1915/16: Reserve Batteries, RH & RFA

[wertheim76]

Hello all,

I am seeking some help please, after becoming confused on viewing the service record of 114045 Driver Frederick Hughes, RH& RFA.

I cannot seem to find where 17th Reserve Battery RFA were based in late 1915. All other depots and brigades can be found on LLT but seemingly not this one.

Also, I have a Driver in the RFA seemingly going to Royal Artillery Officer Cadet School, but he was not there for long; he came back, still as a Driver, and was sent to Salonika in March 1916 with C Battery 117 Brigade (C/117).

My family also has a letter dated 1915 from him, where he's at Topsham Barracks. Here he says he's in what looks to the eye to say "14 Battery" but it could be "17" or even an eccentric "19". If either of these batteries were based at Topsham, this may help me differentiate between where he was and where he was not. I'd appreciate any help on the above questions please. I know people here are extremely helpful, and have been so in the past. I just cannot make this out!

Regards,

Wertheim.

[Phil Evans]

Werthelm,

So far, the only reference I have found for Topsham is No.2 RFA Officers Cadet School.

Phil

[wertheim76]

Thanks Phil.

It strikes me as bizarre, not only because I cannot find any direct reference to it on the LLT, but also because I cannot seem to find anybody actively searching for other men stationed there at this time.

Maybe it was a small place. I am wondering if my relative failed officer training, if this was what the school was intended for. I cannot think of a reason why he'd have been selected by anyone to be an officer...so it is causing a bit of confusion here for me!

But the letter from Topsham is the only record we, his family, have of him. So he was definitely there.

Thanks again,

Wertheim.

[Phil Evans]

Wertheim,

I don't know how Chris compiled the list on LLT. Whether it was from a single source, or has been built up from information coming to light. There have been other people searching for the missing Reserve Brigades and Batteries over the years. I have an interest in 1B Reserve Brigade, so tend to pick up threads like yours.

There has been a recent thread referring to 20 Reserve Battery, which places it at Woolwich in 4A Reserve Brigade in August 1916. Was it broken up and later replaced by 56 Reserve Battery?

Statistically, 10, 11, and 12 Reserve Batteries should be in 2B Reserve Brigade and 16, 17 and 18 Reserve Batteries should be in 3B Reserve Brigade. There is some evidence to support 11th Res Batt being in 2B Res Brig and stationed at Brighton as late as November 1918.

Some years ago I was given a partial copy of the Digest of Services for each of the 1B Reserve Brigade batteries. I believe they were originally obtained from the Royal Artillery archives at Woolwich. They are not very informative, but I'm wondering if the archive may be the way forward to establish the existence and location of 17th Battery.

Phil

PS I thought I had been down this route before. Have a look at this link.

[Phil Evans]

Wertheim,

I'm definitely slow on the uptake today.

I've just clicked having re-read the old RC thread

Phil

[aradgick]

Can anyone give me some info on 14th Reserve Brigade, Royal Field Artillery please?

Pte Albert John Williams, 62269, died during his training at Fort Nelson(?) on 28th June 1915, aged 16 years, and is buried in Portsdown (Christ Church) Military Cemetery. I'm looking for a little background info please.

Andrewr

[David Porter]

Andrewr,

There was no 14th Reserve Brigade. However, 14th Reserve Battery was in 3A Reserve Brigade at Larkhill and I think this was formed later in the war having come out of No. 3 Reserve Brigade, Hilsea. Also mentioned in connection with No. 3 Reserve Brigade (or No. 3 Depot) is Cosham Railway Station. Both of these locations are near the military cemetery you mention. I've just checked other RFA burials at the cemetery and quite a few have been named Brigade instead of Battery. 3A Reserve Brigade when at Larkhill consisted of 13th, 14th and 15th Reserve Batteries and it looks very much like these moved out of Hilsea after the death of Albert Williams.

[aradgick]

Thanks David, that explains why I couldn't find any references to it.

Andrewr

[David Porter]

For the benefit of others this is my current crib sheet - i.e. not 100% accurate with some based on guesswork.

No. 1 Depot RFA (1 Reserve Brigade) at Newcastle-on-Tyne
1A Reserve Brigade consisting of 1, 2 and 3 Batteries. Newcastle upon Tyne (55 Battery added)
1B Reserve Brigade consisting of 4, 5 and 6 Batteries. Forest Row (initially Leeds then Ipswich in March 1916)
No. 2 Depot RFA (2 Reserve Brigade) at Preston
2A Reserve Brigade consisting of 7, 8 and 9 Batteries. Preston (58 Battery added in October 1916)
2B Reserve Brigade consisting of 10, 11 and 12 Batteries. Brighton (also No. 4 RFA Officer Cadets School)
No. 3 Depot RFA (3 Reserve Brigade) at Hilsea, Cosham Railway Station
3A Reserve Brigade consisting of 13, 14 and 15 Batteries. Larkhill (57 Battery added)
3B Reserve Brigade consisting of 16, 17 and 18 Batteries. Topsham Barracks, Exeter (also No. 2 RFA Officer Cadet School)
No. 4 Depot RFA (4 Reserve Brigade) at Woolwich
4A Reserve Brigade consisting of 19, 20 and 21 Batteries. Woolwich (56 Battery replaced 20)
4B Reserve Brigade consisting of 22, 23 and 24 Batteries. Boyton, Wilts
No. 5 Depot RFA (5 Reserve Brigade) at Athlone
5A Reserve Brigade consisting of 25, 26 and 27 Batteries. Athlone
5B Reserve Brigade consisting of 28, 29 and 30 Batteries. Ballincollig - broken up ??
No. 6 Depot RFA (6 Reserve Brigade) at Glasgow, Maryhill Barracks (possibly Edinburgh in 1918)
6A Reserve Brigade consisting of 31, 32, and 33 Batteries. broken up ?? - 31st Reserve Battery remount training unit. Glasgow
6B Reserve Brigade consisting of 34, 35 and 36 Batteries. Piershill Barracks, Edinburgh
No. 7 Depot RFA (7 Reserve Brigade) formed at Frome in November 1916, also at Romsey

Added later
1C Reserve Brigade consisted of 37, 38 and 39 Batteries. Hemel Hempstead - 37th Reserve Battery remount training unit. Northampton
2C Reserve Brigade consisting of 40, 41 and 42 Batteries. Catterick - 40th Reserve Battery remount training unit. No.8 Camp, Bulford
3C Reserve Brigade consisting of 43, 44 and 45 Batteries. Deepcut - 43rd Reserve Battery at Swanage in 1917 & 1918
4C Reserve Brigade consisting of 46, 47 and 48 Batteries. Weedon
5C Reserve Brigade consisting of 49, 50 and 51 Batteries. Charlton Park - 49th Reserve (Ballincollig) Battery
6C Reserve Brigade consisting of 52, 53.and 54 Batteries. Maryhill Barracks, Glasgow, or Redford Barracks, Edinburgh - 146 and 147 Batteries replaced 53 and 54
new 6C Reserve Brigade consisting of 53, 54.and 55 Batteries, Waterloo Barracks, Aldershot (relocated from Glasgow, Edinburgh & Newcastle ??)
new 5B Reserve Brigade consisting of 59, 60 and 61 Batteries. Edinburgh (50, 59 and 60 Batteries moved to Lessness Park Camp in 1918)
62nd Reserve Battery remount training unit. Ripon
63rd Reserve Battery remount training unit. Bulford

[Phil Evans]

Thank you David,

That is most useful.

Phil

[philipthespur]

Hi All,

Did the Woolwich "Reserve" brigades go to France? Or were they in "Reserve and based in the UK?

Thanks in advance,

Philip (Not Phil)

[battiscombe]

No - they are training/administrative units, not fighting units, based in UK

[rflory]

To the best of my knowledge all RA officer cadets when posted to an Officer Cadet School were also posted to a Reserve Battery for administrative purposes.

[WDPyke]

Does anyone know how to track men who were posted to such units?

He was Leslie John Martin - 64934, Gunner - rising to Sergeant, RFA. He was at Suvla Bay in 1915 I know. The bit I am interested in is 1916-1918.

He was attached to the 14^th (R.) Battery of the Royal Field Artillery and then attached to a Trench Mortar Battery. In February 1917 he was gazetted for the Military Medal.

I am trying to work out where on the Western Front he was, but have no idea how to work out which RFA unit was where and when. I am finding all the artillery men similarly difficult to track down.

Any ideas?

Thanks.

Will

[akduerden]

A note for an old post - a document in my grandfathers service papers has him posted to 3. RFA Office Cadet School at Weedon.

[nigelfe]

Officer cadets were not the only people at officer cadet schools. There were of course officer and NCO instructors. I suspect that at artillery officer schools the cadets did not act as drivers during field training, drivers would have been appropriately trained soldiers. The cadets would have been taught gun drill and hence trained in all positions in a gun detachment. They would also have been taught to ride and probably quite a lot about horse management (the Boer War had convincingly demonstrated that RA was far better than the cavalry at this). However, driving in a gun team was probably deemed unnecessary for cadets. I think this pattern continues to today, on the Young Officers course at the School of Arty, the one thing they don't do is drive during normal training (D&M is a separate part of the course).