295th Siege Battery, RGA WW1

[mikecharles49]

I have several photographs and a lot of info regarding this unit and would welcome contact with anybody who had a relative serving with it.  Formed at Hartlepool late 1916, it went to the western front at the end of March 1916, ending up in France in 1918.  My grandfather Cpl A W Charles was KIA on 260917 at Armagh Wood/Mount Sorrel area; buried at Voormezeele, near Ypres, Belgium.

[DarrynH]

Mike,

My cousin (2 x removed), Akehurst Wilson Holmes served with the 295th RGA Siege Battery, from it's formation up until his death - he was sadly killed on 28th July 1917 while fighting outside of Armentieres. I've tried accessing records for the unit through the Kew Archives, but many of the diaries are missing. I'd love to know more about the battery.

[mikecharles49]

Hi!  Well, there is a good photo of him in the Dulwich College Roll of honour on-line. Regrettably, we is not on the group photos I have, because he was with  245 SB and went to France in January 1917, but later transferred to 295SB.   295 landed in France 310317.  I have only just found out they were under the 2 Anzacs, and their Brigade war diary is free under Australia War Memorial on line, so still in throws of delving.
However, someone copied my part of 52 HAG diary, which controlled 295 .. codename "Villain"
They were NW of Armentiers, and 52HAG records that on 280717, 295 SB's officers' billet was shelled. 2nd Lts Frank Archibald Fowler and Akehurst Wilson Holmes killed, and Harry Walker died of wounds.  Two other ranks killed (gunners john Bradley and J Collier) and 8 wounded. Fowler (Captain at burial), and Walker were buried at Cite Bonjean.    Holmes is buried in grave I.V.18 Trois Abres Cem, Steenwerk.
Maybe this was why my grandfather was made up to acting corporal on 090817.
295SBs war diary and copies are well and truly missing.
Let me know if more required.  Cheers!   Mike.

[osemank]

Hi mikecharles49,

I am researching Gunner Sidney Walter Day from Borrowash, Derbyshire (Reg. No. 118322) who was serving with 295th Siege Battery, RA when he died of his wounds on 11th October, 1917 at the 17th Casualty Clearing Station. The date fits with teh Battle of Passchendaele but I haven't got proof that he was there.

The 295th seem to be a bit elusive on-line!

I am interested in finding out where he might have been fighting when he was wounded & died. I note your comment that his battery was attached to the 2nd Anzacs. I have had a poke around their War Diaries but I can't find any references to them. Are you able to point me in the right direction?

Thanks,

Keith

[mikecharles49]

Thanks Keith!  Are you a relative?  The records are online under Australian War Memorial Government war papers; 2 Anzacs Brigadiers's diaries. if you look at 293SB on Google, the chap there pointed me in the right direction.
      Day was married, and was a farm waggoner.  My grandfather was killed 260917 when they were at Armagh Wood, so my history stops there; however, in October 1917 they moved up to the Menin Road itself near Hooge. The 40 HAG war diary is not explicit other than giving their targets and number of rounds fired. On 061017 they were attacking the Ten Brielen (a village) batteries, and on 131017, 295SB changed positions with 280SB, coming into action in the south of Menin Road, at map ref I 17 and I 18. 
The September war diary for 40 HAG also gives their daily firing targets etc.   Do you know when Day joined 295SB?    If you have a photo of him, then I can look and see if he is any group shots.
     There will be daily casualty lists in X Corps records, but they don't give names.  260917 was the day of the Battle of Polygon Wood, in the Passchendale campaign, a major action.  In the morning, 295SB had 5 other ranks wounded, including one "at duty".  In the afternoon, another one was wounded, plus two killed - my grandfather and Amos Solomon.  Hope this helps.
Regards, Mike.

[osemank]

Hi Mike,

Thank you for this excellent information. Walter (I keep wrongly calling him Sidney Walter) has a twenty page Service Record on Ancestry. The attached image shows that he joined 295SB in England 15th November 1916 and arrived in France 31st March 1917. He succumbed to his wounds in 17 Casualty Clearing Station on 11th October 1917. No indication when he was wounded.

Forgive me, but I am still struggling to find the relevant War Diaries. I have looked at the diaries for 2nd Anzacs (Artillery) but I can't line it up with your previous postings.

I am not related to Walter but we are doing a WW1 Memorial project to identify those on the War Memorial in Borrowash.

Walter's specific tragedy is that his only son was born just a week before he embarked for France - we have no idea whether he got to see his son before he left.

Many thanks for your help.

Keith

MOD COMMENT - IMAGE REMOVED AS PER ROOTSCHAT COPYRIGHT POLICY

[mikecharles49]

Hi Keith.  Several died on 10/10/1917, particularly on www.uttoxeterlostgeneration.co uk where it states Gunner Thomas Tyson was KIA, hit by a shell and died instantly. Also killed that day were Gatland, Willey.  Maybe  Day died the same day of wounds.   Three are all buried at Huts Cem near Ypres.
    295SB was formed at Hartlepool in Nov 1916, and sailed from Southampton to Le Havre on 28 and 30 march 1917. Vessel was the paddle steamer "Mona's Queen II" , also carrying 293/294/296SBs. Disembarked 31 March at 4am, 295SB placed under 17 HAG, part of 2nd Oz and New Zealand Army Corps (2nd Anzacs).
Changed trains at Bailleul 040417, arrived at Pont de Nieppe near Armentiers.  OC was probably Captain Clark. They were at Oosthove Farm, before 295 joined 52 HAG on 110417.  Positioned at map ref T25.d.90.78
Much routine firing from their area; big bombardment on 050617 against La Potterie trench system, then on 070717 the "magnus opus" or Battle of Messines when the whole ridge was earthquaked by many mines.  295 transferred 250617 from X corps to R corps.  July attacks on Warneton and Quesnoy near Armentieres.     280717 several officers and men killed by a shell hitting the officers' billet and 8 wounded.   Maybe their diary was destroyed!
170817 heavily shelling of 295's new position just east of Oosthove Farm.   040917 saw them move up to map ref 32.d, east of lock 7 on the Yser canal, joining 40 HAG (British), under X corps 39 Division under Plumer's 2nd Army.
295's targets included Graveyard Cottage, Groenenburg Farm, Alaska Houses all east of Armagh Wood/Mount Sorrel.
110917, 295 moved to I.34.a.8.2 at the Ravine Trench system. 200917, X corps attacked at dawn on the Menin Road. 295 fired 233 rounds on K.25.d.70.  Overnight on 21 and 220917, 295SB moved up to I.30.a at Armagh Wood, with 160SB.  Supplies were picked up from Zillebeke and Zwateleen; a light trench railway ran around their site, and a mule track connected both batteries from east to west.
After the Battle of Polygon Wood on 260917, both SBs were relieved.
295 again fired on 011017, but did not fire on the 11th when the guys above were killed, but did so on the 12th., bombarding KY48a and KY49.       By the 13th, 295 were at I.17 and I.18.
There is no mention of activity on the 101017, so 295 must have come under shellfire resulting in those deaths above.
Certainly Day and my grandfather (aged 35) must have known each other.
Mike.

[ifsimo]

Hi I'm so pleased to find this forum as I have been asked by my father to help him find his grandfather (my greatgrand father) as I'm the Internet wiz as he thinks lol.
Well I'm looking for information on 295 siege bty 52nd HAG.
My great grand father was John Bruce Sim Service No.145074 died 21/9/17 belied to be from wounds supposedly taken to a field hospital for care.
I known that he was in V group with 259,6 and 274 siege bty. I'm looking for as much information as possible and any photos would be wonderful as my father doesn't have any. Please if you could help would be wonderful.
Many thanks Iain Sim

[mikecharles49]

Thanks Iain.  I have guests staying but will assist asap.  Where do you live? I am in Leeds.
      I can arrange to post you photos, but will need your address; can email you privately in due course.  If you have a photo of John then maybe I can identify him.  I seem to think his service record does not exist, but do you know when he joined 295SB?
         You will be aware he is buried near Poperinge; I have not been there but have been to Ypres/Flanders 5 times.   
       40 HAG took over 295/51/160/353/77/228 on 040917.  THE HAG diary only gives scant info on where they were firing at.  On 200917, the Battle of the Menin Road, 295 fired 233 rounds at trench K25D70. They attacked at dawn and then took up neutralising fire for the whole day.
On 210917, only 77B was firing it's guns.  295 moved on 21/220917 up to Armagh Wood, from their last position at map ref of I.34.a 8.2 at the Ravine Trench system, SW of Hill 60 and Battle Wood. They had been there since 110917, and I assume Sims was wounded there.  They were firing on Graveyard Cottage, Groenenburg Farm, and Alaska Houses.
HOWEVER, the location for him is tricky, as during the night of 21 and 220917, 295 moved just 2 guns up to Armagh Wood at I.30.a.7.4.     The remainder moved up there on 240917.
     I would guess he was maybe wounded by enemy shellfire. The casualty lists ran from noon to noon each day.  Hope this partly assists for now!
Regards, Mike.