Hi All This is an experiment to see how many names might be collected for soldiers serving with the, the 124th Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery, from 1914-1918. This will depend on what records listers have for their grandfathers or great grandfathers. Many people have a name, a photograph, an army number and regiment or battery. I'm told that there is a big difference between the regimental system and the artillery. They are completely separate and, here, we are seeking artillerymen. Separate again is the Royal Field Artillery, which used the more mobile field guns. 124 battery RGA went out to the Western Front in April 1916, using the 60-pounder gun. The battery was increased from 4 to 6 guns 23 January 1917. One section joined it from 203 Heavy Battery RGA. A 4 gun battery consisted of 200 men and a 6 gun battery consisted of 300 men, so we are talking about a large number of people. When I was a child I talked to quite a few old artillerymen from Goole, where my grandfather and great uncle were born (I wish I'd asked them more!). I suspect that many of the men serving in the 124th were from Goole, Hull and north Lincolnshire, hence my posting to local lists. Here are the names I have and the sources, most of which have been collected from a 1970s sound archive recording by Leonard Jesse OUNSWORTH on the Imperial war Museum's website. From this I know the battery was involved in the battle of the Somme. If any of the people below are 'yours', more details would be great. 1. COLLIER. Source: Ounsworth IWM sound recording. 2. JOHNSON, Charlie. Source: Ounsworth IWM sound recording. 3. LEIGH, George. Source: Ounsworth IWM sound recording. 4. LOCKING. Source: Ounsworth IWM sound recording. 5. NEWLOVE, Billy, wheelwright. Source: Ounsworth IWM sound recording. 6. Mr NOBLE (officer?). Source: Ounsworth IWM sound recording. 7. OUNSWORTH, Leonard J, signaller. Wounded, survived. Source: Imperial War Museum sound recording, accessible on line. 8. PALMER, Charles driver. Source: Witnessed will made by L. Steel. 9. Mr PYM-SIMON (?) (officer?). Source: Ounsworth IWM sound recording. 10. RICHMAN, George, driver. Source: Witnessed will made by L. Steel. 11. Mr ROBBINS (officer?). Source: Ounsworth IWM sound recording. 12. STEEL, Lawrence, driver, my grandfather, Regimental Number: 237 (and later 290805). Gassed 1917, survived. Source: family records. 13. STEEL, Reginald, gunner (acting bombardier), my great uncle, Regimental Number: 203. Died of wounds 1916. Source: family records. 14. SUMPTER, Joe. Source: Ounsworth IWM sound recording. As most private soldiers records have not survived it raises the prospect of finding a surviving record if we have enough identifiable names. There may also be anecdotes and letters still in the hands of their descendants. There is no war diary for this battery but, if there are enough responses it might be possible to reconstruct the unit's history on the Western Front. A bit of a long shot but worth a try? Geoff