I am trying to find details of where my grandfather served during the war. I have been successful in obtaining his records on Ancestry and have worked out some of the locations where he served.

He served with the 60th Army Brigade (RFA) between December 1916 and February 1917 and 34th Brigade between February 1917 and June 1918 - does anyone have any idea where these Brigades might have been, or where I might look for this information

Regards Angela

Hi Angela. The War Diaries are held at the National Archives in Kew:

WO 95/1802 for 60th Army Brigade RFA and WO 95/1324 for the 34th Army Brigade RFA.

Robert

Hi Robert

Thank you for your reply, I should be able to find out more information on my grandfather's whereabouts.

Regards Angela

Angela, I am working my way through a number of Army Brigade RFA War Diaries. Unfortunately, these two are not on my list. From experience, however, the diaries are not usually very detailed. Each month will have perhaps 4-6 sheets of A4 on average. This means it might be worth getting the National Archives to copy the entries for the relevant time periods. I would be happy to try and get photographs for you, but I cannot be sure when this will possible.

Robert

Robert,

The RFA is quite difficult to study, could you recomend a "better" source of information.

It seems that AngelaC's relation and my great grandfather were on the same battery C bty 34th Bde. My ggf is buried at Canada farm and died 22/09/1917, so if you do get to the NA please remember me and photograph what you can around this date as well.

Regards

Jim

For the RFA as a whole, then Farndale's 'History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery', specifically the volume on the Western Front, will give you a very good overview.

Robert

Robert,

Would your list of RFA Brigades include the 33rd Brigade by any chance?

Andrew

No, Andrew. Sorry. Is there something specifc that you are wanting to know?

Robert

Robert,

I was able to purchase the war diary for the 33rd RFA Brigade for dates 1/12/1917 to 27/5/1918 but when it tried for 1-31/11/1917 and dates from 28/5/1918 onward I was advised it was not possible - no actual reason given .

If you can help with any of this I would be greatful.

Andrew

Angela,

Not sure if this helps...

60th (LX) Brigade between between Aug. 1914 - Feb. 1915 consisted of 3 batteries (199th, 191st & 192nd) and were part of the 11th (Northern) Division (K1). From Feb. 1915 these batteries were re-labelled as A, B, C respectively. A fourth Battery (D Howitzer) was also added at the time of reorganisation.

11th Division entered France theatre July 1916 from Palenstine and entered 3rd Army Sector and involved in following battles:

Sept 1916 - Battle of Flers-Courcelette and Thiepval Ridge
Nov 1916 - Operations in Ancre Sector

On 25th Jan 1917 60th Brigade RFA was broken up and batteries were sent to other brigades. At this time A Battery went to the 34th (XXXIV) Brigade (as this was the only one that went to the 34th Bde your grandfather could have been in A Battery, 60th Brigade.

34th Brigade (consisting at this time 50th, 70th & 56th (Howitzer) batteries), which had been part of 2nd Division, was transferred to the Army Field Artillery on 25th Jan 1917. I guess he therefore transferred from A Battery 60th Brigade to either the 50th Battery or 70th Battery unless he retrained on howitzers.

An Army Field Artillery Battery belonged to the Army Field Artillery Troop which consisted of between 4-16 brigades. Which Army the 34th Brigade transferred to I don't know and using the War Diaries for the Jan/Feb 1917 period may help you.

Andrew

Hi Andrew and Robert

Many thanks for the above information, with the information you have given I am able to decipher my grandfathers records a little bit more - some of the writing is really hard to read - and of course not knowing as much as you obviously do I was unable to work out what it all meant.

There is an entry that looks like A/60 Brigade - now I know it means A Battery, I had thought it meant Army!!

There is an entry dated 9th February 1917 which looks like C/34th Brigade. Then 3rd December 1917 posted to 15 BAC - any idea what BAC means - again the writing is very hard to read.

Once again thank you for your help - slowly but surely I am putting his service history into some kind of order.

Regards

Angela

Angela,

I would think 15 BAC would mean 15th Brigade Ammunition Column

Andrew

Angela
Andrew is correct with Brigade Ammunition Column.

Paul

Robert,

Do you have anything on the 32nd Brigade RFA?

Ta,

Swally

No, sorry Swally.

Robert

Swally
What info do you need?

Paul

Hi Andrew

Thank you for the information. What exactly did a Brigade Ammunition Column do? I know he was a gunner, but he was sent to the 15 BAC following a period in hospital when he was gassed - where they responsible for bringing the ammunition up to the frontline. It might seem obvious, but just want to make sure I have the right answer

Regards

Angela

Hi Angela,
I've posted recently on 60th Brigade locations using CWGC casualties to track the brigade movements - just click here.

Cheers,

Marc