“V” Battery of the Royal Horse Artillery was stationed at Meerut in India when it was ordered to mobilise for service with Indian Expeditionary Force “A” in France. It eventually departed from Bombay and landed at Marseilles on 16-17 December 1914. For some weeks, it continued to be equipped, train and adjust to a new organisational structure and did not enter a front line area until 4 March 1915. Just before this happened, on 2 March a dreadful accident with a trench mortar caused losses amounting to about 20% of its manpower. The battery’s war diary reported that it killed seven men and wounded three officers and 39 other ranks: in fact, the losses amounted to seven killed, an officer and six men died of wounds, and a further officer, the Battery Sergeant Major and 31 men were wounded.
The battery came under orders of the 7th (Meerut) Cavalry Brigade of the 2nd Indian Cavalry Division.
Situation
After the accident, am internal court of enquiry was held.



Casualties



The wounded were admitted by 104th (Mhow) Indian Cavalry Field Ambulance, situated at Mametz. Its war diary reported that it received two officers and 35 men, all of whom were then evacuated to the Meerut Casualty Clearing Station at Aire-sur-la-Lys except one man who succumbed to his wounds (see Gunner Chambers, below). The CCS reported some serious wounds including compound fractures of femur and tibia, and perforating wounds to the chest and abdomen. The less serious cases were dressed and then sent on to 10th Stationary Hospital.



Battery Sergeant Major 25915 Alfred Rumley had been serving since he joined the army in February 1898 and had been with “V” Battery since 1913. He recovered from wounds to his leg and foot, and was later transferred to the Army Service Corps Remounts.
Burials
The seven men who were killed outright were taken for burial in Aire-sur-la-Lys communal cemetery. They lie in adjacent graves in what is now Plot IV, row E.

Three more of those who died of wounds (Purchas, White and Sellins) are also buried at Aire, having died while in the care of the Meerut Casualtry Clearing Station.
One of the dead is buried in Mametz Churchyard. Gunner 69014 Norbert James Joseph Chambers died of wounds while in the care of the 104th (Mhow) Indian Cavalry Field Ambulance. He had been born in Delhi in December 1894, the son of Norbert Chambers senior and his wife Roseline.
Bombardier 17888 Ernest Albert Ewing and Driver 47942 William Riley Nelham died of their wounds on 11 and 12 March 1915 respectively, having been evacuated to the 13th and 11th General Hospitals at Boulogne, respectively. They are both buried in Boulogne Eastern Cemetery.
Sources
War diary of V Battery RHA [National Archives WO95/1186]. Note that the brigade and divisional diaries make no mention of the incident, with the exception of the division’s adjutant [WO95/1180] that covers it in a sentence.
War diary of 104th (Mhow) Indian Cavalry Field Ambulance [National Archives WO95/1171].
War diary of Meerut Casualty Clearing Station [National Archives WO95/257]. This diary describes some specific details and names of certain officers and men of “V” Battery.
Commonwealth War Graves Commission casualty database
Financial effects register [National Army Museum, via Ancestry].