LEIGHTON & FERRIGE
SIMPLY CLICK ON THE TABS BELOW FOR ACCESS TO THE COLLECTION & CLICK THE FRAMES
FOR DETAILS & RECORDS ON THAT PERSON
RANDOLF LEIGHTON 282092 B.Q.M.S.
ROYAL GARRISON ARTILLERY
CAP BADGE & SHOULDER TITLE.
Siege Batteries RGA were equipped with heavy howitzers, sending large calibre high explosive shells in high trajectory, plunging fire.The usual armaments were 6 inch, 8 inch and 9.2 inch howitzers, although some had huge railway- or road-mounted 12 inch howitzers. As British artillery tactics developed, the Siege Batteries were most often employed in destroying or neutralising the enemy artillery, as well as putting destructive fire down on strongpoints, dumps, store, roads and railways behind enemy lines.
The R.G.A in WW1
SERVICE HISTORY
CLICK ON THE ARROWS FOR THE NEXT PAGE
RANDOLF LEIGHTON
He has a number of pages outlining his service- much of it pre war. He was shown as born in Deptford with an address for his father (NoK) in New Cross.
He signed up for the Ordnance Store Corps at Woolwich in September 1892 at age 20 and transferred to the RA in March 1893.
As well as home service - he also served in Hong Kong, Singapore, Malta and Sierra Leone and looks to have served till February 1913 - finishing with service amounting to 20 years and 155 days.He was back at 42 years 330 days on 8th September 1914 at New Cross and served variously at home and in France till discharge
BQMS with 97 Sge Bty (from his medal roll, but not in his service papers
MEDAL INDEX CARD
Randolf was awarded 3 medals for his service during the war.
The Victory medal
The British War medal
The 1914-15 Star
Only the 1914-15 Star is in my collection
Description Medal card of Randolf Leighton,
Rank: Battery Quarter Master Serjeant
Regiment: Royal Garrison Artillery
Number SR/792 (incomplete)& 282092
The 1914–15 Star was a campaign medal of the British Empire, for service in World War I.
The 1914–15 Star was approved in 1918, for issue to officers and men of British and Imperial forces who served in any theatre of the War between 5 August 1914 and 31 December 1915 (other than those who had already qualified for the 1914 Star).
Recipients of this medal also received the British War Medal and Victory Medal – it was never awarded singly. These three medals were sometimes irreverently referred to as Pip, Squeak and Wilfred with Pip representing either this medal or the 1914 Star, only one of which could be awarded to a soldier; Squeak represented the British War Medal; and Wilfred represented the Victory Medal.
REGIMENTAL HISTORY
97th Siege Battery, RGA was armed with four 9.2" Howitzers and went out to the Western Front on 12 June 1916. It Joined 21st Heavy Artillery Group (HAG) on 17 June 16. It transferred to 63rd HAG on 11 Dec 16. It was redesignated as 1st Canadian Siege Battery on 8th January 1917
A special "thank you" to Susan Hemmings for the
help & time on researching this man