Guest David/Murle Parish Posted 20 May , 2006 Share Posted 20 May , 2006 I have copies of some information related to my father's service in the British army in 1914-18. He was in RFA, Regimental Number 2260, a Driver. His date of disembarcation is 5/10/1915 and the theatre given is France. The roll as shown on his service medal record shows RFA/106B with RFA/1 below it. I am anxious to know what the unit was/is, where the unit operated and to research the life my father may well have led. His only comment to me was that '…men were dispensable, horses were not, so you looked after your horses'. Any assistance will be appreciated greatly. David Parish, Humpty Doo, Northern Territory, Australia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoplophile Posted 20 May , 2006 Share Posted 20 May , 2006 Welcome! It looks as if your father served with B Battery of the 106 Brigade, RFA, which spent the entire war with the 24th Division. The 24th Division was a New Army division that landed in France in September of 1915, just in time for the battle of Loos (25 and 26 September, 1915). It would later take part in a number of the better known battles of 1916, 1917 and 1918 - the Somme, Arras, Third Ypres, the German spring offensive of 1918 and the breaking of the Hindenburg Line. You can find more information about the 24th Division on the sister web-site of this forum - the Long, Long Trail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveE Posted 20 May , 2006 Share Posted 20 May , 2006 It looks as if your father served with B Battery of the 106 Brigade, RFA I'm not so sure it does! It's my guess that the statement above is based on the RFA/106B reference from the MIC. If this is the case then this has nothing whatsoever to do with which Battery/Brigade your father served with. The reference number quoted is the Army Medal Office's reference for your father's entry in the actual RFA Medal Rolls (there should be a page number after the reference as well) which detail his medal entitlement. The entry is often accompanied by additional information such as unit details, theatre first served in, dates overseas etc. but in the case of the RFA I believe this is not the case as this additional information is not entered. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest David/Murle Parish Posted 20 May , 2006 Share Posted 20 May , 2006 Welcome! It looks as if your father served with B Battery of the 106 Brigade, RFA, which spent the entire war with the 24th Division. The 24th Division was a New Army division that landed in France in September of 1915, just in time for the battle of Loos (25 and 26 September, 1915). It would later take part in a number of the better known battles of 1916, 1917 and 1918 - the Somme, Arras, Third Ypres, the German spring offensive of 1918 and the breaking of the Hindenburg Line. You can find more information about the 24th Division on the sister web-site of this forum - the Long, Long Trail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest David/Murle Parish Posted 20 May , 2006 Share Posted 20 May , 2006 Thanks for your response. I'll have to keep on searching. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vista52 Posted 21 May , 2006 Share Posted 21 May , 2006 Hi David In the N/A there is a book called "Embarkation Dates of Units going Overseas 1914-1918" WO379/16. If your Father went to France as part of a Unit and not as a replacement then it is a simple matter of looking up what RFA Brigade left England around 4-5/10/1915. My g'father's date was 13/7/1915 which links with 78th & 80th Brigade, 17th Div. With reference to an earlier post, I found one of my gt'uncle's service files. He was in the 106th Brigade RFA and his date in France was September not October. To confirm what your Father told you. My g'father told my mum only 2 stories of the Great War. In one, his column is caught in a hurricane bombardment at night. The horses stampede, and just before he goes over an embankment, he jumps off. Next morning, he and a couple of other soldiers walk back and are brought before a Captain. He tells them that they are cheap at a shilling a day, horses aren't and if it happens again, not to bother coming back. Good luck with your research, Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron Nelson Posted 21 May , 2006 Share Posted 21 May , 2006 Hi One source of info which has not yet being mentioned. Your fathers WW1 service medals. If you, or a family member has these medals then all you need to do is check the rim of the medals. Often the unit the solider served in is engraved on the rims, along with service number etc. Also, to help you as much as we can, you mention you have documents relating to your fathers service. Could you please give us all the details of what you do have. Any little clue amongst what you share with us may be the one item we need to get the info you require. Be as specific as you can with this info. Best of luck with your research, my Great Grandfather also served in the RFA and luckily survived the war. Best regards Aaron. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest David/Murle Parish Posted 21 May , 2006 Share Posted 21 May , 2006 Hi One source of info which has not yet being mentioned. Your fathers WW1 service medals. If you, or a family member has these medals then all you need to do is check the rim of the medals. Often the unit the solider served in is engraved on the rims, along with service number etc. Also, to help you as much as we can, you mention you have documents relating to your fathers service. Could you please give us all the details of what you do have. Any little clue amongst what you share with us may be the one item we need to get the info you require. Be as specific as you can with this info. Best of luck with your research, my Great Grandfather also served in the RFA and luckily survived the war. Best regards Aaron. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest David/Murle Parish Posted 21 May , 2006 Share Posted 21 May , 2006 The documents I do have were collected by an army historian from Edinburgh, some time ago. They are: The medal issue record for the Victory Medal, British Medal and the Star. Alongside the Victory Medal is RFA/106B and then Page # 1031. It is ditto for the British Medal. For the Star it is RFA/a Page # 242. In addition on the record it shows - Theatre of War - (1) France and a Qualifying date of 5.10.1915. Included also in the information sent to me were copies of each of the actual pages from the record. Other names on these pages are: Meaton, George Frederick; Miles, Edwin; Barlow, Charles Henry; Neve, Patrick; On the record for the Star my father is the only one with a date of 5.10.1915. 28.11.1915 and 23/24.12.1915 is common. Thanks for this help. Medals not available just at present but should be soon. When last I looked at them I did not notice any engraving on the rim, but it could have been there. With sincere thanks David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KONDOA Posted 21 May , 2006 Share Posted 21 May , 2006 David, Few bits of info missing here. Firstly your mans name? Was he from England or Australia? Does he only have the one number 2260? Where did he live? Roop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest David/Murle Parish Posted 21 May , 2006 Share Posted 21 May , 2006 David, Few bits of info missing here. Firstly your mans name? Was he from England or Australia? Does he only have the one number 2260? Where did he live? Roop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest David/Murle Parish Posted 21 May , 2006 Share Posted 21 May , 2006 Kondoa The missing information was in earlier posts. I'll repeat it here so that you and others can have the detail. I am searching for information on Charles Parish, born Hackney and lived in the UK until he emigrated to Australia in 1923. His Regimental number was simply 2260 and he was in the RFA, but what specific unit is what I am seeking to know. thanks for your interest. David Parish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimothy Posted 21 May , 2006 Share Posted 21 May , 2006 My great uncle William Henry Stephenson was also RFA and he, also, first stepped ashore in France on 5 October 1915. His service number was 81834. I would imagine that there would be a lot of RFA men entering France on the same day, unfortunately, and identifying my man's specific unit is proving difficult. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adinetuse Posted 21 May , 2006 Share Posted 21 May , 2006 I have a soldier in my research who was also with the RFA. One of his two medal cards has the Corps indicated as 104th B. In fact he served with the 104th Battery Royal Field Artillery. This was part of the 22nd Brigade which fought as part of the 7th Division. The 106th Battery was part of the same brigade. On the first day of the Somme July 1 1916 they were south west of Mametz and spent the next month fighting for the trenches around Mametz Wood. Their war diary records it as almost minute by minute account, and hair-raising stuff it is. Happy hunting. Nimrod Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest David/Murle Parish Posted 21 May , 2006 Share Posted 21 May , 2006 My great uncle William Henry Stephenson was also RFA and he, also, first stepped ashore in France on 5 October 1915. His service number was 81834. I would imagine that there would be a lot of RFA men entering France on the same day, unfortunately, and identifying my man's specific unit is proving difficult. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest David/Murle Parish Posted 21 May , 2006 Share Posted 21 May , 2006 Jimrod Thanks for response. I always knew it would not be easy, but I must keep trying. Any ideas you have would appreciated. Did you see the post about the N/A. I presume it means National Archives. It could be a help, but my access is curtailed by distance. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KONDOA Posted 22 May , 2006 Share Posted 22 May , 2006 David, I shall look better at the weekend but the date of embarkation closely matches 33rd Division which crossed in several batches. His London address adds to this proposition. Nimrod- Check again that medal card. I believe you have mistaken the roll number for a battery number. 104 B . Unusual but not impossible for a battery to be listed on an MIC. Roop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adinetuse Posted 22 May , 2006 Share Posted 22 May , 2006 From Nimrod: No mistakes. I have all the information in full and more. There is no doubt that the 104th Battery, 105th.106th. A/81 and others were all at Mametz for the Somme offensive with the 7th Division. My ancestor Cpl J. S. Sattler, 104th battery, 22nd Brigade,RFA gained the MM in the action. He was killed in action with the brigade the following April. The incident is described in full in the war diary which (unusually) mentions many of the soldiers in the unit by name. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now