Royal Naval Division - Field Guns?

[bcerha]

I am doing some research on a relative and discovered that although he was in the RNR he served mostly on shore with a field gun unit in the "Nieuport Sector". Can anyone shed some more light on this for me?

Many thanks in advance

Regards

David

[michaeldr]

“September 20, 1914

My Dear Kitchener,

In view of your letter of the 19th instant, I think I had better give up the attempt to form the artillery of the Royal Naval Division. The task is too difficult and my resources too small. I shall therefore confine myself to the formation of the three infantry brigades complete in all respects with their divisional services, and utilize the small artillery personnel I have in forming machine-gun motor-cars, motor-cycle Maxims, and lastly the big 15 inch howitzer 4 gun battery for the siege train. This can be done without trenching upon your resources or interfering with your orders to the trade…………………………

Yours very sincerely,

Winston S. Churchill”

David,

As you will see from the above the First Lord had indeed intended that his RND should have naval artillery but sadly he could not get hold the guns. Even after offering special prices to the manufacturers he found that the purchasing power of the WO was too strong for the Admiralty.

As far as I know later in F & F in 1916 the 63rd (RN) Division was supplied with its own divisional artillery but by the WO and not by the Admiralty

Your relative may well have been with naval guns at Neiuport but I do not think that it was related to the RND

I look forward to following this to find out what the correct answer is

Regards

Michael D.R.