Territorials in India 1916

[antonjdown]

Hi there

My great uncle was in India as part of a territorial RFA brigade in 1916, around Calcutta, before at some stage joining the 18th Indian Division and ending up in Mesopotamia with the 337th RFA Brigade. He enlisted in Exeter, seems in 1915, but has photos of his time in India in 1916/17 in Barackpore and Barcatcha (pictures of field guns, comrades, "Sub A gun", "1/1st guns", "RFA Barracks, Barackpore, Bengal"). Now, I know that the 337th was in the UK at this time, so he must have joined it at some stage in Mesopotamia.

What we're hoping to find out is which territorial units of the RFA ended up in India in 1916, so I can then continue the search for more information on him (Francis William Down).

Thanks for any help anyone can give.

Anton

[sotonmate]

Anton

You could trawl through this page from the Long Long Trail:

http://www.1914-1918.net/rfa_units.htm

It lists all of the RFA Brigades and theatres.

Sotonmate

[jim_davies]

Hey Anton,

My Great grandfather had a "similar"war. he was initially in the Nortants Bty of the TF, FRA, and after serving briefly on the Western Front and Egypt he was time expired in April 1916.

By Christmas 1916 he was again serving, (conscripted?) this time in Lahore, India. It appears he was serving with the I Home Counties Brigade (later renamed 220th Brigade) RFA. He too was transferred to Mesopotamia were he served with the 215th Brigade.

It is my understanding that the Home counties TF Division would be the most likely candidate as the parent formation for your great-uncle's artillery unit.

[antonjdown]

Very interesting, and thanks to both of you. Certainly I think you are correct with the Home Counties Div. We had thought he'd enlisted in 1915, but I assume that if he was with the Territorials, then he must have been involved pre-War? One thing though that I think might be wrong with that link to the RFA brigades is that when he left India, he was with the 18th Indian Div, and joined the 3337th Brigade, whereas the link makes out that it was the 17th Indian Division. I've now got the 18th Indian Division's history in Meso, and certainly the 337th was with them. I have to say, chasing up a relative's WW1 history is fascinating, and helps to get a far better picture of the war.

Again, appreciate the info from you both.