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Royal Field Artillery


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Can anyone with any knowledge on the RFA help me with information regading 86th Battery, 32nd Brigade, which I believe became D (Howitzer) Battery of the same Brigade.

I would like to know what type of Howitzer the Battery may have used, and where they were located during October 1917, any info would be grately appreciated and would help fill a gap in our family history.

Many thanks

Graham

:poppy:

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G

The LLT states that 4.5 inch Howitzers were used by the RFA units.

32 Bde RFA were part of 4 Division's strength. War Diary which runs from Aug 1914 to Jan 1919 is at Kew under WO95/1467.Not yet digital.

October 1917 saw them at the battles of Third Ypres with 5th Army:

Polygon Wood from 26 Sep to 3 Oct

Broodseinde 4 Oct

Poelcapelle 9 Oct,and,

First Passchendaele 17 Oct.

LLT does not list them as partaking in Second Passchendaele a few days later.

Sotonmate

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Graham

Try googling 'The William Roberts Society' where you should find:

"4.5 Howitzer Gunner

Royal Field Artillery

1916–1918

Memories of the War to End War"

This gives you a good intro into the life of a Gunner.

4.5 QF

Designed by the Coventry Ordnance Works, the British Ordnance QF 4.5in Howitzer appeared in 1910 and went on to become one of the most efficient medium howitzers of World War 1. At a time when few field guns could elevate beyond 20°, it became a valuable support to the field artillery, since it could drop shells into trenches and field defences which the flat trajectory guns (like the 13Pdr and the 18Pdr could not do). Several thousand were produced and the gun was sold widely to several countries in the post-war years, modernised with pneumatic tyres, it served throughout World War 2 as well.

Calibre 114mm or 4.5 in

Weight in action 3020 lbs

Gun length 1.63mm or 64.7in

Elevation -5º to +45º

Traverse 6º

Ammunition and weight High Explosive, Shrapnel Weight of shell 35.0lb

Muzzle Velocity 1,026 ft/sec

Maximum Range 7,000 yards

See my avatar

Regards

Bob

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi Bob,

Thanks very much for the info, sorry it took me so long to reply haven't been able to get on for a while.

Graham

Graham

Try googling 'The William Roberts Society' where you should find:

"4.5 Howitzer Gunner

Royal Field Artillery

1916–1918

Memories of the War to End War"

This gives you a good intro into the life of a Gunner.

4.5 QF

Designed by the Coventry Ordnance Works, the British Ordnance QF 4.5in Howitzer appeared in 1910 and went on to become one of the most efficient medium howitzers of World War 1. At a time when few field guns could elevate beyond 20°, it became a valuable support to the field artillery, since it could drop shells into trenches and field defences which the flat trajectory guns (like the 13Pdr and the 18Pdr could not do). Several thousand were produced and the gun was sold widely to several countries in the post-war years, modernised with pneumatic tyres, it served throughout World War 2 as well.

Calibre 114mm or 4.5 in

Weight in action 3020 lbs

Gun length 1.63mm or 64.7in

Elevation -5º to +45º

Traverse 6º

Ammunition and weight High Explosive, Shrapnel Weight of shell 35.0lb

Muzzle Velocity 1,026 ft/sec

Maximum Range 7,000 yards

See my avatar

Regards

Bob

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