RootsChat.Com
General => Armed Forces => Topic started by: KitHannay on Tuesday 06 August 19 02:02 BST (UK)
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Hi all,
My great-great grandmother's husband, William Houghton, was a private in the 84th royal artillery when he got married in December 1895. When his first child died in January 1898 he was a private in the 66 Battery Royal Artillery. By the time his third was born he was a driver in the royal artillery.
Does anyone know anything about the 66 Battery? Where they fought etc? I can find nothing about William regarding his movements.
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We looked for him on another thread without success. https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=816427.msg6779742#msg6779742
66 Battery was in South Africa but he doesn't appear in the medal roll. Prior to the Great War it was part of 4 Brigade in 7th (Meerut) Division in India and went to the Western Front in 1914.
A Driver W Houghton was in 67 Battery in S Africa but medal rolls have no personal information.
Where did he come from/live, when was he born, where was he (as far as you know) when married and the children were born?
MaxD
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Hi MaxD,
I don't know where he was born. He was born in about 1873. He married Rose Ann Hannah on 31st December 1895 in Glasgow where he was recorded as a private in the 84th Royal Artillery. His first child, Harriet, was born on 14 Dec 1896 in Glasgow. She died on 15 Jan 1898 in Aston, Birmingham. Her death was recorded by her 'aunt' Annie Johnson who must be William's sister. By this time was was a private in the 66th royal artillery. He and his wife lived in Aldershot for a while where their son - William Henry - was born in January 1899. Their daughter Catherine was born in July 1900 in Glasgow. By this time William is recorded as a 'driver' in the royal artillery. In the 1901 census Rose is living in Glasgow with her two children. William is not present but Rose is recorded as a 'wife of a soldier.' Rose ends up in Belfast Ireland by 1905 but I don't know why or who with. I think William dies sometime between 1901-1905.
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It is possible that the man in 67 Battery is him. He had already moved from 84 Battery to 66 Battery between 1895 and 1898 so another move would not have been unusual. In his time frame the Boer war was pretty much the only conflict going on.
The batteries of interest were stationed:
1895/9 84 battery in Woolwich
1898 66 Battery in Aldershot, September to S Africa.
1901 66 Battery still in S Africa.
MaxD
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Hello All
A couple of photos of the 66 bty. I know they don't coincide with the thread above, but I thought people might be interested.
Regards
Tom
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Another one my great is in them both. He served 1910 to 1921.
Regards
Tom
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Hi LimerickLad,
Great photos! I assume they're from the First World War?
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The are . My great uncle served in India from 1910 until 1914. He then served on the western front and in Mesopotamia.