RFA - 282nd Bde, "D" Battery

[Guest Lloydy]

New to all this but hoping someone might know what the 282nd Bde, "D" Battery of RFA were involved in during the Great War. My Great Grandfather was Gunner Frederick William Lloyd, Service No. 777033 and died on 24/10/1917. Very interested in any information supplied.

[ororkep]

Lloydy,

Welcome to the forum. Formally the 3rd London, 282 Brigade RFA (CCLXXXII) arrived in France on 5/10/1915 as part of the 56th (1st London) Div. This was a day later than the other divisional Brigades the 280, 281, and 283rd. This much I have direct confirmation of along with in early 1918 the strength of the Brigade (A, B, C, & D) was 34 Officers, 6 Warrant Officers, 34 Serjeants, 3 Trumpeters and 913 Rank and File. D Battery appears to have been a Howitzer Battery that transferred across from 283 Brigade up to the period of Gunner Lloyd’s death but whilst it can be found on the divisional Orbats website I do not know the source of this to confirm it. A war diary at the NA exists and covers some 14 months but unfortunately not the period covering his death at WO95/2941, but should at least tell you his movements. It’s always worth looking at the other London battery ones as well just to get an overall picture of what he was up to prior to his death. Hope this is of interest

Regards Paul

[RobertBr]

Lloydy

My Grandfather was in 'D' Battery 281 Brigade 56th Division.

On the main site it states that the 282 Brigade left the 56th Division on 23 January 1917 to become an Army Brigade.

I was at the Natinal Archives recently and looked at the War Diaries of both the 281 & 280 Brigades RFA, which remained with the 56th Division until the end of the War. Its quite something just to hold them in your hands.

In November 1917 the 56th divison were involved in the Battle of Cambrai near Moeuvres. D/281 were actually on the Arras - Cambrai Road near Louverval on 20/11/1917.

Its possible that the 282 were also involved nearby.

I suggest that a trip to the National Archives is required to see the brigade War Diary and also, if your lucky, find your Great Grandfathers service record. Alternatively you could order part of the diary (November / December 1917) online.

The diaries are quite variable in there content depending, I suspect, on the C/Os whim and the author. You would be lucky and find a mention of your Great Grandfather.

Bob

[Chris]

Hi

I got the War Diary of 282nd Brigade RFA only a few weeks ago for late Oct / early NOv 1917 as i was looking a lad of C Battery killed at this time. Sorry to say it is not the most detailed diary but here are the entries for the days surrounding oct 24th.

22nd Oct - 5.45am Zero hour for attack by XVIII and XIV Corps

7.50am BREWERY (V.14.c.45.00) Sheet 20 SE 3. Taken

8.10am 2nd Objectives reported taken including NOBLES FARM (V.14.d.2.3) & MEUNIER HOUSE (V.20.b.05.15)

3pm BEEK HOUSES (V.20.d.15.00) and TRACAS FARM (V.20.d.7.5) taken. Attack completely succesful; all objectives taken and held.

23rd Oct - Harassing fire by all Batteries

24th Oct - 48 Hours Bonbardment opened

25th Oct - Bombardment continued

26th Oct - Attack by XVIII Corps & Corps on both flanks

27th Oct - Harassing fire by all Batteries

Chris

[texulocu]

Hello all, this is my first post here, I am a spanish handgun and militaria collector, and member of a few gun and militaria

forums, all over the internet.

I'm coming here searching some lighting about a revolver holster, that I purchased at a well known german militaria dealer.

The item was sold to me as a "Reichsrevolver Holster". Having some trouble about it and being not so expensive, I bought it.

To my surprise, I found it was not a RR holster, BUT a British revolver holster.

And to my further surprise, I could see on the back of it some personal an unit markings. I think they are WW 1 markings.

The British service revolver in WW1 was the Webley Mk VI, in .455 cal., but this holster has nothing to do with the Mk VI holster.

The closure strap is quite different, instead the overall dimensions fit the Webley Mk VI

In a closer study, I could also see former seams remnants on the back belt strap, that suggested me the holster was a cavalry holster,

reworked to fit the Webley Mk VI, for infantry or artillery use. The original position of the seams suggest the holster was worn

quite in an horizontal position, on the left side, which is typical for the cavalry units.

We can easily say the holster is older than the WW1.

So the question is : What type of a revolver was it built to fit ???

I did'nt know the British army did some holster rework in the WW 1. This would be the fist I know.

Another interesting pioint would be to know the previous war theater it could have participate.

So now let us see the markings. As far as I can see, it reads :

J . W . D . FISHER

B / 282 R F A

Does somebody know something about this inscription? My own opinion is that Fisher is the name of the officer,

and the rest of the marking is the unit, maybe B Battery, 282 Brigade, Royal Field Artillery.

Would like to know the operation theater in which this unit was involved, etc... and if there is a way to have more info

about the soldier J. W. D. FISHER. ¿ Was he an officer, sergeant, or gunman ??

I tried to post more pics, but the system does not allow.

I will post 2 more, with the markings on a following post.

I would appreciate any opinion, and feedback about this holster, that will, in a few years, be a brave centennarian.

Regards from Spain

Roberto

[texulocu]

[

attachment=158259:10-09-2012 001-B.jpg]

So here is the back of my holster. I hope the letters can easily be seen.

Keep waiting for new inputs about this topic.

Best regards

Roberto

[David Porter]

Roberto,

Welcome to the Forum.

You are quite right that this belonged to a RFA officer. The Medal Index Card for John William Donald Fisher has him entering France on October 4, 1915.

He rose to the rank of Captain and was also Mentioned in Despatches. He survived and his address in 1922 was Thornton, Rosewell, Midlothian (Scotland).

[rflory]

Captian John William Donald Fisher, RFA SR

Educated at George Heriot's School from 1909 to 1912 and at the University of Edinburgh where he was a student of science from 1912 to 1914.

Cadet, U of Edinburgh Officer Training Course from Nov. 1914 to April 1915

2nd Lieut, 282nd Brigade, RFA in April 1915

Lieutenant, June 1917

Acting Captain, May 1918

Mentioned in Despatches, London Gazette 21 May 1918

His papers are available from The National Archives under WO 339/52116.

Sources: University of Edinburgh Roll of Honour 1919-1919; George Heriot's School Roll of Honour 1914-1919.

[texulocu]

Thank you so much for your response. It is really amazing to find such information about a man who fought WW1.

¿Are the National Archives on the web, in order to search for more info?

Would be nice to find a photo of this guy. Better in uniform.

And I thought that maybe his family would like to know about this personal marked item.....

Would be no problem to gift them the holster.

I searched for the kind of revolver he could have worn in this holster, but it only appears Webley Mk V and Mk VI.

The important point for me is to know about the former use of the holster, I'm quite sure it was a cavalry one,

but would be nice to know the gun that was carried inside, before Captain Fisher inherited it after being reworked

and new gun reasigned. Could you help me this way?

Thank you.

Regards from Spain

Roberto

[kanga]

Hello from Switzerland

I have some medals to Archibald Percy Harris, commissioned into the RFA (London Brigade) LG 26.8.1915, MC award LG 4.2.1918 and the citation LG 5.7.1918 p.7909, Which I presume is for actions at Cambrai. When he resigned his commission (LG 15.8.1921 p.6464 ) it states he was in the 3rd Lond. Bde. Has anyone got infos or could tell me where to do more reseach find out more about Mr Harris and which batty he served with.

Rgds

Alfred

[rflory]

Harris served with A Battery, 282nd Army Brigade, RFA and received his Military Cross for an action at Poelchappelle on 21 October 1917. He received his MC on 23 March 1918.

[kanga]

Hallo, Thank you very much for the information that you have provided, How did you find this out?