151st Heavy Battery RGA

[Guest dnoddy1]

Apologies if I mess this up, first post! Following a recent visit to the National Archives, I was lucky enough to find my Great-Grandfather's Soldier's Records (WO 363). He was a gunner in the 151st Heavy Battery RGA. Whilst I found a lot of personal info, I couldn't find anything on where he was and what battles he might have been involved in. He was posted to BEF on 21 October 1917 and unfortunately died of Bronchial Pneumonia on 5 July 1918. His name was Arthur James Snell number 116740. Any help re where he might have fought, with whom and what role the unit played during this period would be greatly appreciated!

David

[kevinrowlinson]

Welcome David,

There has already been a thread with details about the 151st (Darlington) Heavy Battery at http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/i...1+heavy+battery . It will mean another trip to Kew to get the relevant Heavy Artillery Group diaries to work out exactly where they where.....unless someone has them already.

Out of interest, if he was mobilised to the Citadel at the start of Sept 1916 did he go on a signalling course before going out in Oct. 1917?

Kevin

[ororkep]

Welcome to the forum David,

As the official war diary no longer survives for your dates, the HAG diaries (Higher Formation Groups) you are concerned with for 151 Hvy Bty from Oct 1917 as mentioned by Kevin, are the 11 HAG which they joined in 26-9-17, and included a rest and refit period from 15-11-17 to 18-12-17, when they finally joined 36 HAG and remained with them until the duration. You are very lucky in that the 36 HAG is Australian and as such their large but excellent war diaries are freely available on their National Archives website for download in Adobe PDF format. The 11 HAG NA reference is WO95/539 for this battery of 6 x 60 Pdrs guns, a section having joined in Jan 1917 from 201 Hvy Bty. It can be ordered online and is only about 11 pages covering the peiod you require so should only cost around £8.50.

Rgds Paul

[Guest dnoddy1]

Many thanks Kevin and Paul

Unbelievably helpful. I have been struggling with the next steps for a long time.

The sheet with the details of his movement is quite badly burned(?) but here goes;

September 1916 - RGA 3 depot W Battery Res Bdg Winhcester

24 February 1917- Transferred to Machine Gun Corp

Feb and May 1917 - Posted to MGC Depot

4 June 1917 - Reinf Depot - MGC

June 1917 - Transferred to RGA Heavy Battery Brigade

24 October 1917 - Posted BEF 151st Heavy Batter Brigade RGA

I would say thanks that he didn't get sent to battle with the MGC, but then he didn't last long with the RGA either.

David

[MrRP Taylor]

Hi,

I am new to the forum but am looking for information on the death of Major Sidney Miles Toppin of the 151st on 27th September 1917. Did anyone have any success in tracing the 151st in war diaries for September 1917?

Thanks

Richard

[rflory]

Major Sidney MIles Toppin, RGA

Born on 12 Jun 78

Educated at Clifton College from May 1892 to 1896 and at Caius College, Cambridge in 1896

2nd Lieut, RGA, 8 March 1900

From 16 June 1900 to November 1911 he served as a Lieutenant with 22nd Derajat Pack Battery in India

In November 1911 he went on six months leave as Botanical Surveyor with the Kampti Long Mission

Lieut, RGA, 3 April 1901

Served as a Bimbashi in the Egyptian Army in Egypt from 16 March 1912 to 29 August 1914

Captain, 26 October 1914

Took command of A Battery, 77 Brigade, RFA in early 1915 and went to the Western Front with it on 2 September 1915

Major, 26 October 1915

From late 1915 to May 1916 was in command of D Battery, 76 Brigade, RFA

Military Cross, London Gazette of 1 January 1916 (a New Year's honour so no citation)

Mentioned in Despatches in London Gazette of 1 January 1916

In May 1916 he was Officer Commanding, C Battery, 61 Brigade, RFA

Commanded 239 Siege Battery, RGA during early 1917

Took command of 151 Heavy Battery, RGA on 9 March 1917

Died of wounds on 27 September 1917

Sources:

Clifton College Register 1862 to 1947

The War List of the University of Cambridge 1914-1919

Died of wounds on 27 September 1917

Guns, Kites and Horses: Three Diaries from the Western Front (Edited by Sydney Giffard)

Soldiers of the Nile: A Biographical History of the British Officers of the Egyptian Army 1882-1925

Historical Record of 22nd Derajat Pack Battery

War Diary of 151st Heavy Battery, RGA from June 1916 to June 1917

Various Army Lists

The Illustrated London News (photo of Toppin)

[MrRP Taylor]

Thank you.

Am I right in thinking that the War Diary of 151st Heavy Battery, RGA for September 1917 doesn't exist?

[rflory]

The war diary for 151st Heavy Battery, RGA at TNA only covers the period June 1916 to June 1917 (WO 95/318). The Battery was under 39th Heavy Artillery Group (HAG) from 16 Jun 17 to 24 Sept 17, it then served under 11th HAG until it was pulled out of the line to rest and refit on 15 Nov 17. The war diary of 39th HAG for Sept 1917 is at TNA under WO 95/391 and the war diary for 11th HAG is at TNA under WO 95/539.

[MrRP Taylor]

Thanks for the replies, looks like its off to the National Archives for me