RFA

[susan kitchen]

I am escaping, yet again from the world cup. So i would appreciate some help regarding the RFA. I really don't know much about the guns they would have used. Howitzer and Lewis guns spring to mind. Would either of those have been used. ?

Susan

[truthergw]

Until the real artillery buffs get here, I can tell you that a Lewis Gun was a light machine gun and was an infantry weapon. The field artillery used field guns so 13 pounders, 18 pounders and I think the 4.5" howitzer but I am not certain of that last. 13 pounders were used in conjunction with the cavalry.

[susan kitchen]

Thanks for your speedy reply.

Susan.

[Michael Johnson]

The 13 pdrs were originally Royal Horse Artillery. R.F.A. would have been mostly 18 pdrs, with 4.5 for howitzer batteries.

[Ron Clifton]

Hello Susan

At the outbreak of war the Territorial Force units of the RFA were still armed with the 15-pounder gun and 5-inch howitzer, of Boer War vintage. Most of them were re-equipped with the 18-pounder or 4.5-inch howitzer before going abroad.

Ron

[ianjonesncl]

On mobilisation in 1914 the Regular Army Batteries of the Royal Field Artillery were equipped with 18 pounder guns and 4.5 inch howitzers. There were three gun brigades and one howitzer brigade per Infantry Division. The Royal Horse Artillery supported the Cavalry with 13 pounders.

The Territorial Force were equipped with the BLC 15 pounder and the 5 inch howitzer. They re-equipped with 18 ponder and 4.5 inch howitzers at the end of 1915 / early 1916.

I believe new Army units were supplied with 18 pounders and 4.5 inch howitzers.

[susan kitchen]

How many men would it have needed to maintain and operate one of these guns.?

Susan

[ianjonesncl]

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:

[susan kitchen]

As i've said in my earlier post i don't know much about the RFA. I've found a relative who was in the RFA from about 1915, so i thought i should know more about it. Anyway thanks for the slide. It's brilliant.

[Roger H]

Susan

This (and the enclosed links) makes good reading. http://www.1914-1918.net/cra.htm

Roger

[pjjobson]

Susan

You were right about the L:ewis Gun as well, by the end of the war each section (2 field guns) had a number of lewis guns (2 I believe) for local protection.

Phil

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:

Ian

Can I ask where you got the slide form as It would be an ideal tool for us to use at Firepower when we have our geneology days (like tomorrow at Woolwich Barracks)

Cheers

Phil

[Rockdoc]

You were right about the L:ewis Gun as well, by the end of the war each section (2 field guns) had a number of lewis guns (2 I believe) for local protection

Phil, did the Lewis guns replace the half-dozen rifles that had been standard equipment for Sections or were they supplementary?

Keith

[pjjobson]

As far as I am aware, they were supplementary. I know 5 Bty used both during their last stand during the German offensive of 1918.

Phil

[susan kitchen]

Roger, Ian Phil and Keith. I'm probably a bit thick when it comes to some aspects of the War, but you have given me some great information.

Thanks.

Susan

[Roger H]

Roger, Ian Phil and Keith. I'm probably a bit thick when it comes to some aspects of the War

Susan

Susan

Don't do yourself down.....we all start somewhere and thanks to this great forum I have learnt so much over the last 18 months. And I have much more to learn!!

Roger

[ianjonesncl]

Roger, Ian Phil and Keith. I'm probably a bit thick when it comes to some aspects of the War, but you have given me some great information.

Thanks.

Susan

Susan

I would suggest not.

The development of the Royal Field Artillery in WW1 is a complex subject, the changes in 4 years are significant. It is a case of everyone learning from each other.

[Rockdoc]

Susan, I'm with the others. There is never any need to feel ignorant on this forum. None of us knows everything but if you add all the snippets of expertise together there's a vast resource available that's freely given. I've become slightly less uneducated in many areas since I joined and I'm still pushing back the boundaries of my ignorance.

Remember, the only stupid question is the one you don't ask!

Keith

[squirrel]

Phil, did the Lewis guns replace the half-dozen rifles that had been standard equipment for Sections or were they supplementary?

Keith

IIRC the Lewis Guns were in addition to the Rifles carried on the limber. FWIW RHA carried 4 rifles on the limber.

[susan kitchen]

Well i feel slightly less thick than i did the other day. Yesterday i was telling someone how some time ago i had found a relative who was in the RFA. And that now i had looked up his service records i thought it would be a good idea to find out what type of gun he would have used. So i told her what i had learnt from you guys, i.e that they re-equipped with 18 pounder and 4.5 Howitzer by the end of 1915 etc. I went on to say that i was surprised by the amount of men needed i.e 17 men and 15 horses. All i got was a puzzled look. Bearing in mind that i was talking about a relative that belonged to both us, i said " you don't look very impressed " the reply i got was " Well i don't see what's so great about that, after all at Christmas i carried a 20 pound Turkey all the way home from the Butchers. Boy, did i laugh.

To be fair this person knows almost nothing about the War and isn't interested in it. Still i had to laugh.

Thanks again

Susan

[Robert Dunlop]

The Lewis guns were issued to help protect the artillery sections from aerial attack. In the late war period, enemy aircraft would strafe field artillery batteries with machine guns. The Lewis guns were used to protect the artillery from infantry during the German break-in attacks in Operation Michael, March 1918.

The German artillery were issued MG08/15s for protection.

Robert

[Rockdoc]

IIRC the Lewis Guns were in addition to the Rifles carried on the limber. FWIW RHA carried 4 rifles on the limber.

I knew this had come up before and I now remember where it was - one of my own threads! In Post 10, Ron Clifton quoted the appropriate regulations and says 36 rifles per Battery, which would equate to six per gun. I see you posted the same info on the RHA there, Squirrel so I wonder whether the RFA kept more rifles at hand? They were logically less likely to get their 18-pdr guns away than the RHA were with their 13-pdrs so were perhaps thought more likely to have need of protection?

Keith

[susan kitchen]

Just to add to my last post. I wasn't being unkind when i laughed as when i explained what an 18 pounder etc meant the person i was with also fell about laughing actually more than me.

Really appreciate all help.

Susan

[squirrel]

Rockdoc,

4 rifles on the gun limber for the RHA was included in a reply from the King's Troop RHA to a series of queries I had some years ago. IIRC and having thought about it a little more as I am unable to find the letter in question, the other 2 rifles were kept on the GS wagons; in clips next to the driver. So yes, 6 rifles per gun for the RHA and RFA.

[Rockdoc]

Sorry, Squirrel, I wasn't trying to cast aspersions in your direction, just making a comment. If it came over that way I apologise.

Keith

[squirrel]

No need to apologise. Fair point Rockdoc. Just clarifying my previous comment as I posted before I had tried to find the letter and thought it through...........wish I could find the letter though..................