45823 Sgt
‘B’ Battery, 112th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery
Age: U/K
Date of death: 4 September 1917
Buried: Belgian Battery Corner Cemetery, I.L.8
Family history: Son of Robert and Mary Russell of Drumbroider, Standburn. He was one of three brothers who had enlisted. Prior to enlistment he was employed as a miner at Messrs James Nimmo & Co, Auchengeish Colliery.
112th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery
This brigade was originally comprised of A, B, C and D Batteries RFA and the Brigade Ammunition Column. It was placed under command of the 25th Division. The batteries were all armed with four 18-pounder field guns. The brigade then remained with the division throughout the war.
· On 26 May 1916 the Brigade Ammunition Column left, being merged into the 25th Divisional Ammunition Column.
· On 31 May 1916 'D' Battery left, becoming the 'C' Battery of 113 Brigade. The 'D' (Howitzer) Battery of that brigade joined in its place.
· On 26-27 November 1916 the field gun batteries were made up to six guns each: 'B' Battery and a section of 'C' Battery joined from 111 Brigade were split up for this purpose.
· 'D' (Howitzer) Battery was also brought up to six howitzers by the arrival of a section of two from 'C' (Howitzer) Battery of 113 Brigade on 14 January 1917.
The brigade did not remain with the 25th Division when it was returned to England on 30 June 1918, but rejoined the reconstituted division on 4 October 1918 after it had arrived back in France.
The action that led to his death
The Battery was located in the area between the Menin Road at Birr Crossroads and Zillibeke Village. The War Dairy reported that the battery was being harassed by low flying enemy aircraft. On the day after his death the diary reported that two machine guns had been posted to protect the battery from the aircraft.
Medal Awarded
1915 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal
Headstone
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