My Grandad: Clp Isaac Stevenson RA 1915-1919.

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Guys, I have now had the info from my researcher, re the Medal Roll entry for my Grandad. It cost £13.20 all in with the postage and hard copies. He copied the enteries for the 1915 Star and the British War & Victory Medals. But sadly in both cases my Grandad's Brigade info was not recorded. Sadly I have now come to brick wall on his unit research.

I would recommend the service I recieved.

MilitaryResearch - Military, Historical and Genealogical Research

So where does this leave me now? I know Grandad was with the 3rd Inf Div in 1918. They had the following RFA units with 18 pdr's:

XL Brigade, RFA:

6th Bty. 04 Aug 1914 - 11 Nov 1918.
23rd Bty. 04 Aug 1914 - 11 Nov 1918.
49th Bty. 04 Aug 1914 - 11 Nov 1918.

XLII Brigade RFA:

29th Bty. 04 Aug 1914 - 11 Nov 1918.
41st Bty. 04 Aug 1914 - 11 Nov 1918.
45th Bty. 04 Aug 1914 - 11 Nov 1918.

I have joined the Western Front Association and I am going to publish in their magazine what I have found so far. It is a real long shot, but maybe someone might just recognise the Battery photos?

So I think I will now go to France sometime and follow the footsteps of the 3rd Inf Div.

Cheers, Ade.

[Battery Command Post]

Hello Ade

I don't know how I missed this fascinating thread but thanks to Josephs' waterbottle for bringing it to my attention. I particularly like the Barrage Table, which you don't see often. One thing that jumped out at me from it though, if you read down the programme in the ammo column it specifies 3rd charge initially, and later 4th and 5th charge. Therefore, this cannot be firing data for an 18-Pr, as this used fixed non-variable ammo. Its for a 4.5-in Howitzer, and if it is for your grandad's gun, it would place him in the howitzer brigade until 1916/17 and then in D Bty of one of the two Field Brigades.

Rob

[milmuseum]

Fantastic story Ade, I have relatives that I need to do research on also. My Father served in the US Air Force during the Korean War. He never talked much about it. But I have many relatives that have served since the American Revolutionary War. I'm still serving and ny yougest Son is now in the US Marines, Great bit of research you have done.

Burt

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Rob, superb! Thanks very much. Great new info for me to ponder about.

Hi Burt, sounds like you have plenty to get your teeth into! I hope you are sucessful.

Cheers, Ade.

[Battery Command Post]

Hi Rob, superb! Thanks very much. Great new info for me to ponder about.

Glad to help I would guess your Grandad (at least in 1918) was on ‘four-fives’, not 18-Prs.

Here's something else too... I think you might have misunderstood the purpose of the Barrage Table. This isn’t a record of what has been fired, it’s a prearranged timetable for the No 5 Gun, for what, by WW2, would be called a “programme shoot”. The likelihood is that it is the artillery part of a set-piece battle plan for 3 Div, worked out by the CRA. The plan would have been passed down to the Brigades and broken down further, eventually resulting in data for each gun - the ‘Barrage Table’. The same form was used in WW2, although by this time it was called a “Gun Programme Form”. This would have been issued to the ‘No 1’ (the NCO in charge of each gun detachment), so it’s very possible that Corporal Stevenson was the “No 1” on No 5 Gun.

It gives firing data for the gun for each time slot, giving range (in the elevation column), switch (called angle in WW1), angle-of-sight and propellant charge. Judging by the fact that the range is increasing gradually throughout the shoot, it probably is part of an actual barrage, that is, a defensive moving belt of fire that the infantry can advance behind.

Rob

[Adrian Stevenson]

Ah...very interesting and all new to me. So a big thank you!

Pity there was no date on it.

Cheers, Ade.

[Scout]

Fantastic posts, Ade. Great research.
What a great link to your familiys past, that you treasure the rings.
My dad was a gunner too. He only brougt home his cannon insignia though. They might not be much, but they mean a lot to me at least. I was not a gunner but still managed to fire a 105 in Astan (but thats another story).
That the P08 most likely was destroyed does not bear thought.

[Adrian Stevenson]

I thought it would be worthwhile to add a good pic of this Howitzer taken at the RA Museum (found online)

Cheers, Ade.

[Paul D]

Good to see things are moving on Ade , have you tried the Great War forum ?

[Paul D]

Glad to help I would guess your Grandad (at least in 1918) was on ‘four-fives’, not 18-Prs.

Here's something else too... I think you might have misunderstood the purpose of the Barrage Table. This isn’t a record of what has been fired, it’s a prearranged timetable for the No 5 Gun, for what, by WW2, would be called a “programme shoot”. The likelihood is that it is the artillery part of a set-piece battle plan for 3 Div, worked out by the CRA. The plan would have been passed down to the Brigades and broken down further, eventually resulting in data for each gun - the ‘Barrage Table’. The same form was used in WW2, although by this time it was called a “Gun Programme Form”. This would have been issued to the ‘No 1’ (the NCO in charge of each gun detachment), so it’s very possible that Corporal Stevenson was the “No 1” on No 5 Gun.

It gives firing data for the gun for each time slot, giving range (in the elevation column), switch (called angle in WW1), angle-of-sight and propellant charge. Judging by the fact that the range is increasing gradually throughout the shoot, it probably is part of an actual barrage, that is, a defensive moving belt of fire that the infantry can advance behind.

Rob

Rob are you an ex Gun Bunny ??