36th Divisional Ammunition Column RFA

[Alison Brimicombe]

I am trying to find out details about the 36th Divisional Ammunition Column RFA. My great uncle served in this regiment and was awarded the Meritorious medal. This regiment was formed in Ireland, but my great uncle was not Irish and was living, we think, in London at the time. Can anyone explain how this would have happened and why an Englishman would be serving in an Irish regiment? Also, what was the meritorious medal awarded for? I know these are probably really stupid questions, but I've read a number of books and fact sheets regarding this and none of them are very clear. I am researching our family history and this information would be another piece of the jigsaw puzzle.

Ally Pally

[Ron Clifton]

Hello Ally Pally, and welcome to the Forum!

Divisional Ammunition Columns were part of the Royal Field Artillery, which took recruits from all over the UK - its main base was at Woolwich. 36 DAC was part of 36th (Ulster) Division but although it probably contained a number of Irishmen, it was not a specifically Irish unit.

The War Diary can be found in the National Archives at Kew in the following file:

36 DIVISION

WO 95/2496 Divisional Ammunition Column 1915 Sept. - 1919 Feb.

War Diaries rarely mention men by name other than officers but the location of the unit, with a brief description of its activities, is given on each day. However, you sometimes get a mention of a gallantry award.

There was no "Meritorious Medal" - do you mean the Military Medal, or the Meritorious Service Medal? Comparatively few men were awarded the latter but although there were some 120,000 awards of the Military Medal it most certainly did not "come up with the rations" and you have every right to be proud of your great-uncle.

And, incidentally, yours are not stupid questions! All of us have to start somewhere and the main aim of this Forum is to guide each other through the maze which is the organisation of the British Army.

Ron

[Alison Brimicombe]

Hello Ally Pally, and welcome to the Forum!

Divisional Ammunition Columns were part of the Royal Field Artillery, which took recruits from all over the UK - its main base was at Woolwich. 36 DAC was part of 36th (Ulster) Division but although it probably contained a number of Irishmen, it was not a specifically Irish unit.

The War Diary can be found in the National Archives at Kew in the following file:

36 DIVISION

WO 95/2496 Divisional Ammunition Column 1915 Sept. - 1919 Feb.

War Diaries rarely mention men by name other than officers but the location of the unit, with a brief description of its activities, is given on each day. However, you sometimes get a mention of a gallantry award.

There was no "Meritorious Medal" - do you mean the Military Medal, or the Meritorious Service Medal? Comparatively few men were awarded the latter but although there were some 120,000 awards of the Military Medal it most certainly did not "come up with the rations" and you have every right to be proud of your great-uncle.

And, incidentally, yours are not stupid questions! All of us have to start somewhere and the main aim of this Forum is to guide each other through the maze which is the organisation of the British Army.

Ron

Hi Ron

Thank you for your quick reply. I do mean the meritorious service medal, and I would love to know why my great uncle was awarded this. Do they keep records? His name was Herbert Stanley Casswell Bowra, but I haven't been able to find out much about him. I work in a school so my next holidays are coming up very shortly, I shall endeavour to go to Kew then and read some of the diaries. Thank you once again.

Ally Pally

[Alison Brimicombe]

Hi Ron,

I did mean the meritorious service medal, but I would love to know why my great uncle was awarded this. His name was Herbert Stanley Casswell Bowra, but I haven't been able to find out much about him. I work in a school so my next holidays are coming up shortly, I shall endeavour to go to Kew then and read some of the diaries. Thank you once again.

Ally Pally

[Desmond7]

From the history of the 36th Ulster Division by Cyril Falls

In those days, it will be remembered, the one feverish anxiety of the men of the New Armies was lest the war should be over ere they were able to play their part in -it! In the event, as will later be explained, the Division went to France in advance of the Artillery that had been raised for it, with a Territorial Artillery attached.

The 36th Divisional Artillery was raised, six months after the rest of the Division, in the suburbs of London, though from quarters stranger to one another than towns fifty miles apart in Ireland. The 153rd and 154th Brigades R.F.A. were formed by the British Empire League, of which one of the moving spirits was General Sir Bindon Blood. They were recruited chiefly from Croydon, Norbury, and Sydenham. The 172nd and 173rd Brigades, on the other hand, came from North-east London. They were formed on the initiative of the Mayors of East and West Ham and recruited from those districts.

The first date recorded in the Artillery annals is that of May the 5th, 1915, when sixty recruits of the 153rd Brigade assembled at 60, Victoria Street, the headquarters of the British Empire League, and marched to Norbury, where they were billeted in private houses. Londoners from South and North did not meet until July, when the four Brigades and the 36th Divisional Ammunition Column were moved to Lewes. It was within a few days of the arrival of the rest of the Division, already at a high standard of efficiency, in England, that serious training of the Divisional Artillery really began.

read more about the Division and the part played by its various components below:-

http://www.freewebs.com/denbob/index.htm

Best wishes - Des

[ulsterlad2]

Ali, you probably know this but incase you don't:

As well as the msm, your uncle also qualified for the Britsh & the Victory medals and the 1915 Star.

He landed in France on 28th November 1915.

[Alison Brimicombe]

I didn't realise that my Uncle had been awarded all of these medals. Without me sounding rude, how did you know? Also how can I start trying to find out why he was awarded these medals.

[Desmond7]

This information can be seen on his 'Medal Index Card' which is available from National Archives online (for a fee) - Ulsterlad above has access to 'another program' which enbales him to browse these cards.

He qualified for the 1914-1915 Star due to his entry into 'theatre of war' (Nov. 28 1915); the British War Medal and the Victory Medal (more commonly known as a 'pair') were in the nature of service recognition ... all soldiers who landed in France prior to a set date in late 1915 qualified for the Star; all soldiers who served in active service theatres during WW1 received the BWM and VM.

The MSM is a separate issue and (in most cases) was awarded because the recipient had a top class record of service to his unit which had been especially noted by the CO.

Des

[Desmond7]

Medal card of Bowra, Herbert S

Corps Regiment No Rank

Royal Field Artillery L/30544 Corporal

Royal Field Artillery L/30544 Serjeant

[Ron Clifton]

Hello again

If you are going to Kew, the London Gazette is held in class ZJ1, but firstly you need to consult the indexes which are on open shelves in one of the reference rooms. These are in quarterly sets so that, for instance, "1917 Volume III" covers 1 July to 30 September 1917. Look in the first section of each index, headed "State Intelligence" and you will find awards of the Meritorious Service Medal under M. In each case the names are listed alphabetically.

Gazette entries were normally made some months later than the actions for which they were awarded, so be prepared to examine at least two and possibly three volumes of the year's index in each case. These will direct you to a page number in the main Gazette itself (the numbers started afresh at 1 on 1 January each year). The entries themselves will probably not give any details of the conduct which earned the award, simply the soldier's name, rank, number and regiment.

The reference room staff will be able to guide you on finding the London Gazette volume which you need.

Good hunting!

Ron

[rob elliott]

Ali,

He is also in the medal roll of honour for the 36th Division in their official history. As Sgt H.Bowra RFA. [Royal Field Artillary].

Des,

I recall somewhere that some of the MSMs were issued for particular acts of bravery off the field of battle, particullarly to men of the Artillary/ASC where fires at ammunition dumps had been involved.

Rob

[Desmond7]

Quite possible Rob - need to see what the NAs turn up.

[ulsterlad2]

Ali

With ref to Ron's advice about Kew in Post #10. I don't know if these numbers are of any use in your search.

His MSM card contains the usual name, rank & number etc plus.

Date of gazette: 60 (strange but that's what it says)

Registered Paper: 0137/5358 . . . . . . . 227304

[Alison Brimicombe]

Hello to all you lovely people who have been so kind and told me so much about my great uncle. I'm off to Kew later this week so hopefully I'll find out more. My mother had told me that my great uncle seemed rather withdrawn when he returned from war; since reading about the Royal Field Artillery and the various battles in France, I can now understand why. I don't think we realise just how brave these men were and how very lucky we are.