We Will Remember them
Harold Simcox
Harold Simcox was my pops sister Ethel Maud Peach`s first husband. I didnt know very much about Harold other than he and Ethel had come to New Zealand as he had TB and New Zealand had a bettter climate than back home in England. I found a record for his death in July of 1927 ,he is buried in the Karori Cemetery Wellington New Zealand in the Soldiers Section, plot 17W, I never knew he was a soldier ,it must have been for the British Army I though. I found someone back in Wellington who could take a photo of his grave and on it it gave his Regimental number, which was 127631 RGA
I didnt know what RGA meant , I was now interested, his records were quiet hard to read and the British records and information confused me , everytime I thought I knew what unit he was in , other information changed the answer until I didnt have a clue
So the following is Harolds story for the time he spent in WW1 to the best of my knowlegde , , I hope I have it right
Because he was already in England Harold did not have to be transported to the battlefield, he Enlisted 10 December 1915 and was part of the Army Reserve , he was only 22 years old at the time
Harold was Mobilised and posted ( meaning he was permanently moved to another unit of the same corps.) to NO.4 Depot (Heavy & Siege ) Royal Garrison Artillery RGA training Depot Great Yarmouth on the 13 November 1916 he was a Gunner. These Depot trained gunners for Coastal Defence at home in England and providing soldiers needed for the drafts for overseas services
Up to the end of 1916 men in each Territorial Force unit (infantry battalion, artillery brigade, field ambulance, etc) were numbered using a system unique to that unit – often by allocating the number 1 to the first man to join the unit on its formation and continuing from there. In other words there could be a Private 1234 in the 4th Battalion of the Umpshires and another in the 5th Battalion, as well as all the Privates 1234 in other Territorial Force units in other regiments.When a man moved between TF units, even between battalions of the same regiment, he was renumbered. This was adequate for peacetime but not for the circumstances of war. Renumbering resulted in inevitable errors and confusion, and an administrative burden
By 1917 every soldier was renumbered, receiving a six-digit number (five-digit in the case of some Yeomanry units) from the block of numbers allocated to his unit. The block of numbers allocated to a unit was used for all parts of the unit – 1st, 2nd and 3rd lines, the depot, men on TF Reserve, men temporarily disembodied and men temporarily attached to other units and corps. The distribution of numbers to the different elements of a unit followed no set pattern.
Soldiers now retained this number as long as he continued to serve in a particular corps, even if he was posted to another TF or regular unit in that corps. He would only be renumbered if he transferred to another corps.
Corps” were effectively the different parts of the army as defined in the “Corps Warrant”. Pre-war a man enlisted in a particular corps and could not be compulsorily transferred to another. The RE and RAMC were single corps; the RA consisted of two corps, (the Royal Horse & Field Artillery and the Royal Garrison Artillery); ‘corps of cavalry’ and ‘corps of infantry’ were more complex.
His records then show that on the 25 November 1916 he was posted to Clyde RGA 2/1st Coy … this confused me until I found on one of Harolds military records his original Regimental number was 127631 crossed out and a new number 326683 entered
When you look at the RGA units and the new regimental numbers you see which unit his new number falls into Clyde Fortress RGA
The Clyde Royal Garrison Artillery was a territorial unit with their HQ in King Street, Port Glasgow. At the outbreak of war in 1914 there were three Garrison Companies, No.1 (Port Glasgow), No2 (Helensburgh and Dunbarton), and No.3 (Dumbarton) Coy with units at Fort Matilda, & Cloch.
Harolds records say Clyde RGA 2/1st Coy and on one of the records it says Dundarton so as you can see this matchs the above list so Harold was based at Clyde RGA 2/1st Coy stationed in Dundarton 1st Company
The Long Long Trail The British army in the great war of 1914-1918
http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/
Renumbering of the TF artillery in 1917
Royal Garrison Artillery Fortress units
321001 – 326000: Cornwall Fortress RGA
326001 – 329000: Clyde Fortress RGA Harolds new number was 326683
329001 – 334000: Devon Fortress RGA
334001 – 337000: Dorsetshire Fortress RGA
337001 – 340000: Durham Fortress RGA
340001 – 344000: Essex & Sussex Fortress RGA
344001 – 348000: Forth (City of Edinburgh) Fortress RGA
348001 – 352000: Glamorgan Fortress RGA
352001 – 358000: Hampshire (Southampton) Fortress RGA
358001 – 362000: Kent Fortress RGA
362001 – 365000: Lancashire & Cheshire Fortress RGA
365001 – 368000: North Scottish (City of Aberdeen) Fortress RGA
368001 – 371000: Orkney Fortress RGA
371001 – 374000: Pembroke Fortress RGA
374001 – 376000: Sussex Fortress RGA
376001 – 328000: Northumberland (Tynemouth) Fortress RGA
382001 – 388000: East Riding of Yorkshire Fortress RGA
Harold Simcox records then show that he was posted to RGA 307 Siege on 30 December 1916 307 Siege was part of the artillery forces what fought in Italy They were based at Ripon
I couldnt find 307 Siege in any lists and then found a Italy list of units and 307 Seige was on it ...right throughout his records it has the word Italy and one forms it has “theatre of war” for Harold it has Italy so Harold Simcox fought in Italy with 307 Siege Battery RGA
The BEF embarked 12 April 1917 and Disembarked 2 days later on 14 April 1917
What happened in Italy during world war one ? I didnt ever know they fought in Itaiy during WW1
0951 & 0957
https://www.findmypast.com.au/family-tree
British Army Service Records 1914-1920
GBM_WO363-4_007329374_0953
https://www.findmypast.com.au/family-tree
British Army Service Records 1914-1920
GBM_WO363-4_007329374_0954
https://www.findmypast.com.au/family-tree
British Army Service Records 1914-1920
The war in Italy during World War I never generated the attention the western and eastern fronts did
Italy was a member of the Triple Alliance with Germany and Austria-Hungary but only half-heatedly due to its desire for territory along its border with Austria-Hungary specially Dalmatia on the eastern side of the Adriatic Sea. As a result during the opening months of the war, the Triple Entente (France, Britain and Russia), tried to coax the Italians to join them . Had the Italians thrown in with Germany and Austria-Hungary, the Allies would have been hard-pressed to defend the additional 200 or so miles of front on the French-Italian border south of Switzerland.
Italy signed the Treaty of London on April 26. 1915, which promised the Italians territories that were currently part of Austria-Hungary. In return, Italy declared war on Austria-Hungary and later Germany
The front stretched about 400 miles from Switzerland in the west to the Adriatic Sea in the east, mostly in the Alps along the two countries' shared border
The conditions along this front were brutal and among the worst anywhere in the war. In addition to the Alpine winters,frostbite and avalanches the solid mountain rock magnified the deadly effect of artillery as shrapnel and rock tore through soldiers much more effectively than in the soft mud of Flanders.
The Italians generally assumed the role of aggressor, with most of the fighting occurring around the Isonzo River , during the war, twelve battles were fought along this river.
In May and August,1917 the exhausted Italians launched the Tenth and Eleventh Battles of the Isonzo. Both countries were at breaking point .
At this point, the Austrians asked for German help.Germans sent six divisions and prepared for what would be the Twelfth Battle of the Isonzo (also called the Battle of Caporetto ) .On October 24 the Austrians and Germans attacked and pushed the Italians back 15 miles on the first day, by the time it was over in November, they had pushed them back nearly 100 miles. The offensive ended 20 miles short of Venice
Alarmed by the Italian situation, the British and French sent ten divisions as well as coal and steel for Italy's war industries. In the spring, the Germans pulled out most of their troops to prepare for their Spring Offensive on the Western Front
June 1918 saw the Austrians launched the Battle of the Piave River, hoping to take Venice and finish off the Italians. It was badly planned and the Austro-Hungarian troops were stopped by the Italians.
In October, 1918 the Italians finally launched their own offensive across the Piave River, called the Battle of Vittorio Veneto. This time, the demoralized and weakened Austro-Hungarian's could not stop them. On November 3, the Italians captured 300,000 prisoners and Austria-Hungary asked for an armistice and peace terms.
As payment for joining the Allies , Italy received only some of the territories promised. British and French argued that Italy's contribution to the outcome of the war was limited and therefore many of the promised lands did not materialize. Italians would remember this the next time they had to decide which side to join.
Italy was a member of the Triple Alliance with Germany and Austria-Hungary but only half-heatedly due to its desire for territory along its border with Austria-Hungary specially Dalmatia on the eastern side of the Adriatic Sea. As a result during the opening months of the war, the Triple Entente (France, Britain and Russia), tried to coax the Italians to join them . Had the Italians thrown in with Germany and Austria-Hungary, the Allies would have been hard-pressed to defend the additional 200 or so miles of front on the French-Italian border south of Switzerland.
Italy signed the Treaty of London on April 26. 1915, which promised the Italians territories that were currently part of Austria-Hungary. In return, Italy declared war on Austria-Hungary and later Germany
The front stretched about 400 miles from Switzerland in the west to the Adriatic Sea in the east, mostly in the Alps along the two countries' shared border
The conditions along this front were brutal and among the worst anywhere in the war. In addition to the Alpine winters,frostbite and avalanches the solid mountain rock magnified the deadly effect of artillery as shrapnel and rock tore through soldiers much more effectively than in the soft mud of Flanders.
The Italians generally assumed the role of aggressor, with most of the fighting occurring around the Isonzo River , during the war, twelve battles were fought along this river.
In May and August,1917 the exhausted Italians launched the Tenth and Eleventh Battles of the Isonzo. Both countries were at breaking point .
At this point, the Austrians asked for German help.Germans sent six divisions and prepared for what would be the Twelfth Battle of the Isonzo (also called the Battle of Caporetto ) .On October 24 the Austrians and Germans attacked and pushed the Italians back 15 miles on the first day, by the time it was over in November, they had pushed them back nearly 100 miles. The offensive ended 20 miles short of Venice
Alarmed by the Italian situation, the British and French sent ten divisions as well as coal and steel for Italy's war industries. In the spring, the Germans pulled out most of their troops to prepare for their Spring Offensive on the Western Front
June 1918 saw the Austrians launched the Battle of the Piave River, hoping to take Venice and finish off the Italians. It was badly planned and the Austro-Hungarian troops were stopped by the Italians.
In October, 1918 the Italians finally launched their own offensive across the Piave River, called the Battle of Vittorio Veneto. This time, the demoralized and weakened Austro-Hungarian's could not stop them. On November 3, the Italians captured 300,000 prisoners and Austria-Hungary asked for an armistice and peace terms.
As payment for joining the Allies , Italy received only some of the territories promised. British and French argued that Italy's contribution to the outcome of the war was limited and therefore many of the promised lands did not materialize. Italians would remember this the next time they had to decide which side to join.
Harold was part of this force in Italy, where was he and for how long , I really dont know.
Harolds records are very hard to read so im putting the bits I have together and as best as I can for the rest
On the 29 December 1917 he was admittance to 37 Casualty Clearing Station for being “Sick” ,his records show no illness or injury . He was only there for a day. 37 CCS had moved to Italy in November 1917 and returned to Mont Notre Dam,France in May 1918 ,so Harold was in Italy in December of 1917
A year later on the 5 November 1918 ,while still in Italy Harold was charged with Irregular Conduct When On Active Service by a Captain Lamb and Deprived of 3 Days Pay..
later the same month on the 24th of November Harold went on leave to the UK for 15 days , I have no information on where he went and how he got there
Then on 20 January 1919 When On Active Service Harold was again charged for being ?? ( cant read what it says on his records, im thinking absent ) without Leave and got 14 days Field Punishment No.1 ...Field Punishment No1 was different to No 2 which Churchill Peach got in that Harold was shackled to a object and Churchill wasn't
Why did Harold have problems with discipline those last few month of the war, Im guessing the end of the war was close and he didn't want to be there , he had done his time and wanted to go back home..... a lot of the fighting in Italy was fought in mountainous areas so would have been cold and wet, was his illness in December of 1917 just a cold , influenza which killed hundreds of people in 1918 or the beginning of TB which he died of in 1927
The next month Harold Proceded to Repon England and was discharged thus ending his time in World War 1 , the date was the 21 February 1919 a week or so after his Field Punishment ended
Like many soldiers of World War 1 Harold Simcox was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal
Harolds records are very hard to read so im putting the bits I have together and as best as I can for the rest
On the 29 December 1917 he was admittance to 37 Casualty Clearing Station for being “Sick” ,his records show no illness or injury . He was only there for a day. 37 CCS had moved to Italy in November 1917 and returned to Mont Notre Dam,France in May 1918 ,so Harold was in Italy in December of 1917
A year later on the 5 November 1918 ,while still in Italy Harold was charged with Irregular Conduct When On Active Service by a Captain Lamb and Deprived of 3 Days Pay..
later the same month on the 24th of November Harold went on leave to the UK for 15 days , I have no information on where he went and how he got there
Then on 20 January 1919 When On Active Service Harold was again charged for being ?? ( cant read what it says on his records, im thinking absent ) without Leave and got 14 days Field Punishment No.1 ...Field Punishment No1 was different to No 2 which Churchill Peach got in that Harold was shackled to a object and Churchill wasn't
Why did Harold have problems with discipline those last few month of the war, Im guessing the end of the war was close and he didn't want to be there , he had done his time and wanted to go back home..... a lot of the fighting in Italy was fought in mountainous areas so would have been cold and wet, was his illness in December of 1917 just a cold , influenza which killed hundreds of people in 1918 or the beginning of TB which he died of in 1927
The next month Harold Proceded to Repon England and was discharged thus ending his time in World War 1 , the date was the 21 February 1919 a week or so after his Field Punishment ended
Like many soldiers of World War 1 Harold Simcox was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal
GBM_WO363-4_007329374_0955
https://www.findmypast.com.au/family-tree
British Army Service Records 1914-1920