War Diaries Talk

3 CAVALRY DIVISION: 4 BRIGADE RHA

  • erik.schaubroeckscarlet.be by erik.schaubroeckscarlet.be

    Is this a diary of the 7th Cavalry brigade or is it the diary of the K battery RHA? I found some explanation on this site http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/order-of-battle-of-divisions/3rd-cavalry-division/ but its still not very clear to me. The diary mentions 6th and 7th cavalry brigade and a K battery RHA which will go to France with 6th and 7th cavalry brigade.

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  • ral104 by ral104 moderator, scientist

    Erik, this is the point at which 4 Bde RHA is being put together. At this point in the diary, K Battery is already in France and the HQ unit moves out to join them. More batteries also join and they officially become 4 Bde in May 1915. Initially, at least, K Battery was attached to the 7th Cavalry Bde.

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  • erik.schaubroeckscarlet.be by erik.schaubroeckscarlet.be

    Ok, And the 4 Bde RHA consists of 6th and 7th Cav. Bde and K and C battery?

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  • cyngast by cyngast moderator

    No, the 4th Brigade Royal Horse Artillery will include only the artillery batteries.

    At the date of this diary page, the 4th Brigade RHA was designated the 25th Brigade RHA which included C and K Batteries. C Battery is attached to the 6th Cavalry Brigade and K Battery to the 7th Cavalry Brigade. 25th Bde. became the 4th Bde. in May 1915.

    One reason this is so confusing is that the 3rd Cavalry Division was just forming at the start of October 1914 and getting ready to go to Belgium. You can see how much of a hurry they were in by the comment that they had no time to condition the horses for the work they were going to do.

    There was also a G Battery, which joined in November 1914, and was attached to the 8th Cavalry Brigade.

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  • ral104 by ral104 moderator, scientist

    Sorry, I wasn't particularly clear in my reply, but Cynthia's included everything I didn't say originally!

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  • David_Underdown by David_Underdown moderator

    Ultimately (by the Second World War) artillery brigades were renamed artillery regiments, in part to be less confusing, and because they were commanded by a lieutenant colonel, not a brigadier( general)

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  • ral104 by ral104 moderator, scientist

    Oddly, there were two 25 Bde RHA's formed at the start of the war. That probably accounts in part for this one become 4 Bde.

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