medals to the Royal Artillery

[Khaki]

Why are some medals unit marked eg., RHA, RFA, or RGA (horse/field/garrison) and others are simply marked RA ?

Any suggestions?

khaki

[ianjonesncl]

Khaki

This is from Headlam's The History of the Royal Artillery from the Indian Mutnity to the Great War

On 1 July 1899, the Royal Artillery was divided into three groups: the Royal Horse Artillery of 21 batteries and the Royal Field Artillery of 95 batteries comprised one group, while the coastal defence, mountain, siege and heavy batteries were split off into another group named the Royal Garrrison Artillery of 91 companies.

The third group continued to be titled simply Royal Artillery, and was responsible for ammunition storage and supply.

Ian

[Khaki]

Thanks Ian,

that now makes sense to me

khaki

[Jim Strawbridge]

I had assumed that the 1914 and 1914/5 star were the first medals to be approved and issued. Because the medals relate to early servers then R.F.A., R.G.A. and R.H.A. were separate entities under the same umbrella. The approval and issuance of the BWM and victory medal came later when the R.A. was all encompassing.

[Khaki]

Hello Jim,

So am I to understand that say, a gunner in the RFA who served overseas in 1918 would have R.A on his WM & VM?

khaki

[Pierce09]

my gt grandfather transferred to the RFA in late Apr/early May 1918 and has ASC on his 1914 star and RFA on his BWM and VM

[Jim Strawbridge]

Hello Jim,

So am I to understand that say, a gunner in the RFA who served overseas in 1918 would have R.A on his WM & VM?

khaki

That is as I see it. No BWMs or Victory medals will have other than R.A. on them. No 1914 stars or 1914/5 stars will have other than R.F.A., R.H.A., or R.G.A. on them.