SIEGE BATTERY 94 DURING THE WORLD WAR 1914-18

This little history is a gem, a delight for the researcher, the medallist, the historian and for the general reader with an interest in the war of the guns on the Western Front. It was compiled as a basis for the creation of a “94 Siege Battery Old Comrades Association” and as such would contain a nominal roll of all ranks who served in the battery, and it is much more than a simple nominal roll.
94 Siege Battery (9.2 inch Howitzers) began its existence on 16th December 1916 at Tynemouth under the command of Capt D.A.Sandford who was to command it right through to 4th September 1918. Forty percent of the personnel consisted of Regulars and New Army men from the Tynemouth R.G.A. garrison, the remainder were Territorials from the Durham R.G.A (West Hartlepools). The Battery went to France on 30th May 1916 and subsequently fought on the Somme, at Arras, Messines, on the Flanders coast, in the March 1918 retreat and the counter offensive and advance to victory. It was demobilised in June 1919. Taking up nearly half of the book is the final chapter headed “Nominal Rolls.” This is made up of eight parts: Roll of Honour giving date, place and nature of death; Honours and Awards, giving date and where obtained. Then follow a series of nominal rolls, in each case giving home address, period with the unit and reason for leaving, and these rolls are: Officers; NCOs and men who joined the battery on formation and served with it throughout its time in France; the rest of the original unit who landed in France with it in May 1916; reinforcements, including attached; RASC (MT ) officers and men. Finally there is a table giving a summary of battery positions occupied, arranged in chronological order.