West Riding Field Artillery

[Scribble1952]

Would anybody have a photo
With names of this unit.

I am looking for
Austin Purcell
Service Number 776325
Or 2649-161402 as stated
On his Attestation.
He signed on in -Leeds -June
1915 Did serve overseas
As to where I am researching.Could be a photo?
Rank -Wheeler
Silver War Badge
Discharge Date 21-Nov-1917
Thankyou for any information

[jim1]

According to his record he was Embodied into the 3/1 WR Bde. RFA & poster Gunner to the 49th. Div. Training Bty. then Wheeler same.
Posted to the BEF France 15/8/16 but doesn't say who with.
4/3/17 posted to base Rouen & a week later to 307 Bde. before being posted back to the UK.
You could surmise he was still in the 49th. Div. with 3 Bde. but that's only a guess.
Edit:
Reading on I see he was posted to the RN Infantry & on to The Div. Ammo. Column (DAC) on arrival in France.

[Scribble1952]

Thanks jim1
For your reply all this is new
To me.
Could you please explain abbreviations.

[jim1]

After embodiment he went into the 3rd. Brigade Royal Field Artillery as Gunner & posted to the 49th. Divisional Training Battery as same & then made a Wheeler.
The Div. Training Bty. wasn't a Battery in the true sense but a training establishment.
He was then posted to France as part of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF 15/8/16).
On arrival he was posted to the Royal Naval Infantry but this was just administrative as a couple of days later he was posted to the 49th. Divisional Ammunition Column (DAC) as a wheeler.
The DAC was responsible for getting shells/bullets to the Batteries & Infantry Battalions in the Division.
He then had his period of illness before being repatriated to the UK & discharged.
So he didn't have a "unit" as most of his time in the UK was with the Training Battery & in France DAC.
According to their war diary 49/DAC were at Hedauville France supporting the Somme Offensive when he arrived in France.
When he was sent back to Rouen they were at Hazebrouk France.

[Scribble1952]

At last I know some of his life
A great big Thankyou jim1

[jim1]

Hedauville 1916:
http://maps.nls.uk/view/101465251

[Scribble1952]

Maybe I will pay a vist
Brings it home
Seeing a reference map
Nice one jim1

[mmm45]

Living in Birkenshaw on Spen Valley electoral rolls until 1924.Cleckheaton library has local papers from WW1 on fiche the Spen Advertiser ran weekly photos of those enlisting. They covered more Heckmondwike/Cleckheaton lads as opposed to Birkenshaw so may not be on. You have his record. The war memorial is a new one on me and Ive researched a lot of local ones  around Spen Valley so it may not still exist or is in storage.Good luck.

Ady

[Scribble1952]

Hello Ady
Thanks for the tip I will have a look at the newspapers

As to the War Memorial
It is registered with
WWwarmemorialonline.org