The following details relate to the establishment of a brigade of four batteries, each of four 18-pounder field guns. It is extracted from “War Establishments of the New Armies 1915”, held at the National Archives under reference WO24/1179.
Personnel
Brigade headquarters
- Officers
- Lieutenant-Colonel in command
- Adjutant
- Orderly Officer
- Medical Officer, attached from Royal Army Medical Corps
- Veterinary Officer, attached from Army Veterinary Corps
- Warrant Officers
- Sergeant-Major
- Artificers
- 2 Fitters (Staff-Sergeants)
- 1 Armament Artificer, attached from Army Ordnance Corps
- Rank and File
- 2 Corporals*
- 2 Bombardiers*
- 6 Gunners*
- 9 Drivers*
- 1 Driver (vehicle)
- 1 Clerk
- 2 Orderlies for Medical Officer (one an Acting Bombardier)
- 8 Batmen
- 1 Interpreter, attached
- 1 Driver, Army Service Corps, attached from Divisional Train
*Comprises a telephone detachment of 1 mounted NCO, 2 Gunners and 2 Drivers tor the telephone wagon; 7 signallers; 3 orderlies; and 4 horse-holders. The NCO and 2 Gunners of the telephone detachment, plus the signallers and 2 of the orderlies would be trained signallers and telephonists.
The four Batteries, in total
- 16 officers (each battery to have 1 Major and 3 Subalterns)
- 28 Staff-Sergeants and Sergeants (each battery to have 1 Battery Sergeant-Major, 1 Battery Quartermaster-Sergeant and 5 Sergeants)
- 32 Artificers (each battery to have 1 farrier, 3 shoeing smiths of which 1 would be a Corporal, 2 saddlers, 2 fitters or wheelers)
- 460 Rank and File (each battery to have 5 Corporals, 8 Bombardiers, 47 Gunners, 46 Drivers and 8 Batmen)
Brigade Ammunition Column
- 4 officers
- 6 Staff-Sergeants and Sergeants
- 9 Artificers
- 133 Rank and File
Horses
- Headquarters: 26 riding, 7 draught
- The batteries, in total: 168 riding, 332 draught
- Ammunition Column: 20 riding, 170 draught.
Links
Definitions of other types of units
Researching a man of the Royal Field Artillery