kidd1986 Posted 2 March , 2005 Share Posted 2 March , 2005 I have details of a soldier who was killed with the RGA, he died on 18/10/1917 and was with- "Y" 6th T.M Battery - Can anyone tell me what this means. Is it correct he was with the 6th Batterey RGA ? What does the "Y" and T.M mean? Any help would be appreciated Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Troy Posted 3 March , 2005 Share Posted 3 March , 2005 I'm sorry I can't help you Sgt but I want to thank you for helping me. I didn't know what the 'G' was for in RGA. Now I do, Garrison. Thank you. Jan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Compo Posted 3 March , 2005 Share Posted 3 March , 2005 Partial help. "Y" is the Battery, RGA is Royal Garrison Artillery. There were 12 guns to a battery and two batteries to a regiment. Reading the Long Long Trail, link at top left of the forum, 6th must be 6th division TM which is Trench Mortar. He would have been on light Stokes mortars. Regds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Reed Posted 3 March , 2005 Share Posted 3 March , 2005 It shows he was in Y Battery 6th Trench Mortar Battery, which as stated above was part of 6th Division. These units were heavy trench mortar weapons and so not equipped with the Stokes mortar. The Y Batteries in every division normally had the 2-inch Plum Pudding or 'Toffee Apple' mortar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidd1986 Posted 3 March , 2005 Author Share Posted 3 March , 2005 Thanks a lot for the infomation, wouldnt of found out otherwise. Just a couple of question, where would the sixth division have been in October, 1917. Where were the mortar batteries positioned and what was their role? Regards Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Compo Posted 3 March , 2005 Share Posted 3 March , 2005 Qouted from "The Long Long Trail" site - link at top left of forum pages: "Mortar tactics Trench mortars were used in a variety of defensive and offensive roles, from the suppression of an enemy machine-gun, sniper post or other local feature, to the coordinated firing of barrages. Larger mortars were sometimes used for cutting barbed wire, especially where field artillery could not be used, either because of the danger of hitting British troops or where the effect of the fire could not be observed. Experience on the Somme revealed that use of Stokes mortars in an offensive close-support role had been limited by the reluctance of some commanders to sacrifice rifle strength to provide parties required to carry the ammunition which the weapons so quickly consumed" The type of mortar is not very clear to me in the section on naming following this extract. Heavy mortars are supposed to be named V.3 medium Y.3 and; "The light Stokes batteries under each Brigade took their number from the Brigade, so for example 123rd Brigade in the 41st Division included 123rd TM Battery from June 1916." Regds, Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikB Posted 7 March , 2005 Share Posted 7 March , 2005 6th Trench Mortar Battery... ...Colloquially known as 'Toc Emmas' from the Signallers' alphabetic code in use at the time. (Ack Emma = <time> am, Pip Emma = <time> pm, Ack Ack = AA - anti aircraft - etc.) Regards, MikB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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