RGA Siege Batteries in early 1918

[grahamcaine]

Graham,

the reason I ask is that I have him somewhere else, so Im just curious what you have that CONFIRMS he was in 174 SB?

Rgds Paul

Hi Paul.

Still curious to know where you have placed my GGF?

Thanks

Graham.

[ororkep]

“are you saying he was with another battery before he joined 174 SB RGA?”

Graham,

I think he was probably with several before he ended up in 174 SB

The attached extract from his roll shows him with 218 SB. There are enough members of the same battery on his page and the surrounding pages in the roll to surmise they formed a good proportion of those that went out with 218 in Jan 1917.

The roll normally indicates the last battery served with, or of course the first if he never transferred. Unless something unusual happened; and in the case of 218 SB something did. It was broken up 16-12-1917, with its sections going to 77 SB and 193 SB. I doubt your man joined 174 before second quarter 1918. Complicated eh!

Rgds Paul

PS 95600 is a Gnr HAMILTON Frank M.

[grahamcaine]

“are you saying he was with another battery before he joined 174 SB RGA?”

Graham,

I think he was probably with several before he ended up in 174 SB

The attached extract from his roll shows him with 218 SB. There are enough members of the same battery on his page and the surrounding pages in the roll to surmise they formed a good proportion of those that went out with 218 in Jan 1917.

The roll normally indicates the last battery served with, or of course the first if he never transferred. Unless something unusual happened; and in the case of 218 SB something did. It was broken up 16-12-1917, with its sections going to 77 SB and 193 SB. I doubt your man joined 174 before second quarter 1918. Complicated eh!

Rgds Paul

PS 95600 is a Gnr HAMILTON Frank M.

Paul,

Thanks very much, wow, that's really opened my eyes!

When I read on the Demob papers that his unit was 174th SB RGA I just assumed he was with them for the duration. Guess that was pretty naive of me!

I may have to get some new War Diaries!!!

Is there any way of knowing for sure which Batteries he was in after 218th SB RGA or will it not be recorded anywhere?

I will ask if there was a Frank Hamilton in the family - it doesn't ring a bell with me, but I'll ask my GF next time I see him.

As I've said above, most grateful for this information so thanks again for sharing this with me.

Graham.

[mattgibbs]

Many belated thanks for the info on 504 battery and the 73rd Army Brigade RGA war diary. I can see I will have more reading to do, if ever I can find the time.

As an aside I wondered about the personnel list info that Paul posted about someone else, is this the kind of content to be found in a unit war diary? Its more detailed than I'd thought!

Regards and best wishes

Matt

[Ron Clifton]

Hello Matt

War Diaries very rarely mention men by name other than officers, although awards of the DCM or MM are sometimes mentioned. You might be lucky, but I think it's unlikely.

The comings and goings of other ranks were normally recorded in the weekly field returns rather than the War Diary. These returns have not survived.

Ron

[michael keely]

I am looking for information on the movements of the 17th HAG, 1st HAG, and 56 HAG durning 1915, 1916 and 1917.