Gunners I Have Known

[Gunner 1]

At the OMSA Convention at Philadelphia in 1996 I gave a talk titled "Gunners I Have Known" that illustrated many of the groups in my collection at that time.  I no longer own the vast majority of them, but I thought that the members of the Forum might enjoy photos and brief write-ups on these groups.  I will try to post one a day until I run out of photos.  

The DSO group of 11 to Colonel O M Harris, RFA.  Served with 81 Battery, RFA during the South Africa War (1899-1902). Commanded A Battery, 75 Brigade, RFA during 1914-15 (DSO, MiD) and 162 Brigade, RFA during 1916 and 1917 until being invalided home due to wounds. After the war he was OC, 1 Brigade, RHA and Commander, RA, 54 (E Anglian Division). Retired in 1930 but served with civil defence during WWII.

 

Edited October 9, 2015 by Gunner 1

[Chris Boonzaier]

Wow.... thats a rack!

[dante]

Great stuff....more please!!

 

[Gunner 1]

Group of eight to Brigadier General Clive Gordon Pritchard,  CMG, DSO, late RA with US Distinguished Service Medal:

            Pritchard was born on 10 August 1871 at Mussoorie, India, the son of Lieut. General Sir Gordon Douglas Pritchard, K.C.B., Colonel Commandant, Royal Engineers and Agnes Marie Pritchard, daughter of W. H. Cox, J. P.  He was educated at Temple Grove, East Sheen, at Malvern College from 1886 to 1889 (Lygon Scholar, House XI Cricket and Football) and at the Royal Military  Academy, Woolwich where he graduated fifth in his class.

            He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant, in the Royal Garrison Artillery on 23 November 1891 and from 1891 to 1898 he was posted to the 4th Company, Southern Division, R. G. A., At Golden Hill, Isle of Wight and at Weymouth.  On 23 November 1894 he was promoted to Lieutenant, R. G. A. From December 1898 to July 1900 he served in India,  as a Lieutenant in No. 5, Mountain Battery, R. G. A. at Kalabagh.  On 4 December 1899 he was promoted to Captain, R. G. A. He served in Hong Kong from July 1900 to October 1901 as a Captain in No.  25 Company, R. G. A. and from October 1901 to April 1902 he served with the company in Singapore.

            Pritchard was the Officer Commanding, Hong Kong Volunteers, with the local rank of Major, from 2 April 1902 to 31 March 1907.  “During the five years he held this appointment his enthusiasm and kindly influence permeated the Corps and endeared him to all ranks.  He did much to raise the standard of efficiency of these units, and helped materially to improve the Corps’ amenities - including the construction of a new headquarters - and its training facilities.”

            He was posted as Adjutant, Royal Artillery, Golden Hill, Isle of Wight from 17 November 1909 to 15 December 1911 and was promoted to Major on 16 December 1911.  From May 1912 to March 1915 he served as the Officer Commanding, 88th Company, R. G. A. in Hong Kong.  “On 30 July 1914 the Company received orders take all steps as ordered for the ‘precautionary stage’. This amounted to movement into various batteries of the parties laid down in the defence scheme which, in general, were designed to guard forts and to be able to man the guns until reinforcements arrived, and the placing in position of such guns of the movable armament as the General Officer Commanding required.  Command telephone lines were connected up and the whole telephone communication system manned by operators.  The declaration of war against Germany was notified to the Company at 0010 hours on 5 August and the Company was immediately ordered to the ‘war stage’.  88th Company, RGA manned the western defences less Stonecutters, 87th Company, RGA manned Stonecutters, and 83rd Company, RGA manned the Eastern defences.  On Hong Kong island there were two 15 pounders QF’s at Mount Kellet manned by 88th Company RGA.” 

            Pritchard was called home in March 1915 and trained No. 16 Heavy Battery, R. G. A., taking it to France on 10 July 1915.  From 5 May 1916 to 31 August 1916 he was Officer Commanding, 23rd Brigade, R. G. A., during the battle of the Somme.  From 8 May 1916 to 30 April 1917 he was appointed as an a Temporary Lieutenant Colonel and was promoted to the substantive rank of Lieutenant Colonel, R. G. A. on 1 May 1917.

            From 1 September 1916 to 2 July 1917 he served as Counter-Battery Staff Officer, 19th Corps.  On 3 July 1917 he was appointed as a Temporary Brigadier General and from then until 15 April 1918, he was posted as Brigadier General, Commanding Heavy artillery,19th Corps.  He “fought his heavy artillery throughout the German offensive which started in March.  He and his batteries fought a most gallant action, down to practically point-blank range, in stopping the enemy’s final attempt to break through and capture Amiens, and by their action helped to save a critical situation.”

            Pritchard was promoted to Brevet Colonel on 1 January1918 and from 16 April 1918 to 2 January1919 he served as Brigadier General, Royal Artillery, General Headquarters, British Army in France.  He was gazetted with the Belgian Croix de Guerre in the London Gazette of 11 May 1918, and made a Commander in the Belgian Order of the Crown  in the London Gazette  of 25 July 1918 “for his work in reorganizing the Belgian artillery and its tactical employment.”

            Pritchard was awarded the United States Distinguished Service Medal with the following citation:  “Brigadier General C. G. Pritchard, British Army, Chief of Artillery, 4th Army, B. E. F.  The valuable services which he rendered to the A. E. F. in supplying our divisions with artillery whilst he was serving as Deputy Chief of Artillery, 4th British Army, will ever be remembered.  Giving us the benefit of his brilliant experience as an artillerist, he made an extended tour of American artillery camps and thereby aided materially in bringing this branch of arms up to the standard required for effective combat.”

            From 3 January 1919 to 9 April 1919, he was posted as Brigadier General, Royal Artillery, 11th Army Corps, British Army in France and from 16 September 1919 to 2 November 1919, he was Brigadier General, Commanding Heavy Artillery, 10th Army Corps, British Army of the Rhine.  He was promoted to substantive Colonel, RGA on 31 August 1920.  From 3 August 1920 to 1 July 1922, Pritchard was the General Officer Commanding, Heavy Artillery, in Aldershot Command and retired as a Brigadier General on 1 July 1922.

            In 1923 he and his family took up residence at Torwood, Collington Rise, Bexhill-on-Sea.  “He lost no time in joining the then newly-formed local branch of the British Legion.  So actively did he identify himself with the aims and objects of the organisation in its work for ex-service men, winning the imediate esteem of his fellow members, that when Captain F. Bond, M. C., relinquished the Presidency of the Branch he was elected his successor, a position he had held ever since, with the exception of a few years during the recent war.  Brigadier General Pritchard was also President of the Little Common British Legion Club, later being succeeded by Brigadier Broad.” 

            “Ever alert for the welfare and expansion of both branch and club, the Brigadier General worked tirelessly for the cause he had so much at heart.  It was largely due to his efforts, and the inspiration and example he set that funds were raised which made possible the various extensions to the club premises whcih today are the envy of many Sussex branches in districts with a far greater membership and population.”  The annual Poppy Day collection, however, was his ‘first love’ and each year, in spite of his advancing age, he planned months ahead to increase the proceeds for the Earl Haig’s Fund. 

            As organizer of the Little Common and Cooden collections, he spared no pains to make each year’s financial result a new record.  Some indication of how he succeeded, with the help of many willing collectors and generous-minded residents, is given by the fact that recent district collections were more than treble those of 1925 and thereabouts.  Brigadier General Pritchard had already taken preliminary steps with regard to next November’s collections locally - so keen was his interest - in spite of the fact that he was also busily engaged in assisting the war memorial fund appeal.” 

            As Branch President, he took the greatest interest in all spheres of Legion activity, attending committee meetings in all weathers and closely concerning himself with the welfare of his ex-service men.  Possessed of a charming personality, courteous and fair in all of his dealings, self effacing and without a trace of “side,” Brigadier General Pritchard was the ideal officer.  The branch has suffered a grievous loss by his death, and his memory will long be cherished by its members.”  He was also a member of the United Service Club.

            “Soon after coming to Little Common, Brigadier General Pritchard closely associated himself with St. Mark’s Church.  In 1925 he was appointed Rector’s Warden, an office he held with devotion and distinction until obliged to relinquish it early in 1947, when he moved to Bexhill.  He had represented St. Mark’s on the Diocesan Council, and so highly were his services to the Church valued by his fellow parishioners that when he resigned his wardenship he received a presentation from them.  A book accompanying the gift was signed by all the donors, and bore the inscription: “we who are residents in the Parish of St. Mark and worshippers in the parish Church, wish to place on record our great regard and affection for Brig.-General C. B. Pritchard, CMG, DSO; we thank God for the work he has done for the Church and for the example he has set us during the 22 years (1925-1947) he has held the office of Church-Warden.  We shall always remember him for his kindness, courtesy, wise counsel and care for the highest interests of the Church.  Easter, 1947.”  He continued to attend St. Mark’s Sunday by Sunday up to within a week or two of his death.

            One of Brigadier General Pritchard’s great interests in his retirement was golf, and he became Secretary of Cooden Beach Golf Club in 1927, serving in that capacity for several years.  He was also a keen bridge player. 

            In 1901, he married Edith the daughter of Reverend John Ellershaw of Clifton, Bristol and they had two daughters:  Una and Dulcie, who died on 6 July 1914.   Edith was the sister of Brigadier General Arthur Ellenshaw, CB, CMG, DSO, Royal Artillery.

            On Thursday, 26 August 1948 “he was taken ill and removed to the hospital on Saturday for an immediate operation.  At first he made satisfactory progress, but on Monday his condition changed for the worse and steadily deteriorated.”  He died very suddenly at Buchanan Hospital, St. Leonards, Bexhill on Tuesday, 31 August 1948. 

            His funeral took place privately at Charing Crematorium on Saturday at noon and the service was conducted by the Reverend G. N. Standish, the Rector of St. Mark’s.  The funeral director was Mr. J. F. Towner, of Longley and Co., St. Leonards-Road and a poppy wreath was sent by the local chapter of the British Legion.  A memorial service was held at St. Mark’s Church, Little Common, Bexhill on Tuesday, 7 September 1948 at 11:00 am; the reactor paid tribute to the life and work of Brigadier General Pritchard.  The local newspaper indicated that “Bexhill, and Little Common in particular, are indeed the poorer for his passing, and there is widespread sympathy with his widow and daughter.” 

Sources:

Army Lists

London Gazette

Medal Index Card

The Times, 4 September 1948

Last Will and Testament of C. G. Pritchard

Distinguished Service Order, 1886-1923

Gunners of Hong-Kong (Photos, p. 77, 82, 95, 98)

History of Royal Regiment of Artillery, Western Front, 1914-1918

List of Officers who have received commissions in the Royal Regiment of

         from June, 1862 to June, 1914, Volume II

Malvern College Register, 1865-1924

Who Was Who, 1941-1950

Malvern College Register, 2^nd Supplement, 1949

Who’s Who in Sussex

[dante]

Wonderful just wonderful

[Gunner 1]

Brigadier General Arthur Baron Forman, CMG, DSO (late RA)

Arthur Baron Forman was born at Edinburgh on 26 September 1873, the son of Robert Forman and Eliza Anne Forman (née Slee). He was educated at St. Paul’s School and at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich. On 14 March 1894 he was commissioned in the Royal Artillery and was posted to 25th Company, Western Division, RGA. at Cape Town.

    On 6 January1897 he embarked for Mauritius, and eventually Bombay, on the Royal Indian Marine Troopship Warren Hastings.  The ship carried half of a Battalion of the King’s Royal Rifle Corps, half a Battalion of the York and Lancaster Regiment and a detachment of the Middlesex Regiment. A good passage was had until the morning of 13 January when the glass fell, the wind shifted to the south and visibility was reduced. At 0220 a violent shudder was felt throughout the ship, which had gone aground on the rocky coast of what was later determined to be the island of Reunion. At 0415 the ship began to heel to starboard and 20 minutes later the electric lights went out. By 0500 those men on the decks on the starboard side were knee deep in water. Nonetheless, the discipline for which the British soldier is famed prevailed, and the disembarkation, primarily by ropes tied to the shore or by swimming the 30 yards to shore, was accomplished without a single fatality.

   There were many instances of bravery in saving or attempting to save lives from drowning and the particular circumstances of Second Lieutenant Forman’s actions are contained in the report from Lieutenant Colonel Forestier-Walker, the commander of troops on the vessel, who wrote: 

Mr. Tyler, the bandmaster, 1st Battalion, King’s Royal Rifles, was in the water, on the starboard side, and unable to make any headway against the backwash of the waves, or to get near the shore.  Lieutenant Gosling, 1st Battalion, King’s Royal Rifles, endeavoured to reach him, but after going some 20 yards was washed back, thrown on the rocks and injured. 2nd Lieutenant Forman, Royal Artillery, at once went in with a rope and a life bouy, and swimming out to Mr. Tyler, gave him a bouy. When, however, the men on the shore began to haul on the rope, it parted. 2nd Lieutenant Forman stayed with Mr. Tyler, and Lieutenant Gosling then made a second attempt to reach him, failed and was brought ashore. 2nd Lieutenant Bayley, York and Lancaster Regiment, then swam out with a rope, and the whole three were then brought close in to the shore, when 2nd Lieutenant Forman and Bayley were hauled up onto the rocks, over which the sea was washing.¹

  Second Lieutenant Forman and 16 others were awarded the Silver Medal of the Royal Humane Society and with five others he received the Society of Lloyd’s Medal for Lifesaving at Sea in silver.  He and two other officers were the only ones to receive both of these medals. Lieutenant Forman was also mentioned in Special Army Order Number 40 of 13 March 1897.

   From January 1897 to January 1901 Forman served in India with 72nd Field Battery, RFA at Kirkee and with F Battery, RHA at Sealkote.  He then embarked for South Africa where he served as a Captain in 64th Battery, V Brigade, Royal Field Artillery from January1901 until October 1902.  He took part in operations in the Orange River Colony in 1901 and early 1902.  From February 1902 to 31 May 1902 he participated in operations in the Transvaal and Orange River Colony. 

   Forman returned to India in October 1902 where he served with 64th Battery, RFA at Barrackpore, Bengal and with I Battery, Royal Horse Artillery at Jubbulpore and Umballa from until March 1906.  From April 1906 until April 1909 he was adjutant, VIII Brigade, RHA at Aldershot and from 1909 to 1910 served as a captain in A Battery (Chestnut Troop), RHA.  at Aldershot. Promoted to major on 24 December 1910, he was officer commanding, 110th Battery, XXIV Brigade, RFA at Ballincollig and Newbridge from 1911 until 1913. 

   Forman obtained his Royal On 16 December 1912 while serving with 110th Battery he was considered an "excellent choice" for selection for the Royal Flying Corps, when the General Officer Commanding, 5th Division stated that the "applicant is an excellent officer with plenty of nerve.” He was appointed a major in the Royal Flying Corps Reserves on 14 August 1913 and held that appointment until 31 March 1918.

   On 6 March 1914, he was appointed officer commanding, E Battery, RHA at Newbridge and went to France with that unit on 15 August 1914, where it served with the Cavalry Division.  At 1100 hours on 22 August 1914 the battery fired the first round from the British artillery on the Western Front when it was in action near Bray. ‘D’ sub-section opened fire on some German guns that were shelling Personnes, but the range was excessive and the battery soon ceased fire.  The German guns returned the fire and wounded one of the battery’s horses in the head.

   During the morning of 24 August 1914 the Germans tried to outflank the British Expeditionary Force and the 16th Lancers supported by the center section of E Battery, RHA was ordered to positions along the Angre-Audregies Road to fill the gap between the 5th Division and the 2nd Cavalry Brigade.  They took up position between Witheries and Audregnies Wood, but the section never was able to take an active part in the engagement. Every time the two guns attempted to come into action they were at once seen and subjected to heavy gunfire that forced them back under cover. In spite of the enemy’s fire, the section received no casualties. 

   The other two sections of the battery supported the 4th Hussars and the 5th Lancers in a dismounted attack down the Grande Honnelle Valley. The right and left sections of E Battery unlimbered in the open south of the Angre Road and the fire of the two sections, under Lieutenants C.L.T. Walwyn and E.B. Maxwell, did serious damage to the enemy while suffering no loss to themselves.

   As the afternoon wore on the Germans continued to press their attack up the Grande Honnelle Valley and the right and left sections of the battery found they could do little to retard the enemy from their positions near the Angre Road, as the valley was dead ground from the guns. To remedy this, Lieutenant Walwyn moved his section to the westward brow of the spur and brought two guns in action looking directly down the valley.  Immediately after this Lieutenant Maxwell shifted his section, unlimbering to the left rear of the other section. Although both sections were in action in the open the German guns never succeeded in locating them and "for a vital part of the afternoon these four guns materially assisted in holding back any wide envelopment of the British left." The two sections had fired nearly 350 rounds during the afternoon.  Upon the retirement of the 3rd Cavalry Brigade at about 5:00 pm both sections limbered-up and came out of action without any casualties. The battery collected at Angre Station with 3rd Cavalry Brigade and retired with them to Wargnies le Grand, five miles east of Bavai, where it halted for the night.

   On 25 August the battery continued its retirement, passing through le Quesnoy and Romeries and finally stopping for the night southwest of Le Cateau. At 4 am on the morning of 26 August 1914 the battery was ordered to the right flank of the British lines and took up a position in the bed of a stream, south of Le Cateau.  Between 6 am and 9 am the Battery moved with General Briggs and the 1st Cavalry Brigade to the north of Escaufort where it unlimbered in a covered position and fired a few rounds whenever the opportunity arose.  From noon to 1:45 pm it was in action covering the Honnechy Valley. Around 3:00 pm E Battery, RHA went into action astride the road north of Escaufort and opened fire on a German column which was advancing against the British right flank and succeeded in arresting the movement of the enemy.  When the 5th Division passed through the battery position, both E and l Batteries, RHA retired onto the high ground to the east of the Honnichy-Busigny Road. At 7:00 pm the whole force moved via Busigny and Brancourt to Ramicourt where it halted for the night.    

   During 27 and 28 August 1914 the battery withdrew south of the Somme with the rest of the British Expeditionary Force, and on the afternoon of 28 August set up an ambush of the enemy with the 4th Hussars some 35 miles from Le Cateau. On 1 September, in position south of Betz, the battery supported by D Battery, DHA drove off six Squadrons of German cavalry with their fire and on 4 September the battery caught a German battery in action and totally destroyed it.

   In late October and early November during the 1st Battle of Ypres the battery, with H and J Batteries, RHA supported the defence of Messines Ridge by dismounted cavalry. In the London Gazette of 1 December 1914, Major Forman was awarded the Distinguished Service Order "for exceptionally good work during the operations of 23 October to 4 November 1914 near Messines, during which time he did splendid work directing and observing fire, day after day, from a very exposed position under heavy enemy fire."  He was decorated by The King at 10:30 am, 2 December 1914, on the occasion of His Majesty’s visit to the 5th Cavalry Brigade at Chateau La Motte, the Cavalry Corps Headquarters.  His Distinguished Service Order was the first one awarded to an officer of the Royal Horse Artillery during the Great War. 

   In early March 1915 Field Marshal Sir John French addressed E Battery, RHA as follows:

Officers, non-commissioned officers, and men, it gives me unbounded pleasure to address a battery which has distinguished itself so much as yours.

  Right from Mons to Ypres you have fought in every engagement against a powerful and crafty foe, and at every turn you have always added fresh laurels to the regiment’s honour.  No place has been too hot for you, and when I have called upon you to defend a position of the utmost gravity, I have never called upon you in vain.  The way in which your gallant gunners fought a rear-guard action to ensure safety of the Expeditionary Force on the now famous retirement, every day, after long, forced marches, will always rank amongst the most brilliant achievements of our splendid Army.  You have fought in this campaign as no other soldiers in the world could have done.  I sincerely hope you have seen the worst and most strenuous part of the campaign; but if ever I have to call upon you again to undergo the hardships of the past four months, I confidently know that I shall not call in vain.  Officers and men of “E”, I am proud to command such a splendid body of men.²

   Forman left E Battery, RHA. on 19 September 1915 to take command of I Battery, Royal Horse Artillery. Forman was appointed temporary lieutenant colonel on 21 October 1915 and was posted as officer Commanding, XC Brigade in the 20th Divisional Artillery from January 1916 to 28 April 1916.  He took command of VII Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery (and was also commander, Royal Horse Artillery, 1st Cavalry Division) from 29 April 1916 until 16 September 1916 when he was hospitalized because of a wound he received on 15 September 1916. From 16 October 1916 to 17 July 1917 he commanded CXII Brigade, RFA in the 25th Divisional Artillery during the operations around Messines. From 18 July 1917 until 27 March 1919 he was temporary brigadier general and commander royal artillery of the 49th Division.

On 11th October [1918], in First Army, 2nd Canadian Division attacked across the river supported by five field artillery brigades from 4th and 49th Divisions and 147th Army Brigade, R. F. A., all under Brigadier General A.B. Forman, Commander, Royal Artillery, 49th Division. It was not far from here that, four years previously, when commanding “E” Battery, R. H. A., he had fired the first round of the war. The attack went well until a powerful German counter-attack with tanks and infantry forced the Canadians back some 2,000 yards. Brig. Gen. Forman galloped three field batteries to the threatened area. These swung round into action opening direct fire into the tanks, which at once retired carrying the German infantry with them.³

Forman was appointed Commander of the Order of St. Michael and St. George in the London Gazette of 3 June 1918. He reverted to his substantive rank of lieutenant colonel after the war and in 1920 was officer commanding, IV Brigade, RHA at Newbridge. On 1 January1921, while serving in Ireland, he completed four years service in command and was placed on half pay.

 

On 1 November 1923 he was restored to full pay and assumed the duties of commander Royal Artillery, 4th Division, Eastern Command at Colchester, Essex. He was again placed on half pay on 1 November 1927, but instead, elected to retire in the rank of brigadier general with retired pay of £719 per annum.   Forman died at The Cottage, St. Osyth, Essex on 27 April 1951 and his effect at probate were £10,074 6s 8d. His obituary in the Royal Artillery Regimental News stated that:

Arthur Forman was the outstanding regimental officer of his day and a Horse Artilleryman "par excellence". He was utterly regardless of his own advancement and cared little for the opinion of his seniors. To his juniors, he was loyal to a fault, and it was little wonder that he won their admiration and devotion; and from him they learnt how to soldier pleasantly and efficiently. He had a nerve of iron which remained unshaken by his experiences in war and peace.⁴ 

References:

Allardyce, M.B. (1921), University of Aberdeen Roll of Service in Great War 1914-1919. Aberdeen: Aberdeen University Press

Becke, Maj A.F. (1919), The Royal Regiment of Artillery at Le Cateau, Wednesday, 26th August 1914. Woolwich, London: The Royal Artillery Institution

Boisseau, H.E., compiler (1938), The Prudential Staff and the Great War. London: The Prudential Assurance Company Limited.

Creagh, Sir O’M. (1978), Distinguished Service Order, 1886-1923. London: J.B. Hayward & Son

Extract of Annual Report of Royal Humane Society for the Year 1897

Earle, Capt E.G. (1919), History of the 20th Divisional Artillery, 1914-1919. Woolwich, London: The Royal Artillery Institution

Farndale, Gen Sir Martin, KCB (1986), History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery: Western Front 1914-1918. Woolwich, London: The Royal Artillery Institution

Fevyer, W. ‘Public Record Office File MT9.1267/M1000/1919 or the Wreck of the Warren Hastings.’ Life Saving Awards Research Society Journal, June 1990, no. 9, p 25-77

Gardiner, Rev R.B. (1906), The Admission Registers of St. Paul’s School from 1876 to 1905. London: George Bell and Sons

Becke, Major A.F., ‘The Flank-Guard Action at Audregnies’, Journal of the Royal Artillery, v. 69, no. 3, p. 207-226; no. 4, p. 254-272

Kincaid-Smith, Lt Col M. (1918), The 25th Division in France and Flanders. London: Harrison and Sons

R. A. Institution Leaflet, March, 1915, p. 212

Lloyd’s Weekly Shipping Index, 22 January 1897

Magnus, Laurie (1920), West Riding Territorials in the Great War. London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner & Co., Ltd

Morgan, Col F.C., editor (1914), List of Officers of the Royal Regiment of Artillery from June, 1862 to June, 1914, Volume II. Woolwich, London: The Royal Artillery Institution.

R. A. Regimental News, June 1951, p. 172

The War Diary of ‘E’ Battery, Royal Horse Artillery 5th August 1914-31st October 1919. (E Battery, RHA history room).

Footnotes:

1. W. Fevyer, ‘Public Record Office File MT9.1267/M1000/1919 or the Wreck of the Warren Hastings.’ Life Saving Awards Research Society Journal, June 1990, no. 9, p. 67-68

2.  R. A. Institution Leaflet, March, 1915, p. 212

3. General Sir M. Farndale, KCB (1986). History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery: Western Front 1914-1918. Woolwich, London: The Royal Artillery Institution, p. 304-305

4.  R. A. Regimental News, June 1951, p. 172

 

[dante]

These would make a great book, more please

[Gunner 1]

 

 

Lieutenant Colonel Richard Augustus Spencer, OBE, DSO, RFA  

Officer of the British Empire (Military, Type II)

Distinguished Service Order (George V)

British War Medal (Major)

WW1 Victory Medal with M. I. D. Emblem (Major)

1939 - 1945 Star

France and Germany Star

Defence Medal

1939 - 1945 War Medal

Spencer was born on 14 December 1888, the son of the late Lieutenant Colonel Augustus Campbell Spencer (1851-1912), 5th Lancers and 1st Dragoon Guards and Hilda Grant-Thorold Spencer.  He was the grandson of General The Honourable Augustus Almerick Spencer, G. C. B., 3rd son of the first Baron Churchill (1807-1893).  He was educated at St. Clare’s, Walmer and Wellington College from 1902-1907.  He entered the Royal Military Academy at Woolwich in 1907 and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant, Royal Field Artillery on 23 July 1909.      

He served in the 7th (Howitzer) Battery at Jhansi, India from September 1909 to 1911 and from 1911 to 1913 was a 2nd Lieutenant in No. 12 (Howitzer) Ammunition Column, Royal Field Artillery also at Jhansi, India.   He was with the 77th Howitzer Battery, 6th Howitzer Brigade, Royal Field Artillery  at Agra and Meerut from 1913 to at least August 1914.  Spencer went to France on 16 February 1916 as Officer Commanding of a  battery and served in that position until 26 July 1918.  From 27 July 1918 to 22 April 1919 he served as a Brigade Major, Royal Artillery in France.           

He was an Adjutant, 1st Northumbrian Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, Territorial Force from 4 March 1920 until 13 September 1920 and from 25 September 1920 to 16 January1925 was attached to the Egyptian Army as Assistant District Commissioner of the Sudan Government at Bahr el Ghazal Province.        

From 17 January 1925 until 24 September 1927 he was Major (Bambashi) Intelligence Department, Sudan Government at Khartoum and then was Officer Commanding, ‘V’ Battery, 8th Brigade in the Second Division at Brighton.  He was Major, 1st Training Brigade, Depot, Royal Artillery at Woolwich from 1930 to at least 1933, and in 1933 his address was Lascombe, Puttenham, Guildford and he was a member of the Army and Navy Club.  From 1934 to 1936 he was a Major and Officer Commanding of 14th Howitzer Battery, 4th Medium Brigade, Royal Artillery at Brockhurst.

From 1936 to 1938 he was Officer Commanding of 8th  Field Brigade, Lucknow.  On 1 August 1939 “on completion of tenure of service as a Regimental Lieutenant Colonel [he] was placed on the half-pay list,” but on 27 September 1939 he was “restored to full pay.” He formed and commanded the 124th  Officer Cadet Training Unit at Landrindad Wells from 27 September 1939 to December 1943 and in 1944 and 1945 he served in Northwestern Europe.  In The London Gazette  of 9 August 1945 he was Mentioned in Despatches “in recognition of gallant and distinguished service in North-West Europe.”

On 11 November 1945, “having exceeded the age limit of liability to recall, [he] ceased to belong to the Reserve of Officers, and is granted the honourary rank of Colonel.”

Spencer married Maud Evelyn, the daughter of Lieutenant Colonel Henry Lushington Ramsay of 17 Sussex Square, London W2 at St. James Church, Paddington on 12 September 1925 and they had two sons.  Richard Harry Ramsay Spencer was born in 1926 and Charles Geoffrey Campbell Spencer was born in 1928.  They both served as Lieutenants in the Coldstream Guards.   In 1949 Spencer lived at Sylvan Lodge, Puttenham, Guildford. He died on 25 February 1956 at Sylven Lodge, Puttenham, Guildford. His widow was still living in 1980 at Flat 16, Melton Court, London SW 3.

His brother, Lieutenant Colonel Edward Almeric Spencer, graduated from the Royal Military Academy at Woolwich in 1911 and was commissioned in the Royal Artillery in 1912.  He was a prisoner of war from 1914 to 1918 and retired in 1938.  During World War Two he was recalled to active duty and served in Moscow and was at Normandy.  In 1945 he was gazetted an Officer of the Order of the British Empire.

Sources:

Army Lists

London Gazette

Medal Index Card

Distinguished Service Order, 1886-1923

List of Officers who have received commissions in the Royal Regiment of

         from June, 1862 to June, 1914, Volume II

Royal Artillery Commemoration Book, 1939-1945

Soldiers of the Nile

Wellington College Register, 1859-1962         

[dante]

Interesting any idea what he did in WW2

[Tony]

Yes please keep them coming.

Tony

[Gunner 1]

Brigadier General Alfred Henry Ollivant, Royal Garrison Artillery

 

Commander, Order of the Bath (Silver gilt, neck) (Military)

Commander, Order of St. Michael & St. George (Silver gilt, Neck)

Africa General Service Medal with: Somaliland 1902-04 (Captain, RGA)

1914 Star with bar (Lieut. Colonel, R. G. A.)

British War Medal (Brig. Gen., R. A.)

World War1 Victory Medal with M. I. D. Emblem (Brig. Gen., R. A.)

Order of St. Anne, 2nd Class (Russia) (missing from the group)

C. B.                                          LG   3 June 1919  

C. M. G.                                     LG   2 February 1916

O St. Anne, 2 Class (Russia)     LG   1 June 1917

M. I. D.            LG   5 December 1914

                        LG   5 August 1916

                        LG 14 December 1917

                         LG   5 July 1919

Ollivant was born at Moral Mutra, North West Provinces of India on 19 October 1871, the son of Colonel Alfred Ollivant of the Indian Army and Mary, daughter of Colonel Davis.  He was also the grandson of the Right Reverend Alfred Ollivant, the late Bishop of Llandaff.  He was educated at Tudor House, Cambridge Park and Winchester College.  On 26 September 1889 was appointed a Gentleman Cadet at the Royal Military College, Woolwich.  He was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Garrison Artillery on 23 November 1891.  He served with 10th Company, Southern Division, Royal Garrison Artillery at Fort Grange, Gosport and Cork Harbour from 1892 to 1894.  He then joined 19th Company, Southern Division, Royal Garrison Artillery at Cold Harbour and in September 1897 he went with that unit to Malta and served there until December 1898.  He then joined the 2nd Mountain Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery at Quetta, India where he served until February 1900.  He served in Malta with No. 1 Company, Southern Division, Royal Garrison Artillery from February 1900 until November 1901 and was a Captain in the Mountain Depot, Royal Garrison Artillery in Newport during 1901 and 1902.   After going to India, he served as a Captain and Officer Commanding of No. 5 Mountain Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery at Jutogh, Punjab and Rawal Pindi, Punjab from April 1902 until January1904. He served as a Captain in Number 3 Company, British Mounted Infantry of the Somaliland Field Force in East Africa from 30 January1904 to 9 July 1904.  From 1904 to 1906 he was serving as a Captain with No. 17 Company, Royal Garrison Artillery at Sheerness. 

From 1907 to 1908 he was a student at the Staff College.  During 1908 and 1909 he was attached as a Captain to 108th Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery at Fort Fareham and from 1 September 1909 to 6 August 1911 he was employed as a General Staff Officer, 2nd Grade to the Inspector General, West African Frontier Force.  From 7 August 1911 until 5 January1913 he was a General Staff Officer, 3rd Class with the Directorate of Military Operations, Imperial General staff at the War Office. 

He then was War Office Liaison Officer at the Admiralty  where he served with the Royal Naval Division as a General Staff Officer , 2nd Grade from 6 January1913 until 3 August 1914 and was a member of the Admiralty Standing Committee for Administration of the Naval Division.   He was appointed General Staff Officer, 1st Grade (GSO 1) of the Royal Naval Division from 4 August 1914 until 28 February 1916 and went to Antwerp with the Royal Marine Brigade in mid-September 1914. He was Mentioned in Despatches on 5 December 1914 “for good services during operations round Antwerp from the 3rd to the 9th October 1914”. 

He went to Gallipoli with the Royal Naval Division and on 24 April 1915, he and Major G. S. Richardson, on board the HMS Kennett, carried out a detailed reconnaissance of landing places on the north side of the gulf.   For services in the Dardanelles he was Mentioned in Despatches on 5 August 1916. 

From 1 March 1916 to 31 October 1916 Ollivant served as a General Staff Officer, 1st Grade in the Military Operations Directorate of the War Office.  He served in France in 1916 and 1917 and was mentioned in Field Marshal Haig’s despatch of 14 December 1917 for “distinguished and gallant services and devotion to duty” with the British Armies in France from 26 February 1917 to midnight 20/21 September 1917.  He served as General Staff Officer, 1st Grade on the Supreme War Council, Versailles from 22 December 1917 to 16 July 1918 and as Brigadier, Royal Artillery, Heavy Artillery, 10th Corps, British Armies in France from 17 July 1918 until his death.

He qualified as a First Class 1nterpreter of French in April 1905 and as a First Class 1nterpreter of German in July 1909.  He died of apoplexy on 31 August 1919 at 30 bury Street, St. James, London and was cremated.  His remains were buried at Folkstone Old Cemetary in Kent.  He was unmarried and at the time of his death he lived at the Army and Navy Club, 36-39 Pall Mall, Middlesex.  He left £26,575 to his cousin, Edith Mary Douglas, the wife of Clifford Hugh Douglas.  His uncle was Colonel Edward A. Ollivant, R. A.

Sources:

Army Lists

London Gazette

Medal Index Card

Journal of Royal Artillery, Volume XXX, pages 36-38

The Gunner, September 1919, page 238.

The Times, 2 September 1919, p. 13

Britain’s Sea Soldiers, 1927

CWGC Record of Commemoration

History of Royal Regiment of Artillery, Western Front, 1914-1918

Last Will and Testament of Brig. General A. H. Ollivant

List of Officers who have received commissions in the Royal Regiment of Artillery from June, 1862 to June, 1914, Volume II

Research Report from John L. Arnold, 31 July 1988

The Royal Naval Division, 1923

Who Was Who, 1916-1928

Winchester College, 1834-1934, A Register

Wykhemist War Service Roll, 1919

Edited October 14, 2015 by Gunner 1

[dante]

Cheers Dick, 

[Gunner 1]

Dante: Re: Colonel R A Spencer. As indicated in the write-up he was OC of 124 OCTU for four years and then was in NW Europe but at the time I disposed of the group I had not determined in what position he served there. There is a recommendation for his OBE for services in NW Europe at The National Archives which would indicate his position at the time of that award but as these records did not become available until after I had disposed of the group I have not ventured to spend the £3.30 to download the recommendation.

Regards, Gunner 1

[Gunner 1]

Lieutenant Colonel Charles Victor Stewart, OBE, MC**, RGA

Officer, Order of British Empire, Type 2, Military

Military Cross (George V) with two bars

1914-1915 Star (2.Lieut., RGA)

British War Medal (Major)

WWI Victory Medal with M. I. D. Emblem (Major)

1939-1945 Star

France and Germany Star

Defence Medal

1939-1945 War Medal with M. I. D. Emblem

OBE                                       LG   1 February 1945

Military Cross                         LG 25 August 1916

         1st Bar                          LG 26 July 1917

         2nd Bar                         LG 16 September 1918           

Stewart was born in Wales but went to St. Petersburg, Russia with his family in 1890.  They owned mills and timber land in northern Russia. He was educated at Harrow School from 1899 t0 1904 and took military training with the Harrow School Voluntary Rifle Corps.  In July 1904 he left Harrow and went to Oranienbaun to join the family timber business. In November 1914 he returned to England and was commissioned in the Royal Garrison Artillery on 23 November 1914.  He took gunnery instruction at Sheerness and in May 1915 was posted to 26 Siege Battery at Lydd.

On 1 August 1915 he went to France as a forward observation officer with 26 Siege Battery which was on a line between Armentieres and Laventie for the battle of Loos.  On 15 October 1915 he moved to the Somme area with the battery. While acting as a forward observation officer at an observation point on 25 December 1915 he saw a massive parade of enemy troops on the slope of Mt. St. Quentin.  He fired two rounds which burst on the parade ground dispersing all of the troops.  On 1 July 1916, the first day of the Somme,  he was wounded in the left shoulder.  At Arrow Head Copse on 2 July 1916 four infantry troops sheltering in a deep trench were buried by the collapse of the parapet when it was hit by a shell. Stewart, his signalman and another officer frantically tried to dig them out, saving three of the four men, but he was hit in the throat with a shell splinter.   He received the Military Cross

“for conspicuous gallantry on 14 July 1916 during operations on the Somme.  When unable to carry out his duties as forward observing officer, he volunteered and led forward a party of infantry in the attack after they had been hung up, and remained to consolidate the position won.  He was slightly wounded.” 

On 26 July 1916 he was posted to 6 Siege Battery in Trones Wood as second-in-command.  On 28 September 1916 the battery moved north to the “northern circus”.  On 1 March 1917 he became officer commanding, 179 Siege Battery near Ypres, and on 12 May 1917 at Messines it hit a German battery and destroyed it.  As an Acting Major in June 1917 he was awarded a bar to the Military Cross

 “for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty during the ypres operation.  He showed great ability and accuracy in directing the fire of his own and other batteries.  His calmness and coolness under heavy fire were at all times admirable, and when very severely wounded in the leg and sent to the hospital, his services were very greatly missed.”

Due to this wound he was shipped to England and spent two and a half months in No. 4 General Hospital and another two months in recuperation.  For a short time he served as commanding officer of a training battery at Deepcut but in October 1917 he went back to France as Officer Commanding, 32 Siege Battery, RGA.  In that capacity   he was awarded a second bar to the Military Cross

“for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty during an enemy attack on 9 april 1918 at lys.  Under very heavy fire he saw to his only remaining gun being made useless, destroyed all papers and records, and superintended the evacuation of his wounded, remaining behind alone and covering the removal by rifle fire, he behaved splendidly.” 

In this action his battery lost 14 killed, 22 wounded, four gassed and one prisoner out of a total strength of four officers and 91 other ranks.  The four forward guns were only 900 yards from the enemy trenches and his position was under very heavy enemy fire for 4 hours, but the remaining guns continue firing for over four hours after the surrounding batteries had been captured by the enemy.  He and 28 of his men then held a river crossing for four hours before retreating back behind British lines.  Besides Stewart’s bar to the Military Cross, his battery received a Distinguished Conduct Medal, six Military Medals, and a Military Cross for this action.  In June 1918 he caught a dose of trench fever and was hospitalized in No. 1 General Hospital in Boulogne for five days.  At the end of July 1918 he left 32 Siege Battery and returned to England.

Stewart left for Russia in August 1918; arriving at Archangel he became an assistant to General Ewart and liaison officer to the Russian artillery.  He was instrumental in developing Russian artillery in northern Russia and also took part in the battle of Kurgomin.  On 27 July 1919 he left Archangel and returned to England where he was demobilized. 

After leaving the army he continued in the family business, spending half the year in Russia and the other half in England.  In December 1925 the family business in Russia was nationalized and he left for the United Kingdom.  From 1926 to 1939 he worked in the timber exporting business and as an arbitrator for the Timber Trade Federation in the United Kingdom. 

On 5 September 1939 he volunteered for service and was commiss1oned a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Engineers.  He took training at Longmoor and then joined No. 4 Docks Operating Group.  In 1940 when Norway was invaded by the Germans he was sent to Namsos, Norway with four officers and 125 men, but was evacuated when Norway was taken.  During the period of the Dunkirk evacuation he was ordered to form a “mobile column” to hold enemy invasion forces until the main British forces could be deployed.  In August 1940 he was detailed to take a transportation company of 300 men to Iceland and in early 1942 was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and appointed Assistant Director of Transportation, I Corps and had four assault tranportation companies under him who were training for the Normandy assault.  On 6 June 1944 he sailed for Normandy in a ship towing a landing pontoon and at 1000 hours landed with the assault transportation companies and proceeded to recon the port of Courcelles to inspect the facilities. In 1945 he became an Officer of the Order of the British Empire “ in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in n. W. Europe” as senior officer in charge of “D-Day” transport. “ After two weeks at Normandy he was ordered gack to the War Office, but a week later he was hit in the head by a splinter from an exploding ‘buzz bomb’.

Late in June 1944 he was posted as Assistant Director of Transportation to General Thorne’s Norway liberation forces and accompanied the troops to Norway in May 1945. He was promoted Colonel on 11 December 1945 and appointed as Port Superintendent, No. 2 Military Port, Cairnryan, Stranraer, Scotland.  On 1 August 1948 he was demobilized.

[Fala]

Dear Gunner 1,

I hope you are well. 

In your post of 9th Oct 2015 ‘Gunners I have known’ you give details and a photograph of the medals of Col O M Harris. I wonder if you would know where these medals are located? I am his great-grand-daughter and have recently been researching family history. 
I appreciate your help. 
 

[QSAMIKE]

Hello Gunner 1........

 

Here is an interesting artillery piece in my collection.....

 

NEWBIGGING, P.C.E. (PATRICK CHARLES ERIC)

 

RANK: COLONEL

REGT: 7th BRIGADE, ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY

BARS: CAPE COLONY

 

 

REMARKS / HISTORY:

1. BORN - May 21st, 1850

2. APPOINTED AS GENTLEMAN CADET THE ROYAL MILITARY ACADEMY, WOOLWICH, August 11th, 1868.

3. COMMISSIONED AS LIEUTENANT IN THE ROYAL ARTILLERY, August 2nd, 1871.

4. 1880 to September 1881, "A" BATTERY ROYAL HORSE ARTILLERY, WOLLWICH.

5. CAPTAIN, ROYAL ARTILLERY, June 11th, 1881.

6. September 1881 to December 1882, CAPE COLONY.

7. January 1883 to November 1884, "L" BATTERY, ROYAL HORSE ARTILLERY, 2nd BRIGADE, ALDERSHOT.

8. November 1884 to August 1885, BECHUANALAND WITH MOUNTED RIFLES.

9. MAJOR, ROYAL ARTILLERY, December 21st, 1886.

10. November 1885 to 1889, OFFICER COMMANDING, 10th BATTERY, 1st BRIGADE, LONDON DIVISION.

11. 1889 to 1897, OFFICER COMMANDING, 63rd BATTERY, ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY, COLCHESTER.

12. LIEUTENANT-COLONEL, February 15th, 1897.

13. APPOINTED, LIEUTENANT COLONEL ARTILLERY FOR INDIA.

14. WOOLWICH, ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY, 1898.

15. COMMANDING, VII BRIGADE, ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY, SOUTH AFRICA, 1899 - 1900.

16. TOOK PART IN OPERATIONS IN CAPE COLONY SOUTH OF THE ORANGE RIVER 1899 - 1900.

17. COLONEL, ROYAL ARTILLERY, February 15th, 1901.

18. OFFICER COMMANDING XXVIII BRIGADE WOOLWICH.

19. RETIRED, February 15th, 1902

20. NO W.W.1 SERVICE FOUND SO THEREFORE THE Q.S.A. WITH CAPE COLONY BAR IS ONLY SERVICE MEDAL THAT HE RECEIVED FOR ALL HIS SERVICE.