Numbering of TF Brigade, RFA

[Wienand Drenth]

Hello,

In 1916 the Brigade, RFA of the Territorial Force were given numbers instead of their territorial designation. For example, the 1st - 4th West Riding Brigades became 245th - 248th Brigades.

What I noted is the brigades were not numbered consecutively, but instead a number was left unused for each group of brigades. In the above example, 249 was not used, and the 1st - 4th Northumbrian Brigades were numbered as 250th - 254th. Likewise, 255 was unused.

Does someone know why this was done? Could it be that the formation of a fifth brigade for each division anticipated?

Thanks in advance.

Cheers,

Wienand

[Hoplophile]

The numbering of TF field artillery brigades took place at roughly the same time as the number of batteries in the divisional artillery establishment of a standard TF infantry division was being increased from 11 to 15. That is to say, the number of howitzer batteries was increased from 2 to 3 while the number of field gun batteries was increased from 9 to 12.

Organising these 15 batteries into 5 brigades would have made good sense, at least from the point of view of arithmetic.

1. Each brigade would have had the same number of batteries.

2. The 3 howitzer batteries could remain in the same brigade.

3. Each brigade could be handled in the same way as before.

I suspect that this plan did not see the light of day because it was superceded by the scheme to give each infantry division three 'mixed brigades' (3 field gun batteries and 1 howitzer battery) and one 'thoroughbred brigade (3 field gun batteries). That scheme, in turn, was replaced by the scheme to convert 4-gun batteries into 6-gun batteries, which led to the dissolution of the 'thoroughbred brigade.'

[Wienand Drenth]

Thanks for your reply. It makes sense, five brigades with three batteries each.

I just found that the fifth Lowland brigade filled the missing number in that series (260th - 264th).

Wienand