Where was my Grandad's unit?

[onefortheroad]

Hi. I've been searching on a well known site, without success, for the WW1 War Diaries for my Grandfather's unit.
In September 1917, he was 796059 Gnr/Bmbdr William Henry Turner, U(V?)49 Heavy Trench Mortar Battery, Royal Field Artillery, 49th West Riding Division, British Expeditionary Force.
I have not been able to locate the West Riding Division at all although the East Riding Division seems to be in abundance. Could it be that the relative records are lost.
Any help  will be much appreciated.
Regards, David.

[MaxD]

If you are on Ancestry, put Piece 2782 in the Keyword search area and the diaries will come up, scroll down to Divisional Mortar Batteries and trawl away!

Also available for £3.50

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7354637

MaxD

[onefortheroad]

Bingo, MaxD. You've done it again.
I must have gone all around it or been bleary eyed with searching. But many thanks once again.
Regards, David.

[MaxD]

If you've found Sept 1917  you'll have found you'll need to do some more searching as the men of the TMBs all seem to have been out on loan labouring for the 49 Div field batteries for the majority of the month.

It would have been V battery by the way.

MaxD

[onefortheroad]

MaxD, I wasn't sure whether it was U or V as I was working from the address on a postcard from his girlfriend (my future grandma).
He was there from 1915 anyway, so there's plenty to go at!
Many thanks again for your help.
Regards, David.

[MaxD]

The postcard would have got there anyway, there were V,X Y and Z batteries.
MaxD

[mmm45]

W.49, V.49 Heavy Trench Mortar Battery, Royal Field Artillery (formed by 17 May 1916; V absorbed W by 7 June 1917; left for X Corps on 7 February 1918)

The above is from order of battle for 49th West Riding Div  V battery manned the largest Mortars

Ady

[onefortheroad]

Thanks for that, Ady.
Reading the war diaries, they were into a bit of innovation too, mounting them on trucks.
David