TrevorHH Posted 1 August , 2014 Share Posted 1 August , 2014 Can someone translate some army abbreviations for me please. I am researching a man in the RFA (Territorial Force) and have found (thanks to FMP) that he attested again for the army in 1921. His previous service is given as 44 HC Bde RFA (DF) and then No HCA/473. I know that 44 HC Bde RFA stands for 44th Home Counties Brigade Royal Field Artillery but what does the rest of the abbreviations stand for? ie (DF) HCA/473? Many Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
battiscombe Posted 1 August , 2014 Share Posted 1 August , 2014 This is post war ?? by 1925 the Home Counties [TF] Bdes were 57-58-59. I am not sure when the old wartime 44th Brigade was disbanded. There was no wartime 44th Home Counties Brigade TF ...It would assist to see the text to decipher.. and is this 1921? TF seems more likely that DF.. for Territorial Force.... and where is this text found? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Clifton Posted 1 August , 2014 Share Posted 1 August , 2014 It's only a guess, but HCA cold be Home Counties Artillery. Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrevorHH Posted 2 August , 2014 Author Share Posted 2 August , 2014 Dear Both Many thanks for your suggestions. I attach the relevant extract from the attestation. Cpl J Strickland re-attested into the RFA on the 24/7/1921 and the column on the form I am trying to interpret gives his former service along with the periods served.Thus 44th HC Brigade makes sense since this must be with whom he served in WW1, however DF and HCA/33 does not at the present time. Trevor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
battiscombe Posted 2 August , 2014 Share Posted 2 August , 2014 thanks for posting. This is a little puzzling as there was no wartime 44 Home Counties Brigade, there was a regular army 44th [Howitzer] Brigade, later reformed as 44th Army Brigade RFA .. and the territorials had 4 [numbered 1-4] Home Counties Brigades That number 910407 [his original number was 1409] would indeed fit with Territorial service [5 years and 248 days] and probably in in the 1st or 2nd line of the 3rd Home Counties Brigade [numbered 222nd Brigade and 337 Brigade : 910001-915000 222 BDE, RFA TF/ 1/3 HOME CO BDE or 337 BDE, RFA TF/ 2/3 HOME CO. whether also used for the 4th Home Counties Bde I cannot confirm [one source suggests numbers in the 915001-920000 range] ...... so this is a bit strange. compare ... Shinner [910047] served in 3rd Home Counties.. But this would not seem to be correct for wartime service... or rather that this record is miscopied in some way, is a posisbility?. OR this number [44th] was used postwar .. c.1921 for the Home Counties Brigades [as i said by 1925 they seem to be numbered 57th-59th]. If someone has a 1921-ish Army List this could confirm if that was the case. the second service [86 days] I cannot suggest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrevorHH Posted 11 August , 2014 Author Share Posted 11 August , 2014 (edited) Thanks for your comments above on John Strickland. I have done some more research and come up with the further information/thoughts: John Strickland was awarded the Territorial Force War Medal. A copy of the page from the medal roll with his name is attached. He also according to his family served in Mesopotamia If one looks at this page from the medal roll, four names below, 1409 Dvr John Strickland is 1432 Gnr R Showell RFA who died on 23/7/1916. The CWGC says Gunner Showell was with ‘A’ Bty 222 Brigade RFA who were in Mesopotamia. Thanks for your comments above on John Strickland. I have done some more research and come up with the further information/thoughts: John Strickland was awarded the Territorial Force War Medal. A copy of the page from the medal roll with his name is attached. He also according to his family served in Mesopotamia If one looks at this page from the medal roll, four names below, 1409 Dvr John Strickland is 1432 Gnr R Showell RFA who died on 23/7/1916. The CWGC says Gunner Showell was with ‘A’ Bty 222 Brigade RFA who were in Mesopotamia. 222 Brigade RFA were part of 44th (Home Counties) Division during WW1 and were in Mesopotamia Thus I believe it is most probable that John Strickland was also in 222 Bde RFA and served with it in Mesopotamia. What do you all think? Edited 11 August , 2014 by TrevH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrevorHH Posted 11 August , 2014 Author Share Posted 11 August , 2014 (edited) I do not know how part of my message above was duplicated and without the attachment. My apologies for any confusion Here is the medal roll Cheers Trevor Edited 11 August , 2014 by TrevH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrevorHH Posted 11 August , 2014 Author Share Posted 11 August , 2014 Dear All Have tried several times to post medal roll after resizing etc and my PC is refusing to do it. Therefore if any forum members wish to see it please PM me and I will send it to them Thank you Trevor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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