D Batteries Royal field Artillery

[Guest Yorkie]

Can anyone tell me whether all D batteries in R.F.A were Howitzers

[RobertBr]

4.5 QF Howitzers as per my avatar was the norm but I cannot say all. Early in the war there were some older guns in use.

Bob

[battiscombe]

as the previous post says, 'most' will have been.. but in terms of gun vs howitzer.. it depends when and where.. regular Briagdes had numbered batteries but could later acquire a D Battery.. probably most of those were Howitzer batteries [there will be an exception..] .... the 'new' brigades were formed as 3 batteries A-C and then had a fourth D battery added..in 1914-15 either as gun [mainly 18pdr] or as all howitzer [4.5] brigades .. but from 1916 these were changed to be mixed and have 3 gun batteries + 1 howitzer battery, the How battery was indeed generally the D Battery .. but.. bear in mind some [c25%] all-Howitzer Brigades were created 1914 with a D battery added in jan 1915, these were later broken up and having their batteries spread around the new establishment 'mixed' Brigades.. so in 1915 and perhaps 1916 some D batteries could be 18 pdrs, after then 'most' D Batteries will be howitzers. have you a Brigade in mind?

sorry .. that sounds much more complicated than it should ... for a simple 'yes'

[egbert]

Any experts here who know something about D/84 in April/May 1918?

[Ron Clifton]

Hello Egbert

There were three batteries designated D/84 over the course of the war. The original was an 18-pdr battery which was swapped to 85 Bde in May 1916, in exchange for the original A/85 which became D/84, and which was broken up in Jan/Feb 1917 to make D/82 and D/83 up to six howitzers each.

The final D/84 was formerly D/260 in 51st Division. It joined 84 Bde in Feb 1917 on the latter's conversion to an AFA Bde, and was equipped with 4.5" howitzers.

From 7 Jan to 13 April 1918 the brigade was attached to I Corps; from 15 April to 16 May it was attached to XI Corps; and from 17 May 10 June it was withdrawn to rest.

Ron

[egbert]

Thanks Ron for your look-ups.

So you confirm my order of the battle right?

Do you know anything, anything more on D/84 with date 1 May 1918?

[rflory]

egbert: On 1 May 1918 84th Army Brigade, RFA was at Haverskerque. The brigade war diary for 1 to 8 May 1918 states: "Harassing fire continued both by day and by night. Hostile artillery fairly quiet. Some good shoots were carried out by D/84 and C/84 with observation. Rear positions to cover rear lines of defence were reconnoitred and also forward positions in the neighbourhood of St Floris. Work commenced on both."

WO 95/5494 indicates that from 14 April 1918 to 15 May 1918 84th Army Brigade, RFA was supporting the 5th Division in XI Corps.

[battiscombe]

I happen to have a photo of one of the sections of D/84 ... sometime 1918 I think- possibly an end of war photo. Do you have any specific interest in any of their men.. or perhaps have any other pics? 33 men + officer + small dog.

[egbert]

@ rflory: great news, would you scan the relevant page for me?

@ battiscombe: see the thread in my signature. My grandfather was 99% killed by a shell from D/84. Please let me see the picture and have it sent to me and maybe posted in the referenced thread.

[rflory]

egbert: PM me your email address. Dick Flory

[nigelfe]

I think you can safely say that D Bty RHA was not 4.5.

[Ron Clifton]

True, Nigel, but consider the thread title. D Battery RHA was not RFA. Nor was D AA Battery RGA, incidentally.

Ron

[Guest Yorkie]

I originally asked the question re D battery and Howitzers in the R.F.A.. My father L17056 W.H.B.Wilkinson served with D Battery 170 Brigade of 31st Division R.F.A. He was awarded the Military Medal on the 22nd May 1917 for rescuing a wounded Sergeant, presumably at the Third battle of the Scarpe.

I am keen to find out more about this. Could it have been a sergeant from D battery ?. I thought that he was called Hartley and came from Barnoldswick Lancs, but I have traced the history of 3 soldiers from there and am unable to place them in 170 Brigade.

I have copies of my father's war service from Ancestry and a list of battles in which he fought, I also have copies of War Diaries for 1st to 6th May 1917, Is it possible to find a list of wounded soldiers from this battle? I would be grateful for any help.

Brenda