No.2 Mountain Battery

[Guest birdflightless]

I have copies (PRO) of the war diaries for No.2 Mountain Battery from 4/8/14 - 30/11/15 in France, also in Salonika from 1/12/15 - 28/2/19, and also 3rd Mountain Brigade from June 1916 to February 1919.

Happy to do look up's.

[Trevelyan]

Hello,

I am an Indian Army collector, including Indian Mtn.Batteries, but recently I picked up a 1914-15 Star to:

No.741 Gunner Ali Shan, No.2 Mountain Battery, R.G.A.

(British Mtn.Battery)

I know Indian Mtn.Batteries all had Indian Drivers and Gunners, and British Mtn.Batteries in India had British Gunners and Indian Drivers, but is there any reference in your diaries to Indian Gunners in No.2 (British) Mtn.Battery RGA? Was there an Indian section attached in France or in Salonika?

Thanks & Best Regards,

Christopher

[Guest birdflightless]

Christopher,

The short answer is no, there are not any attachments, mentioned, of Indian Gunners to the 2nd M.B., R.G.A.

There are no mention of Indian Gunners at all that I can see, however I have found an entry for the 4th June 1915, which may be of interest.

One gun of left section, of the Battery, was sent to the 5th Div. area on the night of 21/22 April to a position 400 yards west of Hill 60 and remain under the orders of the 5th until 4th June 1915. As the guns were being withdrawn to billets, on the 4th, "Driver Ali Shan II, received a bullet wound in the leg during removal of the guns".

This may or maynot be your man, if I find anything else, I will let you know.

Regards,

Stewart

[Guest birdflightless]

Chris,

To answer another question on another thread about the numbers of Natives to British in the Battery, I hope the following helps.

When the Battery embarked for the journey from India to England, August 1914, it consisted of;

5 Officers; 107 British N.C.O's and men; 1 Assistant Surgeon; 183 Native N.C.O.'s and men; 190 Animals.

I have a copy of the War Establishment booklet for a Pack Artillery Brigade, issued December 1914, and could quote you figures from this, if you required them.

Regards

Stewart

[Trevelyan]

Stewart,

Thanks for checking. The 'II' after Driver Ali Shan is interesting - I've seen this used before when a couple of Indian chaps with the same name are in the same unit - perhaps my chap was Ali Shan I (or III!). Still odd though that a Gunner was attached (GNR on the Star); perhaps he was working as a Driver or other such role, but that would be odd as gunner received a higher pay scale, and a Naik or Havildar would most likely be employed in any other function than Driver.

Does your War Establishment Booklet of a Pack Artillery Bde metion what those 183 Indian NCOs & ORs did in a Battery? I would assume mostly Drivers.

Anyway, thanks again for checking - Indian items never cease to present unusual cases like this one.

Best Regards,

Christopher

[Guest birdflightless]

Chris,

The break down for one battery of pack artillery was as follows;

Major - 1; Captain - 1; Subalterns - 3; B.S.M. - 1; B.Q.S - 1; Sergeants - 7; Farrier Sgt. - 1; Shoeing smith - 1; Saddlers - 2; Fitters/Wheelers - 2; Trumpeters - 2; Corporals - 7; Bombadiers - 11; Gunners - 77; Drivers/vehcles - 4, Drivers/mules - 127, Drivers/spare animals - 7, Drivers/spare - 14; Batmen - 6; Havildar major - 1; Halvidars - 3; Pay Halvidar - 1; Ass. Pay Halvidar - 1; Salutri halvidar - 1;Naicks - 6; Shoeing smiths - 2; Ward Orderly - 1.

The total personnel for the Battery amounted to 291, in December 1914, which included 146 Indian Drivers and 16 other Indian personnel.

The ammunition column consisted of 153 personnel, including 69 Indian Drivers and 5 other Indian personnel.

Still no mention of Indian Gunners, sorry.

Hope there is somthing of use in the above.

Regards

Stewart

[Trevelyan]

Thanks again,

Chris