Benners Posted 27 June , 2008 Share Posted 27 June , 2008 My relative is listed on his service records for the Royal Horse Artillery as being with: 'R' (I take it that is the Reserve?) as a Gunner on 22 Oct 1914 Base Details as a Gunner on 31st March 1915 1st Indian Cavalry Division (then it says 'AC' where you normally find the battery listed) as a Gunner on 8th April 1915 My question is what Battery would he have been with to serve with the Indian Cavalry Division on those dates?, plus what does 'AC' mean?? I hope some kind person can help me. Regards Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenwoodman Posted 27 June , 2008 Share Posted 27 June , 2008 Ammunition Column? The Order of Battle records that it is I Ind. Bde. Ammn. Col. Not sure what the 'I' stands for, but likely to be 'First'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenwoodman Posted 27 June , 2008 Share Posted 27 June , 2008 You headed your post 'Where'. They were on the Western Front. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benners Posted 28 June , 2008 Author Share Posted 28 June , 2008 Many thanks for your replies Greenwoodman, they have really helped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Clifton Posted 28 June , 2008 Share Posted 28 June , 2008 Hello Mark RHA Batteries were lettered, so R Battery was just that, although it did in fact function as a reserve battery, with P Battery, as part of X Brigade (and that X means 10, just to confuse matters.) "Base Deatails" is aterm for a general posting pool available to send men to any battery. And yes, Greenwoodman, the unit is 1st Indian Bde (RHA) Ammunition Column. Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benners Posted 29 June , 2008 Author Share Posted 29 June , 2008 Thanks for your reply Ron, If he was in P Battery (as part of X Brigade), the RHA listings on the site say that it is 'In Woolwich', obviously my man was with the 1st Indian, so I take it from what you are saying that being posted to any Battery from Base Details would mean that it would be hard to determine which Battery he was posted to, or do you know a way? Regards Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Clifton Posted 29 June , 2008 Share Posted 29 June , 2008 Mark Almost certainly trained at Woolwich with R Battery, then sent to the RHA/RFA Depot in France as "Base Details", then posted to I Ind Bde AC. Ammunition Columns were, in effect, battery-sized units without any guns. The three RHA Batteries in this brigade were A, Q and U, all of which were serviced by the same AC. Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rflory Posted 29 June , 2008 Share Posted 29 June , 2008 As has been stated "R" Battery, RHA was a reserve battery that was part of "X" Reserve Brigade at Woolwich. Upon enlistment Gunner ORs were usually assigned to a reserve brigade for training (in this case R Battery, RHA) and once trained were sent to France and assigned to Base Details prior to assignment to a unit. Your man was then assigned to the I Indian Brigade Ammunition Column (renumbered as I Indian Brigade, RHA, Ammunition Column on 24 February 1917) that was part of the 1st Indian Cavalry Division (you will not find a battery designation for him as according to your data he served with the ammunition column. Some elements of the Division served in the Battle of Cambrai from 30 November to 3 December 1918. In March 1918 the Division was dispersed to other units and the Indian elements sent to Egypt. Regards, Dick Flory Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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