Great Grandad John Hall, Service In Royal Field Artillery

[RobinRedBreast]

Hello there,
I am having trouble trying to find the actual service record of my Great Grandad John Hall. He was born in Stamford, Lincolnshire in 1885. His Mother's name was Elizabeth Wheatcroft. She Married a William Wheatcroft in Lincoln (possibly Lincoln Union Workhouse) in 1892. John Hall had two other Brothers: The oldest was George Hall. I know that George joined The Royal Field Artillery, and joined up at Seaforth, Manchester in 1900. His Regiment Number was 13363. He was posted to India, in 1906, with 14 Battery, and based at Allahabad. The next oldest brother was William Hall. I believe he was born in Belper, in around 1883. His half Brother was Edward Wheatcroft (born 1897 in Lincoln). Edward served in World War 1 with the Lincolnshire Regiment. I'm not certain if William served in the Army, but it is possible. John had Sisters, and half Sisters also.
Anyway, my Grandad (sadly no longer with us) always told me that his Father, John Hall, served in India at some point, and was based at Rawlpindhi. I looked on the 1901 Census, and he was definitely still in Lincoln at the time, and was down as an: "Apprentice Boiler Maker", at Waterside North. He was also in the 1911 Census in Lincoln. This time his occupation was down as: "Soldier, Royal Field Artillery". I was told when John came back from India, he had Malaria. So if he was based at Rawlpindhi, it must obviously have been between those dates. John Hall served as a Gunner in WW1 in The 44th Brigade Of The Royal Field Artillery. His Service Number was: 34201. He was awarded the Mons Star, and The British Victory Medal. My granddad said that he was present with this Brigade at The Somme, Passchendaele, and Ypres. Does anyone know please if the 44 Brigade RFA, were present at these battles? He survived the War, but was injured in each year of the war. He was also death in both ears, due to a gun going off right next to him, before he knew about it: Grandad said that: "Blood splurted out both of his ears".
Going back to John Hall in India: I am told that he was given a Medal in India. Unfortunately, this Medal got stolen sometime before my Great Grandad died in 1963. Does anyone also have any idea what this Medal could have been please? I know that his brother (George) was given a George V Coronation Medal in India in 1911, at The Delhi Durbar. But as John was back in England by the 1911 Census, it probably wasn't one of those. It's a shame, because if we still had this Medal, it may have given us more to check up on.
So any information about my Great Grandad's Service history, etc. and time in India, and how I could get to view this would be gratefully accepted. I have looked all around: "Family Search" "Find My Past" and "Ancestry" without much luck really, because they don't quite tie in with what I have already found out.

Thank you very much.

[jim1]

44 Bde. had 3 Howitzer Bty's, 47,56 & 60. He must have been in one of the first 2 as the 60th. was transferred from the 2nd. Div. to the Lahore Div. & later sent to Mesopotamia.
Looking at the war diary he certainly was at Mons where the Bde. were in action prior to their withdrawal.
Like many RA Bde's. they were split up & reorganised so it's always difficult to track a man without knowing his Bty.
I'll continue with the diary & see what's going on.
1914:
Mons ,Aisne, Marne & 1st. Battle of Ypres.
The Bde. were continually being moved around the Ypres area as this was a major German offensive to take the town.
The men slept at their guns.
1915:
Fortunately the Bde. is still intact & spend most of the year in the Cambrin, Givenchy & La Bassee area having successfully held the German Army at Ypres.
The Germans were pushing forward in these areas & the Bde. were sent to assist in the defence of the 2nd. Div.
During the year they drove the Germans back & regained lost ground.
1916:
Still in the same area but moving more southward into the Lens sector.
Unfortunately the May-Dec. 1916 diary is missing.
1917:
47 Bty. now part of 41 Bde.
Courcelette, Arras sector.
Carency,Battle of Arras.
Supported The Canadians at Vimy Ridge which was successful.
After the success at Arras the Bde. moved East to Anzin & then North to Bailleul.
This Bty. wasn't at Passchendaele. on the 24/7/17 they were involved in a major offensive at Givenchy.

I can't find any reference to the 56th. Bty. after April 1916 when 44 Bde. was broken up.
All I can say is that 47 Bty. went to the 41st. Bde. & 60 Bty. went to the Lahore Div. Mesopotamia.

[RobinRedBreast]

Thank you very much for your reply.
Cheers.

[cath151]

Wrong info sorry

[jim1]

Ok. I believe the 56th. was absorbed into the 41st. Brigade in Batteries 9,16,17 & 47 (old 44 Bde. Bty.)
Their dairy from April - June 1916 are missing.
So the info. above re the 44th. Bde. (up to April 1916) & the 41st. Bde.(1916 0n) is correct for your man.
They stayed in the Gavinchy/Festubert area until Oct. 1917 when they moved to St.Julien & were involved in the latter stages of the Battle of Passchendaele.
The 41st's diary for 6/11/17:
Capture of Passchendaele by Canadian Corps - Fired first barrage in conjunction with attack.

[RobinRedBreast]

I do have his Medal Index Card. But some of it is not very "readable". The writing is quite small. Anyway, I will try and detail here, what it says on the Card, from left to right across the top, and then down:
Campaign: 1914
Name: Hall. J.
Corps: 44 Bde RFA
Rank: Gnr
Reg. No: 34201
Roll On Which Included (If any):
(Stamp) Medal Victory British 14 Star
Roll: RFA/ 157 B/ (or R)
Page: 11285(or6)2(?)
Next line down to the right of "British Star" (Stamp) it says: "do" in both of the two columns.
Underneath the first "do" it reads:
RFA/5
Under the second "do":
29 - This is in the same column at the bottom of the "Page" column.
Then we come to the middle of the Medal card:
Action Taken:
"Clasps 23/80 (it looks like an 80 there, but could also be a 90 instead though). Clasp and roses issued 1457/ cAd (or cAa). 3 8 10.
Then finally right at the bottom it says:
QUALIFYING DATE:
16. 8. 14.

Sorry for the long winded explanation. I do know it means the 1914 "Mons Star" with Clasp and Roses. But it would be very nice if someone could tell me what all of these abbreviations on this medal card mean please. Then I might be able to hopefully find out a little more.

Thank you very much.

[RobinRedBreast]

Ok. I believe the 56th. was absorbed into the 41st. Brigade in Batteries 9,16,17 & 47 (old 44 Bde. Bty.)
Their dairy from April - June 1916 are missing.
So the info. above re the 44th. Bde. (up to April 1916) & the 41st. Bde.(1916 0n) is correct for your man.
They stayed in the Gavinchy/Festubert area until Oct. 1917 when they moved to St.Julien & were involved in the latter stages of the Battle of Passchendaele.
The 41st's diary for 6/11/17:
Capture of Passchendaele by Canadian Corps - Fired first barrage in conjunction with attack.

Thank you again.

[jim1]

The abbreviations are to do with Army Orders & where his medals appear on the Rolls.
The qualifying date refers to the day he set foot in France.
The Clasp & Roses were exclusively for men who were at Mons.
Back to the diary.
After Passchendaele they moved to the Bapaume area S. of Arras where they were again engaged in heavy fighting.
Later they were involved in countering the German Spring offensive further east as Blangy-sur-Ternoise.
After that fizzled out they moved to Cambrai & were involved in that offensive.
11/11/18:
Message at Audignies - ARMICTICE at 11.00 11/11/18.
11/12/18: Marched to Malmady - crossing the German frontier.
Xmas 1918 they were billeted in the Langerwehe area Germany.
Your man was engaged in every major operation throughout the war from Mons to Cambrai.
Then he invaded Germany.

[jim1]

With regard to previous history the 44th. were indeed in India & had been from before 1900.
They had 3 Batteries:
3 Bty. in Peshawar.
30 & 57 Bty's in Rawalpindi.
The Medal may be the India General Service Medal (struck 1909).