abbrover Posted 3 February , 2018 Share Posted 3 February , 2018 I am trying to find out which Brigade L/47046 Driver Arthur Garforth might have served with. My understanding is that the L is local, does anyone know which RFA units were local to Oldham, where he came from? He was entitled to British War Medal and Victory Medal, any idea when he might have gone overseas Thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin RussT Posted 3 February , 2018 Admin Share Posted 3 February , 2018 Might be 181st (Ashton-under-Lyne) Brigade, RFA. Russ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Porter Posted 3 February , 2018 Share Posted 3 February , 2018 Yes, Russ is correct, it would be 181st Brigade RFA. Enlistment in Oldham around October 30, 1915 and joining the brigade at Aldershot on November 2, 1915. They left from Farnborough station and embarked at Southampton on June 1, 1916 and disembarked at Havre on June 2, 1916 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianmorris547 Posted 3 February , 2018 Share Posted 3 February , 2018 I have just had a quick look at the Medal Rolls. L/47047 George Norman was k in a on 23/01/1917. RSE shows D/178 Brigade. L/47050 Herbert Buckley was k in a on 29/08/1918. RSE shows A/181 Brigade. My Ancestry is playing up so I will have another look tomorrow. My initial thought was the County Palatine RA, raised in 1915 for 30 Div by Lord Derby from towns in Lancashire. (See TLLT 148, 149, 150 and 151 Brigades). 30 Div RA arrived at Havre in November 1915. Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbrover Posted 3 February , 2018 Author Share Posted 3 February , 2018 Thank you everyone, very much appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Clifton Posted 4 February , 2018 Share Posted 4 February , 2018 The original artillery of 32nd Division, 165, 169, 170 and 171 Brigades RFA were designated 2nd County Palatine and raised at Lytham and St Annes. These are further possibilities but I tend to agree with David Porter that 181 Bde is the strongest contender. Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Porter Posted 4 February , 2018 Share Posted 4 February , 2018 15 hours ago, brianmorris547 said: L/47047 George Norman was k in a on 23/01/1917. RSE shows D/178 Brigade. D (H)/178 Bty had the left section of D (H)/181 Bty added to it on January 8, 1917. So I believe George Norman also enlisted in 181st Brigade RFA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbrover Posted 4 February , 2018 Author Share Posted 4 February , 2018 Thank you, I'm in the process of downloading the diary for 181st, all 600 pages, all your help is much appreciated Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianmorris547 Posted 5 February , 2018 Share Posted 5 February , 2018 (edited) I continued my check in the Medal Rolls for Soldiers who died. L/47079 William John Unwin 31/10/1916 - RSE shows A/190. L/47080 Frederick William Lovell 25/09/1916 - RSE shows HQ/190 and L/47089 Clifford Charles Davis 18/05/1918 - RSE shows B/187. I would agree that it is more likely to be 181 Brigade. I got interested in the CPRA when I was researching the Bolton Artillery, 3 East Lancs Brigade RFA (T) in the Bolton Papers. On 08/02/1915 the Bolton Evening News reported that Lord Kitchener had requested Lord Derby to raise two Brigades of Field Artillery and a Battery of Heavy Artillery. On 01/03/1915 the BEN reported that a Battery was to be raised in each of the following towns: Liverpool, Preston, Bolton, Manchester, Blackburn, Warrington, Wigan and St Helens. They were to be known as Comrades Batteries. 0n 25/03/1915 the BEN identified the Bolton Battery as D/148. In October 1915 Lord Derby made a further appeal for more men to enlist in the CPRA to serve in 30 and 32 Divs (see Ron's post no 6). The early CPRA numbers were L/1xxxx and L/2xxxx. Brian Edited 5 February , 2018 by brianmorris547 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Porter Posted 5 February , 2018 Share Posted 5 February , 2018 3 hours ago, brianmorris547 said: L/47079 William John Unwin 31/10/1916 - RSE shows A/190. L/47080 Frederick William Lovell 25/09/1916 - RSE shows HQ/190 and L/47089 Clifford Charles Davis 18/05/1918 - RSE shows B/187. You went too far out of one of the blocks allotted to 181st Brigade RFA, which in this case is something like L/46970 - L/47069. The block above this was allotted to 190th Brigade RFA, and 187th Brigade RFA was in the same Division as it, hence your findings. These men mostly came from Wimbledon. I do have a rough breakdown of the L/ numbers allotted to the County Palatine Brigades if you are interested. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianmorris547 Posted 5 February , 2018 Share Posted 5 February , 2018 4 hours ago, David Porter said: 4 hours ago, David Porter said: I do have a rough breakdown of the L/ numbers allotted to the County Palatine Brigades if you are interested. Yes please David. No o/rs are mentioned in the WDs of 30 Div RA. Thank you Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbrover Posted 6 February , 2018 Author Share Posted 6 February , 2018 Thanks again. I find it all fascinating, only problem is, you start a one thing and then so easily get side tracked! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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