Gunner RFA

[MaxD]

Not a spanner -well spotted Steviesteve!!  My fault entirely obviously.  Cupcake, hang on a minute for a repeat run at it!
MaxD

[MaxD]

The incident and the deployment and the place were all correct for 17 April (phew).

Where I went wrong was in citing specifically the later battle - (thanks again Steviesteve).  17 April came between the first and second battles of Bullecourt when all the 58 Div artillery was supporting the attacks on the Hindenburg line and Bullecourt.

Sorry Cupcake and thanks Steviesteve.

MaxD

[cupcake]

Sorry to chuck a spanner in the works but you've said he was injured on 17 April but MaxD's battle is in May

I agree with MaxD - Not a spanner -well spotted.

Many thanks

cupcake

[cupcake]

The incident and the deployment and the place were all correct for 17 April (phew).

Where I went wrong was in citing specifically the later battle - (thanks again Steviesteve).  17 April came between the first and second battles of Bullecourt when all the 58 Div artillery was supporting the attacks on the Hindenburg line and Bullecourt.

Sorry Cupcake and thanks Steviesteve.

MaxD

No need to be sorry - these things happen. The important thing is, the incident and the deployment and the place were all correct for 17 April.

Once again, I am so grateful  to you finding all the information for me.

Kind regards

cupcake

[cupcake]

Specifically the second ballet of Bullecourt which started on 4 May http://catnaps.org/bulle/battles.html#first  (Correction - it was 4 men not 6)

The batteries of 291 Brigade were to the south and west of the village of Ecoust Saint Mein south east of Arras.  On the map link below the brigade HQ was in the square 17 where the triangle of roads is on the trench map, right where the Route A1 sign is today.  The road running towards Ecoust St Mein the Rue de Mory runs in a valley.  The battery positions were in this valley supporting the infantry fighting towards Bullecourt at the top right of the map.  That is as near as one could get to where he was on the day he was injured.

MaxD

http://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=14&lat=50.1736&lon=2.9030&layers=101465155&right=BingHyb

Have been doing some research to find out where my father would have gone after being wounded.

So, I looked up the War Graves for a Captain and Lt. from 291st Bde. who died 15 April 1917. They were buried at ACHIET-LE-GRAND COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION - South of ARRAS. So, can I assume my father was taken to a hospital, there.

cupcake

[MaxD]

The cemetery details tell us that from April 1917, the village of Achiet-le-Grand was occupied by 45 and 49 Casualty Clearing Stations.   There was also one of the Division's Field Ambulances, 2/1st Home Counties FA in/near the village which, as far as I can tell, was the nearest FA to the gun position. It would be legitimate to think he may have passed through one or the other on the way to hospital in Boulogne.

MaxD

[cupcake]

The cemetery details tell us that from April 1917, the village of Achiet-le-Grand was occupied by 45 and 49 Casualty Clearing Stations.   There was also one of the Division's Field Ambulances, 2/1st Home Counties FA in/near the village which, as far as I can tell, was the nearest FA to the gun position. It would be legitimate to think he may have passed through one or the other on the way to hospital in Boulogne.

MaxD

So, he would have been in hospital in Boulogne.

This may be a stupid question   - I believe he was in the First Battle of Bullecourt but, did this become the Battle of Arras - as he appears to be very near Arras at the time he was wounded.

cupcake

[MaxD]

You mentioned 13 General Hospital in your first post - that was, along with many others, in Boulogne and would have been the place from which he was evacuated back to England.

The battles at Bullecourt were "flanking operations", part of the 9 April - 16 May 1917 offensive that was later named the Battle of Arras 1917.  Bullecourt was at the far southern end of the line being attacked about 25 km south west of Arras and stretching from there to about the same distance to the north of the town.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Arras_(1917)#Flanking_operations

MaxD

[cupcake]

Yes, I did mention the 13 General Hospital and I now know it was one of many others in Boulogne.

Also thank you for answering my question regarding Arras. The information on he battles at Bullecourt were "flanking operations", I find most interesting and very much appreciated.

Thank you so much.

cupcake