Royal Field Artillery

[aim]

According to the "Order of Battle - August Offensive" on the Gallipoli Association website, the following British RFA units were present at Gallipoli in August 1915:-

 

1/1st. East Lancashire Brigade, RFA (4th., 5th. & 6th. Batteries)

1/3rd. East Lancashire Brigade, RFA (18th., 19th. & 20th. Batteries)

1/4th. East Lancashire (Howitzer) Brigade, RFA (1st., 2nd. & Cumberland Batteries)

1/2nd. Lowland Brigade, RFA

1/4th. Lowland (Howitzer) Brigade, RFA (1/4th. & 1/5th. City of Glasgow Batteries)

XVII Brigade, RFA (13th., 26th. & 92nd. Batteries)

LIV Brigade, RFA (A, B, C & D Batteries) DID NOT COME FURTHER THAN MUDROS

LV Brigade, RFA (A, B, C & D Batteries)

LVI Brigade, RFA (C & D Batteries) AT HELLES

LVII (Howitzer) Brigade, RFA (HQ with A & D Batteries)

LVIII Brigade, RFA (A, B, C & D Batteries)

LIX Brigade, RFA (A, B, C & D Batteries)

LXVI Brigade, RFA (A, B, C & D Batteries)

LXIX (Howitzer) Brigade, RFA (A, B, C & D Batteries) AT ANZAC

CXLVII Brigade, RFA (10th., 97th. & 368th. Batteries)

460th. (Howitzer) Battery, RFA

 

Gosh, I hope I typed that list correctly!

 

Were there also Ammunition/Supply Columns present? If so what were they called?

 

Am I correct in assuming that no other RFA units arrived in Gallipoli in August or September, so my grandfather, who arrived on 27th. September, must have been a replacement/reinforcement for one of the above?

 

aim

[rflory]

At that time the ammunition columns were part of the RFA brigades as Brigade Ammunition Columns.

[aim]

So can I add 16 Brigade Ammunition Columns to the list above, or should I amalgamate the three East Lancashire Brigades and the two Lowland Brigades, bringing it down to 13?

 

aim

[alantwo]

Aim

 

Of the units listed you have listed I have the following which I have restricted to on or around 27th September:

War Diary 1/5^th Battery, East Lancs Brigade RFA - received 9 men from DAC on 23^rd Sep.  They also received 28 NCO’s and men from the DAC on 25^th September of which 12 were attached to 1/4^th Battery.

War Diary 1/6^th Battery, East Lancs Brigade RFA - received a draft of 1 Officer and 23 Other Ranks on 23^rd September. It doesn't say where the draft arrived from.

War Diary 1/3^rd East Lancs Brigade RFA HQ - 19^th Battery, 20^th Battery and Ammunition Column less Drivers arrived 24^th September.

War Diary 69^th Brigade RFA Ammunition Column – 95 Other Ranks received as reinforcements during the week ending 2^nd October, which includes 27th September.

 

The other units, where a diary exists, do not mention reinforcements around the date in question..

 

Regards

Alan

[alantwo]

I should add that although the other War Diaries do not mention reinforcements it doesn't mean they didn't receive any, it's just that they were not mentioned, Other Ranks rarely are even when they died. Occasionally we do have returns in the diaries that show the movement of men, but it is the exception rather than the rule.

 

Regards

Alan

 

 

[aim]

Alantwo - thanks for your reply.

 

From the RFA "other ranks" medal rolls I have found the following numbers entering the war for the first time at Gallipoli on the dates shown. I suspect there will have been other men arriving who first entered the war in Egypt, France, etc..

 

21/09/15      0

22/09/15      5

23/09/15    47

24/09/15    24

25/09/15      8

26/09/15    12

27/09/15    62

28/09/15    51

29/09/15    13

30/09/15    22

01/10/15      2

02/10/15      0

 

Thanks again,

 

aim

[CSMMo]

aim,

If you mean to leave out the RGA and RHA units, ignore this, but the 4th Highland (Mountain) Brigade (RGA, TF) provided the first guns ashore at both landings, W Beach April 25th and Suvla Bay August 6th. 

[aim]

I have often wondered how long my grandfather, Driver E.A. Taylor, 82854, R.F.A., would have stood on the beach at Gallipoli wondering where to go after arriving on 27th. September 1915.

 

Battiscombe says "each RFA Brigade had a '1st reinforcement' in Base Detail/Detachment ..."

 

I believe the RFA had 16 Brigades (XVII. LV, LVI, LVII, LVIII, LIX, LX, LXVI, LXVII, LXVIII, LXIX, CXLVII, CXCIII, CCX, CCXII, CCLXIII) and four Divisional Artillery Columns (11th., 29th., 42nd., 52nd.) in Gallipoli at the time. Where were all these Base Details/Detachments? How did anybody know where to go?

 

aim

[Guest]

I also would like to trace my Grandad.  I know his movements in France in RFA 153rd division B Battery (working with 36th Ulster division) but I believe before he went to France, he was in Gallipolli?  Does this mean he had a different reg number and was with a different division? Im finding it hard to trace his Gallipolli moves.

Thanks

Edited 11 November , 2017 by Guest

[David Porter]

smorg15,

 

Welcome to the Forum,

 

To make any headway with your query we would require a name and regimental number at the very least. Also the dates he was with 153rd Brigade might be helpful. The regimental number for a regular artilleryman would usually stay the same unless he got involved with a territorial unit prior to 1917. Alternatively, if he was a territorial whilst at Gallipoli and transferred to a regular unit prior to 1917 he would have a change of regimental number to the regular series - or even get renumbered as a territorial if he stayed with his old unit. It is sometimes complicated like this which is why I have asked for more detail from you.

[John brennan]

My grandfather was part of this regiment have his army number trying to find out more about his records

[Michelle Young]

Welcome to the forum. It's probably best that you start a new topic in Soldiers ( unless you specifically know that he served in Gallipoli) with his name, number and as much information as you can supply.

Michelle