C Battery RHA

[George Lee Temple]

I'm researching C Battery RHA in which a family member served from before the war until his death on 13 October 1918.

I have a vague recollection of the RHA batteries re-equipping with 18 pounders at some point, thus releasing the 13 pounders for conversion to AA guns, but am unable to find any reference to this. Can anyone suggest a possible source, or have I just dreamed this ?

Also, I'd be interested in any information at all on C Battery, or its members, and, in particular any images....

Any/all help most appreciated !

[anthony P]

Hi George

Welcome.

C Battery R.H.A. is a bit to vague.

Have you any information on your family member? Name, Brigade, Reg Number, date of birth/place.

Most re-fit's and up grades took place early 1916. There were also big changes to both R.H.A. and R.F.A. units.

R.F.A. Brigades were made up of three batteries "A", "B" and "c".

Cheer's

Tony

[lostinspace]

I'm not what you would call an expert on the R.A. but I'm pretty sure (pre-war) R.H.A. batteries were lettered while R.F.A. batteries were numbered, later on with the massive expansion of the R.A. the R.F.A. switched to the generic A,B,C, and D but throughout the war (and WWII for that matter), R.H.A. batteries were always lettered. Hopefully Dick Flory (who is an expert on the R.A.) will be along to explain further.

Dave

[Ron Clifton]

Hello George

Those RHA batteries which formed part of an ordinary division were re-armed with the 18-pounder, during the first half of 1915, but those still with cavalry divisions retained the 13-pounder. C Battery RHA was one of the latter, being part of 3rd Cavalry Division throughout the war.

Tony is not quite right: most New Army RFA brigades consisted of four batteries, A, B, C and D. Up to May 1916 brigades were either all-gun or all-howitzer, but in that month a number of battery swaps between brigades were made, to give the brigades three batteries of 18-pouinders and one of 4.5" howitzers, the latter being D Battery in each case. (This applied to France, and there were variations in other theatres.)

Ron

[anthony P]

Hi George

The Royal Horse Artillery was responsible for light, mobile guns that provided firepower in support of the Cavalry. A battery had six

13 -pounder field guns.

The original B.E.F. included only one Division of Cavalry of 4 Brigades, an it had 4 Batteries of R.H.A. which were organised into two

Brigades

Tony

[battiscombe]

most The war diary is available online .. most is here http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=C7351526 [the earlier months look to be filed elsewhere..]

briefly in 7th Division and then moved to 15th Brigade RHA [renumbered 4th Bde in 1915] ..created to be part of 3rd cavalry Division with K Bty in Oct 1914.. prewar it has been at Canterbury, they will also have medal roll for the 1914 star which will list all those then serving in the Battery

[CMor]

Hi George,

Coincidentally I have been researching my Great Uncle Knevett Ward, Loddon, Norfolk.

Knevett Ward, was a Gunner in C Battery, Royal Horse Artillery throughout the war ( I believe)

C Battery were supporting the 3rd Cavalry Division, who theoretically were supposed to rush through and roll up the Germans.

Needless to say that tactic failed, thousands were killed in the final month of the war, in the Battle of Le Cateau, and then La Selle.

The War Diaries are extraordinary, it is like listening to Ghostly voices from the past.

As far as I can see the C Battery saw final action on the 10th October 1918,

in the vicinity of Troisvilles, in the beginning of the second Battle of Le Cateau.

The War Diaries only mention the Officers by name, and on the 10th October

Lt Berry McLachlan and a man were killed, plus there were four men wounded.

Knevett Ward is buried a few miles away from the original engagement, so perhaps he was one of the wounded.

He is buried in Highland Cemetery, Le Cateau.

Knevett was killed either on the 10th October, according to the War Office,

or on 15th October according to the Cemetery form.

I guess in the mayhem, it is not surprising that facts were rarely accurate.

Whatever, this sounds like bad luck to be whacked on the last day.

I have no information about Knevett's military career, but I believe that he survived the whole war until at last his luck ran out.

Perhaps, your relative was also involved in that final engagement..... and was also extremely unlucky?

If you discover any other information or facts about C Battery, it would be brilliant if you could share.

Many thanks

Chris

[nigelfe]

Actually the original BEF contained a Cavalry Division plus the 5th Independent Cavalry Brigade.

The Division was supported by 3 Bde RHA (D & E Btys) and 7 Bde RHA (I & L Btys), 5th Cav Bde was supported by J Bty RHA.

Regular army RHA Btys were and are uniquely lettered.

By 1918 the W Front cavalry was:

1 Cav Div (7 Bde RHA with H, I & Y Btys)

2 Cav Div (3 Bde RHA with D, E & J Btys)

3 Cav Div (4 Bde RHA with C & K Btys)

Canadian Cav Bde (RCHA Bde with A & B Btys RCHA)

In addition M, S, V, W & X Btys RHA were serving in the Middle East and India.

All these btys had 13-pr.

At war's end there were also 12 TF RHA btys in assorted parts of the Middle East, 11 had 13-pr one had 15-pr, apart from the HAC these btys were uniquely named, with the county name.

That left 3 RHA Bdes on the W Front that were Army Bdes RHA and equipped with 18-pr and one bty with 4.5-in How, btys were A, Q, U, F, T, G, N, O, Z, 400, 401.

[CMor]

Brilliant,

Apart from the IWM, the Army Museum and the Royal Artillery Museum (Woolwich) do you know any other potential sources of information about RHA C Battery?

Photos, diaries, maps etc.

(I have read the incredible C Battery War Diaries 1915-1918)

I have been unable to find any Service Records yet, perhaps they were in the burnt Service records.

Many thanks

Chris

[CMor]

For reference the Royal Artillery Museum in Woolwich holds some very interesting material.

The museum holds a copy of the Simple Subaltern, by C. J. Tyndale Briscoe.

This is a fascinating memoir of WW1 life with the RHA.

Attitudes to life and death were rather fatalistic.

"If we happen to get pipped in the process, it just can't be helped and someone else will take our place"

Altogether rather humbling.