the enemy fired on Chapman's position and the rear gun was withdrawn. An hour later the the Dorsets were relieved by another battalion but they were unable to get forward to Lieut. Chapman and his gun. Chapman continued to fight his gun until 0800 hours when, his position now untenable, he sent the breach block to the rear and man-handled the gun to a nearby building. Dvr. Buskett came forward with a team and limber and the gun was galloped over 200 yards of ground covered by enemy fire, before it reached safety.

The rest of 121st Battery was dug in next to 120th Battery. At 1430 a staff officer came forward with an order for the 1st Manchesters to withdraw and told Lt-Col Onslow that 27 Brigade, RFA should withdraw their guns, but Onslow refused unless a written order was given. A brisk fire fight continued until written orders arrived and the guns were withdrawn with the assistance of the Manchesters.

On this same day, Major Alexander, Battery Commander of 119th Battery, 27th Brigade and Captain Grenfell of the 9th Lancers received the VC for the heroic retrieving that battery's guns under heavy enemy fire.

Sources: Narrative of the 5th Divisional Artillery, 1914-1918; History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery, Western Front 1914-18.

Regards. Dick Flory

[Paul Reed]

Many thanks for that Dick - you've come up trumps again.

[Guest Lucky Harry]

Paul: As you probably are aware, 27th Bde, RFA was composed of 119, 120 and 121 Bde, RFA and was part of the 5th Divisional Artillery. In August 1914 the 27th Brigade was commanded by Lt. Col. W H Onslow and the 121st Battery by Maj CNB Ballard.

On Sunday morning, 23 Aug the 5th Division was located west of Mons itself and along the canal. 27th Brigade, RFA was located on the right of the 5th Division line and all the guns were dug in ready for action. During the day there was little action except in 120th Battery which was deployed forward and whose Battery Commander was killed by a sniper in the afternoon.

Before dawn on 24 Aug the German artillery opened fire on the 5th Division . One secton of 121st Battery was in the line with the 1st Dorsets under Lieut. H C Chapman, with one gun in the firing line and one somewhat to the rear of the line. At 0300 hours the Germans appeared to his front at a range of 750 yards and his forward gun fired on and silenced the enemy machine guns.

At 0600 hours the enemy fired on Chapman's position and the rear gun was withdrawn. An hour later the the Dorsets were relieved by another battalion but they were unable to get forward to Lieut. Chapman and his gun. Chapman continued to fight his gun until 0800 hours when, his position now untenable, he sent the breach block to the rear and man-handled the gun to a nearby building. Dvr. Buskett came forward with a team and limber and the gun was galloped over 200 yards of ground covered by enemy fire, before it reached safety.

The rest of 121st Battery was dug in next to 120th Battery. At 1430 a staff officer came forward with an order for the 1st Manchesters to withdraw and told Lt-Col Onslow that 27 Brigade, RFA should withdraw their guns, but Onslow refused unless a written order was given. A brisk fire fight continued until written orders arrived and the guns were withdrawn with the assistance of the Manchesters.

On this same day, Major Alexander, Battery Commander of 119th Battery, 27th Brigade and Captain Grenfell of the 9th Lancers received the VC for the heroic retrieving that battery's guns under heavy enemy fire.

Sources: Narrative of the 5th Divisional Artillery, 1914-1918; History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery, Western Front 1914-18.

Regards. Dick Flory

My father in law Harry Webb was a horseman with 119th/27th Bde from 22nd May 1916, when he transferred from 3 months with “V” 5 Trench Mortar Battery

(9.45” Heavy Mortars – Flying Pigs”). According to WD he went with them to Italy on 27 Nov 1917 and stayed there until gassed and bombed out on 24th April 1918.

Any supplementary info would be appreciated. 1914-16 he served with 80th Battery, 15th Brigade, 5th Division and I would be interested in the activities of these untis in the Somme as I will be visiting there from Oz in September (2007)

[kildaremark]

Paul,

You may or may not be aware that the April 1911 census for Ireland is available (Different census access rules than in the UK). The 5th Division was in Ireland at the time. I have Kildare Bks which included the 123rd, 124th, 140th and 141st Batteries (28th Bde). His number is close to many of those in these batteries: e.g. 52200 Gnr F White.

Some batteries give a full name, sadly some others only give initials. Examples below:-

141st Bty

W C P. K. Lieutenant Church of England, age 24, single, born Kings Co, Ireland

DC S Lieutenant Church of England, age 23, single, born England

FA W 2/Lt Church of England, age 22, single, born Canada

AJ W Bty Sgt Major Church of England, age 31, married, born India

142nd Bty

FE Brousson Capt RFA CofE, age 34, single, born England

WE Mann, 2/Lt CofE, age 26, single, born England

S Atkinson 2/Lt CofE, age 26, single, born England

PHL Playfair 2/Lt Presb., age 21, single, born England

WG Sharp, Bty Sgt Major, CofE, age 39, formerly a butcher, married, born England

123rd Bty

WP Poynter Capt CofE, age 33, single, born England

J Carlyon, Lt, CofE, age 33, single, born England

C Dowling, Lt, CofE, age 25, single, born Isle of Wight

RB Miller, 2/Lt, CofE, age 25, single, born Chile

J Burns, Sgt, RC, age 32, formerly a groom, born Co. Monaghan

If your man was in the Royal Field Artillery pre-war in 1911, you should get him in this census. This census will be rolled out on line , free access, at the of this year starting with Co. Dublin. I think your battery was in Newbridge, Co. Kildare in 1911 - not sure though.

Mark

[George Lee Temple]

Is there a 27th Brigade RFA war diary in TNA ?

 

A search reveals the 28th Brigade diary (with a note that it lists ammunition expenditure by 27th Brigade in 1914), but no separate listing.

 

Have the two war diaries been combined ?

 

I'm interested in the 121st Battery in 1914/15

 

[Ron Clifton]

Hello George

 

This should be available on TNA's website or on Ancestry:

WO 95/1529 Divisional Troops: 27 Brigade Royal Field Artillery 1914 Aug. - 1916 Oct.  
 

Good hunting!

 

Ron

[MaxD]

Health warning - I don't know whether the 27 Bde diary at Kew (WO 95/1529) is in a similar state as it appears on Ancestry but there August 1914 (which should be 1529/1) starts at image 646 of 848 following pretty random 1916 then 1915 months.

 

Max