Use of binoculars with the RGA

[philster]

Hello experts,

This question is probably more for the artillery experts, but any thoughts would be welcome.

My grandfather who served as a Gunner with the RGA throughout WW1 kept his pair of field binoculars after the war - I remember seeing them and have identified what they were from pictures.

The reason I've posted this is that I've no idea exactly what he did while overseas apart from that he served with at least two heavy batteries, but I would like to know if having to use the binoculars might have meant that he might have had a particular role. Or did every member of the battery have them?

Thanks,

Phil

[Lancashire Fusilier]

Phil,

An Artillery Battery/Unit would have used ' Observers ', who presumably had optical equipment including binoculars, perhaps your Grandfather was an Artillery Observer ?

Regards,

LF

[centurion]

RGA would normally be reliant on observers to report on fall of shot and could well use binoculars however other uses could be as a means of reading visual signals from an observer or possibly an aircraft. I wouldn't think every man in the battery had a pair.

[MikB]

I would guess observation role too - unlikely to be of use to loaders, and gunners might use a telescope sight. How much use binos would be would depend on the range and therefore to some extent the size of gun. For ranges much longer than 2 - 3,000 yards, a GS telescope - or FA telescope if the RGA got these too - would offer far greater magnification; 6x would give limited feedback in a cluttered landscape at longer distances.

Regards,

MikB

[MikeMeech]

Hi

Binoculars were certainly used by the RA to observe 'Visual signals' from aeroplanes, either Lamp or Very Lights/Smoke Balls (although this was generally in the earlier part of the war). In the December 1914 instructions for 'Co-operation of Aeroplanes with Artillery' it states:

"It is most important that two men should be detailed from a battery to watch the observing aeroplane, one with field glasses looking for the signals, the other with the naked eye keeping a continuous watch on it so as to make certain that no mistake is made as to the actual machine, since, when there are several aeroplanes out on observation, confusion between them is very likely to arise."

I hope that is useful.

Mike

[RobL]

Mountain gun units also fell under the RGA which were generally a lot closer to the front line than the more typical heavy guns associated with the RGA, but it applies not applicable in this situation

[philster]

Many thanks for all the knowledgeable help. This now has me suspecting that he was in a short range observation role of some sort.

Phil

[centurion]

Forward rather than short range observation

[Greg]

If your relative was a gunner (rank) with a pair of binoculars he was probably an 'ack' assistant to a Forward Observation Officer or FOO. Since gunners would not normally have been issued with a set and if issued should have returned them to store he may have 'liberated' them from the enemy, purchased them privately, or even stolen them! If you are using 'gunner' generically binoculars were issued to certain personnel with particular roles.

Thinking back to my own battery (obviously long after the First World War) all battery officers the BSM and I think each Gun No 1 and OP Acks (FOO's assistants) were issued with binos. I imagine the scale of issue was smaller in the Great War. I am sure Nigel Elfe or another expert will have a scale of issue for a First World War battery and know which personnel were issued with binos.

[philster]

Thanks Greg.

If your relative was a gunner (rank) with a pair of binoculars he was probably an 'ack' assistant to a Forward Observation Officer or FOO. Since gunners would not normally have been issued with a set and if issued should have returned them to store he may have 'liberated' them from the enemy, purchased them privately, or even stolen them! If you are using 'gunner' generically binoculars were issued to certain personnel with particular roles.

This makes me think he could have been an assistant to a FOO at some time and that might be how he got them. Or, indeed they may have been an officer's and he could have kept hold of them and not returned them - when he should have done. I'm pretty certain that they were property of one of the H Batteries he was with.

Phil.

[nigelfe]

By the last couple of years of the war RGA didn't deploy many observation posts, typically one per bde, becasue they were focussed on enemy artillery that was usually deployed out of sight of OPs. This change somehwta in the last months of the war when movement started and observers doid start to see enemy batteries that hadn't moved quickly enough. The primary observer was the Battery Commander, and other oficers stood in for him. I don't think there were any soldier observation specialists, but some signallers were trained on the job.