RGA in BEF

[Bombadier]

The Osprey book "The Old Contemptibles" states that six RGA siege batteries went to France with the BEF.

Where can I find out which batteries they were?

Thanks

Nigel

[Terry]

The Appendix "A" to Army Order 361 lists units eligible for the clasp to the 1914 Star. RGA units are:

Heavy Batteries - 24,26,31,35,48,108,109,110,111,112,113,114,115,116,118,119.

Siege Batteries - 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8.

(Note: they list eight, not six, siege batteries)

[Bombadier]

Thanks Terry

My Grandfather was in 4 siege battery.

I know the war diary is in the NA so, when I get there, I will hopefully be able to find his embarcation date.

Nigel

[rflory]

Nigel wrote:

My Grandfather was in 4 siege battery

The 4th Siege Battery, RGA was formed at Plymouth on 27 August 1914 and armed with four 6" Howitzers, 30 cwt. The Battery went to France on the "Armenian" as part of the I Medium Siege Brigade. It landed at St. Nazaire, France on 19 Sept 14 and joined II Corps on the river Aisne. It came into action on 24 Sep 14 near Le Mesnil (south of Aisne) when it opened fire against Fort Conde at a range of 5800 yards. On 25 Oct 14 the battery was attached to the III Corps. The battery moved north and took part in the Battle of Ypres, coming into action at Ploegsteert Wood on 26 Oct 14. It remained in that location during the entire Battle of Ypres.

The other batteries in the I Medium Siege Brigade were the 1st Siege Battery, the 2nd Siege Battery and the 3rd Battery and all three of these batteries landed went to France on the "Armenian" and landed at St. Nazaire on 19 Sep 14.

The 5th Siege Battery (landed at St. Nazaire on 29 Sep 14) and the 6th Siege Battery (landed at St Nazaire on 30 Sep 14) formed the II Medium Siege Brigade.

The 1st through 6th Siege Batteries were all armed with four 6" B. L. Howitzers, 30 cwt.

The 7th Siege Battery went to France on 6 Oct 14 armed with one 9.2" gun and two 6" guns, but it did not fire its first round until 26 Nov 14. Its major problem during the first few months of the war was finding bridges that could safely carry the weight of the 9.2" gun.

The 8th Siege Battery arrived at Havre, France on 16 Oct 14 armed in the same manner as the 7th Siege Battery except that it had a 9.2" Howitzer (rather than a 9.2" gun) that was referred to as "Mother." Mother fired its first round on 5 Nov 14.

Regards. Dick Flory

[terryb95]

16.10.14 6pm Unloading completed. Battery bivouacked in Hangar x. Orders received for 9.2 gun and personnel RGA and RE to return to England. 8th Siege Battery arrived from England. 2-6” guns, and 9.2” Howitzer – latter originally belonging to this Battery.

17.10.14 Drill. 6pm, Order re return of 9.2 gun to England, to stand fast.

18.10.14 Drill. (Continues each day until 21.10.14)

21.10.14 Orders received for 9.2 gun and personnel to return to England. 12.30pm, Orders received for this and 8th Siege Batteries to proceed by road to BOULOGNE via ABBEVILLE. Start put off till to-morrow on account of difficulty experienced by 8th Btty in getting coal.

Terry

[Robert Dunlop]

The 8th Siege Battery arrived at Havre, France on 16 Oct 14 armed in the same manner as the 7th Siege Battery except that it had a 9.2" Howitzer (rather than a 9.2" gun) that was referred to as "Mother." Mother fired its first round on 5 Nov 14.

And here is a description of what that firing may have been like. This is taken from the diary of Wilbert Gilroy, who flew with the RFC:

'Yesterday I was up to visit the batteries (in 1917). We are supposed to go up from time to time to call on them. It makes it more interesting when one knows the people on the ground. We visited 8 batteries that we do most of our shoots with . A 9.2 inch and an 8 inch and a 6 inch howitzer. They are all fine fellows and we had to have tea at each place. It was most interesting, the 9.2" were doing a shoot while we were there. The noise and the blast of firing is awful and I would much rather be a few thousand feet up, than on the ground when they fire. They said that the blast was so great that it would turn a machine upside down at 500 feet up. That is, of course, just from the air currents about the muzzle of the gun. Standing behind the gun we could see the shell traveling through the air for what seemed like miles until it was finally lost in the mist and clouds. I was glad I was not at the other end when it burst. I have often seen them passing by the machine while in the air and they look like a base ball. But of course they have more of a sting [?] than any baseball I know of.'

Robert

[Bombadier]

Gents

Absolutely brilliant information.

My thanks to you all.

With members like this, the Forum could put the NA out of business as a place to do WW1 research

Nigel

[Bombadier]

I have just re-visited this thread with my grandfather's MIC in hand.

His qualifying date is given as 22.8.14 but Dick Flory says that the battery did not arrive in France until 19 September 1914.

Does anybody have any idea which could explain this discrepancy? Advance party perhaps?

Hoping to get to the NA in about one month to do more research, but in the meantime, if anybody has any ideas ...........?

Nigel

[KONDOA]

In many cases the Battery sent an advance party(ie 1 x2nd Lt and 6 men) to prepare the way for the main battery arrival. Typically this would include meeting up with the army section they were allotted to, finding suitable gun locations and arranging pits to be dug etc but most importantly getting some billets and accomodation for the horses .Thats possibly why his date "predates" the official embarkation date.

[Bombadier]

Thanks Rupert

On checking the MIC again, it is possible that the date is 27.8.14 which Dick Flory gives as the date of formation of the battery. 22.8.14 would have been before the battery was formed!

Nigel