RHA 13 pdrs in 1918

[Gabriel]

Brand new to the Forum.

I am researching a novel which is partly set on the Western Front and in particular the first day of the great German offensive of 21 March 1918. A major character is a battery commander commanding a RHA battery of 13 pdr guns. The idea is that he gets wounded by German shrapnel and, after the battery has been destroyed by heavy German shelling he is rescued by a sergeant and lead to escape from the advancing German storm troopers by using a team of horses and a limber.

I know that 13 pdrs played a significant role in 1914. I have read that 13 pdrs were being phased out because they lacked the firepower to be effective in static trench warfare.. So my first question is - would there been RHA 13 pdr batteries in March 1918? Were 18 pdrs used solely by the RFA in 1918 or did the RHA use them at all?

My second question concerns the horses. When the guns were being used in battle what did the gunners do with the horses? They must have been reasonably close by to enable the battery to advance or retreat quickly. However if they were close by the horses would have been vulnerable to shrapnel and gas shells. Were men specifically used to look after the horses and if so how many men were used for this in a typical battery?

Thanks for any info on this.

[centurion]

A lot of 13 pounders went to Palestine where they were used instead of 18 pounders as being better able to keep up in the more mobile aspects of the campaign after the breakthrough following 3rd Gaza. Compared to the 18 pounder comparatively few were made and production had almost stopped by 1915. They simply didn't have the range or weight of shell needed and mobility was less of an issue in F&F after 1914. According to A History of British Cavalry: Volume 7 the RHA in F&F had by and large converted to the 18 pounder by 1918 and most of the guns not sent to other theatres were converted into lorry mounted AA weapons

[Gabriel]

Thanks Centurion

Yes further research shows that 13 pdrs were indeed obsolete on the Western Front by 1918 and that both the RHA and the Field Artillery were using 18pdrs.

I have also done some more research on my second question relating to the care of horses, used for pulling guns, during battle. It seems that gas masks were developed for horses. Some only covered the nose and the mouth while later ones covered the eyes as well.

[centurion]

Thanks Centurion

Yes further research shows that 13 pdrs were indeed obsolete on the Western Front by 1918 and that both the RHA and the Field Artillery were using 18pdrs.

I have also done some more research on my second question relating to the care of horses, used for pulling guns, during battle. It seems that gas masks were developed for horses. Some only covered the nose and the mouth while later ones covered the eyes as well.

I attended a lecture the week before last by a senior British army vet who pointed out in it that because of the manner in which horses breath these masks were worse than useless. A lot of horses were lost to gas. [He made a similar point about canine gas masks which inhibited a dogs ability to pant so that a dog wearing one might be protected against gas but would keel over quite quickly any way] The session was videoed and I am awaiting my copy of the DVD I'll make a note of exactly why the horse masks did more harm than good and post it

[nigelfe]

I think you'll find that the only 13-prs in France in the later stages of the war were the RHA bdes in the three cavalry divisions. These bdes were:

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

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

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

5 Bde RHA (L, M, N & O Btys) had 18-prs and was an army bde in 4th Army.

14 Bde RHA (F, T & 400 Btys) had 18-prs and was an army bde in 3rd Army.

16 Bde RHA (A, Q & U Btys) had 18-prs and was an army bde in 3rd Army.

[Gabriel]

I attended a lecture the week before last by a senior British army vet who pointed out in it that because of the manner in which horses breath these masks were worse than useless. A lot of horses were lost to gas. [He made a similar point about canine gas masks which inhibited a dogs ability to pant so that a dog wearing one might be protected against gas but would keel over quite quickly any way] The session was videoed and I am awaiting my copy of the DVD I'll make a note of exactly why the horse masks did more harm than good and post it

Very interesting and thank you. I look forward to hearing why gas masks are not suitable for horses

[centurion]

I know that in 1936 the US Army decided that WW1 horse gas masks were unsuitable and embarked on a project to design new ones. Three reports were produced and under US freedom of information rules are available for download. Unfortunately most of the contents have been redacted (presumably so the US Cavalry can still deal with a chemical attack!)

[Gareth Davies]

I attended a lecture the week before last by a senior British army vet who pointed out in it that because of the manner in which horses breath these masks were worse than useless. A lot of horses were lost to gas. [He made a similar point about canine gas masks which inhibited a dogs ability to pant so that a dog wearing one might be protected against gas but would keel over quite quickly any way] The session was videoed and I am awaiting my copy of the DVD I'll make a note of exactly why the horse masks did more harm than good and post it

In the period 1 Jul - 31 Dec 16 the losses of horses to gas were 33 killed/destroyed and 352 wounded, a very small percentage of the overall figures for that period of 3974 killed/destroyed and 6415 wounded. In the almost identical period in 1918 (ending on 11 Nov) the total figures were 58301 killed/destroyed of which 211 were as a result of gas, and 79630 wounded of which 2220 were incapacitated as a result of gas.