Compo Posted 22 October , 2004 Share Posted 22 October , 2004 I have come across a Royal Garrison Artillery Officer who is always titled as "Special Reserve of Officers". S.R. if you like acronyms. What was the deal here? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KONDOA Posted 22 October , 2004 Share Posted 22 October , 2004 As the war progressed both the artillery equipment and methodology evolved significantly. Batteries that had been in the field for some time had learnt by a combination of mathematics trial and error a means of producing a result. This information was of great importance to the RGA schools ie Lydd who were training new batteries or the officers of existing batteries. To this end either experienced officers were withdrawn from the field to pass on this knowledge in the training schools or because of the shortage of officers, an officer would visit the battery in the field to upgrade the skills in the latest techniques etc. I believe that this is where your Special Reserve nomenclature derives. However there are probably many other reasons that would be considered Special Reserve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Compo Posted 22 October , 2004 Author Share Posted 22 October , 2004 Rupert What you say about special training seems to be supported by the fact that he was trained in anti-aircraft in St Johns Wood Royal Horse Artillery school in London in July 1916. I know he then defended London from air attack for some months against Zeppelins and bi plane bombers then went to France in Nov 1916 even though he was RGA and would not normally serve overseas I think. I think this ties in with the development of the "box barrage" which was developed initially against zeppelins before being utilised in France. He then was posted to a bewildering list of aa Sections, Fourth army aa defenses and "letter" aa batteries earning a decoration for downing two en planes before being demobed in April 1919. This seems consistent with training a list of aa batteries in coordinated box barrage techniques. He then had to resign his commission at wars end as a Lieutenant when he was granted the rank of Captain Special Reserve of Officers. The logic of which escapes me. Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KONDOA Posted 22 October , 2004 Share Posted 22 October , 2004 even though he was RGA and would not normally serve overseas I think. The RGA made up the mainstay of the heavy artillery overseas predominantly with howitzers formed into Heavy or Siege Batteries there being approx 550 of such units by wars end. The AA units were also RGA and were interspersed along the Front line and particularly around Depots and lines of communication critical points. They can also be seen on offensive maps placed to cover the ground forces from enamy aircraft but most important to the RGA was the destruction of observation aircraft. The succesful interception of these craft minimised the risk of accurate counter battery fire from German Artillery so the interaction of the AA and RGA can be seen to be paramount. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rflory Posted 23 October , 2004 Share Posted 23 October , 2004 The British Army was made up of: 1. The regular forces, including the reserve and the special reserve, and 2. The Territiorial Force, including the Territorial Force Reserve\ During the Great War officers could be commissioned into numerous different forces. For example an officer in the RGA could be commissioned in the following ways: 1. as a 2nd Lieutenant in the regular RGA 2. as a Temporary 2nd Lieutenant in the regular RGA 3. as a 2nd Lieutenant in the RGA, Territorial Force 4. as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Special Reserve of Officers 5. as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Special Reserve of Officers - Supplementary to Regular Units or Corps. 6. as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Reserve of Officers 7. as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Militia or he could be a Retired Officer, Remployed. It has nothing to do with officers being pulled from the field to pass on training in schools. Give us the name of your officer and I will see what I can find about him in my database. Regards. Dick Flory Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Compo Posted 23 October , 2004 Author Share Posted 23 October , 2004 Dick Officers name is COMPTON, Edmund Spencer RGA (SR) number 137891 Enlisted 5.6.1916 aged 41. Thanks for your help from the other side of the continent. Bill Compton from Florida Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rflory Posted 23 October , 2004 Share Posted 23 October , 2004 Lt. Edward Spencer Compton, RGA SR Commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant, RGA SR from an Officer Cadet Unit on 7 July 16 Promoted to Lieutenant, RGA SR on 7 Jan 18 Military Cross in LG 26 Jul 18 His service papers should be at the National Archives, but the site is down at the moment and I was not able to check the catalogue. Regards. Dick Flory Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Compo Posted 24 October , 2004 Author Share Posted 24 October , 2004 Dick Thanks for your look up. Being a recent participant of this forum, and a great one it is too much better than the similar ww2 version, I am probably the only one unaware of which database you have. Is it one you have developed yourself? Details are quite correct, I have the full military record for Capt. Edmund COMPTON although it takes an expert to interpret what some of it means. If I post an image of his Casualty form is there any one on forum who could help me read it? Rgds Bill Compton Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rflory Posted 24 October , 2004 Share Posted 24 October , 2004 Bill: I have a computer database that I have done over many years that covers some 50,000 RA officers in the Great War. Put Compton's casualty form up and I am sure that you will get numerous replies. Regards. D ick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Compo Posted 25 October , 2004 Author Share Posted 25 October , 2004 Great task on the database Dick, you must have a lot of dedication and a lot of time now like me! Would you check on a name for me whose picture I had up in "Uniforms" and was identified as RGA/RA COMPTON-THORNHILL, Anthony Capt. I have no other details but an entry in London Gazette says that he retired due ill health from RGA as Hon. Maj. I will post the other's Casualty form which may seem familiar as I also had part of this up in another topic as he had what I considered vert brief military training. Bill Compton Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Compo Posted 25 October , 2004 Author Share Posted 25 October , 2004 ES Compton Casualty Report, 3 parts: I think he was in fourth army aa defenses, all over the place, maybe passing on box barrage techniques learned in St Johns Wood Horse Artillery depot where he wae a cadet for a month and which I know he employed in London against air attacks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Compo Posted 25 October , 2004 Author Share Posted 25 October , 2004 Part 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Compo Posted 25 October , 2004 Author Share Posted 25 October , 2004 part 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rflory Posted 25 October , 2004 Share Posted 25 October , 2004 Embarked with 20th Antiaircraft Artillery Section at Solon on 28 Nov 16 Disembarked at Havre on 29 Nov 16 Posted to 48 AA Section on 13 Jun 17 Leave to UK from 9 Aug 17 to 19 Aug 17 Posted ti 114 AA Section, Lines of Communications on 15 Sep 17 Posted to N AA Battery in the Field on 4 Feb 18 Posted to G AA Battery in the Field on 15 Feb 18 Posted to F AA Battery in the Field on 16 Mar 18 Awarded the Military Cross, Authority No. H. R. 23/AMS RA, Fourth Army 18 Apr 18 Posted to Fourth Army AA Defences in the Field on 17 Jul 18 Awarded the Military Cross, London Gazette, No. 30813, Fifth Supplement, page 8488 The date on the left of the form is the date the item was posted on the Casualty Form, the date on the right side is the effective date of the action. Regards. Dick Flory Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rflory Posted 25 October , 2004 Share Posted 25 October , 2004 Here is page 3 that came in after I started the other reply: Granted leave to UK via Bologne from 24 Aug 18 to 7 Sep 18 Posted to Z AA Battery in the field on 25 Oct 18 Leave to the UK from 21 Jan 19 to 4 Feb 19 Requested leave extension to 25 Feb 19 Leave extended to 25 Feb 19 Posted to L AA Battery on 26 Mar 19 Posted to Z AA Battery on 8 Apr 19 Leave to (I can read this) from 10 to 16 April 1919 Proceeded to Wimbledon D. C. for release on 20 April 19 Regards. Dick Flory Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Compo Posted 25 October , 2004 Author Share Posted 25 October , 2004 Dick Looking into your posting on different types of 2Lt, I looked up my officer in the gazette. He appears 22 July 1916. Under a main heading of Special Reserve of Officers; "The undermentioned from Officers Cadet Units to be 2nd Lieuts (On probation)" Royal Garrison Artillery, Edmund Spencer Compton Was "probation" just a temporary precaution leading automatically to regular RGA (SR) status or have we here another category? Thanks for your patience, us sergeants have a lot to learn it seems. Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Compo Posted 25 October , 2004 Author Share Posted 25 October , 2004 By way of (slight) repayment here is a photo of a ww1 aa gun. It is located in the aircraft museum in Duxford England Hangar 4, not where you would normally look for artillery and looks beautifully restored. Hard to visit from where some of us live but not impossible for those lucky ones who live in S England. Thanks, Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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