Trench mortar battery

[historyguy]

Does anyone know how many soldiers were in a trench mortar battery (group)

Just doing some research for a friend. His grandfather served in the 3rd canadian divisional trench mortar battery or group 

 

 

[horatio2]

https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/definitions-of-units/the-light-trench-mortar-battery/

[historyguy]

Thanks so much very helpful 

Much appreciated 

[Ron Clifton]

There were three types of trench mortar battery: light, medium and heavy.

There was one light TMB with each infantry brigade, and three medium and one heavy TMB to each division. Establishments as at August 1916 were as follows:

Light Trench Mortar Battery (2 sections, each 4 x 3" Stokes mortars)
        Captain, 3 Subalterns, 2 Serjeants, 8 Corporals or Lance-Corporals, 32 Privates, 4 Batmen.
Medium Trench Mortar Battery (4 x 2" mortars)
        2 Officers, 1 Serjeant, 4 Corporals or Bombardiers, 16 Privates, 2 Batmen.
Heavy Trench Mortar Battery (4 x 9.45" mortars)
        Captain, 2 Subalterns, 3 Serjeants, 1 Fitter, 4 Corporals, 4 Bombardiers, 47 Gunners (incl 3 telephonists), 2 Orderlies, 1 Clerk, 1 Cook, 3 Batmen.

Later, the three medium TMBs were reduced to two, but with 6 mortars each, and the heavy TMBs were withdrawn to become Corps troops.

The War Diary of the 3rd Canadian Divisional TMBs is in this file, and can be downloaded free of charge from the Kew website, www.nationalarchives.gov.uk:

3 CANADIAN DIVISION 
WO 95/3853 Divisional Trench Mortar Batteries 1916 June - 1918 Nov.  

Ron

 

[sassenach]

17 minutes ago, Ron Clifton said:

There were three types of trench mortar battery: light, medium and heavy.

There was one light TMB with each infantry brigade, and three medium and one heavy TMB to each division. Establishments as at August 1916 were as follows:

Light Trench Mortar Battery (2 sections, each 4 x 3" Stokes mortars)
        Captain, 3 Subalterns, 2 Serjeants, 8 Corporals or Lance-Corporals, 32 Privates, 4 Batmen.
Medium Trench Mortar Battery (4 x 2" mortars)
        2 Officers, 1 Serjeant, 4 Corporals or Bombardiers, 16 Privates, 2 Batmen.
Heavy Trench Mortar Battery (4 x 9.45" mortars)
        Captain, 2 Subalterns, 3 Serjeants, 1 Fitter, 4 Corporals, 4 Bombardiers, 47 Gunners (incl 3 telephonists), 2 Orderlies, 1 Clerk, 1 Cook, 3 Batmen.

Later, the three medium TMBs were reduced to two, but with 6 mortars each, and the heavy TMBs were withdrawn to become Corps troops.

The War Diary of the 3rd Canadian Divisional TMBs is in this file, and can be downloaded free of charge from the Kew website, www.nationalarchives.gov.uk:

3 CANADIAN DIVISION 
WO 95/3853 Divisional Trench Mortar Batteries 1916 June - 1918 Nov.  

Ron

 

A distant relative was killed serving with 33rd TMB, Royal Field Artillery (in August 1916, as it happens). I've never quite been able to work out if the 33rd referred to Brigade, Division or something else entirely. His rank was "Driver." Can you enlighten me? 

[historyguy]

Thanks Ron great info and very much appreciated 

Driver was the rank first for a soldier who was on horseback of an artillery piece or limber 

Later when they switched to vehicles the haul the guns and ammo they would have been driving the vehicles. Thats all i know about drivers 

John 

[Ron Clifton]

6 hours ago, sassenach said:

A distant relative was killed serving with 33rd TMB, Royal Field Artillery (in August 1916, as it happens). I've never quite been able to work out if the 33rd referred to Brigade, Division or something else entirely. His rank was "Driver." Can you enlighten me? 

When TMBs were first formed they were simply described as "nth TMB" but after April 1916 the light/medium/heavy distinction was introduced. If your relative was in the RFA it is most likely that he belonged to a medium battery, which would be designated X.33, Y.33 or Z.33, all in 33rd Division. The heavy battery would have been V.33 and would have been a unit of the RGA. Light TMBs were typically manned by infantry.

Ron

[sassenach]

4 minutes ago, Ron Clifton said:

When TMBs were first formed they were simply described as "nth TMB" but after April 1916 the light/medium/heavy distinction was introduced. If your relative was in the RFA it is most likely that he belonged to a medium battery, which would be designated X.33, Y.33 or Z.33, all in 33rd Division. The heavy battery would have been V.33 and would have been a unit of the RGA. Light TMBs were typically manned by infantry.

Ron

Thanks Ron. Most grateful.