1/3rd South Midlands FA

[badgersnr]

Hello

I am looking for any info on the above unit mainly their service on the Italian Front.

They were raised in Bristol and went to Italy 10 Nov 1917 until 31 March 1919

My interest is I have a set of medals to Pte 2293/439361 Pte Frank Jones

He was awarded an MSM and 15 Trio.

The RAMC apparently were only awarded 31 MSM's for Italy.

I am particularly interested in were they were based in Italy and which actions would they have been involved in.

Any information gratefully received

Thanks

Alun

[sotonmate]

You can get the ins-and-outs from the unit War Diary which is at the National Archives under reference WO95/4247 and runs from 1Nov 1917 to 30 Apr 1919. It is not digital.

You can get the general areas of their activity from the Divisional page which is in the Long Long Trail at top left of this page:

http://www.1914-1918.net/48div.htm

[E Wilcock]

I am a bit confused by your enquiry - Like unsure what your abbreviation stands for?

Is your interest in the 1st Battery of the 3rd South Midlands Brigade of the Royal Field Artillery?

My own interest is in the 4th South Midland Brigade, whose surviving members were re allocated to the 1st and 2nd Brigades. Those Brigades (then renamed 240 and 241 Brigades RFA) did indeed get sent to Italy in November 1917. I know where they served, and have visited part of the Italian front in order to go to the cemetery where Major Reginald Pridmore was burried.

3rd South Midland Brigade, renamed 242 Brigade, was based in Birmingham. My understanding is that it has been widely researched by experts in the University of Birmingham who have a website on which you would be able to post your enquiry.

One reason I know little about 242 brigade (and have not transcribed their war diary) is that it seems to have been detached from the rest of the Division in Jan 1917 and on line posts suggest that it may not have been sent to Italy with the other Brigades.

This website http://www.philary.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/Gunner%20Davis.htm commemorates a soldier killed in 242 Brigade who is buried in Belgium, and describes the unit still in Belgium.

Christmas 1917 was spent at St Jans Cappel, a rest area, and here the Brigade was able to enjoy a Christmas dinner and evening concert! On 27th December 1917 the Brigade moved to Bedford House, near Ypres. (Map Ref: Sheet 28 I26a8.5). "D" Battery was in position with the southern group (Map Ref: I28d2.8) at Bedford House Camp. On New Year's Eve the Brigade fired a salvo "to commence the year in the right military spirit".

This was after the other South Midland Brigades had left for Italy where they remained till the end of the war.

I apologise if I have mis-understood your enquiry, but I hope this may help you find the information you are looking for.

[spof]

The reference to RAMC suggests Alun was talking about 1/3 South Midland Field Ambulance.

[E Wilcock]

Apologies - I didnt know FA meant Field Ambulance as well as Field Artillery.