Royal Field Artillery - WW1

[km1971]

Although the National Archives are supposedly forcing Ancestry to provide a regimental search, at the moment a man's date of birth and residence are more important than regiment. Can you provide these?

Ken

[mmm45]

Had a quick look on Ancestry there are a couple of Medal Index Cards to that name if you have the medals can you provide the number off the rims?

Ady

[deebee876]

Hello

Although it is a while since this subject was initially discussed I have found it through the miracles of Google and hope that someone may still be around to help me with my research. I have been given a hand written manuscript (40,000+ words) by a Bombardier F.G. Higgins who signed off as D/296 Brigade R.F.A. He wrote it in early 1919 while still in France and is an account of his two years service on the Western Front. In it he mentions several men by name and sometimes also the places where they came from, Derby featuring several times for example.
I have found the Medal Index Card for a Bombardier Fred G. Higgins (No. 806339) which I thought was probably his, and the message from Forester giving details of service numbers certainly reinforces that, but unfortunately his personnel records do not seem to have survived.
Consequently I am keen to find out as much as I can about Bombardier Higgins, where he came from etc. and the exploits of 296 Brigade, especially D Battery.

Thanks in anticiaption, Derek.

[forester]

Hello Derek and welcome to Rootschat.

Well I am still around.

It sounds like you have struck gold and the document you have will probably be better than any official account or surviving service record.

Fred would not have gone overseas before early 1917 as only the six-figure service number appears on his medal index card.

I don't know the book referred to above, but some-one may be able to tell you if there are any references to D Battery in it.

Forget that bit, I'm not thinking straight; the book covers the first line 213 Brigade.

The other avenue is the war diary, which is available at Kew, but not being digitised yet, would be prohibitively expensive if you are unable to get there yourself.

The reference is WO 95/3016

http://www.rootschat.com/links/0802/

As far as tracing him personally, the name is not uncommon, so it is not going to be easy unless there are some clues within his diary. At least we have a rough idea where he came from.

Phil 

PS it would be nice to see a snippet on here if you have any of it scanned 

[km1971]

Hi Derek

According to this link - http://www.1914-1918.net/rfa_units.htm - 2/1st Essex RHA became D Battery, 296 Brigade, RFA in late May 1916. It left on 19 July 1916, joining 298 Brigade. It doesn’t give the new battery letter. At the same time 298 Bde lost it’s (Howitzer) designation. Persumably they wanted all the lighter guns in one brigade.

Note 296 = CCXCVI (near the bottom)

If the journal says otherwise I am sure the people on www.1914-1918.net would be interested to hear about it. You can also follow the 59th Division link to see if the places and engagements match the journal.

2nd line territorial units were created after the start of WW1, initially to provide replacements for the 1st-line. Once they had a need for the 2nd-line in France as well, they probably created a 3rd-line at home, to provide replacements for the 1st and 2nd-line units. At least that's what they did in the infantry.

Ken

[forester]

Complicated isn't it Ken.

As I read it, B Battery, 298 Brigade had been installed as D Battery 296 Brigade prior to 59 Division deploying overseas.
The original D Battery, 296 Brigade became A/B/C Battery, 298 Brigade.

As this all took place before the Territorial renumbering, Fred would, presumably, have originally been with B Bty, 298 Bde. 

Derek, the references to Derby would tie in with the transfer of B Battery, 298 Brigade and the men mentioned may help to locate him.

The 4th North Midland (Howitzer) Brigade was based at Sidall's Road in Derby.

Phil

[deebee876]

Thanks Ken and Phil for such prompt replies and the useful information they contain - my query having been submitted more in hope than expectation you've come up trumps!

Fred's account is fascinating but unfortunately it really only covers his time in France, although he does briefly mention undergoing 'a period of hard training in England and, when the Sinn Fein riots broke out, in Ireland'; so he appears to have been with the 59th Division for at least a year before they went to France. He sailed for France on 15 March 1917 and his ship collided with, and sank, a Dutch freighter in the Channel - so even the start of his overseas service started with some unexpected excitement! I am in the process of transcribing it all on to a computer as it will be easier to read and handle, but at the moment my other machine has suffered a partial meltdown and will need someone cleverer than I to repair it before I can easily scan or attach part of his story to a message.

I am planning to go to the National Archives to view / copy the 296 Brigade War Diary in April; thankfully I can include the NA with a visit to my mother in Sussex and be within striking range of Kew for a few days, as I live in the North of Scotland.

Derek

[lizlyon]

My Step-Grandfather was in the R.F.A. during WW1.  His name was Percival Thomas Wake.  I'm not sure how long he served, where, or his rank, but his Reg No was 625948  285591. He received the Victory Star, and The British Medal.  I have tried to find out his rank and where he served without any success.  I wonder if you can help.  Thankyou in advance

[forester]

Lizlyon,

Without a surviving service record, you may have your work cut out.

His rank was gunner, the artillery equivalent of a private.

He did not go overseas before the beginning of 1917, as the 625948 service number was issued when the Territorials were re-numbered.

Checking other medal index cards, a substantial batch of HAC men were given RFA numbers at the same time as Percival, but I can't tell you why, or when, I'm afraid. You should get some idea if you can find a surviving service record for some-one with a similar number.

Apparently the HAC raised seven artillery batteries, but I can only find war diaries for A & B Batteries. They are held at Kew and those covering 1917/18 are in WO 95/4555.

The HAC has what looks like a useful archive and I would suggest that you contact them:

http://www.hac.org.uk/html/about-the-hac/archives/

Phil