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The Royal Garrison Artillery The Royal Garrison Artillery was formed in 1899 when the Royal Artillery was divided into two groups. The coastal defence, mountain, siege and heavy batteries of the Royal Artillery formed the new Royal Garrison Artillery. The Royal Horse Artillery and Royal Field Artillery comprised the other group, but in effect the three operated as separate corps until they were amalganated in 1924. Units: East Anglian (Essex) Heavy Battery Highland (Fifeshire) Heavy Battery Home Counties (Kent) Heavy Battery 1st Lancashire Heavy Battery 2nd Lancashire Heavy Battery 1st London Heavy Battery Lowland (Edinburgh) Heavy Battery Northumbrian (North Riding) Heavy Battery North Midland (Staffordshire) Heavy Battery South Midland (Warwicks) Heavy Battery Welsh (Caernarvonshire) Heavy Battery Wessex (Hampshire) Heavy Battery West Riding Heavy Battery 9th Heavy Battery 10th Heavy Battery 11th Heavy Battery 24th Heavy Battery 26th Heavy Battery 27th Heavy Battery 31st Heavy Battery 35th Heavy Battery 48th Heavy Battery 108th Heavy Battery 1st Siege Battery 2nd Siege Battery 3rd Siege Battery 4th Siege Battery 5th Siege Battery 6th Siege Battery 7th Siege Battery 8th Siege Battery 9th Siege Battery 10th Siege Battery 11th Siege Battery 12th Siege Battery 13th Siege Battery 14th Siege Battery 15th Siege Battery 16th Siege Battery 17th Siege Battery 18th Siege Battery 19th Siege Battery 20th Siege Battery 21st Siege Battery 22nd Siege Battery 23rd Siege Battery 24th Siege Battery 25th Siege Battery 26th Siege Battery 27th Siege Battery 28th Siege Battery 29th Siege Battery 41st Siege Battery 42nd Siege Battery 45th Siege Battery 122nd Siege Battery 138th Siege Battery 141st Siege Battery 144th Siege Battery 160th Siege Battery 195th Siege Battery 200th Siege Battery 220th Siege Battery 236th Siege Battery 262nd Siege Battery 297th Siege Battery 395th Siege Battery 4th Heavy Artillery Brigade 8th Heavy Artillery Brigade 13th Heavy Artillery Brigade 16th Heavy Artillery Brigade 17th Heavy Artillery Brigade 23rd Heavy Artillery Brigade 29th Heavy Artillery Brigade Looking for help with Family History Research?      Please read our Family History FAQ's Thanks to everyone who attended our event We are now on Facebook. Like this page to receive our updates, add a comment or ask a question. If you have a general question please post it on our Facebook page. Dec 2011     Please note we currently have a large backlog of submitted material, our volunteers are working through this as quickly as possible and all names, stories and photos will be added to the site. World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar great Those known to have served with The Royal Garrison Artillery during the Great War. Select a story link or scroll down to browse those stories hosted on this site. Kenneth Henry Alexander Read their Story. Mjr. John Harcourt Allen MC. MID. Read their Story. Gunner Henry Charles Ault Read their Story. Capt. Charles Banfield Read their Story. Dvr. Abel Beechey Read their Story. 2nd Lt. William James Knox Bell M.C (d.5th Apr 1918) Read their Story. Gnr. Francis T Brooks Read their Story. Gnr. Robert Brown Read their Story. William Brown Read their Story. Gnr. Bertie William Buckhurst (d.14th Oct 1918) Bdr. Arthur Burgess Read their Story. Gnr. Donald Calderhead (d.16th Feb 1917) Read their Story. Gunner Henry Clarke Read their Story. Sgt. Edward Coe MM. Read their Story. Cpl. James R. Curson Gnr. Leonard Reth Dawe (d.21st Oct 1917) Read their Story. Sjt. T. Douthwaite DCM. Read their Story. Cpl. Godfrey Charles Edwards Read their Story. Ronald Cecil Elliott Read their Story. Capt. Jack Farmer Read their Story. Gnr. Joseph Daniel Fewster Read their Story. Gnr. John Henry Raymond Fox Read their Story. Pte. Charles Francis Read their Story. Pte. Alexander Gemmell Read their Story. Gnr. David Glassford Read their Story. A/Cpl. Edward Brett "Dewey" Goddard Read their Story. Gnr. William Hardy Read their Story. 2nd Lt. William Frederick Samuel Harkness Read their Story. Gnr. Arthur Hills (d.17th Oct 1918) Read their Story. Gnr. Joseph Ward Hodgson Read their Story. James Hodkinson Read their Story. Dvr. Thomas Hole Read their Story. Acting Bombardier J. J. Hope MM. Read their Story. Gnr. William Houston (d.16th Dec 1914) Read their Story. Gnr. Sidney Lewis Hunter (d.25th June 1916) Lt. John Robert "Old Jimmy " Jamieson Read their Story. Gnr. Ernest Johnson Read their Story. Gnr. Frederick Jolley (d.3rd Aug 1918) Read their Story. 2nd Lt. Charles Colville Kelly Read their Story. Gunner Thomas Frederick "Pick" Lawton Read their Story. 2nd Lt. Samuel McCullagh Linden MID (d.31 July 1917) Read their Story. Lt. David Christie Macarthur Read their Story. Sjt. F. W. Mallin MM. Read their Story. Pte. Henry Manville (d.20th Nov 1914) Read their Story. Gnr. John H Miles (d.9th Aug 1915) Read their Story. Lt. James Henry Moriarty (d.12th Oct 1915) Read their Story. Gnr. Sidney James Moss (d.10th Feb 1916) Gnr. Antonio Edward Mussalli (d.22nd Apr 1917) Read their Story. Joseph Neill Read their Story. Gnr. Chestney George Overton Read their Story. Sjt Mjr Tom Pailor Gnr. Robert Patchett (d.12th Jun 1917) Read their Story. Gnr. Stephen Powell Read their Story. Gnr. George Prudence (d.21st Mar 1918) 2nd Lt. Peter Robertson Purdie M.C (d.17th Aug 1917) Read their Story. Gunner Harold Pendleton Roberts (d.12th Jul 1916) Lt -Col. Lancelot Robson DSO. Read their Story. Gunner Francis Richard Scott Read their Story. 2nd Lt. John James Fraser Shand (d.6th Aug 1917) Read their Story. Mjr. Ralph Conran Smythe (d.24th Nov 1915) Read their Story. 2nd Lt. Sydney Leonard Spalding Read their Story. Gnr. Robert Spence (d.16th Dec 1914) Read their Story. Gunner Jack Stallard Read their Story. Gnr. John William Stevenson (d.4th Nov 1918) Read their Story. Gnr. William James Stretton Read their Story. Cpl Thomas Stroud Read their Story. 2nd Lt John William Wellesley Sutton MC. (d.29th Jun 1917) Read their Story. Capt. Oscar Trenchmann Read their Story. Richard "Dickie" Trenchmann Gnr. Joseph Charles Trull (d.9th Apr 1918) Read their Story. Gnr. Harry Tyson Read their Story. T. H. Walker Read their Story. Gnr Charles Henry Weller Sjt. Charles Noel "Blanco" White MM. Read their Story. Bdr. Arthur Duncan Whyte MID. Read their Story. Gnr. Jack Wilkinson 2nd Lt. Ernest Walter Winton (d.15th Dec 1917) Read their Story. Gnr. Cecil Wood (d.11th Feb 1916) Read their Story. Gnr. Archibald Workman Read their Story. Gnr. James Worsnip Read their Story. Mjr. Cyril Rutherford Young (d.1st Jul 1917) Read their Story. If you have any names to add to this list, or any recollections or photos of those listed, please get in touch. 628 Acting Bombardier J. J. Hope MM. Durham. Royal Garrison Artillery Acting Bombardier Hope was awarded the Military Medal on the 16th of December 1914 during the Bombardment of the Hartlepools when he was manning the guns at Heugh Battery. 626 Sjt. T. Douthwaite DCM. Durham. Royal Garrison Artillery Sjt Douthwaite was awarded the DCM for his swift action in removing a live cartridge from the Lighthouse gun at Heugh Battery on the 16th of December 1914 during the bombardment of the Hartlepools. The gun had misfired on the fourth shell, one of the leads carrying the electrical charge to fire the cartridge had become detached. The drill was that the cartridge should be left in the barrel for 10 minutes until it cooled. This would mean the gun being out of action. As they were under fire from the German ships. Sjt Douthwaite ordered his men away from the gun emplacement, and at great risk of the cartiridge exploding, withdrew it from teh gun and placed it in a bucket of water. The gun was then switched to percussion firing. 623 Gnr. Robert Spence Durham. Royal Garrison Artillery (d.16th Dec 1914) Gnr. Spence was killed by a German shell at Heugh Battery whilst acting as a stretcher barer along with Gnr Houston, attempting to rescue those men wounded by the first shell of the Bombardment. 622 Gnr. William Houston Durham. Royal Garrison Artillery (d.16th Dec 1914) Gnr. Houston was killed by a German shell at Heugh Battery whilst acting as a stretcher barer along with Gnr Spence, attempting to rescue those men wounded by the first shell of the Bombardment. 619 Gnr. Harry Tyson Durham Royal Garrison Artillery Gunner Tyson was serving at the Heugh Battery on the 16th December 1914 when the Bombardment of the Hartlepools took place. The men were billeted at the Borough Hall and at 7.30 that morning, they marched to the battery singing 'Tipperary'. Each man was issued with 250 rounds of .303 for their Lee Enfield rifles, at this time there was a shortage of webbing so the ammunition had to be carried in the pockets of their Greatcoats. Harry Tyson and Jack Wilkinson were assigned to look out duty and whilst most of their fellow gunners retired to the shelters, they marched back and firth btween the Heugh guns with bayonets fixed. As dawn broke the German raiderswere spotted by the gunners aty South Gare on the southern bank of Teesmouth, and Heugh Battery was alerted by telephone,though at this stage the ships were beleived to be British as they were flying the White Ensign and had responded to the signal. There was a British ship in the area, HMS Doon, whose Captain was aware of the true nationality of the newcommers but was out of range of his guns. He led HMS Moy, Test and Waveney as they closed the range and began firing. At Heugh Captain Trenchman ordered the gun crews to man the guns, Tyson and Wilkinson took up their posts at No. 1 gun as Number 2 and Loading number respectivley. The rangefinder crew took the barings and the guns were laid on the inavders. "Then all of a sudden the three ships gave us a broadside and Captain Trenchmann called 'Action'" The first of the shells began to fall and the men at the Maxin machine gun post were wounded. Shells also fell on the houses behind the Battery. The elctrical firing mechanism of No 1 Gun failed after firing two shots and it too several minutes to change to percussio firing whilst No 2 gun continued to get off 30 rounds. The German fire was very accurate, the shells hitting the concrete and bouncing over the Battery to explode on the houses and in the field behind. One shell landed next to the doors of teh ammunition locker but fortunatley did not explode. Teh German ships continued to fire on the Battery and the town for about 15 minutes before repossitioning and aiming at the docks and West Hartlepool. The ceasefire was ordered at 8.53, after 38 minutes in action, as the German ships retreated into the mist. Gunner Tyson noted in Ward's book "Dawn raid" "I would like to say a word of praise to our cooks, Billy Sanderson and Arthur Hall. They must have been making tea all the time we were in action. As soon as we stopped firing out came buckets of hot tea." Later that afternoon a group photograph of the gunners was taken 617 Capt. Oscar Trenchmann Durham. Royal Garrison Artillery Capt Trenchman was the Battery Commader at Heugh Battery during the Bombardment of the Hartlepools on the 16th December 1914. He left the battery in 1915 with many of the gunners who had served with him, to join 41st Seige Battery RGA in France, returning to Hartlepool to become fire commander in 1918. His brother Richard also served at Heugh Battery. 627 Sjt. F. W. Mallin MM. Durham. Royal Garrison Artillery Sjt Mallin was awarded the Military Medal for his part in the Bombardment of the Hartlepools on the 16th of December 1914. He was the Gun Captain of the No 2 gun at Heugh Battery. 625 Capt. Jack Farmer Durham. Royal Garrison Artillery Capt Farmer was the gun Captain at the Lighthouse Battery, at Heugh Battery on the 16th of December 1914 during the Bombardment of teh Hartlepools.The third shell from his gun scored a direct hit on the "Bulcher's" forebridge at a distance of some 4,000 yards. 624 Lt -Col. Lancelot Robson DSO. Durham. Royal Garrison Artillery Lt Col Robson was the fire commander of Heugh Battery and also the Battery Medical Officer, being a Doctor in civilian life. He was at home in Hartlepool when the Bombardment began and rushed to the Battery on his bicycl, leaving his breakfast half eaten, when gunfire first sounded. The journey was not an wasy one as the townsfolk were filling the streets, some fleeing away from the coast, others running towards the sea to look at the spectacle. "The guns were going by that time and the first thing that cheered me was the sight of the old battery dog barking away beside the guns! So then I knew that everything was alright" (Northern Daily Mail, 29th March 1935) On reaching the lookout Robson found that the telephone lines had been brought down by the shelling, he had long argued that they should be routed underground, but he was relieved to see that the battery was acting under standing orders, as he could not contact his gunners to issue orders. 639 Cpl. Godfrey Charles Edwards 9 Pack Bty. Royal Garrison Artillery 2nd Pack Brigade. R.G.A. Royal Guard, 1921 9 Pack Battery at Lavington Camp. 9th. P. Bty. RGA These are some photos that I came across when I was going through some of my late Uncle's papers. He was Mr. Godfrey Charles Edwards born in 1899, at Crofton Farm, Great Bedwyn, Marlborough, Wiltshire. At 6ft 4ins tall, he joined the Army during 1914-18 war, becoming a Corporal, and he would appear to be in each of these pictures. In 1921 he was serving with 2nd Pack Brigade. R.G.A. Also I would be very interested in any information anyone may have. 716 Kenneth Henry Alexander Durham RGA caa Battery My grandfather, Kenneth Alexander, Service number 166096, was a member of the Durham RGA, caa Battery, and served from 27.4.1914 until 10.3.1919, being discharged at Dover. A family story says that he worked on the "big guns" at Hartlepool and spent time on active service abroad. I have been unable to find his service record, possibly one of the burned ones, and would be grateful for any information. 771 William Brown Royal Garrison Artillery William Brown probably enlisted in Portsmouth and probably served in Jersey possibly around 1889 before going to McNabs Island, Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1897. On Jersey, they were part complementing four local batteries (Elizabeth Castle?) There is a chance he married there to Alice Jane Mauger. His service number prior to 1914 could be 6942. Assuming he rejoined the service in 1914, his service number could be 296116. That is all the information I have. Can anyone help put me in the right direction or give me further information? 100391 2nd Lt. Peter Robertson Purdie M.C Royal Garrison Artillery (d.17th Aug 1917) My great uncle, Peter Roberson Purdie died in Flanders and is burried at Coxyde Military cemetery in Belgium. I Would like more information about him and about the circumstances of his Award. 824 2nd Lt. Charles Colville Kelly Royal Garrison Artillery This photo includes my husband's grandfather Charles Colville Kelly who joined up in the South African Infantry and as a Private and then the Royal Garrison Artillery as a Second Lt. 104993 Gunner Jack Stallard Royal Garrison Artilery I have been asked to enquire by Joseph Stallard about his uncle Jack Stallard and his brother Robert who served together in the RGA. Robert is the father of my negbour Joseph Stallard. Jack Stallard was badly wounded and discharged but died as a result of his wounds on 20 Oct 1918. The family have always said that he was promoted on the field to W.O., but there is no evidence for this. Can you possibly provide any information or the service records of the two brothers Jack and Robert Stallard, please. Thank you 179013 Gunner Henry Charles Ault Royal Garrison Artilery My grandfather, Henry charles Ault is one of those soldiers whose records apart from medal card are lost. He was a Gunner with the RGA and I believe he was with the seige batt. Mobilised to No 1 Depot, Fort Burgoyne, Dover at the end of August 1916. His Regt no is 115850, Roll RGA/166B. Thats it thats all I have and up until 2 months ago I didn't even know he was a soldier in the 1914-1918 war, I'm sure he was brave and hopefully may even have helped save a life. 196346 Gunner Henry Clarke 103rd TR Battalion Royal Garrison Artillery Sorry I was wondering if you had any pictures of the Guns he may have used during WW1? I know he was based at Dover. His Regimental number was I think 191913. If you can help it would be fantastic. 201188 Gunner Thomas Frederick "Pick" Lawton 45 &138 Siege Battery Royal Garrison Artillery Thomas Lawton, enlisted in the Army at Grange Road Middlesbrough on 9/10/11 when he was aged 18 years & 6months He Trained at Newhaven & was posted to Bermuda from 14/11/12 to 14/11/14. Then he went to to France aboard the SS. Oratava. His brothers James & George are named on Thomas' Military history sheet as next of Kin They both served with the Royal Navy, James Henry Lawton for 22 years 1900 - 1922 and George Robert Lawton served 15 years from 1904 to 1919. 204718 James Hodkinson Royal Garrison Artillery All I know is what my Grand Mother told me, and that is James Hodkinson moved from Wrexham to Bath and served with an Artillery Garrison in Bath ,and he was gassed in the the war. 204715 Cpl Thomas Stroud 141st Siege Battery Royal Garrison Artillery My Grandfather, Thomas Stroud served in the Boer War in the Army and I have the New Testament Bible given to him by Queen Victoria (not in person of course!). He joined the 141 Siege Battery R.G.A. in WW1. I know this much from the trench art bracelet with a German coin soldered onto it made for his wife and engraved on it was 141 S.B.R.G.A. and he made WW1 tank money box and 2 coal-scuttles which I still have. I did not know what the insignia was until today when I looked through the internet. He died in 1945 a few months before I was born so I never got to meet him. My other Grandfather on my mother's side served in WW1 in the R.E.M.E. and I have his diary from the trenches and also some trench art also. 204519 Pte. Charles Francis Royal Garrison Artillery Charles Francis was my grandfather, he served with the RGA and I am trying to trace him for my mother. She was born in 1920. She is the only offspring of Charles Francis and Margaret Annie Kennedy who were married at Mablethorpe in April 1920. 204517 2nd Lt. William James Knox Bell M.C 9th Siege Bty. Royal Garrison Artillery (d.5th Apr 1918) I am trying to obtain more information on William James Knox Nell, whose name appears on our village War Memorial in Orton. The CWGC says that he was Second Lieutenant in 9th Seige Bty. Royal Garrison Artillery and his parents were apparently of Ashbrook, Coltraine. Nothing else is known about him in our small village of Orton in Cumbria. Can anyone help, please? 204496 Gnr. James Worsnip 395th Siege Battery, B3 Royal Garrison Artillery James Worsnip was in the English Artillery Group in Italy. I have a certificate from the Italian Army which awards him with a decoration, It is dated 4 October 1917 and signed by the commandant of the regiment - E. Picconey. I would like to know more about this as he was my grandfather. From Italy he was sent to Mesopotamia in October 1917 and was there at the end of the War. 205311 Bdr. Arthur Duncan Whyte MID. 118th Siege Battery Royal Garrison Artillery My grandfather Arthur Duncan Whyte was a signaller in 118th Siege BAttery RGA served from June 1916 to 1919 just about everywhere on the Somme and Ypres battlefields. His story is told in a book 'Gunfire :Diary of a Siege Gunner' by A.W. Paton and published in 1927. He was a very proud man and spent many hours helping those returned servicemen who did not come away from the war unscathed. The battery was a Scots battery and was raised round Edinburgh in 1915. It was nicknamed the "Crown Nine" battery. 204568 Gnr. Stephen Powell Royal Garrison Artillery I'm searching for information on Stephen Powell of the RGA. Stephen was my wife's Grandfather. We know little other than he was at the Somme and mentioned Flanders. He was also gassed but survived. He was born in 1897, Longton Staffs. 162531 Gnr. Antonio Edward Mussalli Royal Garrison Artillery (d.22nd Apr 1917) I have recently acquired a large portrait photograph of Antonio Mussalli which has the notation of his name, regiment and the day he died at Arras. I would like to trace any family members who may want to have this portrait of one of their ancestors. 187925 Gnr. Arthur Hills "K" Anti-Aircraft Bty. Royal Garrison Artillery (d.17th Oct 1918) Arthur Hills died on 17th Oct 1918 aged 31. I have a card of him with an unknown female, with the writing on the back, to Mary with love dated 02/03/18. I would be interested in any further information 114757 Gnr. Robert Brown Royal Garrison Artillery I have in my possession a world war one medal awarded to Gnr. Brown, 176780, RGA, it was purchased by myself at a car boot sale in Bury, Lancashire, I would appreciate any information that would lead to the recipients family having the medal returned to them. 176376 Dvr. Thomas Hole Y Bty. Royal Garrison Artillery My Granddad Thomas Hole joined in 1916 as a gunner but I don't really know anything more. On a card I have from 1919 he transferred to the reserves at the end of the war and it says one of his specialist military qualifications was as a driver, not that this seems something that would be classed as specialist but maybe then it was. If anyone could help with any information or knows where I could find information that would be a great help and then I could add more to his story. 140742 Ronald Cecil Elliott 144th Heavy Battery Royal Garrison Artillery My father, Ronald Elliott served with the 144th Heavy Battery, RGA, but I can find no record of him at Kew, he did not come home until 1919, having been there from June of 1916, we know this by the postcards he sent to my Mother. He also had four brothers serving in the army, at the same time, one taken prisioner. I can find none of these records either. Any help or suggestions would be gratefully received. Next Page    Last Page

Recomended Reading. Available at discounted prices.

Dawn Raid: Bombardment of the Hartlepools J M Ward An excellent account of the naval bombardment on the 16th of December 1914. More information on: Dawn Raid: Bombardment of the Hartlepools

Guns of the Northeast: Coastal Defences from the Tyne to the Humber Joe Foster A detailed study of the coastal defences of North East England, including accounts of the bombardment of the East coast in 1914, with many excellent photgraphs and diagrams. More information on: Guns of the Northeast: Coastal Defences from the Tyne to the Humber

Bombardment: The Day the East Coast Bled Mark Marsay A well researched book with many personal accounts of the events of the 16th of December 1914 More information on: Bombardment: The Day the East Coast Bled

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