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About this blog

Royal Artillery topics

Information and topics relating to the Gunners of the Royal Horse Artillery, Royal Field Artillery, and the Royal Garrison Artillery during the First World War. 

As I meander through research, battlefield tours and contributions to the GWF Forum, certain topics arise an interest which I record here. 

 

Entries in this blog

From: Artillery FOO 1917

I am preparing the spiel for my annual school tour. This year we shall be following the progress of Lieutenant Richard Hobhouse, 38th Heavy Brigade RGA who won the Military Cross for leading an observation patrol into Langemark during its capture by 20th Division on 16th August 1917. He was the great-grandfather of one of the boys on the tour. As I'm not by any means an artillery expert, I'd appreciate some help with describing FOO techniques in this period. Hobhouse took 11 NCOs and men with hi
ianjonesncl

ianjonesncl

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From: Remembering Today on the GWF

Some parents shouldn't be allowed to name their children http://www.cwgc.org/...casualty=439882 Name: CRAPPER, FAREWELL Initials: F Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Lance Bombardier Regiment/Service: Royal Garrison Artillery Unit Text: 37th Siege Bty. Date of Death: 17/08/1918 Service No: 177121 Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: I. AA. 4. Cemetery: BARD COTTAGE CEMETERY Source: Remembering Today on the GWF
ianjonesncl

ianjonesncl

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Artillery Operations

From: Moving RGA Siege Battery Positions

Hi folks, Something I've been pondering for quite a while, and I wondered if any of the artillery experts on the forum might have any ideas. On the western front (particularly), in instances where a RGA siege battery moved to a new position (let's use 6" howitzers as an example), apart from the actual movement of the guns and ammunition, I was wondering exactly what other work and logistics were involved? Presumably if a battery was taking over a position from another battery (i.e
ianjonesncl

ianjonesncl in Artillery Operations

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From: Royal field Artillery insignia

This is 14829 Herbert Hole 123 Bde RFA, photo taken in 1918 (three service chevrons). He arrived in France on 30/7/1915 and was wounded at the end of october 1917 and evacuated to Blighty. I have his service record and I am trying to work out precisely when this photo was taken. He joined the Regulars in 1919. When has was wounded has was a Bombadier and was promoted L/Cpl on 23/8/1918. I am confused about the insignia above the stripe. A highly experienced and well-respsected member of th
ianjonesncl

ianjonesncl

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From: Artillerymen wore bandoliers -

An interesting topic on the Bandoliers worn by men of the Royal Artillery. Many photographs of individuals or batteries can be seen with this item of equipment being worn - great question from Tyrim - where are the rifles ? It transpires there were 36 rifles allocated to a battery, so they were not personal weapons (100 plus in a Battery), and as the can be allocated to anyone, everyone carried ammunition. So 5 pouches .... 2 for ammo (10 rounds), 1 for cigarettes, 1 for matches, 1 for choccy
ianjonesncl

ianjonesncl

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From: Heavy Brigade Royal Garrison Artillery

Can ayone provide any details of which type of weapons would be used by the Heavy brigade units of the RGA and what their principle role was etc, anything appreciated Source: Heavy Brigade Royal Garrison Artillery
ianjonesncl

ianjonesncl

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Artillery Operations

Royal Garrison Artillery - Heavy Batteries.

Heavy Batteries were initially part of the Divisional Artillery, each Regular Amy Division being allocated a Battery of 60 pounders, Territorial’s 4.7" gun. Some coastal artillery defended ports had a Heavy Battery where no fixed coast defences were in place. The Durham Heavy Battery, for example was, deployed on mobilisation in 1914 to cover the River Wear. Territorial Batteries were also tasked to raise a second battery at the start of the war. With the formation of New Army Divisions, additio
ianjonesncl

ianjonesncl in Artillery Operations

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Artillery Operations

Royal Garrison Artillery - Siege Batteries

There are many requests on the GWF for information about Siege Batteries of the Royal Garrison Artillery. By the end of WW1 there were at 401 Siege Batteries ranging from 60 pounder guns to 12 inch railway guns, yet in 1914 only 5 Siege Companies existed, of which 2 were in India. In 1914 the RA doctrine was very much based on mobile warfare, recognition being there would be times when a town would be laid to siege. The Western Front changed that, it was not a single location that was
ianjonesncl

ianjonesncl in Artillery Operations

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Artillery Operations

18 Pounder Orbat

An 18 pounder detachment had 6 men actualy manning the gun. An additional 4 men were back in the wagon lines where the horses and first line ammunition was held. There were 7 drivers for the gun and ammunition limbers. In addition to these 17 men (commanded by a Sergeant) there would have been 15 horses. This slide may help: Source: RFA
ianjonesncl

ianjonesncl in Artillery Operations

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Artillery Operations

Artillery Brigades

The principle fire unit prior to 1898 was the Battery. At the end of the 19th century , the improved command and control of Artillery, particularly to allow greater concentration was seen as being vital to the effective tactical deployment of Artillery. General Marshall's Committee of 1898 declared that the tactical unit "now be called the brigade-division, and that all other matters should give way to the full development of the Lieutenant Colonels command". So the concept of a tactical unit of
ianjonesncl

ianjonesncl in Artillery Operations

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RHA / RFA / RGA

In July 1899 the Royal Artillery divided it's self in to two separate Corps. The mounted branch of the Royal Horse and Royal Field Artillery, and the dismounted branch, Royal Garrison Artillery. As I understand it, the Horse and Field Artillery batteries were seen as the units to be in if you wanted promotion to the higher echelons of the Royal Artillery. Consequently many officers tried to avoid coastal, mountain, and heavy artillery batteries. The latter also required officers of a more tec
ianjonesncl

ianjonesncl

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GWF Bloging

Following Mikes lead – will Blogging be of use on the GWF ? The new format of the forum looks like blogging may be easier. Many of the current blogs have one entry - really a request for information which would be better placed on the main forum. So will my meanderings work ? Or go the way of the rest - time will tell.
ianjonesncl

ianjonesncl

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