RGA mountain batteries - looking for some info

[John_Hartley]

My man served with 8th Mountain Battery in India. Google hasnt helped me much in finding out what the Battery's role would have been, what weapons it fired , etc.

 

Putting two and two together, with what bit I've gleaned from the internet, I know that the Battery was based at Peshawar, near the Khyber Pass. So, my assumption is that they are using weapons of  smallish calibre, capable of being dragged into very difficult terrain -  effectively up mountains (I guess the unit name is a clue). Further assumption is that they are there for early defence purposes in case of an incursion from Afghanistan .

 

I'd appreciate some more specifics, if anyone knows of them - in particular a photo of the guns would be great.

 

TIA

 

John

[michaeldr]

 

John,

 

Until one of our real Gunner experts comes along, allow me start the ball rolling
General Farndale's history of the RRA  'The Forgotten Fronts & the Home Base 1914-18' mentions the 8th Mountain Battery only once
“...in  April 1915, 6th and 8th, British Mountain Batteries RGA served with a force under Major General F G Young against Mohmands and Swatis north of the Kabul River. From August these two batteries reinforced by the 9th British Mountain Battery RGA, 25th Indian Mountain Battery 89th Battery RFA and a detachment of Garrison Gunners were in constant action against these tribes, later under the command of Major General F Campbell.”

 

If this is the time in which your chap served with the 8th, then this was before the 3.7-inch Mountain Howitzer was introduced and they would probably have still have had 2.75-inch mountain guns
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BL_2.75-inch_mountain_gun

 

I do hope one of our Gunner members picks this up soon and is able to give you firmer info on this
Good luck
Michael

 

Edited 30 November , 2017 by michaeldr

[ianjonesncl]

John

 

These Blog entries may be of interest:

 

 

[John_Hartley]

Many thanks, both.

[michaeldr]

13 hours ago, michaeldr said:

they would probably have still have had 2.75-inch mountain guns

 

Having a little more time this morning and looking again at Farndale's work, I see that his Annex 1 [p.387] gives the 8th British Mountain Battery as having six 2.75s