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Author Topic: RFA  (Read 1959 times)

Offline hepburn

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RFA
« on: Monday 09 March 09 22:29 GMT (UK) »
If someone was in the RFA before the first world war what would that mean?The man in question joined up in 1914 age 43 but,prior to that he was in the RFA......I don't really understand all this army stuff. ???
stoke on trent. carson,wain,leese,shaw,key,scalley,mitchell,<br />james,<br /> nottingham,pollard,grice,<br />derbyshire,vallands,turton,howe.<br /> new zealand,turton<br /> canada,carson.<br />australia,mitchell,scalley,<br />

Offline scrimnet

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Re: RFA
« Reply #1 on: Monday 09 March 09 22:57 GMT (UK) »
Royal Field Artillery...He was a Gunner!
One more charge and then be dumb,
            When the forts of Folly fall,
        May the victors when they come
            Find my body near the wall.

Offline hepburn

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Re: RFA
« Reply #2 on: Monday 09 March 09 23:38 GMT (UK) »
Thanks Scrimnet,
                             is it one particular Regiment or ,were there lot's of them?
stoke on trent. carson,wain,leese,shaw,key,scalley,mitchell,<br />james,<br /> nottingham,pollard,grice,<br />derbyshire,vallands,turton,howe.<br /> new zealand,turton<br /> canada,carson.<br />australia,mitchell,scalley,<br />

Offline scrimnet

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Re: RFA
« Reply #3 on: Tuesday 10 March 09 02:19 GMT (UK) »
Quote from: hepburn on Monday 09 March 09 23:38 GMT (UK)
Thanks Scrimnet,
                             is it one particular Regiment or ,were there lot's of them?

The Artillery are a large organisation who are quite complicated to explain...

The whole thing is deemed a  "Regiment", but is in fact more like a Corps...

It is divided into "Regiments" to confuse matters (as an infantry Regt is divided into battalions) and thence into batteries.

There were Royal Garrison Artillery, Royal Field Artillery, and Royal Horse Artillery.

Here is a short official history...

http://www.army.mod.uk/artillery/history/default.aspx

And a bit more...

http://www.26thregra-asc.com/trra.html
One more charge and then be dumb,
            When the forts of Folly fall,
        May the victors when they come
            Find my body near the wall.

Offline km1971

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Re: RFA
« Reply #4 on: Tuesday 10 March 09 03:26 GMT (UK) »
It also means that there should be two sets of papers for him. His first (pre-WW1) set should be in WO97 in Kew as original documents. If you cannot get to Kew Findmypast are putting these online by 2011.

His WW1 set may be in the ones being put online by Ancestry. These should refer to his first period of engagement on page 1.

In both cases you have to add 'if they survive'.

Ken

Offline hepburn

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Re: RFA
« Reply #5 on: Tuesday 10 March 09 12:15 GMT (UK) »
Thanks to both of you,
                                I'll have look at the link in minute Scrimnet.
Ken, on his Attestation paper it says .RFA Regiment(experation? of term)...What does that mean please escuse thickness?
stoke on trent. carson,wain,leese,shaw,key,scalley,mitchell,<br />james,<br /> nottingham,pollard,grice,<br />derbyshire,vallands,turton,howe.<br /> new zealand,turton<br /> canada,carson.<br />australia,mitchell,scalley,<br />

Offline scrimnet

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Re: RFA
« Reply #6 on: Tuesday 10 March 09 12:28 GMT (UK) »
Is it "Expiration of term"??

If so he has done his 12 yrs service, which was a normal period of service at the time
One more charge and then be dumb,
            When the forts of Folly fall,
        May the victors when they come
            Find my body near the wall.

Offline hepburn

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Re: RFA
« Reply #7 on: Tuesday 10 March 09 12:38 GMT (UK) »
Oh right,
           he was born in 1871 so, he would have joined up when he was 18? which would be around 1889.12 years in the RFA,is there a way of finding out where he would have been.......Scrimnet,would he have had a dress uniform?

stoke on trent. carson,wain,leese,shaw,key,scalley,mitchell,<br />james,<br /> nottingham,pollard,grice,<br />derbyshire,vallands,turton,howe.<br /> new zealand,turton<br /> canada,carson.<br />australia,mitchell,scalley,<br />

Offline scrimnet

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Re: RFA
« Reply #8 on: Tuesday 10 March 09 12:44 GMT (UK) »
As a regular (and as a Volunteer), yes!

Have you a pic??

My own grandfather, born 1877, enlisted 1896, did his 12yrs, but didn't do WW1...Although he spent nearly 3yrs in South Africa during the Boer War...

Many experienced soldiers were recruited back in to train the New Armies, at their previous rank
One more charge and then be dumb,
            When the forts of Folly fall,
        May the victors when they come
            Find my body near the wall.
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