Uniform WW1 Royal Garrison Artillery

[MaxD]

Progress in a way.  246 Battery was formed in Falmouth on 29 August 1916 initially from companies of the Falmouth RGA (TF).  Their diary for the first months has a number of entries referring to additional men joining, none identifiable.  They went to Mesopotamia by way of south Africa and India, leaving England on 13 March 1917, arriving in Basra on 17 May 1917 remaining there until war's end.

(It was 132 Siege that went to Salonika - I amended my earlier post).

MaxD

[MaxD]

I've been batting around the thought that the "246" on the photo may have referred to the battery.  It has been pointed out quite legitimately that it is just as likely that it is simply a photographer's identification mark and the number is a coincidence.
Frankly, one explanation is as good as another in the absence of other evidence.  It struck me that the journey 246 took to Iraq via South Africa to India then to Basra would have been the sort of thing that stuck in the family collective memory.
In sum, although we were able to add a smidgeon to the names and numbers you had, I doubt that we are going to get any further unless some other solid fact comes out of the woodwork.
Don't want to repeat the first line of my first post!

MaxD

[FILEE54]

Hi Max
Well, I do feel you have made some great progress for me even if we can't pin it down entirely. I would like to think the 246 on the photo does refer to the battery but the fact that my mother thought Salonika maybe means 132 is more likely and we still can't rule out the others.
 I have just seen that the Firepower Museum has opened in Wiltshire and I will try and get there as it is not too far away. I know they don't keep any individual records but maybe they might know something about the photography?
Other than that, the Blackpool newspapers are the best I can hope for but I can't get there for a couple of months. Many many thanks for all your efforts and research and if I get any further I will let you know.
Best wishes

[MaxD]

Note that the Royal Artillery Museum is in temporary premises "behind the wire" at Larkhill and doesn't have its complete archive.  Visits are by prior notice at present so you should email first to ask what they have anyway.

 email sm@salisburyplainheritagecentre.com

MaxD

[FILEE54]

Thanks very much. Enquiry underway. Will let you know what they say.

[jim1]

I wouldn't rule out 246 not being one of his Batteries.
A photographer would use something at bit more informative (to him) if this was just no. 246 of a large group of photos.
He wouldn't have known who they were from just that unless it was their Battery.