125th Field Regiment War Diary, November 1939
125th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery War Diary November 1939 1 November 1939 – Sunderland
18:00 hours. Lieut Buckley RAMC arrived at this Headquarters.
Training continued under Battery arrangements during morning.
Recreational Drill proceeded during afternoon under troop arrangements.
2 November 1939 – Sunderland
18:00 hours. 2/Lieut G C Moor lectured at Commander, Royal Artillery Office re Officers’ Pay and Mess Rolls.
No.922304 Gunner Winn N admitted to Municipal Hospital, SUNDERLAND.
Training continued within the Batteries.
3 November 1939 – Sunderland
2/Lieut M N Jones attended Court of Enquiry into loss of Stores by National Defence Company, GOSFORTH.
Number 4445254 Lance-Bombardier Gray L 293 Battery ceased to be attached on being posted to 29th Signal Training Regiment, Royal Artillery, SCARBOROUGH.
294th Battery engaged in deployment of Battery and tactical exercises without vehicles, the Officers of 295th Battery acting as critics.
Training continued under troop arrangements.
4 November 1939 – Sunderland
18:00 hours. 2/Lieut F Dodds and Number 1669958 Sgt Burnett H proceeded to Army Gas School, Course Number 5 WINTERBOURNE GUNNER.
2/Lieut M N Jones attended Court of Enquiry at GOSFORTH.
Death of Number 870093 Gunner Rogan E 293 Battery in Central Hospital, Newcastle.
Training continued under Battery arrangements.
5 November 1939 – Sunderland
18:00 hours. Number 925119 Gunner Gilbertson C 294 Battery admitted to Municipal Hospital, SUNDERLAND.
Church Parades as usual.
Number 900727 Bombardier Sidney J and 923019 Lance Bombardier Burnett J R proceeded to Army School of Physical Training, ALDERSHOT.
The following men were posted to 23rd Heavy and Medium Regiment, Royal Artillery, DEVONPORT :-
Number 867061 Gunner King S
Number 857889 Gunner Davidson D.
Number 862644 Gunner Hay E H
Number 912506 Gunner Patrick R D
6 November 1939 – Sunderland
18:00 hours. Number 925146 Gunner Smith S G and Number 917057 Hodgson J W attached to Infantry Training (DLI) at BRANCEPETH whilst attending Cooks’ Course.
Training continued under Battery arrangements.
7 November 1939 – Sunderland
18:00 hours. 2/Lieut D Barbour returned from Staff College, CAMBERLEY.
Training continued under battery arrangements.
8 November 1939 – Sunderland
18:00 hours. 2/Lieut Buckley RAMC admitted to Royal Infirmary, SUNDERLAND.
Funeral of Number 870093 Gunner Rogan E. at Jarrow Cemetery.
2/Lieut M Goodyear returned from CATTERICK.
Training under Battery arrangements.
Recreational Drill during afternoon under Troop arrangements.
9 November 1939 – Sunderland
18:00 hours. Number 4450089 Gunner Forster proceeded to Army School of Mechanics, ALDERSHOT.
Training continued under Battery arrangements.
Visit to this Headquarters of Brigadier Kirkup (70th Infantry Brigade).
10 November 1939 – Sunderland
18:00 hours. Visit of General Officer Commanding 23rd Division.
Training continued under Battery arrangements.
11 November 1939 – Sunderland
18:00 hours. 9 Other Ranks posted to 11th Field Training Regiment, Royal Artillery, KINMEL, RHYL. See Appendix A below.
51 Other Ranks posted to 62nd Light Anti-aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery, HULL. See Appendix F below.
8 Other Ranks posted to 57th Light Anti-aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery, SHEFFIELD. See Appendix G below.
Training continued under Battery arrangements.
12 November 1939 – Sunderland
Church Parades as usual.
4 Officers and 100 Other Ranks attended Mayor’s Sunday Parade at Parish Church, SUNDERLAND. (Presumably for the Remembrance Service).
13 November 1939 – Sunderland
18:00 hours. Acting Captains Harvard, Greenwell and Wilson, Sergeants Morgan (923106) Wallace (910233) and Turnbull (810449) proceeded to Command School of Artillery, YORK, to attend a two weeks’ Course.
14 November 1939 – Sunderland
18:00 hours. 2/Lieut S Ridley proceeded to YORK to attend Intelligence Course No. 3.
Training continued under Battery arrangements.
15 November 1939 – Sunderland
18:00 hours. Number 918463 Lance Bombardier Baxter D. sustained fractured wrist whilst taking part in a Regimental Football Match.
16 November 1939 - Sunderland
18:00 hours. The following men were embodied, following a Medical Board at NEWCASTLE–ON-TYNE and found fit for military service :-
Number 917049 Gunner Ainsley J W
Number 922293 Gunner Laidlaw F
Number 924341 Gunner Faircloth S
Number 902434 Gunner Arnold W
The following men were discharged under para 204 TA Regs 1936 as “medically unfit for Military Service” :-
Number 922300 Gunner Nicholson A
Number 4450286 Gunner Stephenson R
17 – 18 November 1939 – Sunderland
18:00 hours. Training continued under Battery arrangements (morning only on 18th).
19 November 1939 – Sunderland
18:00 hours. Church Parades as usual.
20 November 1939 – Sunderland
18:00 hours. Training continued under Battery arrangements.
21 November 1939 – Sunderland
The following men attached to the Army School of Cookery, ALDERSHOT, whilst undergoing Course:-
Number 944938 Gunner Holmes F.
Number 946535 Gunner Hall E.
Number 946958 Gunner McGahan.
Number 947643 Gunner Hill H. C.
Number 944381 Gunner Hall H.
Number 920248 Gunner Mead A E Attending Chiropody Course, Military Hospital, CATTERICK.
Number 923043 Gunner Sowter J W Y embodied for “Home Service”.
Training continued under Battery arrangements.
22 November 1939 – Sunderland
18:00 hours. The following “C” Class (Home Service only) men were posted to 6th Field Training Regiment, Royal Artillery, Aberlady :-
Number 925041 Gunner Overy M H
Number 912476 Gunner Garner G H
Number 913850 Gunner Marr G
Number 921309 Gunner Barton R
Number 4259043 Gunner Lindsey J
Number 910460 Gunner Brooke T F
Number 902511 Gunner Elliott R C
Lieut G J O’Connor RAMC posted to this Unit.
Number 921312 Gunner Edmondson H 293 Battery – attached for all purposes.
2/Lieut S Ridley returned from Intelligence Course at YORK.
Training under Battery arrangements this morning.
Recreational Drill under Batteries during afternoon.
23 November 1939 – Sunderland
18:00 hours. Army Class allocated to Batteries.
Training continued under Battery arrangements.
24 November 1939 – Sunderland
18:00 hours. 12 Other Ranks attended Medical Board at NEWCASTLE-ON-TYNE.
Number 914456 Gunner Golightly J discharged (para 204) medically unfit for service.
Training under Battery arrangements.
25 November 1939 – Sunderland
18:00 hours. Number 921312 Gunner Edmondson H (74th Field Regiment) ceased to be attached on posting to 62nd Anti-aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery, HULL.
Number 925790 Gunner Dickinson R posted to Regimental HQ from 295th Field Battery.
Number 923043 Gunner Sowter J W Y posted to Transit Camp, SOUTHAMPTON, from 294th Field Battery.
Acting Captains Harvard, Greenwell and Wilson and Sergeants Morgan (923106) Wallace (910233) and Turnbull (810449) returned from Command School of Artillery, YORK.
Training under Battery arrangements.
26 November 1939 – Sunderland
18:00 hours. Church Parades as usual.
27 November 1939 – Sunderland
Vehicle Board under Major W S Martin, Royal Artillery, boarded in vehicles taken on hire for training purposes.
Number 924812 Gunner Inch J D attached to 294th Battery – all purposes.
2/Lieut B S Brazier, F Keys, W W Carter and 921626 Sgt Lee S J, 5880970 Sgt Barker J C, 921570 Sgt Old A proceeded to Command School of Artillery, YORK.
10 Officers attending Motor Transport Course at NEWCASTLE-ON-TYNE. See Appendix H below.
Training continued under Battery arrangements.
28 November 1939 - Sunderland
18:00 hours. Number 901973 Gunner Phillips H of 294 Battery and 923089 Gunner Cranmer A of 295 Battery, both posted to Regimental Headquarters.
Training continued under Battery arrangements.
29 November 1939 – Sunderland
18:00 hours. 2/Lieut G Bell and RQMS Sheridan J and 39 drivers proceeded by road to OTLEY for the purpose of taking delivery of Cars from Reception Depot POOL-IN-WHARFEDALE.
38 cars arrived at this Headquarters at 17:30. 2/Lieut Bell reported journey made without mishap, and all cars arrived in order.
Training continued under Battery arrangements.
Apprehension of 4389522 Private Gresswell C. Depot Company, Green Howards, absent without leave.
30 November 1939 – Sunderland
18:00 hours. Training continued under Battery arrangements.
Appendices attached to November 1939 War Diary of 125th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery.
Appendix A – Nominal Roll of Other Ranks posted from 74th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery, to 11th Field Training Regiment, Royal Artillery, KINMEL, RHYL.
Seven Gunners from 293 Battery :-
883850 Bays B H
913400 Cowling M F
871163 Devine E
877762 Dodds W
917826 Lea H E
1042983 McGlenning J
875911 Seales G R
And two Gunners from 296 Battery :-
801381 Sim W
907781 Atkinson A E
Appendices B to E not mentioned or included in the file.
Appendix F – Other Ranks posted from 74th Field Regiment to 62nd Anti-aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery, HULL with effect from 11/11/1939.
Gunners from 293 Battery :-
908999 Barras R H
908995 Bell T
912535 Carson J
917741 Chisholm W
909631 Conway J
912018 Davidson J
895227 Deacon S
890426 Duncan T F
911613 Elliott R D
891047 Fiske C A
882696 Joyner A
902303 Kennedy S
909477 McCarty J
909471 McDonald C R C
879045 Mills T
911609 Moore F H
891660 Morton C
907130 Nelson T M
916824 Oughton J G
902306 Peacock R
899230 Robson R
912532 Rowan G
883187 Tweddle T
907789 Watson N
900721 Whitfield R
898935 Wilkin G L
885390 Wright S J
Gunners from 296 Battery :-
854306 Bell G A
924811 Bogie J W
885412 Calvert C
883512 Charlton G R
883608 Chilley R R
906272 Elliott A S
883670 Hedley N
907132 Hedley Y M
898930 Henderson A
908035 Meins S
905713 Simpson N
905714 Patton R
885298 Shilling H
912501 Slater G R
882028 Slater R S
883665 Small G W
885289 Spicer J G E
906511 Spours J M
890408 Stephenson D
900753 Waine N
908106 Walden N
891052 Watson J J
883668 Winter W H
885449 Young E
Appendix G – Nominal Roll of Gunners posted to 126th Light Anti-aircraft Battery, 57th Light Anti-aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery, SHEFFIELD with effect from 11/11/1939 :-
1438633 Thomas M A
1438992 Talbot W
6968867 Newman G J J
867585 Wilson H
1438914 Paice L
1427132 Maguire J J
1439311 Halligan W
6013358 Million J W T
Appendix H – List of Junior Officers – attending Motor Transport Course.
All 2nd Lieutenants :-
F Dodds
D Barbour
A H McQueen
R B Wilson
M N Jones
J P de J Harvard
W Mc B Greenwell
T Donkin
G C Moor
M Goodyear.
To contact the author by e-mail with any queries, or to send information - click here.
