148th Battery Lytham st Annes 1915

[mabb1009]

Hello everyone,

I would just like to say a massive thank you to all of you for the information that you have sent me.  I spoke with my uncle and brother tonight and whilst we have no way to actually confirm it we are all of the same opinion - we all agree that that is my grandfather on the left. 

If you have anymore information please let me have it - the info so far has been invaluable.

Thank you so much

[hanes teulu]

Checking out Heytesbury it seems the RFA were associated with an artillery camp at Knook - set up 1914.

[jim1]

Your Grandfather would have gone into the 32nd. Div. when
he transferred to the 165 Bde.
This is what the LLT says:
In late November 1915 the 31st. Division received a warning order to prepare to sail for France. Advance parties began to depart. But on 2 December final orders were received that the Division would go to Egypt, accompanied by the artillery of 32nd Division. Its own artillery would join 32nd Division in France. The advanced parties were recalled and the Division sailed from 7 December, with Divisional HQ being established at Port Said on Christmas Eve. The last units arrived in Egypt on 23 January 1916.
It seems that by March 1916 the Bde. returned to the 32nd. Div. in France.
32nd. Div. involved in:
1916
The Battle of Albert*
The Battle of Bazentin*
The Battle of the Ancre*
* the battles marked * are phases of the Battles of the Somme 1916

1917
Operations on the Ancre
The pursuit of the German retreat to the Hindenburg Line

1918
The First Battle of Arras, a phase of the First Battles of the Somme 1918
The Battle of Amiens
The Battle of Albert^
The Battle of Bapaume^
^ the battles marked ^ are phases of the Second Battles of the Somme 1918
The Battle of the St Quentin Canal+
The Battle of Beaurevoir+
+ the battles marked + are phases of the Battles of the Hindenburg Line
The Battle of the Sambre, including the passge of the Oise-Sambre Canal, a phase of the Final Advance in Picardy
165 Bde. war diary is available from TNA as a free download.
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01u1x/
I'm just looking at it now.

[hanes teulu]

Lancashire Evening News, 17 Mar 1916

[jim1]

A correction to my previous post.
I've just discovered by reading both diaries(31st. & 32nd. Div.) that
the divisional Artillery that swapped divisions swapped back when the 31st. arrived in France in March 1916.
So 165 Bde. was back with the 31st. by the time of the Somme Offensive.
Fortunately the 31st. Div. Diary gives accurate positions of the Bty's.
31st. Div:
1916
The Division took over the No 3 Sector of the Suez Canal defences and Divisional HQ moved to Kantara on 23 January. The stay in Egypt was short, and between 1-6 March the Division sailed to Marseilles for service on the Western Front. The 31st Division subsequently remained in France and Flanders and took part in these actions:

The Battle of Albert* including the attack on Serre
The Battle of the Ancre*
* the battles marked * are phases of the Battles of the Somme 1916

1917
Operations on the Ancre
The Third Battle of the Scarpe**
The Capture of Oppy Wood**
** the battles marked ** are phases of the Arras Offensive 1917

1918
The Battle of St Quentin^
The Battle of Bapaume^
The First Battle of Arras^
^ the battles marked ^ are phases of the First Battles of the Somme 1918
The Battle of Estaires^^
The Battle of Hazebrouck^^
The Defence of Nieppe Forest^^
The attack at La Becque^^
^^ the battles marked ^^ are phases of the Battles of the Lys
The capture of Vieux Berquin+
+ the battles marked + are phases of the Advance in Flanders
The Battle of Ypres++
The action of Tieghem++
++ the battles marked ++ are phases of the Final Advance in Flanders

The Division’s advance across Flanders continued on 9 November when units forced a crossing of the River Scheldt. At the time when the Armistice came into effect, 11am on 11 November, the advanced units had reached Everbecque and the River Dender.

The Division moved back to the Arques-Blendecques are and here men began to be demobilised. The Division ceased to exist on 20 May 1919.

[mabb1009]

Hi everyone, thank you for all the amazing info.  I am flying through it and it has all been amazingly helpful.  I am really sorry but I need to ask you guys another question, if I may?

My grandfather notes in his diary that on the 5th April 1915 at Lytham Green he had his first official military review and all the Brigades were inspected by Lord Derby (of which I have found quite a bit) and a General Perrot ( I am assuming it is Perrot but again his handwriting, and it being in pencil it is hard to read.  However, I cannot find anything of a General Perrot from WW1. The name seems to me to be French but again, I could be wrong.

Do you guys have any information about him or if it is not him, who exactly it might be?

[Andy J2022]

There was a Captain William H W Perrott RA in the Army in 1896 and a Lt Col Thomas Perrot RA in the same year, but Thomas Perrott was commissioned in 1868 and so would have been in his mid 60s in 1915, so he seems a less likely candidate.
Of course the inspecting officer didn't need to be a Gunner; he might have been the local District General Officer Commanding (GOC).

[hanes teulu]

Fleetwood Express, 17 Apr 1915

[hanes teulu]

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