ROYAL HORSE ARTILLERY DRIVER, [WW1]

[yorkie]

I have been doing quite a lot of research recently trying to find out more about my grandads great war records etc . He was a driver in the RHA I have discovered he Attested at Lancaster town Hall on 11/10 1915.
After basic training at Woolwich he went to France [Le Havre]31/3/1916 and was put to work with the 3rd Brigade RHA Amunition colunm mainly moving
ammunition up to the batteries which was very dangarous work.He later went on to work with O Battery [5th brigade] later transfered to the 4th army where he was involved in the fighting after the big German breakout of March 1918 etc etc etc.
The reason for my post is after a little background info on his records I really want to know what capbadge he would have been wearing also what type of shoulder titles as I am going to try to obtain the genuine Items.
I would also like to try and obtain an original 8th division formation sign.
Any ideas where I can obtain any of the above would be very much appreciated ,Regards Andy.

[jeanpit-frenchy]

hi

i think that ...

for a driver of the RHA during WW1 the cap badge is the standart RA badge
UBIQUE/GUN/QUO FAST ET GLORIA DUNCUNT

when he was in amunition colunm he use "R.A" titles and when he was in battery "R.H.A" titles

[Fatherofthree]

Good evening Yorkie:

Posted on the off chance that you may find these of interest:

Attachment 34066

Possibly the same type of work as your grandfather: i.e. a Driver. The column on the left are probably transporting guns.

Images of the badges are slightly blurred but are Royal Artillery, the chap on the lead horse doesn't appear to have shoulder titles, but the second chap has what is probably, although blurred, RHA as a shoulder title.

Attachment 34067

Probably the same work as your grandfather: Caption on the rear states Ammunition Pack horses arriving, whilst the Gunners are getting a big gun into position".

Regards

Brian

[Fatherofthree]

Good evening Yorkie:

(Posted a second time as apparently the pictures failed to open).

Posted on the off chance that you may find these of interest:

Driver.jpg
Possibly the same type of work as your grandfather: i.e. a Driver. The column on the left are probably transporting guns.

Images of the badges are slightly blurred but are Royal Artillery, the chap on the lead horse doesn't appear to have shoulder titles, but the second chap has what is probably, although blurred, RHA as a shoulder title.

Ammo train.jpg
Probably the same work as your grandfather: Caption on the rear states Ammunition Pack horses arriving, whilst the Gunners are getting a big gun into position".

Regards

Brian

[yorkie]

Hi Brian,
Many thanks the photo`s have arrived on this occasion, They are just what I wanted Brian they are absolutely brilliant, I am sure that is spot on .I have been reading that this job was very very dangarous as quite often they came well into the range of the german gunners who were prety good at ranging that kind of target . On reading part of the regiment`s diary they lost 9 driver`s in one week to shellfire at the infamous Hellfire corner which could only be negotiated at night. The diary says massive roadblocks built up during the daytime of the horse/waggons with the ammo for the guns.
The waggons could only go through one at a time as the enemy batteries fired on the position frequently through the night in the hope of hitting one which they often did , The army kept teams on night shift all along the stretch of road so if a waggon was hit they would clean up the mess and get the road open again.
It is surprising the amount you can learn when you really research what soldiers had to do. Regards Andy.

[Faugh-A-Ballagh]

As a bit of an add on, if you get a chance, try and get to visit the excellent Royal Artillery museum aka Firepower at Woolwich. I thoroughly enjoyed my visit last summer. You may find a lot of the information you are looking for there. I think they also have a research facility.

John

[yorkie]

Originally Posted by Faugh-A-Ballagh

As a bit of an add on, if you get a chance, try and get to visit the excellent Royal Artillery museum aka Firepower at Woolwich. I thoroughly enjoyed my visit last summer. You may find a lot of the information you are looking for there. I think they also have a research facility.

John

Hello John,
Thank you for your add on about the Artillery Museum At Woolwich, I will get to see it one day soon The museum is actually less than 10 miles from my
house It is definatly on my list of to do`s and soon I hope .
I would like to find out about their research facilitys before I go and what Information they hold there, I know from his service records that my grandad
did his training there

[54Bty]

Originally Posted by yorkie

Hello John,
Thank you for your add on about the Artillery Museum At Woolwich, I will get to see it one day soon The museum is actually less than 10 miles from my
house It is definatly on my list of to do`s and soon I hope .
I would like to find out about their research facilitys before I go and what Information they hold there, I know from his service records that my grandad
did his training there

Go here;

http://www.firepower.org.uk/research/index.asp