95th Siege Battery, RGA

95th Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery was formed at Crosby, near Liverpool in Jan 1916 from personnel of the Lancashire and Cheshire, RGA TF. They trained at Horsham, before proceeding to France in May 1916, sailing from Folkestone to Boulogne, armed with four 9.2 inch Howitzers. They joined 35th Heavy Artillery Group on 23rd of May 1916 and transferred to 46 HAG on 5th of July 1916, then to 28 HAG on 25th of July, to 31 HAG on 5th of Oct, then to 6 HAG on the 28th. They joined 18 HAG on 3rd of Dec 1916 then 70 HAG on 6th of Feb 1917 and 50 HAG on the 27th Feb before returning to 70 HAG on 15th of Apr 1917, then joining 87 HAG on 20th of Apr 17. They joined 88 HAG on 30th of May 17 then 57 HAG on 13th of Jun 1917, 90 HAG on the 19th and then 70 HAG on 24th of June 1917. One section joined the battery from 419th Siege Battery, RGA on the 28th of August 1917 to bring the battery up to six guns. They joined 59 HAG on 8th of Sep 1917 transferring to 58 HAG on the 28th then 90 HAG on 24th of Oct 1917, they joined 71 HAG on 17th of Nov 17 then 90 HAG on 26th of Nov and 71 HAG on the 30th. The battery joined 90th Brigade, RGA on 3rd of Dec 1917. On 5th Jan 1918 the batteries four old-pattern 9.2" Howitzers were returned to Base and then was rearmed with six Mark II 9.2" Howitzers, on 12th of Jan 1918.
They saw action at the Battle of the Somme, Vimy Ridge, the Third Battle of Ypres, the Battle of Cambrai. Just prior to Christmas No. 4 gun had a premature that destroyed the gun and killed and wounded the personnel. They were in action during German Spring Offensive in March 1918.

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Those known to have served with
95th Siege Battery, RGA
during the Great War 1914-1918.

Harcus Andrew. Gnr. (d.3rd Aug 1917)
Harcus Thomas. Gnr. (d.3rd Aug 1917)
Moss Reginald Stanley. Gnr. (d.4th August 1917)
Rattray James Alec. 2/Lt. (d.23rd September 1917)
Smith Charles. Gnr. (d.17th Feb 1918)
Ward Thomas Cornelius. Cpl. (d.21st March 1918)

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245394

2/Lt. James Alec Rattray 5th Siege Battery Royal Garrison Artillery (d.23rd September 1917)

Soon after the outbreak of war on 4th of August 1914, James Rattray was serving with the 38th Battery Royal Garrison Artillery. It's 60 Pounder guns were allocated to the newly formed 38th (Welsh) Division and based at Pwllheli and Porthcawl where, due to different elements of the division being based in different parts of Wales, training as an entire entity was difficult. During this period, James was married on 26th October 1914 to Violet May Hill.
In early June 1915, 38th Battery left the 38th Division and became part of the 42nd Heavy Artillery Group and, at the same time, James was transferred to Base Details. On 6th June 1915, James was promoted to Corporal and joined the British Expeditionary Force in France, being attached, between arrival and 9th October 1915, to several Trench Howitzer schools and two newly formed trench howitzer batteries in the base areas around Rouen.
The 9th October 1915 saw James fall ill with complications leading to nephritis (inflammation of the kidney) and, after a short stay in hospital in Rouen at No.1 Stationary Hospital, he was evacuated to England on the 17th October where, after a stay in Hospital in Brighton, he was transferred to No.2 Depot Royal Garrison Artillery (Fort Rowner, Gosport). James stayed at Gosport for the next two months, most likely assisting in the training of new recruits, before moving on 17th December 1915 to a more specialist training role with B Siege Depot at Bexhill. The stay with this depot was short lived, however, as, on 27th December 1915, he was once again posted this time to 95th Siege Battery, then in training at Horsham.
After spending the previous months at Horsham, James returned to France with 95th Siege Battery, sailing from Folkestone to Boulogne, on 12th of May 1916. Armed with 9.2" Howitzers, they were attached to 35th Heavy Artillery Group on 23rd May 1916 and took up positions at Bayencourt at the beginning of June. It was from these positions that James and his battery were to take part in the initial stages of the Battle of the Somme.
In mid July 1916, 95th Battery moved from the northern part of the battlefield to the south, where they moved forward with the British advance from Maricourt to Guillemont where they were based at the end of the battle. It was during this battle that James was promoted to Sergeant in the field on 2nd of October 1916. During November, the battery moved from Guillemont to Hem and from there to Le Forest where they suffered heavy casualties. February and March 1917 saw them transferred northwards to the Vimy sector where they were to take part in the actions involving the capture of Vimy Ridge during the Battle of Arras.
On 16th of August 1917, James was granted his commission and was transferred, as a 2nd Lieutenant to the 5th Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery, to whom he arrived on the 17th while they were based at La Belle Alliance Farm about a mile north of Ypres. Here, the battery was in almost constant action during the 3rd Battle of Ypres which had begun just over a fortnight earlier, firing on German positions in the Poelcapelle area.
On 20th August 1917, the 5th Siege Battery moved further north to Krupp Farm, firing on positions near Poelcapelle, Spriet, and Pheasant Farm. Throughout this time, the battery was under much fire itself and suffered several casualties almost daily. On 23rd of September 1917, James himself became one of these casualties when killed in action during a heavy German counter-battery bombardment, using 8" and 5.9" howitzers, at Krupp Farm. Soon afterwards, when it was safe to do so, he was buried along with some other of the day's casualties, in the military cemetery at Bard Cottage where he still lies today. He was 27 years of age and his commission had only a week earlier been announced in the London Gazette.

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240138

Cpl. Thomas Cornelius Ward 95th Seige Bty. Royal Garrison Artillery (d.21st March 1918)

Corporal Thomas Ward was the son of Henry Edward and Jane Ward. He died, aged 28, at 29 Casualty Clearing Station, Grevillers on 21st March 1918. He is buried in Grevillers British Cemetery, Grave XI.E.14.

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218734

Gnr. Thomas Harcus 95th Siege Battery Royal Garrison Artillery (d.3rd Aug 1917)

Gunner Thomas Harcus served with 95th Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery during WW1 and was killed in action on the 3rd August 1917, aged 32. He is buried in Vlamertinghe New Military Cemetery in Belgium. Husband of Ellen Rendall, he left two children and was a native of Westray, Orkney
S Flynn

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218733

Gnr. Andrew Harcus 95th Siege Battery Royal Garrison Artillery (d.3rd Aug 1917)

Gunner Andrew Harcus served with 95th Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery during WW1 and was killed in action on the 3rd August 1917, aged 27. He is buried in Vlamertinghe New Military Cemetery in Belgium. He was the son of Andrew and Jessie Harcus, Husband of Frances Harcus, of Dogtoo, Westray, Orkney. Native of Tirlot, Westray.
S Flynn

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95th Siege Battery, RGA
during the Great War 1914-1918.

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95th Siege Battery, RGA

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Those known to have served with95th Siege Battery, RGAduring the Great War 1914-1918.

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Those known to have served with
95th Siege Battery, RGA
during the Great War 1914-1918.