242nd Brigade Ammo Column RFA

[Guest billysiv]

Have traced my Gdads unit through 1916 and 1917 up until the time they took part in Polcapelle Wood in Oct as part of the 5th Army XVIII Corps.

Can anyone tell me what happened to them after this please.

Or at least point me in the right direction.

Did they remain as part of the Fifth Army perhaps when the rest of 48th Div went to Italy.

It seems that they moved around a fair bit as they were attached to the 4th Army in 1916.

Attached to the Aussies at Messines in Jan 1917 I think!

Then attached to the Canadians at Vimy in April 1917

Then finally attached to the Fifth Army at Ypres from Aug to Oct.

Then ?????????????

Bill

[Chris_Baker]

Bill, the Brigade Ammunition Columns were eventually merged to form a Divisional Ammunition Column. In this case, the 48th DAC, which went to Italy in November 1917 and remained there. There's a good deal about that campaign on the Long, Long Trail.

[Guest billysiv]

I'm pretty certain that he never served in Italy, remaining in France and Belgium for the remainder until he was discharged in 1919.

If he served in Italy wouldn't he qualify for another campaign medal? I have his medals and medal roll and there is no mention.

If his service record still exists will this clear up he confusion?

I know the Warwickshires went in Nov 1917 but I think his unit became part of an Army commanded artillery unit.

I'm very confused!!!!!

Bill

[rflory]

Bill wrote:

I'm pretty certain that he never served in Italy, remaining in France and Belgium for the remainder until he was discharged in 1919.

If he served in Italy wouldn't he qualify for another campaign medal? I have his medals and medal roll and there is no mention.

If his service record still exists will this clear up he confusion?

I know the Warwickshires went in Nov 1917 but I think his unit became part of an Army commanded artillery unit.

I'm very confused!!!!!

Bill: Chris is correct that the brigade ammunition columns in the 48th Division were combined into the 48th Divisional Ammunition Column on 15 May 1916 and that unit along with the 48th Division went to Italy in 1918. The 242nd Brigade left the 48th Division when it became an Army Brigade, RFA on 20 Jan 1917 and it served much as you have stated in your message in 1917. The question is: what facts do you actually know about your grandfather's service. You appear to have evidence that he was at one time with the 242nd BAC. If he stayed with that unit then he probably became part of the 48th DAC and went to Italy with them. (There is no separate medal for Italy - he would have gotten the same medals for Italy as he received for France, so the presence or absence of a medal will not help here.) If your grandfather transferred from the 242 BAC to 242 Bde, RFA before the BACs were broken up then he probably served in the operations you mentioned with the 242 Army Bde, RFA.

You appear to have assumed that the movements of the 242 BAC and the 242 Bde are similar, but that is only true up to 15 May 16 when the BACs were broken up.

Regards. Dick Flory