Showler, Shouler Family History & Genealogy

◄ Prev

Next ►

Shouler Family History

The First World War – 185th Siege Battery Royal Garrison Artillery

Lancelot William Carey (always known as ‘Bill’), enlisted in November 1915 as Gunner 65082 and commenced training prior to going to France, with No. 185 Siege Battery of the Royal Garrison Artillery. He trained at Shoreham-by-Sea for a while and sent cards home to his mother from there. His pay book states that he was paid initially at the rate of one shilling and twopence halfpenny per day, this later rising to two shillings and a penny in September 1917. Bill returned on leave to the UK from 14th. November to 28th. November 1917. The 185th Siege Battery operated the 9.2 inch Howitzer, probably up to four guns of this type. The characteristics of the Howitzer were their high trajectory and relatively short barrel, compared to Field Guns, so they tended to be fired at high angles to deliver plunging fire into trenches, fortifications and artillery positions.

The 9.2 inch Howitzer was a brand new development, designed by the Vickers company and built in Britain and later in the USA, to meet the increasing demand for heavy artillery. The gun had only been in production since July 1914, one of these large howitzers went to France with the original BEF (although it first saw action at the Battle of Neuve Chappelle in March 1915). This was a sizeable piece of engineering: the three sections of the whole weighed 15.5 tons in total. When being positioned, a box containing a further 9 tons of earth had to be bolted onto the front of the gun platform, to stop a natural tendency to jump (a consequence of a rather short barrel) - this was not a piece designed for rapid movement, it had to be delivered on a railway wagon and had a semi-permanent mounting. The Mk I howitzer fired a 290-lb (132kg) shell 10,050 yards (9.2km). Many of this Mark served until the Armistice, but a Mark II, with a range of 13,935 yards (12.74km) and an extra 2 tons in the earth box, came into service later on.

I know very little about the history of this Siege Battery, I think they served in Flanders or France on the Western Front and most were probably killed, ‘Bill’ survived but was always hard of hearing because of the noise from the big guns.

The 185th Siege Bty, R.G.A. was a Regular Army unit formed at Aldershot, Hampshire on the 18th July 1916 from 97th Company, R.G.A., which was also a Regular Army unit. On the 29th September 1917 442nd Siege Bty, R.G.A. was broken up and sections of this unit were dispersed between 124th Siege Bty & 185th Siege Bty, R.G.A.. By November 1918 185th(Siege)Bty,R.G.A. were serving as Army Troops with 79th Mixed Bde, R.G.A., Fourth Army. The Brigade consisted of the following units;-

142nd (Heavy) Bty,R.G.A. -                 6x 60pounder guns.
1/1st (Essex) Heavy Bty,R.G.A.          6x60pounder guns.
14th (Siege )Bty,R.G.A. -                    6x 6inch Howitzers.
174th (Siege )Bty,R.G.A. -                   6x 6inch Howitzers.
145th (Siege) Bty,R.G.A. -                   6x 8inch Howitzers.
185th (Siege) Bty,R.G.A. -                   6x 9.2inch Howitzers.

185th Siege Battery Royal Garrison Artillery – Heavy Artillery Grouping.

Originally 4 x 9.2-inch Howitzers, made up to 6 guns on 27th July 1918.

18th October 1916: Posted to Western Front.

23rd October: Joined 51st HAG (Heavy Artillery Group)

12th to 17th November: Attached to, but not grouped, II ANZAC HA (Heavy Artillery).

20th November to 8th December: Attached, but not grouped, to VIII Corps HA.

8th December: Rejoined 51st HAG.

11th January 1917: Joined 5th HAG.

24th January: To 24th HAG.

30th January: To 76th HAG.

12th February: To 51st HAG.

20th May: To 53rd HAG.

3rd June: To 51st HAG.

16th June: To 65th HAG.

3rd August: To 56th HAG.

18th December: To 79th HAG.

28th January 1918: To 72nd HAG.

26th February: Rejoined 79th HAG, no subsequent change.

The following references to other members of 185 Siege Battery were found from the internet:

WILLIAM HENRY BOLTON, Gunner 105306, 185th Siege Bty., Royal Garrison Artillery, killed in action Tuesday, 7^th August 1917. Born: Snodland; enlisted: Maidstone; residence: Snodland. Buried: Bard Cottage Cemetery, Leper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium, grave IV. A. 38. Memorials: All Saints, Snodland; War Memorial, Snodland Cemetery.’

George V. White, Staff Sgt 935 Royal Army Ordnance Corps, attached to 185th Siege Bty, Royal Garrison Artillery. Died 06/07/1918. Buried in Aire Communal Cemetery grave III. H. 11., France.

ARTUS , J G, Gunner 105167, Royal Garrison Artillery, 185th Siege Bty.

Age 24, died 07/09/1917 grave II. B. 13. GWALIA CEMETERY

Additional information: Husband of J. E. Henigan (formerly Artus), of 21, Buckland Street, New North Road, Hoxton, London.

The science of artillery grew rapidly under the pressure of the Industrial Revolution and by the end of the 19th century, the need for indirect fire brought major changes. Guns became ever more powerful, firing more efficient munitions to longer ranges with increased accuracy and greater speed. The Great War of 1914-18 was to prove an artillery war, and the number of gunners increased dramatically, serving 6,655 guns by the end of the war, with anti-aircraft (AA) guns joining in against the new threat from the air.

On 1^st July 1899 the Royal Artillery was divided into two distinct branches – mounted and dismounted. A royal warrant established the Royal Garrison Artillery as a separate Corps from Royal Horse Artillery and Royal Field Artillery, and decided that it was to man the Coast Defence Units, the Mountain Batteries, and the Heavy and Siege batteries. However, this decision was reversed in 1924 and both branches were united into a single Corps – The Royal Artillery.

Click on images to enlarge.

Lancelot William Carey- Gunner 65082 185th. Siege Battery Royal Garrison Artillery.

9.2 inch Howitzer and crew.

9.2 inch Howitzer

Irish Draft Signallers Lancelot William Carey, ‘Bill’, is to the left on bottom row.

Irish Draft Signallers

The 185th Siege Battery Royal Garrison Artillery - ready for France.

Bill’s pay book

Card sent from training camp 31st July 1916 from ‘No. 15 Hut ‘A’ Siege Btty. R.G.A. No 11 Battalion Lines Shoreham by Sea’

RGA training certificate 1916

Bill’s pay book

Other members of the 185th. Siege Battery identified so far:

Lieutenant (later Captain) Harry Hickson

J G. Artus, Gunner 105167

William Henry Bolton, Gunner 105306

Lancelot William Carey, Gunner 65082

George V. White, Staff Sgt 935 attached

Shouler & Showler WW1 casualties

Recorded by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Private ARTHUR WALTER SHOULER
12252, 7th Bn., Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry
Died age 23 on 30 May 1917
Son of Mr. and Mrs. J. Shouler, of Shenley Brook End, Bletchley, Bucks.
LE PETIT LAC CEMETERY

Private C B SHOULER
22326, 5th Bn., Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry
Died on 09 April 1917
Son of Mrs. Jane Shouler, of 29, Main St., Padbury, Bucks.
TILLOY BRITISH CEMETERY, TILLOY-LES-MOFFLAINES

Private ENOS SHOULER
34205, 2nd Bn., Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry
Died age 36 on 07 December 1916
Son of George and Susan Shouler; husband of Lizzie Shouler, of 114, High St., Yardley, Hastings. Born at Weston Underwood.
DOIRAN MEMORIAL

Private ERNEST SHOULER
39407, 10th Bn., East Yorkshire Regiment
Died on 29 September 1918
TYNE COT MEMORIAL

Lieutenant EDWARD JAMES BATTAMS SHOULER
H.M.S. "Viking.", Royal Navy
Died age 29 on 29 January 1916
Son of John Brown Shouler and Isabel Mary Shouler, of Flitwick, Beds. Native of Melton Mowbray.
PORTSMOUTH NAVAL MEMORIAL

Private SYDNEY GEORGE SHOULER
PLY/2373, 1st R.M. Bn. R.N. Div., Royal Marine Light Infantry
Died age 29 on 07 April 1918
Son of Mrs. E. Shouler, of 32, York Rd., Stony Stratford, Bucks.
MARTINSART BRITISH CEMETERY

Private WILLIAM SHOULER
17563, 11th Bn., Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry
Died age 35 on 30 November 1918
Husband of Elizabeth Shouler, of 4, Rickford's Hill, Aylesbury.
PREMONT BRITISH CEMETERY

Private WALTER JOHN SHOULER
202512, 6th Bn., Royal Berkshire Regiment
Died age 21 on 31 July 1917
Son of John and Kate A. Shouler, of Irchester Rd., Wollaston, Wellingborough.
HOOGE CRATER CEMETERY

Private WILLIAM JOSEPH SHOULER
44819, 1st Garrison Bn., Hampshire Regiment
Died age 22 on 22 April 1918
Son of Joseph and Elizabeth Shouler, of Bletchley.
ACHEUX BRITISH CEMETERY

Private EDWIN SHOWLER
1139, 10th Bn., Lincolnshire Regiment
Died age 22 on 01 July 1916
Son of John Henryand Amelia Showler, of 27, Bursar St., Cleethorpes, Lincs.
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

Company Serjeant Major GEORGE ROBERT SHOWLER
61, 1st/5th Bn., Lincolnshire Regiment
Died age 39 on 13 October 1915
Son of Mrs. Esther Showler, of 113, Mill Rd., Cleethorpes; husband of Alice Maud Showler, of 5, Crow Hill Avenue, Cleethorpes, Lincs.
LOOS MEMORIAL

Private JOSEPH SHOWLER
13526, "C" Coy. 7th Bn., Royal Berkshire Regiment
Died age 19 on 09 May 1917
Son of Mary Showler, of 47, Fern St., Devons Rd., Bromley by Bow, London, and the late Joseph Showler.
DOIRAN MEMORIAL

| Water Lane Book Shop | ▲ Top ▲ | Search for Books Online |