Assignment of the 45th Brigade RFA

[Guest dgdavis]

I am researching the WWI service of my wife's Grandfather, Richardson Maddison. According to family records he served in the 5th Battery, 45th Brigade RFA, which was assigned to the 2nd Division BEF. When I visited The Long, Long Trail, I was unable to confirm the Division assignment (which is shown there as the 8th Division). I tried many different navigational pathways, but never got to the 2nd Division. I also ran into a roadblock with regard to whether his brigade served in the Regular Army (which LLR states) or in the New Army (his papers show Kitchener's Volunteers). These don't square either. Does anyone have some guidance for me on how to sort this out? Thank you in advance for your assistance.

David Davis

Arlington, Virginia USA

[rflory]

According to my records both the 5th Battery and the 45th Brigade, RFA served with the 8th Division throughout the war. The 2nd Divisional Artillery consisted of the 34th, 36th, 41st and 43rd Brigades. He could very well have enlisted in the New Army and then tranferred to a regular division at a later date.

5th Battery, RFA took part in a very famous defensive action on 26 May 1918 for which it was, as a unit, awarded the French Croix de Guerre. I have the nominal roll for the battery for that action and Richardson Maddison is not listed.

Regards. Dick Flory