Author Topic: Joseph Maltby 6676 RA  (Read 87 times)

Offline TomGad

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Joseph Maltby 6676 RA
« on: Thursday 10 April 25 09:47 BST (UK) »
I have Josephs medal as part of some things passed down in my family. We are related but fairly distantly. Does anybody have any photos of Joseph?

Offline Andy J2022

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Re: Joseph Maltby 6676 RA
« Reply #1 on: Thursday 10 April 25 11:56 BST (UK) »
Tom,

Joseph should have had three medals: the 1914 Star, the War Medal and the Victory Medal. His medal card indicates that he served with 14 Brigade RHA. The Long, Long Trail website has this to say about the 14th Brigade (referred to as XIV):
Quote
XIV Brigade

This brigade was formed in late September 1914 came under command of the new 7th Division. It was made up of a headquarters unit, two batteries (C and F Batteries RHA), and an Ammunition Column. The brigade landed at Zeebrugge on 7 October 1914. C Battery RHA left on 19 October 1914; 57th (Howitzer) Battery RFA joined between 27 November 1914 and 2 March 1915; T Battery RHA arrived on 21 December 1914; and a new D (Howitzer) Battery RFA joined on 17 May 1916; 509 (Howitzer) Battery RFA joined on 7 October and served until 13 February 1917 when it was broken up.

On 10 February 1917 the brigade left the 7th Division and became an Army Brigade. Three days later, B Battery joined from 169th Brigade RFA and became this brigade’s D Battery. C and D Batteries were later renamed as 400 and 401 Batteries RFA respectively.

Between November 1917 and April 1918, the brigade served in Italy.

Brigade war diary (1914 Oct – 1917 Mar) National Archives WO95/1642 [digitised; can be downloaded from National Archives website]
Brigade war diary (1917 Apr – 1917 Nov and 1918 Apr – 1919 Jun) National Archives WO95/385 [digitised; can be downloaded from National Archives website]
Brigade war diary (1917 Dec – 1918 Mar) National Archives WO95/4205 [not digitised; must be seen at National Archives]
As you can see, some of the war diaries have been digitised. Joseph is unlikely to have been mentioned by name in the diaries, but they will give you a flavour of the sort of action he saw. 'Brigade' in this context is the equivalent of a Battalion, and was made up of a (varying) number of batteries as well as an ammunition column. Since Joseph was a driver, he might have served as a member of a gun team or within the ammunition column.

He first deployed to France and Flanders on 5 October 1914 so it seems reasonable to assume that he may have already been in the Army before the start of the war, either as a Regular, or as part of the Territorial Force. His relatively low number, 6676, suggests that he was in the Territorials, as the Regular RHA were allocating numbers as high as 78246 in early August 1914.

As for a photograph of him, the best place to try would have been the Royal Artillery Museum, but it's currently closed while it relocates to Larkhill on Salisbury Plain. In any case it's quite along shot as he is unlikely to have been named in any 'official' regimental photographs.

Offline TomGad

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Re: Joseph Maltby 6676 RA
« Reply #2 on: Thursday 10 April 25 12:07 BST (UK) »
Tom,

Joseph should have had three medals: the 1914 Star, the War Medal and the Victory Medal. His medal card indicates that he served with 14 Brigade RHA. The Long, Long Trail website has this to say about the 14th Brigade (referred to as XIV):
Quote
XIV Brigade

This brigade was formed in late September 1914 came under command of the new 7th Division. It was made up of a headquarters unit, two batteries (C and F Batteries RHA), and an Ammunition Column. The brigade landed at Zeebrugge on 7 October 1914. C Battery RHA left on 19 October 1914; 57th (Howitzer) Battery RFA joined between 27 November 1914 and 2 March 1915; T Battery RHA arrived on 21 December 1914; and a new D (Howitzer) Battery RFA joined on 17 May 1916; 509 (Howitzer) Battery RFA joined on 7 October and served until 13 February 1917 when it was broken up.

On 10 February 1917 the brigade left the 7th Division and became an Army Brigade. Three days later, B Battery joined from 169th Brigade RFA and became this brigade’s D Battery. C and D Batteries were later renamed as 400 and 401 Batteries RFA respectively.

Between November 1917 and April 1918, the brigade served in Italy.

Brigade war diary (1914 Oct – 1917 Mar) National Archives WO95/1642 [digitised; can be downloaded from National Archives website]
Brigade war diary (1917 Apr – 1917 Nov and 1918 Apr – 1919 Jun) National Archives WO95/385 [digitised; can be downloaded from National Archives website]
Brigade war diary (1917 Dec – 1918 Mar) National Archives WO95/4205 [not digitised; must be seen at National Archives]
As you can see, some of the war diaries have been digitised. Joseph is unlikely to have been mentioned by name in the diaries, but they will give you a flavour of the sort of action he saw. 'Brigade' in this context is the equivalent of a Battalion, and was made up of a (varying) number of batteries as well as an ammunition column. Since Joseph was a driver, he might have served as a member of a gun team or within the ammunition column.

He first deployed to France and Flanders on 5 October 1914 so it seems reasonable to assume that he may have already been in the Army before the start of the war, either as a Regular, or as part of the Territorial Force. His relatively low number, 6676, suggests that he was in the Territorials, as the Regular RHA were allocating numbers as high as 78246 in early August 1914.

As for a photograph of him, the best place to try would have been the Royal Artillery Museum, but it's currently closed while it relocates to Larkhill on Salisbury Plain. In any case it's quite along shot as he is unlikely to have been named in any 'official' regimental photographs.

Thank you for the info, I should have specified the Medal I have of Joseph’s is his Victory Medal. Big ol’ gold one.