XVI Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery

I Indian Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery was a brigade[lower-alpha 1] of the Royal Horse Artillery formed at the outbreak of World War I. It served with 1st Indian Cavalry Division on the Western Front. It was redesignated XVI Brigade, RHA in February 1917 and XVI Army Brigade, RHA in March 1918. It was disbanded after the war.

I Indian Brigade, RHA
XVI Brigade, RHA
XVI Army Brigade, RHA
Active12 December 1914 – April 1919
Country United Kingdom
Branch British Army
TypeArtillery
SizeBattalion
Part of1st Indian Cavalry Division
Fourth Army
EngagementsWorld War I
Western Front

History

I Indian Brigade, RHA

I Indian Brigade, RHA was formed on 12 December 1914 for the 1st Indian Cavalry Division in France.[3] It commanded

Each battery was armed with six 13 pounder guns.

The brigade served with the 1st Indian Cavalry Division on the Western Front and the brigade commander acted as Commander Royal Horse Artillery (CRHA).[7] In practice, the batteries were permanently assigned to the cavalry brigades, viz:[8]

Other than the Battle of Cambrai when it helped to told the German counter-attack, the division was not involved in battle. Instead, it was held in reserve in case of a breakthrough, although it did send parties to the trenches on a number of occasions. They would hold the line, or act as Pioneers; such parties were designated as, for example, the Mhow Battalion.[9]

XVI Brigade, RHA

On 26 November 1916, 1st Indian Cavalry Division was renamed 4th Cavalry Division.[8] Consequently, on 24 February 1917, the brigade was redesignated as XVI Brigade, RHA.[10]

In March 1918, the 4th Cavalry Division was broken up in France. The British units remained in France and the Indian elements were sent to Egypt to help constitute 1st Mounted Division.[9] The brigade became XVI Army Brigade, RHA.[lower-alpha 2][3] About this time the brigade's 13 pounders were replaced by 18 pounders. At the Armistice, it was serving as Army Troops with the Fourth Army[11] commanding A, Q, and U Batteries, RHA (eighteen 18 pounders).[12] The brigade moved to Germany as part of the Army of Occupation.[13]

Dissolved

The brigade was broken up in Germany in April 1919 and the batteries returned to England.[13] A Battery joined I Brigade, RHA at Woolwich,[14] Q Battery joined VII Brigade, RHA at Exeter[15] and U Battery joined IX Brigade, RHA at Trowbridge.[15]

See also

Notes
  1. The basic organic unit of the Royal Artillery was, and is, the Battery.[1] When grouped together they formed brigades, in the same way that infantry battalions or cavalry regiments were grouped together in brigades. At the outbreak of World War I, a field artillery brigade of headquarters (4 officers, 37 other ranks), three batteries (5 and 193 each), and a brigade ammunition column (4 and 154)[2] had a total strength just under 800 so was broadly comparable to an infantry battalion (just over 1,000) or a cavalry regiment (about 550). Like an infantry battalion, an artillery brigade was usually commanded by a Lieutenant-Colonel. Artillery brigades were redesignated as regiments in 1938.
  2. Army Brigades, RHA and RFA were artillery brigades that were excess to the needs of the divisions, withdrawn to form an artillery reserve.

References
  1. "The Royal Artillery". Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom). Archived from the original on 23 October 2013. Retrieved 13 April 2013.
  2. Baker, Chris. "What was an artillery brigade?". The Long, Long Trail. Retrieved 13 April 2013.
  3. Frederick 1984, p. 447
  4. Perry 1993, p. 52
  5. Perry 1993, p. 36
  6. Perry 1993, p. 103
  7. Perry 1993, p. 11
  8. Perry 1993, p. 14
  9. Perry 1993, p. 16
  10. Perry 1993, p. 15
  11. BEF GHQ 1918, p. 19
  12. BEF GHQ 1918, p. 78
  13. Clarke 1993, p. 146
  14. Clarke 1993, p. 148
  15. Clarke 1993, p. 149

Bibliography
  • Clarke, W.G. (1993). Horse Gunners: The Royal Horse Artillery, 200 Years of Panache and Professionalism. Woolwich: The Royal Artillery Institution. ISBN 09520762-0-9.
  • Frederick, J.B.M. (1984). Lineage Book of British Land Forces 1660-1978. Wakefield, Yorkshire: Microform Academic Publishers. ISBN 1-85117-009-X.
  • Perry, F.W. (1993). Order of Battle of Divisions Part 5B. Indian Army Divisions. Newport: Ray Westlake Military Books. ISBN 1-871167-23-X.
  • Order of Battle of the British Armies in France, November 11th, 1918. France: General Staff, GHQ. 1918.
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