3 (Rangoon Port Defence) Group Garr. Arty., I. D. F.

[Kimberley John Lindsay]

Dear GWFs,

The lengthy topic title is in fact the exact wording around the entire rim of the Vol LS GVR to CAPTN. G. BENNETT ROGER, 3 (RANGOON PORT DEFENCE) GROUP GARR. ARTY., I.D.F.

The less-wordy impressed naming on his 1914-15 Star is: LIEUT. G. B. ROGER, I.A.R.O. (CAPT. on his BWM and Victory.)

Amusingly, I have seen a reference in the memoirs of a Colonel Harry Ross, IA, which included a comment about the Incompetence of the Rangoon Port Defence Artillery (!).

The short-lived I.D.F. was replaced in 1920 by the A.F.I.

The (I. D. F.) Vol LS to G. B. Roger was promulgated in the I. A. O. No. 842 of 2 August 1921, making it desirable, without actually resorting to the word "rare".

Happily, it seems that the Capt George Bennett Roger IARO service papers have survived in the British Library. This is almost certainly thanks to his latter British Service. Roger was IARO attd S & T Corps (entered Egypt September 1915), but also attd RASC.

Comments by members would be more than welcome: many are impressively knowlegeable about such matters!

Kindest regards,

Kim.

Kimberley John Lindsay

[rflory]

KIm: According to the January 1921 Indian Army Quarterly Army List the unit was formed on 30 September 1892. It was reorganised by G GO 442 of 442 of 19 March 1905 and it was reconstituted as an IDF unit with the designation, 3rd (Rangoon Port Defences) Group Garrison Artillery on 1 April 1917. On 1 October 1920 it was re-designated as The Rangoon Port Defence Royal Garrison Artillery. In 1921 it consisted of one Active Company, two combined Active & Reserve Companies, and one Cadet Company (in 1919 there was also an Engineer Company). In January 1921 it had two officers and in April 1921 it had six officers, but Roger is not listed as an officer in the unit on either date; nor is he listed with the unit in the January 1919 list.

The January 1919 Indian Army Quarterly Army List shows Roger as a Captain in the Supply and Transport Corps, IARO with a commissioning date of 12 February 1915 and attached to the S & T Corps on 22 February 1915. His present appointment is listed as a Supply & Transport Officer, 5th Class effective 16 July 1915. In the precedence list he is listed under "Infantry Officers" as a Captain effective 16 July 1915.

Dick Flory

[Kimberley John Lindsay]

Dear Dick,

Many thanks for all that: much appreciated!

Clearly, Roger had been with the Rangoon unit for several years, before joining the IARO in 1915 and going to Egypt attached S & T Corps as a Captain.

Kindest regards,

Kim.