Z Battery RHA

[collin]

Hello
         does anyone have any information on Z Battery Royal Horse Artillery Pre 1914?
 I tried Google but its all 1914-18.
  Grandad joined in 1908 and sailed for South Africa in 1909 and in 1911 he is in Cantonments
at Potchelftroom Transvaal. He moved to India in December 1911 and then Mesapotamia
in 1916 when he was transferred into Royal Field Artillery.
 He never talked about his army days so anything would be helpful.
  Thanks  Regards Glyn

[km1971]

HI Glyn

What sort of information are you after? As you seem to have their movements already.

Ken

[collin]

Hi
    wondered what they were doing there, would it be just guarding what they gained in the
Boer War?, I dont know where in India he went to or what they were doing there.
 Glyn

[km1971]

Hi Glyn

Unfortunately the August 1914 Army List does not show a Z battery. This link - http://www.1914-1918.net/rha.htm  -  has it being with G and O Btys in Ipswich, saying that Z Bty reformed in October 1914. Are his papers on Ancestry? If so can you post details so we can have a look.

There were no RHA batteries in SA in 1914, but there were three batteries of RFA in Roberts Heights, Transvaal, and two companies of RGA - probably on the coast somewhere.

Ken

[collin]

Hi Ken
           thanks for that,  cant seem to find anything about his regiment.
 His papers arn't on Ancestry, only his medal card, he was Dvr 51925 George Collin.
 I know he was overseas from 1909 and in 1914 his time was up and he had the choice of settling in Australia or going home and as he had run off to join up he thought it his duty to go home to see his mother. While he was waiting for the boat, WW1 started so he had to stay on
and didn't get home till 1919.
  Glyn

[forester]

Apparently Z Battery was disbanded in 1913 and reformed in October 1914.

http://www.rootschat.com/links/06zf/

This could explain the confusion in the July 1913 Stations of Units, where, in one section, Z Battery is shown in I Brigade, but in the next, A & B Batteries are shown as I Brigade in Amballa. It also shows B Battery in II Brigade in Woolwich. Possibly B Battery took Z Battery's place earlier in the year

Phil

[collin]

Hi Phil
          it seems confusing, I know Grandad was abroad  for 10 years and didn't return to England.  I also know he was transferred from RHA to RFA and thought it was when he was sent as reinforcements to Mesapotamia but it now looks like he transferred to RFA when
 Z Battery was disbanded in 1913.
  Thanks for that.
 Glyn