South African Overseas Expeditionary Force (SAOEF)

[jen5525]

I have reason to believe that my great uncle served in the South African Overseas Expeditionary Force as he listed the South African Heavy Artillery Brigage, 72nd Siege Battery as occupation on his marriage license in England in 1919 (and that appears to be part of the SAOEF from the information I've gathered).  I'm particularly curious about where his records may be as there is this information online: "as they were not officially a South African force." 

"The South African government formed the South African Overseas Expeditionary Force (SAOEF) in July 1915, as its contribution to the British war effort against the Central Powers. As South African legislation restricted the Union Defence Forces (UDF) to operating in southern Africa, an entirely new force, made up of volunteers, had to be raised for service in other theatres of war. As they were not officially a South African force, the SAOEF was placed under British operational command for operations on the Western Front. "

Also, there is this from the website "SAOEF units and formations did not serve as distinct South African forces, but were integrated into the British imperial armies and divisions in the field." 

"On the Western Front, the [SA Heavy Artillery] brigade was armed with 6" Howitzers and was placed under command of the Royal Garrison Artillery, (April 1916)"

So, 3 questions:  (1) would his military records be in South Africa? (2) would they have worn British Army uniforms or have S. African military uniforms and (3) how do I find out what the RGA was doing on the Western Front in1916 so I can learn more about his activities during the war

Jennifer

[jim1]

His records would be part of the "burnt documents" these are British servicemen's records held at the War Office when it was bombed during the blitz. As a result about 70% were lost.
Can you give a name & service number ?
He would have worn a British uniform & been indistinguishable from any other soldier.
The problem with RGA/RFA is that they were in a continuous state of flux being re-organised & re-numbered throughout the war & as they fought at Brigade level could have been anywhere on the Western Front.
There should be a Medal Index Card for him which may give a bit more detail if we know who he is.

[jim1]

In the meantime this will tell you what his brigade was up to 1915-18.
http://www.1914-1918.net/south_africa.html
Something that might be of interest:
The South African contingent, which General Louis Botha offered in July 1915 for the war in Europe, consisted of 4 infantry battalions, 5 heavy artillery batteries, a general hospital and a signal company. The 5 heavy artillery batteries were affiliated to the British Royal Garrison Artillery as the 71st (Transvaal), 72nd (Griqualand West), 73rd (Western Cape), 74th (Eastern Province) and the 75th (Natal). Later a 6th battery, the 125th (Transvaal) was formed. All were armed with 6" howitzers.
The new force embarked at Cape Town between 28 August and 17 October 1915, and all units were in England by November. The artillery moved to camp at Bexhill.
In April and May 1916 the 5 original batteries landed at Le Havre, while the 125th followed in July. They were then deployed along the length and breadth of the Western front. They supported their countrymen of the S.A. Infantry on only three occasions, the 75th at Warlencourt (lst Somme, October 1916), the 74th at Vimy Ridge (3rd Arras, spring 1917) and the 71st at 3rd Ypres (summer 1917). Late in 1917 and in early 1918 all these batteries were combined as the 44th (71st, 73rd and 125th SBs as well as 20th) in the 5th Army and 50th (72nd, 74th, and 75th SBs and 275th battery RGA) brigades RGA.
All batteries, at some time, took part in The Battle of the Somme (July-November 1916). At this time the 73rd achieved a record firing rate of 32 rounds in 8 minutes from each gun. After the opening days of the Somme, the 72nd spent 8 months on the banks of The Ancre River before joining the 73rd, at Vimy Ridge during 3rd Arras in the Canadian attack of 9-10 April 1917. Both batteries suffered heavy casualties and were strafed by Richthofen's "Circus". In May 1917 the 72nd were transferred to the 1st Canadian Heavy Artillery in the Vimy area, moving in October to relieve the 73rd. Again both batteries had to endure heavy fighting and gas attacks.
At Vimy Ridge the 74th battery supported the S.A Infantry. In a 5-day bombardment, there were 2,879 British guns, of which 989 were heavy artillery, providing 1 gun for every 9 yards of the front (approx 8 metres). At one time in this engagement, the 74th was the furthest forward of the British siege guns. Later, the 74th was engaged in the first stages of 3rd Ypres (July-November 1917) and suffered such heavy casualties that the battery was reduced to just 1 gun and 70 men. The 125th, after involvement in the 4th week of the Somme and in 3rd Arras, was attached to the Belgian Army. The 44th brigade, fighting east and south of Bethune, was engaged up to the 6th November 1918, the last week of the war. The 50th Brigade was eventually attached to Australian and Canadian units.
The battle honours granted to the 6 batteries, show the extent of their involvement on the Western front. Curiously they have never been displayed anywhere, despite the fact that regiments take great pride in the display of their battle honours.

Also there may be hope re his service records according to this;
I wrote to the South African Museum of Military History requesting assistance.
I received a response on Monday. They have told me that the South African National Defence Force Archives (sandfdoc@mweb.co.za) hold the records of WWI servicemen. Family members need merely to grant permission for a search, and a copy of the records will be sent free of charge.
This is from another post (2004).

[JustinL]

Hello Jennifer,

One of my great-uncles served in the 71st Siege Battery, another of the five siege batteries of the SAHA that were sent to the UK and integrated into the RGA. I have researched the SAHA extensively and can provide you with a wealth of information.

(1) Jim's information is spot on. Your great-uncle's service record is held in SA. I obtained my great-uncle's detalied record from the SANDF archives.

(2) I'll double check on the specifics of  the uniforms, but the SAHA had their own cap badges.

(3) The war diary of Decemebr 1917 is the only one amongst those held at the UK's National Archives (ref. WO 95/225/6). It is downloadable for £3.45. So, as with any other RGA battery, you will need to consult the Battery Allocation file WO 95/5494 (http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/displaycataloguedetails.asp?CATID=5639829&CATLN=6&accessmethod=5) which details the movements of the battery between Heavy Artillery Groups (HAGs), and then consult the respective war diaries to obtain further details about the locations occupied by the 72SB.

What was your great-uncle's name? I'll check the records I have for any mention of him.

Justin

[JustinL]

http://allatsea.co.za/blog/category/heavy-artillery-memorial/

Search the page for 'South African Heavy Artillery' for some pictures of the various SAHA memorials in SA.

Justin

[JustinL]

This link takes you to a digitalised copy of 'The History of the South African Forces in France'.

https://archive.org/stream/historyofsouthaf00buchrich#page/266/mode/2up

Go to page 266 using the slider at the bottom of the viewing window and you will find Appendix I covering the SAHA.

There is also a unit history that you may be able to lay your hands on somehow:

http://www.iwm.org.uk_www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/1500010051

Justin

[jen5525]

Thanks so much Jim and Justin.  This is so very helpful!  His name was Frederick Stewart (he was born under Frederick Forbes and then changed to Stewart when his mother married).  He sometimes went by Frederick Forbes Stewart.  I have a transcription of his death record; he died in Durban South Africa in 1960.  He was born in Inverkeilor Scotland (near Arbroath) on 5 Oct 1880.  I have what I think are passenger slips between S. Africa and the UK starting in 1902 and continuing until 1916.  That record is from S. Africa to the UK in Jan 1916.  In 1919, he married Emily Ann Wiseman in Scarbourgh England and listed his occupation as Bombardier (x169) South African Heavy Artillery 72nd Siege Battery.

I'm particularly curious because we just came across a photo of my great grandfather (Murray Stewart) in military uniform (he served with the Clyde Royal Garrison Artillery) standing with a man we assume is one of his brothers, but could not identify him. They do not have any caps in the photo, so it's hard to place the units (I only know my great grandfather's since his UK military pension records survived; I have all of his medal records as well). 

I was told that the uniform of the unknown man was what was called the 1915 utility or economy uniform, which placed it as a UK military uniform, dating the photo at or after 1915.  From my great grandfather's record, I know he posted to France in Sept 1916. 

This led me to suspect that it was Frederick in the picture with him (since Frederick returned from S. Africa in Jan 1916); if he would have been wearing a British Army uniform, that would cinch it for me. 

The photo appears to be too large to post otherwise I'd include it as well

[jim1]

Just re-size it. As long as it is under 500Kb. it will post ok. Give it a unique name.

[jen5525]

here's the photol