New Zealand and Australian Divisional Ammunition Column in 1915 - a British unit

[David Porter]

I glanced at this a while back but the penny didn't drop until I found a service record yesterday that ties in.
The Divisional Ammunition Column of the NZ & A Division in 1915 was essentially formed as a British unit.

Image courtesy https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1354781?image=7

The service record I found was for 85009 Driver John William Knight:



This shows he embarked on "SS Minnetonka" at Avonmouth on March 7, 1915 and was appointed P/a/Bdr on board two days later.
Curiously, his record and MIC does not reflect accurately his date of entry which would have been around March 27, 1915 rather than August 1915.

After disembarkation at Port Said this DAC was sent to Zeitoun near Cairo but the mobilization for Gallipoli brought it to Gabbari camp, Alexandria, where it remained until the reorganizing of the artillery (after Gallipoli) in January 1916. The record of 85009 Driver John William Knight shows he was transferred to 60th Brigade RFA at that time.

It is a long shot, I know, but does anyone else have another British artilleryman following this path? The officers have various dates of entry due to experience. 

[stevenbecker]

Mate,

Your knownage appears greater then mine, as all I have is the unit was formed from mostly NZ Artillery units (1, 2 & 3 Bttys), with an attach Aussie How Bttery in Egypt March 1915.

While I could find no war diary for the DAC for the hasty formed Anzac Div, in Aussie source, it may appear the DAC was formed by the British, but will need more checking.

AWM4 Subclass 13/15 - Headquarters, New Zealand and Australian Divisional Artillery

You may also like these which cover the Gallipoli peroid of the fighting

AWM4 Subclass 1/53 - General Staff, Headquarters New Zealand and Australian Division

AWM4 Subclass 1/54 - Intelligence, Headquarters New Zealand and Australian Division

AWM4 Subclass 1/55 - Administrative Staff, Headquarters New Zealand and Australian Division

S.B

Edited 25 February , 2023 by stevenbecker

[David Porter]

Thanks for your input Steve. The NZ Artillery do seem to have formed Brigade Ammunition Columns but not the DAC in 1915. I went through those War Diaries very carefully before my initial post. The unit as a whole did not go to Gallipoli but individual members may have been seconded.

I have copies of WO 107/23: New Formations: Weekly returns

It can clearly be seen that a DAC was allotted to the New Zealand Contingent in the first week of March 1915 and ready to go abroad from the UK.

[alantwo]

On 24/02/2023 at 21:20, David Porter said:

It is a long shot, I know, but does anyone else have another British artilleryman following this path?

David

No.7322 Driver John Paterson, see Service Record.

No.13322 BSM Frank Inglis. In his service file there is a reference to an Egyptian Ammunition Column/NZ.

No.14786 BSM H. Richard Rablin. This is a probable, as there is only one man of that surname that fits the bill and he is mentioned in the Embarkation Record. No Service Record that I've found, but there is a medical record, MIC etc.

When the DAC left Avonmouth on Minnetonka there were 2 Field Officers, 1 Captain, 5 Subalterns, 1 Medical Officer, 1 Veterinary Officer, 4 NCOs Class 16, 11 NCOs Class 17, 18 & 19, 2 Trumpeters/Drummers, 13 Corporals, 60 Gunners, 167 Drivers and 11 Artificers, so there are likely to be others. The officers mentioned in your first post along with the 4 NCOs are listed.

As it happens I was looking up Lieutenant Colonel Cochrane this past week, his initials seem to vary between JE, JEC and JECJ, though it's probably the latter John Ernest Charles James; he has a file at Kew.

For Lieutenant Adams a man of the same surname, no initials, who left Lemnos departing on Tunisian on 29/12/15 is described as NZFA. I've tried looking him up on Archway but without success.

The date of entry is useful and I can check for other men if it would be of help.

Regards

Alan

Edited 26 February , 2023 by alantwo

[David Porter]

Alan,

Many thanks. This is fantastic information and more than I was hoping for. Great that you have seen the Embarkation Record.

The officers in my initial post have now been narrowed down with possible long numbers or records still with the MOD:

HQ 
Lt. Col. John Ernest Charles (J.) Cochrane, D.S.O    48162        WO 339/26764
Lt. Henry Wadams                    42016        WO 339/22192
attached
Lt. William Frederick (Augustus) Gibson RAMC
Lt. Charles Dugald Stewart AVC            48835        WO 339/27264

No.1 Section
Major Frank Sydney Pershouse            21240        WO 339/9933
2/Lt. Albert Victor Beith                BE/1024    Major    WO 374/5408
2/Lt. Sir Michael.W.S. Bruce, Bt            P80946

No.2 Section
Capt. William Henry Jelfe Thornton            P13998
2/Lt. Eric Llewellyn Griffith Griffiths-Williams        P20254
2/Lt. George William Wright                 42716     Captain    WO 339/22686

So we are looking at 10 Officers and 268 ORs. This is almost half the number of ORs one would expect in a DAC at the time.
Lots to still discover.

Edited 5 March , 2023 by David Porter
Additional Information

[alantwo]

David 

I think there was a SAAC also on board at the time, would that make up the units numbers or would this be something quite separate? I can check if you feel it is relevant.

I believe the officer in No.1 Section may be 2nd Lieutenant Sir Michael William Selby Bruce, there is a medical list in 1919 with this name.

Regards

Alan