"Tynemouth Royal Garrison Artillery Volunteers"? Between WW1 and WW2?

[Gen List Lass]

Anyone ever heard of this unit?

The National Archives seem to have no records anywhere.

Gen in NBL England

[stanmapstone]

Have you seen http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tynemouth_Volunteer_Artillery ? there are other sites on Google.

Stan

[Michael Dixon]

  My father was involved with this unit from c1938 at Tynemouth ( he called it "Militia" at           Spanish Battery) then in regular army in Royal Artillery in North Africa, including Libya, Egypt,
Palestine, Syria, then after the war, in Territorial Army with 405 Coastal Regiment at Blyth,
 ( Quayside, Beach Road, Cowpen Road) then Gosforth.

The joke in our house was that the oft declared unhappiest day of his life was the day WW2 ended- which forced him to return to coal pit and wife and 3 unruly kids!

 I think the regiment was given freedom of Blyth in 1950s.

Michael

[Gen List Lass]

Stan thank you but I've seen Wiki - the first thing I did was Google:-)

Michael, was he  a miner whilst he was a volunteer? Do you know how much time the volunteers took up?

My dad was in the Boys Brigade and I know little about that too....

Gen in NBL England

[Michael Dixon]

 Gen, 

   My dad worked at Bedlington "A" pit .   He walked there and back,  Bebside><
  Bedlington Station.     Later got transferred to Bates pit in Blyth on "A" pit closure.

 I think he did two drill nights a week and attended about every weekend.     But he
 also spent time whipping his household into military shape.    Nickname was "Sarge"

  But I never saw him with a paintbrush or screwdiver in his hand!

 Age forced his retirement from TA which almost broke his heart.

Michael

[Gen List Lass]

I've found a good website for Spanish Battery and other stuff military....

https://www.newcastle.gov.uk/wwwfileroot/legacy/regen/locallist/tyne_and_wear_defence_sites.pdf

Difficult to tell where the actual HQ was, maybe below the cliffs of the Priory on the south side? Beside the University sailing club buildings? Think I've seen those benches cemented onto the old gun emplacements somewhere.

Michael - thanks for the memories of your father, they were at the Volunteers a lot more than I had imagined!

Gen in NBL England

[JenB]

My father was stationed at the Spanish Battery at the same time as Michael's father - I have photos in which they both appear.

I have a lot of excellent contemporary photos taken by my father which I have been able to share with military historians researching the site.