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Thanks for your speedy reply Mike. Just been looking at your impressive book list! I will check out ebay now. Seems like we should have plenty to read!

Many thanks again...
Dave & Sheila

Hello Dave & Sheila

If you can call the Library at Firepower, the museum of the Royal Artillery.

The librarian, Paul Evans, will be happy to help you.

Regards
Meurig

Dave and Sheila

I will try and answer a few of your questions, info mostly from "The Hall Handbook":

The Corps of Artillery consisted of 1699 men, 1531 horses, 48 guns and 132 vehicles and was commanded by a Major-General.

In 1899, the RFA and RFA were organised into Brigade Divisions, the equivalent of modern artillery regiments.These Brigade Divisions are not to be confused with Infantry or Cavalry Brigades and Divisions. A RFA Division commandered by a Lt Colonel comprised 3 Batteries and an Ammunition Column (9 battery ammunition wagons (for the artillery)and 12 small arms ammunition wagons (for the infantry reserves).

A battery of RFA during the ABW consisted of six guns normally 15 pounders, three transport wagons and a field blacksmith. A battery was served by 171 men and 131 horses commanded by a Major. A howitzer battery consisted of six guns served by 195 men with 136 horses.

The Battery consisted of a Left Section (2 guns and 2 ammunition wagons) a Centre Section (2 guns and 2 ammunition wagons)and a Right Section (2 guns and 2 ammunition wagons).

The RGA in the UK at the time of the ABW consisted of:

1)Ten batteries (numbered 1 to 10) of Mountain Artillery. A battery of RGA comprised of four muzzle loaders of 2.5 inch calibre and served by 236 men with 50 horses.

2)Three RGA divisions, designated Eastern, Southern comprising 104 companies, were established in order to defend fortresses or garrisons in Great Britian.

Some of these RGA companies saw service in South Africa, each of which consisted of 146 men, their ordanance consisted of obsolete muzzle loading guns.

The Royal Horse Artillery in the Anglo Boer War consisted of ten batteries of lighter 12 Pounder guns. (numbered A,G,J,M,O,P,Q,R,T, and U).


In general: Drivers were equipped with revolvers only. Gunners were equipped with Sword Bayonets only. Two carbines were fixed to every gun carriage for guard duties only. Depending on the size of the gun it would appear to have been 10 men per RHA and RFA gun and possibly a few more for the larger RGA guns. Multitasking would have taken place when under fire and with the crews taking causualties.

A gun is usually worked by two NCO's and eight gunners. One NCO (known as Gunner 1)leads the gun and is in command of it. Gunner 2 makes ready and fires. Gunner number 3 is assigned the duty of opening and closing the breech block and loading. Gunner number 4 has the important duty of aiming. Gunner number 5 brings in the ammunition box and Gunner number 6 is by the limber and ammunition wagon, these last two are responsible for delivering the ammunition to the guns. Two or three other gunners formed the reserve and remain at the Wagon Line.

The RHA must be remembered supported the Cavalry, the RFA supported the Infantry and the RGA defended forts etc.

This is an interesting collecting field! I did at one time try to get a medal to each battery but as you can imagine it is not an easy task, some of those batteries are almost impossible to find...a long term collecting theme and one must have deep pockets to boot. I still have a few, one of my first medals ever was to a 7th Battery Colenso Gunner, this medal started off my interest in the artillery field..

I will try and keep adding some more info as and when found. Please feel free to ask questions.

Regards
Brian

In combat (Battle of Colenso being a good example)the layout for a RFA Batttery was as follows:

All 6 guns spaced in a straight line (or as close as possibly) 20 yards apart with 2 ammunition limbers (placed behind each other) these in turn behind every second gun. Safe positions were never considered as long as the guns had a clear view of the target.

Idealy 200 to 400 yards behind the guns were the drivers and their horse teams (wagon lines) waiting with full limbers to either replenish ammunition or ready to pull the guns out of action or to move them forward, what ever the case may be.

50 or so yards behind them were the rest of the ammunition wagons. At Colenso the distance from guns to wagon lines was around 800 yards in the rear, situated in a donga (a deep hole caused by water erosion). Safety was a factor regards the ammunition wagons, if these were hit causualties would be great and without ammunition the guns would be useless.

The Battery Commander and his Observer stands to the right of the line of guns,the Battery Captain with a Trumperter takes up a position halfway between the guns and the Wagon Lines in the centre of the gun line, ready to take control in case the Battery commander fell.

Range Takers stand about 100 yards behind the Battery Commander.

General notes: The artillery have a unique rank that many people get confused with...a Bombardier, during the ABW this was the equivalant rank of a Lance Corporal (1 stripe)in the Infantry. It was only later, I am not certain exactly when, possibly around 1920, that this rank took over the rank of Corporal (2 stripes) in the Artillery? A single striper became a Lance Bombardier. If anyone has more info on this please post it here.

BC

Many thanks for your suggestion Meurig. We'll give him a call. You never know what might turn up until you try. We didn't think about contacting the museum.

Best wishes Dave & Sheila

Hi Brian,
Many thanks for your two postings with extensive information regarding the workings of the RA RFA RGA & RHA. We have plenty of new paths to follow now with our research. You mentioned that a lot of this info is from "The Hall Handbook". QSAMike kindly told us this book was available on ebay and we were fortunate enough to buy a copy in new condition. It should be with us in about a week so we'll be able to read deeper into your information then. Meanwhile, we are going over what you have told us to try and get a better understanding of how the gun crews operated and the numbers of personnel assigned to them. There's a lot of detail you have mentioned that hadn't actually occurred to us, so many thanks again for enlightening us.

Best Wishes, Dave & Sheila