Terry Posted 15 November , 2003 Share Posted 15 November , 2003 Can anyone fill me in on just when "A" Bty, RHA went into action in France? I understand that they were in India when the war broke out, and proceeded to France with the Indian Cavalry Division (Ambala Brigade), arriving on 7 November. My question concerns possible eligibility for the Aug-Nov clasp for their 1914 Star.I don't think they got in under the wire to qualify. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnreed Posted 16 November , 2003 Share Posted 16 November , 2003 'A' Battery 'The Chestnut Troop' fired its first round in WW1 at Givenchy on the 20th December 1914. It also fired its last round on the 4th November 1918 at Orrs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Posted 16 November , 2003 Author Share Posted 16 November , 2003 Thanks for the information. The only 1914 Star trio to the RHA in my collection is to "A" Battery, and obviously the battery did not earn the clasp, but it is still a nice unit to have in a representative collection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnreed Posted 16 November , 2003 Share Posted 16 November , 2003 Just for your information 'A' Battery 'The Chesnut Troop' is the most senior battery in the Artillery, and when they have their guns on parade they take presendance of all British Army Units. "Right of the Line Pride of the British Empire" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plant-pilot Posted 5 December , 2003 Share Posted 5 December , 2003 My Grandfather, 37765 Sgt AEJ Crowhurst joined the RHA in 1907 and was with A Bty before the war and remained with them until he was transfered to the Machine Gun Corps and later in the Tank Corps. While with the Bty he was awarded the MM. He never, when asked, told the family why he got the medal and would only say that it wasn't him, it was his gun that got it. I know the chance of finding out the circumstances are very slim, but any information about the movements of the Bty and the battles they took part in would be very much appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rflory Posted 6 December , 2003 Share Posted 6 December , 2003 Sgt. Crowhurst's MM was announced in the London Gazette of 12 June 1918. This probably means that the action for which he received his MM probably occurred in the first three or four months of 1918. He might have received it on 21 March 1918 during the battle of St. Quentin when A/RHA was just north of Bernes. At that time massive German infantry attacks were occurring in that area as the German spring offensive began. Beginning at noon A/RHA fired continually for six hours on German infantry advancing southwest towards Nosscourt Farm, before being the last guns to pull out of the area at 1800. I am currently in the process of putting together a manuscript on WW1 MM awards to the Royal Artillery and would love to have a copy of the photo of Sgt Crowhurst. Would you be willing to send me a jpeg (at 300 dpi if possible) of the photo of Sgt Crowhurst for my records and for possible publication at a future date? Regards. Dick Flory Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plant-pilot Posted 6 December , 2003 Share Posted 6 December , 2003 Thank you for the information very interesting and you seem to have answered more in one post than years of my digging or asking 'experts' questions has done. Thank you again. I will happily provide a copy of the photo as is, or a better scan when I'm in the UK for a short visit at christmas. The Original is in the UK with my parents. Any other details you need, just ask and I'll do my best to help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rflory Posted 6 December , 2003 Share Posted 6 December , 2003 If you would not mind please send me a copy of the photo as it is. Regards. Dick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staffsyeoman Posted 7 December , 2003 Share Posted 7 December , 2003 Plant, very interested in grandfather's MGC service; I assume he went to the Heavy Branch, but having been a Gunner he could have gone to the Motors too. Intrigued by the first ribbon he's got - did he serve in India prior to the war? (It's not an MM ribbon, but could be a 1908-35 Indian General Service Medal) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plant-pilot Posted 7 December , 2003 Share Posted 7 December , 2003 Plant, very interested in grandfather's MGC service; I assume he went to the Heavy Branch, but having been a Gunner he could have gone to the Motors too. Intrigued by the first ribbon he's got - did he serve in India prior to the war? (It's not an MM ribbon, but could be a 1908-35 Indian General Service Medal) Your assumption on India is correct. He joined the RHA in 1907 at Ewshot, did his training with the RHA Boys at Woolwhich and then went to India where he joined A Bty. He then moved to England and France with A Bty as part of the Ambala Brigade in the 1st Indian Cavalry Division and remained with the Bty until some time in 1918. I know very little of his service in the MGC and I am still trying to look into it. I had also assumed that his background in the artillery or that his onward move to the tanks would point to him serving in the HMGC or the MMGC. Sorry, but no photos or details to confirm it. What we do know is that at the end of the war he had again been transfered, this time into the Tank Corps, and spent some time as an Instructor on Roll Royce Armoured cars before again serving in India until his discharge late in the 20s. I have group photos of him as an 'RHA Boy' in 1907, on an artillery course (possibly his Sgts course) and as an instructor on Armourd Cars if anyone is interested. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rammell Posted 8 January , 2006 Share Posted 8 January , 2006 Can anyone fill me in on just when "A" Bty, RHA went into action in France? I understand that they were in India when the war broke out, and proceeded to France with the Indian Cavalry Division (Ambala Brigade), arriving on 7 November. My question concerns possible eligibility for the Aug-Nov clasp for their 1914 Star.I don't think they got in under the wire to qualify. Hi there I was recently looking for my Grandfathers records at KEW and was lucky that his had survived the bombings of WW11. Having said that many of the records did have singes around the edges so obviously quite extensive fires. The records were very thorough showing everything in his time with the Chestnut Troop including 60 days in the brig for striking an officer, 2 bouts of syffillus etc. I was very lucky to be sitting beside an army officer who took me through the records and directed me to the diaries of the Chestnu Troop which covered the time from departing India to 1916. Great reading and clearly laid out all that had happened covering that period. Well worth the trip out to KEW if you wanted to read or copy the diaries. I am from New Zealand but travel to the UK about 10 times a year. i am keen to find anything out that i can regarding the Chestnut Troop both in India and the UK during WW1. If you can offer any assistance it would be greatly appreciated. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcerha Posted 10 January , 2006 Share Posted 10 January , 2006 If you want to find out more about the Chestnut Troop then your best bet is to write to them. I am sure that the Battery Commander would be able to either get someone to assist you with your query or indeed you may even be allowed (in certain circumstances - travelling from NZ would proably qualify!!) to visit their very impressive History Room at their Barracks in Tidworth. PM or enmail me and I will provide you with the required details of how to get in touch. Hope this helps regards David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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