SFayers Posted 21 May , 2004 Share Posted 21 May , 2004 Hi folks, Apologies if this comes across as a rather naive question, but I was wondering if the rolls of gunners and drivers in the artillery were interchangeable without any official redesignation? The reason why I ask is that my grandfather (as far as I'm aware) was only ever offically a gunner in the RGA during the war (from his MIC and family-given information), yet one family story says that at one point he was made a driver "as the offical drivers at the time had been knocked out by flu" (probably because he had experience as a horseman before the war). Also, on the one photograph I have of him in uniform he is carrying a riding crop, which for "other ranks" I always believed was only given to drivers. Any ideas? cheers Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryBettsMCDCM Posted 21 May , 2004 Share Posted 21 May , 2004 Hi folks, Apologies if this comes across as a rather naive question, but I was wondering if the rolls of gunners and drivers in the artillery were interchangeable without any official redesignation? The reason why I ask is that my grandfather (as far as I'm aware) was only ever offically a gunner in the RGA during the war (from his MIC and family-given information), yet one family story says that at one point he was made a driver "as the offical drivers at the time had been knocked out by flu" (probably because he had experience as a horseman before the war). Also, on the one photograph I have of him in uniform he is carrying a riding crop, which for "other ranks" I always believed was only given to drivers. Any ideas? cheers Steve Gunner is really the Generic term for all members of the Artillery, of Private Soldier status;A Gunteam would be made up of various qualified members;Gun Layer,Range Finder;Drivers;etc;so your Grand~Father would be a Driver as a Qualification,though still being a "Gunner",as a Rifleman would be in the Rifle Regiments;A Fusilier in the Fusilier Regiments etc; Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Morgan Posted 21 May , 2004 Share Posted 21 May , 2004 I'm no expert on the workings of gun-teams, but there are lots of artillerymen buried in war cemeteries whose rank is given as "Driver." Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rflory Posted 21 May , 2004 Share Posted 21 May , 2004 Tom is correct. Driver and Gunner were separate ranks during the Great War. Gunners did not usually serve as drivers and drivers did not normally serve on the gun team. In a normal scenario the drivers would drive the horses that pulled the guns to the battery position. Once that was accomplished the drivers would be located in comparative safety some distance behind the guns. They would spend their day taking care of the horses and harness usually under the Battery Sergeant Major. The gunners would be at the guns acting as a member of the gun team. Other artillery ranks equivalent with private in the infantry would be farrier, saddler, and trumpeter. Regards. Dick Flory Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muerrisch Posted 21 May , 2004 Share Posted 21 May , 2004 Other artillery ranks equivalent with private in the infantry would be farrier, saddler, and trumpeter. Regards. Dick Flory Not trumpeter, I think. Trumpeters, like Drummers in the infantry, were paid more, and were not "Rank and File". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rflory Posted 22 May , 2004 Share Posted 22 May , 2004 Not trumpeter, I think. Trumpeters, like Drummers in the infantry, were paid more, and were not "Rank and File". I hate to take issue with you but The King's Regulations and Orders for the Army, 1912 with amendments published in Army Orders up to 31st December 1917 indicates that the following appointments are equivalent in rank to a gunner, trooper, driver, sapper, pioneer or private: Acting Bombardier, Armament Private, Armourer Private, Artificer, Bandsman, Boy, Bugler, Drummer, Fifer, Fitter, Kettle-Drummer, Lance Corporal, Lithographer, Musician, Piper, Saddler, Saddletree-maker, Shoeing and Carriage Smith, Shoeing Smith, Smith, Trumpeter, Wheeler, Engineer clerk, Engineer ledgerkeeper and storeman, 1st Class Air Mechanic, and 2nd Class Air Mechanic. Regards. Dick Flory Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckman Posted 24 May , 2004 Share Posted 24 May , 2004 In a normal scenario the drivers would drive the horses that pulled the guns to the battery position. Once that was accomplished the drivers would be located in comparative safety some distance behind the guns. They would spend their day taking care of the horses and harness usually under the Battery Sergeant Major. Did drivers not also bring up ammunition resupply? A little more hazardous than minding horses in the rear area.... My great-uncle was in an Australian 18 pdr battery at 3rd Ypres, and as far as I can tell was a driver. One of the few stories he ever related to me about his WWI experience was bring forward a dozen shells at a time - four + him on one horse, and 8 more on another he was leading. He had to crest a bare ridge to get to the battery position, and was damned sure every German in the Salient was drawing bead on him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnreed Posted 24 May , 2004 Share Posted 24 May , 2004 I think that there is a bit of confusionwith regards to drivers and gunners. The drivers were still an integral part of the gun detachment. I quote from the the Gun Drill book, " In action they remain in the Waggon Lines, they assist in the supply of ammunition and are available to replace casualties,(therefore they must know the Gun Drill and duties) in the waggon lines they are under the direct control of the Coverer who is the second in command of the gun, who in turn is in turn under control of the Battery Sergeant Major who is in control of the resupply of ammunition to the battery position. In overall control of the Waggon Lines is the Battery Captain. Does this help John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SFayers Posted 24 May , 2004 Author Share Posted 24 May , 2004 Hi folks, Many thanks for your interesting comments! cheers Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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