Royal Artillery Museum, Look ups

[mickgall]

hi all
I'm off to the Royal Artillery Museum library next Tuesday 18/1/05, so if anyone is needing any help on things let me know and I'll see if I can help.
They do not hold service records for individual soldiers though, they're kept at Kew
Mick

[DeComyn]

Sgt Walter Richard Sutton, 129th Bty. 42nd Bde, RFA, 66457
awarded Military medal, Gazette date 18th July 1917.

As his war record is destroyed  cannot find out why he was awarded it.

Is there any chance that this info would be in the regimental war diary?

Also awarded Belgian Croix de Guerre but don't think I'll be able to find out when or why.

Would appreciate any light you may be able to shed on this. Thanks

[mickgall]

Hi DeComyn

I think all the WW1 unit histories are kept at Kew but I'll certainly ask for you when I'm at the museum.

Mick

[DeComyn]

Thanks very much 

[mickgall]

Hi DeComyn
I've just got back from the artillery museum and unfortunately they don't keep unit histories there. I am going to Kew in a few weeks time so I will try and look up 129Bty then.
I've had a look through some of my military stuff and found 42nd Bde were in the 3rd division and were heavily involved in the battles around Arras in Apr/May 1917, so this could be when Walter won his MM. I think July was the time the announcement of the award was actually made and not when it was won, July seems fairly quite for 3rd Division.
I'll let you know what I find in about 3-4 wks.
Mick

[smokey]

Hi

My wifes uncle, Gunner Albert George Bodkin was killed in action 22/05/40 whilst serving with 256 Bty 82 AA Regt in Norway. Her families story is that he was killed by a premature burst from the gun he was serving. Is there a war diary etc that could throw some light on the matter?

Thanks
Smokey

[DeComyn]

Thanks for that Mick. I knew that he was near Arras in early 1918 as he was killed in the spring offensive and is listed as missing on the Arras memorial, but I didn't know how long he had been at that sector. He was at Mons early on in the War, but I haven't had chance to track his movements. It sounds reasonable that he won his MM in Apr/May, as Gazette dates appear to be several weeks after the presentation. Thanks for the offer of the lookup at Kew if you get chance, I paid an Amateur researcher to have a look, but she didn't do a great deal. Hope your visit to the RA museum was succesful for your own research, and once again, thanks.

Andy

[Hackstaple]

De Comyn - the award of the Military Medal would have been gazetted in the  Times of London

[mickgall]

Hi DeCoymn
In Sept -Oct 1917 the 3rd Div were in action at Passchendaele, then were back in France in Nov 1917 for the battle of Cambrai. They fought all through the German spring offensive and finally took part the final battles from Aug-Oct 1918 in what was called The Hundred Days.
Coincidently I used to work for the CWGC as a gardener and I've spent quite a bit of time working in Arras cemetery.
Mick