Command 60th Heavy Battery RGA

[BDelf]

I am trying to research my grandfather's service records and history and would be grateful if anyone can fill in any gaps whilst I am waiting for a reply from the Army Personnel Centre at Glasgow.

Details I know are:

Name: Leonard Edward Delf

Born 1881

Marriage certificate dated June 6 1908 shows occupation as a soldier living in Felixstowe.

Fathers birth certificate June 22 1915 shows In the Command of the 60th Heavy Battery RGA stationed at Roorkee in India, Rank is Battery Quartermaster Sergeant number 32038

Medal record shows that the WW1 service medals (Victory and British) were awarded whilst with the 41st Heavy Battery RGA and that the rank was Warrant Officer grade 1.

I would be grateful for any information on these units and would like to know if it was likely that he would have enlisted directly into the RGA and whether it was usual to change units.

[essdee]

Delf

I have had a look through the Allocation List for Heavy Batteries and can not find either a 60th Heavy or 41st Heavy Battery ! I have seen some Siege batteries refered to as Heavy Siege Batteries. Its possible one or both of these Batteries were renamed/renumbered.

If he served beyond, I think, 1924 then his records will be held at Glasgow. If he, like so many, left the army in 1919 the his records would be held at the NA Kew. Not for nothing are they refered to as the Burnt Records. 1 in 4 Chance of finding something.

Stuart

[ororkep]

Bdelf,

The 60th Company (formally Coy) became the 60th Heavy Battery in November 1914. During the war they were Part of the Indian Army (4th Quetta) and played a part in the third Afghan War in 1919. Only 4 months diary survive at the NA, from May- Aug 1919 in WO95/5390. Based at Roorkee, sometimes spelt Rurki, in North West India, this was a British army base known as a cantonment that was vacated by my G Uncles Battery the 81st siege battery (and the 59th SB and 91 HB) in Oct 1914. this and a chain of forts were there to protect the then British Empires interests in that area against localised uprisings and as an artillery presence to warn of Afghanistan from siding with the Turks. Under assorted reorganisations not all artillery units (heavy) became siege or Heavy batteries; some retained their company status, and this is why I think it does not appear in the allocation files.

Like Essdee I have never heard of a 41st Heavy Battery. However there was a 41st Heavy Artillery Group (HAG), RGA that was redesignated the 41st (Mobile) Brigade, RGA in 1917. A diary can be found at WO95/472

Regards Paul

[Lee Bradbury]

Very late to the party here but thanks for the info. I’ve just discovered yet another family member who served in the Great War, Charles Henry Swain, who served on the Western Front & then with the 60th Hvy Battery in Afghanistan.