Current Information:

Age-40

1, Fernbrook Road, Hither Green

Born-Chelsea

Etaples Military Cemetery, France

The Royal Garrison Artillery operated larger and less mobile guns than the Field Artillery and the Siege Batteries of the RGA operated the largest guns and howitzers. These were either mounted on concrete emplacements or on railway carriages and consequently they usually remained in the same sector of the line for long periods, coming under the orders of a Heavy Artillery Group.

Frederick Beames died from wounds on 7th August, 1917, while serving with the 169th Siege Battery of the Royal Garrison Artillery and after having been sent back to a base hospital on the coast but the exact circumstances of his death are not known. Artillery men faced many dangers and during the course of the war nearly 50,000 of them were killed. Their gun batteries were targeted by the enemy’s guns which accounted for many of their casualties. Others were sent forward to act as ‘spotters’ which meant going forward to the front line and signalling back to the guns necessary changes in target and other vital information. Keeping the batteries supplied with ammunition was a dangerous task as the enemy guns would target the known supply routes, especially at night. Battery Diaries rarely shine any light on casualties sustained, unless of course they were officers and even then information is sparse.