Peter King Posted 14 July , 2019 Share Posted 14 July , 2019 Can anybody tell me which brigade of the Royal Field Artillery included 398 Battery? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Porter Posted 15 July , 2019 Share Posted 15 July , 2019 Welcome to the Forum Peter, 398th Battery was an independent, Home based, battery and not part of a brigade. It was formed in December 1916 at Westfield Camp, Cupar, Fife to replace 2/B Honourable Artillery Company RHA which was going overseas. In Summer 1918 the battery moved to Claremorris then to Ballinrobe, both in Ireland. There will be no war diary. Are you researching a battery member? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter King Posted 15 July , 2019 Author Share Posted 15 July , 2019 Hello David That's wonderful, thank you. I am researching my grandfather, Walter Lawrence Dixon, aka Walter Lawrence George Dixon. I have a photograph of him in uniform which is annotated "B sub-section, 398 Battery RFA", but no other evidence of his service. He was born on 4th March 1899. My late mother, his daughter, claimed that he enlisted under-age. The photograph is not dated. It is appropriate that he seems to have served in Ireland, because his own grandfather was born in Dunboyne in County Meath. Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Porter Posted 16 July , 2019 Share Posted 16 July , 2019 Peter, Do you have a service number for him? That might give me more clues. There doesn't appear to be any obvious military record for him. As for being under-age, that is quite possible. Mid 1915 seems to be the peak time for this with the raising of "pals" batteries at local level. These young men would have an L prefix to their number. Many were returned to England in the latter part of 1916, either to their parents or a home unit. Alternatively, he could have volunteered under the extended Group Scheme (from September 6, 1916) with the assurance that he would not be called up until at least his 18th birthday in March 1917. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter King Posted 17 July , 2019 Author Share Posted 17 July , 2019 Hello David Unfortunately I have no other information, and no service number. I have two other photographs of him clearly in a military setting but in somewhat informal semi-uniform dress, including one on a horse (with two other men!) Neither is annotated in any way. I would be happy to send you the photos privately if that is possible. I am very grateful for the information that you have already provided. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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