Chris_Baker Posted 22 March , 2008 Share Posted 22 March , 2008 Just thought you would like to see this. It is enclosed with the war diary of 275 (Siege) Battery RGA. I believe it is the sign of the ammunition column rather than the battery itself. The image is Crown Copyright and is from document WO95/225 held at the National Archives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Dixon Posted 22 March , 2008 Share Posted 22 March , 2008 Look out, here comes a whizz bang! Marvellous stuff Chris. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kildaremark Posted 22 March , 2008 Share Posted 22 March , 2008 Here's 133 Siege Battery RGA:- The battery originall used the chessman but gave it up in October 1917 when it changed guns and stores with 42 Siege Battery and adopted the sign of the three pyramids instead. 42 Siege Battery had been in Egypt. Not quite as fancy as 275 but interesting nonetheless! Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asdarley Posted 22 March , 2008 Share Posted 22 March , 2008 Really interesting! BUT if everything eventually does go digitally on line I fear little gems like these will be buried forever in the archives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Baker Posted 22 March , 2008 Author Share Posted 22 March , 2008 You can bet your life on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ororkep Posted 22 March , 2008 Share Posted 22 March , 2008 It is indeed the Amm Col. and reputed to be the wife of the Major of 275 SB, and was on their guns as a silhouette. There should be two hand painted originals in the file, but with very slight differences. The convention was to name all new gun barrels, and when batteries were brigaded many had such 'mascots'. rgds Here is the one for 47 SB, and how it appeared on the gun Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Coulson Posted 22 March , 2008 Share Posted 22 March , 2008 Interesting, my Grandad was 280th Siege Battery, anyone have the sign for them? Bob. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ororkep Posted 22 March , 2008 Share Posted 22 March , 2008 Here is 95SB (Skull), 244SB (postbox), 277SB (balls), and 299SB (question mark) and 484SB (lamp post). Any more out there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muerrisch Posted 22 March , 2008 Share Posted 22 March , 2008 the balls were presumably short for 'superman' ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kildaremark Posted 22 March , 2008 Share Posted 22 March , 2008 94 Siege Battery:- The other three signs are for the other batteries of the "remaining batteries of the 23rd Brigade" - anyone know who they are? A can of worms has just been opened! [Edit: Just found them: The other 3 batteries are 41, 327 and 355 Siege Batteries. Obviously the playing cards are 355 S.B.] Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asdarley Posted 22 March , 2008 Share Posted 22 March , 2008 Would love to know if the 11th SB had a logo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benghazi Posted 22 March , 2008 Share Posted 22 March , 2008 Cpl Fred Sharp 303 Siege Battery A mate of mine has a mass of info on fred,medals, memorial plaque etc. he died 24-11-1917.Would be great if someone could let me know the sign for the303 SB. Roger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petroc Posted 24 March , 2008 Share Posted 24 March , 2008 Hell's Teeth!! I am constantly amazed by the knowledge and expertise of you fellers! Long may this site continue! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rflory Posted 25 March , 2008 Share Posted 25 March , 2008 Roger: Your friend may already have the information, but this is what is mentioned about Cpl. Fred Sharp in With a Siege Battery in France: 303 Siege Battery, RGA 1916-1919: We received order on the night of 22nd November to move forward the following morning. We accordingly paraded at 4:30 a.m. There were some absentees, but all were shortly accounted for, with the exception of Cpl. Sharp, who was the NCO in charge of the signallers. An exhaustive search was made for him but with no avail until the breaking of dawn, when, as the result of careful observation we were led to the conclusion that he had fallen down a partially hidden but uncovered well. Everything possible was done, but without immediate success. The recovery of his body later proved, unhappily, that our suspicions were correct. Cpl Sharp was an exceedlingly conscientious and popular NCO, and his death threw a gloom over all as we moved out without him. Unfortunately there is no information in the book on the symbol of 303 Siege Battery, RGA. Regards. Dick Flory Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staffsyeoman Posted 27 March , 2008 Share Posted 27 March , 2008 I am greatly heartened by this thread - things of beauty (in the midst of horror) truly to behold. But I am greatly disheartened as I agree with Chris. The headlong pell-mell rush to (profitable??) digitisation will sweep this all away. I will not forget the rush when my other 'alf, going through the Canadian Corps, Corps MG Officer (Brig Gen Brutinel, facts fans) file at Kew found a breathtakingly beautiful, hand drawn and coloured prototype "discharge scroll" for the CMGC. Never issued as far as I can tell. THAT will be lost to the "pile 'em up" half... a..... scanning mania. Everyone - if you find them, PLEASE preserve them, as we seem to care more than the national custodian does. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daggers Posted 27 March , 2008 Share Posted 27 March , 2008 Did the custom of insignia on guns [not heard of it until now] predate WW1? Perhaps posts 1 & 6 and anything similar are the inspiration for the WW2 RAF & USAAF aircrew's pinups. Daggers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.thumb.JPG.9e1c939b5b6ca376243dbc2333d21bf2.JPG)
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