Special Brigade RGA

[Matt Dixon]

Picked up a service record for 2nd Lt William Arthur Barr 32 RGA, and on it, it says he was part of the "Special Brigade".

Can anyone shed any light on this for me?

Cheers

[Robert Dunlop]

Matt

Special Brigade was set up in response to the German gas attack at Ypres. It was under the Royal Engineers not the RGA, and operated as a GHQ asset under the command of Foulkes. The companies of Special Brigade were involved in initiating gas attacks (the first being at Loos), including cloud gas and Livens projectors attacks, training in anti-gas measures, monitoring German gas attacks, and the development/deployment of weapons such as flammenwerfer and the 4" Stokes mortars. The latter was used for smoke barrages and thermite bombardments.

Robert

[Matt Dixon]

Thanks Robert,

That makes sense now. The war diary for when he was killed is divided into seperate sections, and the one that covers the date he was killed is subtitled Report of Flammenwerfer Attack.

Thanks for the information.

[rflory]

Lieut. William Arthur Barr, RGA

Born 3 Jun 1882 at Bedford Park, Chiswick, Middlesex, the 1st son of Robert Barr, an Author.

Educated at St Paul's, and at Exeter College from 21 Oct 1903.

Enlisted in the 4th Bn, Seaforth Highlanders

Lieutenant, RGA in France from 1914-1919

KIA near Croisilles on 27 Aug 18.

There is a photo of him in "War Illustrated."

Source: Exeter College Register, 1891-1921. Regards. Dick

[Matt Dixon]

Thanks very much for the replies.

Matt

[Terry_Reeves]

Matt

A number of RA officers were attached to the Special Brigade, particularly the the 5th (Mortar) Battalion.

Terry Reeves