227445 Gunner
24th Battery, 38th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery
Age: 25
Date of Death: 29 September 1917
Buried: Brandhoek New Military Cemetery No.3, I.H.24.
Family history: He was the son of Robert and Christina Heaps of 3 Rumford Square, Polmont. He was employed as a miner at Craigend Colliery Polmont before he enlisted.
38 Brigade, Royal Field Artillery
In March 1917 38th Brigade became an Army Brigade with 1st Army Troops; 2nd Army in July 1917; 5th Army August 1917; 2nd Army Oct 1917; 4th Army Dec 1917 and finally 2nd Army May 1918.
It originally consisted of 24, 34 and 72 Batteries. The 24th Battery participated at the famous Christmas truce. 34th Battery later left and joined the 1/5 London TF Brigade on 4 February 1916. The batteries were horse drawn and later renamed A, B, C, and D. In 1915 each of its 3 battery had a compliment of 198 men broken down as: 5 Officers, 10 Serjeants, 2 Trumpeters, and 181 Other ranks and 172 Horses; with a further 118 men in the Ammunition column and 36 at its base headquarters.
The action that led to his death
Fifth Army artillery were preparing for the attack on Polygon Wood that was to take place on 26 September 1917. The field artillery batteries had begun to move up 1,500 yards to their new support positions. In doing so, they moved to higher ground on Westhoek ridge and Glencorse Wood. The German counter-battery fire was heavy and accurate. As a consequence artillery casualties began to rise. Robert died of his wounds at the Casualty Clearing Station at Brandhoek.
Medals Awarded
British War Medal, Victory Medal
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