Royal Field Artillery - WW1

[helxx]

Hello,

I'm really interested in finding out more about my great Uncle and his part in the War.  I have attached his medal card.  This is the only info I have.  I've been looking on the 'long long trail' site, for the Royal Field Artillery and saw about brigades (sorry I'm really useless at this, so clueless!)  I wondered if my great Uncle, William Earls, b Leek, Staffs, 1890 would have belonged to the - Territorial Force 1st line - 46th (North Midland) Division - as it mentions batteries from Stoke on Trent and Leek.

This division moved to France between the 23-28th Feb 1915.  William's medal card states he arrived in France on the 26th Feb 1915 - so am I on the right track?  It does however mention the division was ordered to Eqypt in December 1915 and his medal card doesn't mention Edgypt so I'm probably completely wrong with my guess-work!

Any advice would be fantastic.  Where do I go from here, only having his medal card?  Could I get any info from Kew?

Thanks for reading

Helen

[ricky1]

Hi helen

You could try this site, see if they can help

http://www.veterans-uk.info/index.html

http://yourarchives.nationalarchives.gov.uk/index.php?title=Military_Records

Officers or Soldiers whose regular or reserve service ended before 1921

The National Archives
Ruskin Avenue
Kew
Richmond
Surrey
TW9 4DU
Phone 0208876 3444
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk


Officers or Soldiers whose regular or reserve service ended between 1921 and 1997

Army Personnel Centre
HQ Secretariat
Historical Disclosures
Mail Point 400
Kentigern House
65 Brown Street
Glasgow
G2 8EX


ricky

[km1971]

Hi Helen

Regarding Egypt, the medal index cards only mentions the first theatre of war he entered. This was to justify the award of the 1914-1915 Star (in this case).

This link will help - http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/militaryhistory/army/ - and it gives a link to researching men discharged after 1920. I take it you have searched for his record on Ancestry. They have completed the Es, so it looks as if his record has been lost. That said I am sure that a few more Es will be found in the Is to Zs. I once found a Smith in the middle of the Ps and that was in the miss-sorts! But you cannot rely on that.

The problem with researching Corps (RA, RE etc)  compared to the Infantry and Cavalry is that they were spread thinly throughout the rest of the army. However I am sure that his second number in particular would have been issued in a block to a particular Battery or Brigade. So I suggest you go back the Great War Forum and see if a RA expert can tell you which one. You can then follow their experiences here -
http://www.1914-1918.net/cra.htm Someone may also be able to tell you something about the RA TF. Maybe even if his number was a pre war one.

I suggest you put RA/RFA etc in the title as 99% of people will ignore a vague question, like 'Please help me'. Failing this you could look at the medal rolls given on his MIC to see if they give his date of enlistment and/or discharge.

Ken

[forester]

Hello Helen,

It certainly looks like you are on the right track.

In the renumbering, early 1917, the block 805001 to 810000 was allocated to 213 Brigade (formerly 2 North Midland) and 296 Brigade (2/2 North Midland). Although 296 Bde, which was in 59 Division, was continually drained to top up 213 Bde, given the early date of entry, it is more likely that he was in 213 Bde from the start.

In 1913 the 2nd North Midland Brigade RFA (TF) had its HQ, the 1st and 2nd Staffordshire Batteries and the Ammunition Column at the Drill Hall, Victoria Square, Shelton, Stoke-on-Trent.
The 3rd Staffordshire Battery was based at Leek.

Phil

[helxx]

Thanks so much for the replies - you've all given me something to look into.

Best Regards
Helen

[steven781]

Helen,

Further to previous replies, you may be able to locate his service record through ancestry.com. I was able to do just that for my Great-Grandfather who served in the Royal Artillery between 1897-1922.  If you obtain this it will tell you all sorts of useful information such as next-of-kin, children, unit movements and physical and medical characteristics.

Happy hunting and let us know how you get on. 

[jjcpriv]

Well,  I collect medals tomen of the 2nd North Midland Brigade. I have the book on C Battery of that Brigade and low and hbehold - in the list of men who served is a Bombardier W Earls !!!

May I suggest that you lay your hand s on the following book:

"Over There" by J.E.Blore and J.R. Sherratt

It is a fantastic book focussing on the Old leek battery as it was known. It has plenty of pictures and lots of persnoal references.

[helxx]

Hello jjcpriv,

Wow!  I'm most excited about you finding my William Earls in your book.  I still haven't got round to following up the advice I received on here yet.  It's on the top of my 'to do' list!  Would I be able to get the book that you've seen him in or is it "Over There" that you've recommended?

So am I correct in saying it does appear that he was in the 2nd North Midland Brigade then?  Does it mention the battery he was in? (whatever that means!)

I've googled on the book you've mentioned and I'm just about to order it now.

Thank you so much!! 

Helen x

[bruce 1950]

Hi, My grandfather Ernest Prince was in the 296th BDE Royal Field Artillery, I have a campaign medal with his initials E P on the front dated 1917,from his accounts he was with horsedrawn field battery in France, i have been trying to find some records from archive sites but the majority require monthly subscriptions.