Lt Gerald Birdwood Vaughan-Hughes RHA

[pipvh]

I'm trying to find out anything at all about my grandfather, Gerald Birdwood Vaughan-Hughes. I've been labouring under the mistaken notion that a swagger-stick that listed battles was his, when it in fact appears to have been his father-in-law's. So now I suddenly find myself without a clue as to his service on the Western Front. Known facts: he was a lieutenant in the RHA, had a 1914-1915 Star, and he won the MC in 1918 (I have the citation). Based on what he told us over the years, I believe he was in at least one of the first two Ypres battles, the Somme, Ypres 1917, one of the rearguard actions in 1918 and the Hundred Days Offensive (there was a story about advancing his battery across a causeway under heavy shellfire when everyone knew the war was about to end, but no place or date for that). He was gassed at some point. I'd very much like to know his battery, and anything else would of course be very welcome indeed.

This might count as cross-posting - I've enquired over on the unit histories section but that's got a bit muddled. Mods, please delete if it's a problem, and apologies if this is inappropriate.

[pipvh]

Just found his medal card - lists 1915 as the date of his star, and states he was RFA, which is confusing. In one London Gazette entry he's RHA, but seems to finish the war in the RFA, before going back to the RHA. Was this usual? Not able to interpret the rest of the card, unfortunately.

[Esskay]

As he appears to have been a career soldier who went on to serve in WW2 and apparently retired as a Brigadier in 1956 - you or an immediate family member could try applying for his full service record see - http://www.veterans-uk.info/service_records/army.html

He appears to have died as recently as 1983 - his death was noted in The Times but a search didn't bring up an obit

Depending on where you are and what library material you have access to you could also try checking Army Lists and possibly old editions of Who's Who (or maybe try a post in the "Look Ups" section of the forum)

Dick Flory (board name rflory) has I believe quite an interest in the Artillery and has access to a variety of different sources of information - hopefully he will see this post - or maybe you could try sending him a PM

Good Luck

Sue

[pipvh]

As he appears to have been a career soldier who went on to serve in WW2 and apparently retired as a Brigadier in 1956 - you or an immediate family member could try applying for his full service record see - http://www.veterans-uk.info/service_records/army.html

He appears to have died as recently as 1983 - his death was noted in The Times but a search didn't bring up an obit

Depending on where you are and what library material you have access to you could also try checking Army Lists and possibly old editions of Who's Who (or maybe try a post in the "Look Ups" section of the forum)

Dick Flory (board name rflory) has I believe quite an interest in the Artillery and has access to a variety of different sources of information - hopefully he will see this post - or maybe you could try sending him a PM

Good Luck

Sue

Thanks, Sue. I didn't know you could do that - I'll check into it. I'm in the USA at the moment so options are a bit limited. I knew him, of course, and I do know quite a bit about his WWII service, but for what are no doubt the usual reasons his Great War career is a mystery.

[pipvh]

Found some more info - 'Gradation Lists of Officers of the British Army' 1936 says:

1914-21. France & Belgium 15/5/15 to 3/6/15 and 25/9/15 to 11/11/18. Wounded three times. Despatches L.G. 7/7/19. 1914-15 S. B.W.M. V.M. M.C.

It isn't much, but it's more than I had before, at least. I didn't know he'd been wounded three times. Could someone enlighten my ignorant state and tell me what the gap between 3/6/15 and 25/9/15 signifies?

I'd very much like to find out how and when he was wounded. I haven't been able to find the 1919 mention in despatches. Any help at all would be fantastic.

[rflory]

It probably means that he was wounded on, or near, 3 June 1915 and was invalided to the UK for treatment. He then returned to France on 25 September 1915. Dick Flory

[rflory]

Your mention of his Mention in Despatches led me to check the London Gazette which indicates that his mention in the Gazette of 7 July 1919 shows his unit as B Battery, 162nd Brigade, RFA. As the 1919 MIDs were for service in the latter part of the war that was probably the unit he was serving with at that time.

The war diary of 162nd Brigade, RFA can be found at The National Archives under WO95/2413.

Regards, Dick Flory

[pipvh]

Brilliant - thanks very much indeed, Dick.

His MC citation, which is dated 23rd July '18 but seems to refer to the spring offensive has him as RHA - do you think it's safe to assume he changed units after March/April? Was it usual to move back and forth between RHA and RFA?

Best,

Pip Vaughan-Hughes

[rflory]

It was not unusual during the Great War for officers to move back and forth between the RHA and the RHA. In fact the Army Lists list the officers from both the RHA and RFA together as 'Royal Horse and Field Artillery.' If is possible that he was serving with an RHA battery when he received his MC or he could have been an RHA officer attached at that time to an RFA battery. Regards, Dick Flory

[battiscombe]

if he was wounded in 1915 his name is very likely to appear in a casualty list printed in the Times, if you can get access to it - probably appearing within a month and perhaps a week or so of that date

david

Brilliant - thanks very much indeed, Dick.

His MC citation, which is dated 23rd July '18 but seems to refer to the spring offensive has him as RHA - do you think it's safe to assume he changed units after March/April? Was it usual to move back and forth between RHA and RFA?

Best,

Pip Vaughan-Hughes

[battiscombe]

Further to my previous message i cannot see him listed, as Vaughan-Hughes or Hughes in the June 1915 Times casualty lists ..

david

Brilliant - thanks very much indeed, Dick.

His MC citation, which is dated 23rd July '18 but seems to refer to the spring offensive has him as RHA - do you think it's safe to assume he changed units after March/April? Was it usual to move back and forth between RHA and RFA?

Best,

Pip Vaughan-Hughes

[pipvh]

Further to my previous message i cannot see him listed, as Vaughan-Hughes or Hughes in the June 1915 Times casualty lists ..

david

Thanks very much for looking, David. The name is very probably mis-spelled or mangled - we call it 'The Curse of Vaughan-Hughes' as it's never spelled the same way twice and causes havoc as a result. I'll keep looking - would the Times give his unit, btw?

[pipvh]

Your mention of his Mention in Despatches led me to check the London Gazette which indicates that his mention in the Gazette of 7 July 1919 shows his unit as B Battery, 162nd Brigade, RFA. As the 1919 MIDs were for service in the latter part of the war that was probably the unit he was serving with at that time.

The war diary of 162nd Brigade, RFA can be found at The National Archives under WO95/2413.

Regards, Dick Flory

Dick, I'm in the process of getting the brigade diary, but meanwhile I found this reference - http://books.google.com/books?id=tWh-1ytBY...5&ct=result - to B Battery capturing four German guns in September '18, which I think might be an incident my grandfather spoke about. So things are already starting to flesh out. Thanks again.