Jump to content

1st Essex Artillery Volunteers: Difference between revisions

Add links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
Page expanded and corrected, with additional sections and refs
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Infobox military unit
{{Infobox military unit
|unit_name=1st Essex Artillery Volunteers<br>2nd East Anglian Brigade Royal Field Artillery (TF)<br>85th (East Anglian) Field Regiment RA (TA)
|unit_name=1st Essex Artillery Volunteers<br>2nd East Anglian Brigade, RFA<br>85th (East Anglian) Field Regiment<br>285 (Essex) Airborne Light Regiment
|image=EssexArtilleryVols letter.jpg
|image=EssexArtilleryVols letter.jpg
|image_size=300px
|image_size=300px
|caption=Crest of the 1st Essex Artillery Volunteers, c1890
|caption=Crest of the 1st Essex Artillery Volunteers, c1890
|dates=18 February 1860– 31 October 1956
|dates=1860–1956
|country={{flag|United Kingdom}}
|country={{flag|United Kingdom}}
|allegiance=
|allegiance=
|branch=[[Image:Flag of the British Army.svg|23px]] [[Territorial Army (United Kingdom)|Territorial Army]]
|branch=[[Image:Flag of the British Army.svg|23px]] [[Volunteer Force]]/[[Territorial Army (United Kingdom)|Territorial Army]]
|type=Artillery Regiment
|type=
|role=Garrison Artillery<br>Field Artillery<br>Airborne Artillery
|role=Garrison Artillery<br>Field Artillery<br>Mountain Artillery<br>Medium Artillery<br>Airborne Artillery
|size=
|size=
|command_structure=
|command_structure=[[54th (East Anglian) Division]]
|current_commander=
|current_commander=
|garrison=Stratford Green, London|ceremonial_chief=
|garrison=Artillery House, [[Stratford, London|Stratford Green]]
|ceremonial_chief=
|colonel_of_the_regiment=
|colonel_of_the_regiment=
|nickname=
|nickname=
Line 21: Line 22:
|march=
|march=
|mascot=
|mascot=
|battles= [[Sinai and Palestine Campaign]]<br>[[Italian Campaign (World War II)|Italian Campaign]]<br>[[Burma campaign (1944–1945)|Burma Campaign]]
|battles=
|notable_commanders=[[William Makins|Sir William Makins, 1st Baronet]], [[Member of Parliament|MP]],[[Volunteer Decoration|VD]]
|notable_commanders=
|anniversaries=
|anniversaries=
}}
}}
The '''1st Essex Artillery Volunteers''' was a unit of Britain's part-time auxiliary forces raised in [[Essex]] in 1860 in response to an invasion scare. It served under various designations as field artillery in [[Sinai and Palestine Campaign|Palestine]] during [[World War I]]. During [[World War II]] its units served as mountain artillery in [[Italian Campaign (World War II)|Italy]] and as jungle artillery and medium artillery in [[Burma campaign (1944–1945)|Burma]]. Postwar it became an airborne unit until it was merged with other units in the 1950s.
The '''1st Essex Artillery Volunteers''' were formed in 1860 as a response to a French invasion threat.
They became part of the [[Territorial Force]] in 1908 and served during the First and Second World Wars until amalgamated in 1956.


==Volunteer Force==
==Artillery Volunteers 1861–1908==
The enthusiasm for the [[Volunteer movement]] following an invasion scare in 1859 saw the creation of many units composed of part-time soldiers eager to supplement the Regular [[British Army]] in time of need.<ref>Beckett.</ref> It is not clear what happened to the 1st Essex Artillery Volunteer Corps (AVC), which was apparently formed in November 1859 but was short-lived. The 2nd Essex AVC was formed at [[Harwich]] and its first officers were commissioned by the [[Lord Lieutenant of Essex]] on 18 February 1860; it was renumbered as the '''1st Essex AVC''' in September. Similarly, the original 3rd Essex at [[Barking, London|Barking]] was renumbered 2nd; its officers were commissioned on 13 September and it moved to [[Grays, Essex|Grays]] in November. A new 3rd Essex AVC was formed at [[Plaistow, Newham|Plaistow]] on 26 June 1861, later moving to [[Stratford, London|Stratford]]. No administrative brigade was formed for the Essex AVCs, which were attached to various other units for administration:<ref>Beckett, Appendix VIII.</ref><ref name = Frederick657>Frederick, p. 657.</ref><ref name = L&W>Litchfield & Westlake, pp. 67–71.</ref><ref name = Regts>[http://web.archive.org/web/20060117164959/http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/volmil-england/varty/ex-1.htm 1st Essex AV at Regiments.org.]</ref><ref>[https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/22363/page/949 ''London Gazette'', 6 March 1860.]</ref><ref name = List>''Army List'', various dates.</ref>
[[File:EssexAV WBC 1891 01.jpg|thumb|left|Waistbelt clasp of the Essex Volunteer Artillery, c1891]]
* 1st (Harwich) Essex AVC – from October 1863 to the [[1st Norfolk Artillery Volunteers|1st Norfolk AVC]], part of the 1st Administrative Brigade, Norfolk Artillery Volunteers, from November 1864
The first Corps in Essex was formed at [[Harwich]] on 18 February 1860.<ref name="auto">Litchfield, Norman E H, and Westlake, R, 1982. ''The Volunteer Artillery 1859–1908'', The Sherwood Press, Nottingham, p67</ref> A second Corps was raised at [[Barking, London|Barking]] in September 1860. The third Corps was raised at Plaistow{{Clarify|date=March 2018}} on 26 June 1861, and from 1864 until 1867 was attached to the 10th Kent Artillery Volunteers.
* 2nd (Grays) Essex AVC – to [[14th Kent Artillery Volunteers|14th (Woolwich Dockyard) Kent AVC]] from 13 November 1863; 14th Kent AVC disbanded and 2nd Essex attached to 3rd Essex AVC from June 1870
* 3rd (Stratford) Essex AVC – initially to [[5th Essex (Plaistow and Victoria Docks) Rifle Volunteer Corps]]; from March 1863 to [[10th Kent Artillery Volunteers|10th (Royal Arsenal) Kent AVC]] at Woolwich; later independent with its own [[Lieutenant colonel (United Kingdom)|Lieutenant-Colonel]] ([[William Makins]]) and [[Colonel_(United_Kingdom)#Honorary_Colonel|Honorary Colonel]] appointed in 1869
* Cadet Corps – formed and affiliated to 1st Essex AVC December 1876


A major reorganisation of the Volunteer Force in 1880 saw the 1st Norfolk Admin Brigade consolidated into a single unit, with the 1st Essex AVC due to become No 5 Battery at Harwich. Meanwhile the 2nd and 3rd Essex, with one-and-a-half batteries and eight batteries respectively, merged to form a new 1st Essex. However, the Harwich volunteers were unhappy with the arrangements and asked to be transferred to the new 1st Essex AVC, which thus had the following organisation:<ref name = Frederick657/><ref name = L&W/><ref name = Regts/><ref name = List/>
When volunteers were reorganised in 1880, the old Corps were re-designated batteries, with headquarters at Stratford. The batteries were distributed as follows:
* Headquarters (HQ) at Artillery House, Stratford Green<ref name = DrillStratford>[http://www.drillhalls.org/Counties/Essex/TownStratford.htm Stratford at Drill Hall Project.]</ref>
* No 1 Battery at Harwich
* No 2 Battery at Grays, with an additional half battery
* Nos 3–10 Batteries at Stratford
* Cadet Corps at Harwich, disbanded 1884


The unit was attached to the [[Eastern Division, Royal Artillery|Eastern Division]] of the [[Royal Artillery]] (RA) from 1 April 1882, and from September 1886 its official title was '''2nd Volunteer (Essex) Brigade, Eastern Division, RA'''; it reverted to '1st Essex Artillery Volunteers' in 1889. It was increased to 12 batteries in April 1886.<ref name = Frederick657/><ref name = L&W/><ref name = Regts/><ref name = List/>
* 1st Battery – [[Barking, London|Barking]], Essex
* 2nd Battery – [[Grays, Essex|Grays]], Essex (former 2nd Corps)
* 3–10 Batteries – Stratford (former 3rd Corps)


As well as manning fixed coast defence artillery, some of the early Artillery Volunteers manned semi-mobile 'position batteries' of smooth-bore field guns pulled by agricultural horses. But the [[War Office]] refused to pay for the upkeep of field guns for Volunteers and they had largely died out in the 1870s. In 1888–91 the 'position artillery' concept was revived and some Volunteer batteries were reorganised as position batteries to work alongside the Volunteer infantry brigades, the others becoming garrison companies. On 14 July 1892 the 1st Essex Volunteer Artillery was reorganised as one position battery and 11 companies:<ref name = Frederick657/><ref name = L&W/><ref name = Regts/><ref name = List/><ref>Beckett, p. 178.</ref><ref name = L&W4>Litchfield & Westlake, pp. 4–6.</ref>
In 1899, the two batteries located at Harwich were moved to create a new Corps, designated as the 1st Suffolk and Harwich Artillery Volunteers.
[[File:EssexAV WBC 1891 01.jpg|thumb|right|Waistbelt clasp of the Essex Volunteer Artillery, ''ca'' 1891.]]
* HQ at Stratford (by now part of the [[County Borough of West Ham]])
* No 1 Battery at Stratford
* No 2 Company and a half company at Harwich
* No 3 Company at Sherfield Road, Grays,<ref name = DrillGrays>[http://www.drillhalls.org/Counties/Essex/TownGrays.htm Grays at Drill Hall Project.]</ref> [[Orsett]] and [[Purfleet]]
* Nos 4–7 and 10–11 Companies at Stratford
* No 8 Company at Laurie Square, [[Romford]]<ref name = DrillRomford>[http://www.drillhalls.org/Counties/Essex/TownRomford.htm Romford at Drill Hall Project.]</ref>
* No 9 Company at High Street, [[Hornchurch]],<ref>[http://www.drillhalls.org/Counties/Essex/TownHornchurch.htm Hornchurch at Drill Hall Project.]</ref> and [[Dagenham]]
* No 12 Company at [[Southend-on-Sea]]


By April 1899 there were two companies at Harwich, and they left to combine with four newly-raised companies in [[Suffolk]] to form a new [[1st Suffolk and Harwich Volunteer Artillery]] grouped around the ports of Harwich, [[Ipswich]] and [[Felixstowe]]. This left the rest of the 1st Essex concentrated in the London suburbs and along the [[Thames Estuary]]. On 1 June 1899 all the Volunteer artillery units became part of the [[Royal Garrison Artillery]] (RGA) and with the abolition of the RA's divisional organisation on 1 January 1902 the unit became the '''1st Essex RGA (Volunteers)'''.<ref name = Frederick657/><ref name = L&W/><ref name = Regts/><ref name = List/><ref>Litchfield & Westlake, p. 156.</ref>
==Territorial Force 1908–1920==
In 1908, on the formation of the [[Territorial Force]], the 1st Essex became the '''2nd East Anglian Brigade Royal Field Artillery (TF)'''. This brigade comprised the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Batteries. Five batteries were combined with the [[1st Suffolk and Harwich Volunteer Artillery]] to form the Essex and Suffolk Royal Garrison Artillery (TF).<ref>[https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/28121/supplement/2149 ''London Gazette'', 20 March 1908.]</ref>


When the [[City Imperial Volunteers]] were raised to serve in the [[Second Boer War]], some 240 members of the 1st Essex VA volunteered, of whom 14 non-commissioned officers (NCOs) and gunners were selected. One sergeant died while on service.<ref name = StJohn>[http://www.stjohnse15.co.uk/fabric/1stessex.html 1st Essex VA memorial at St Hohn's Stratford.]</ref>
The Brigade headquarters were at Artillery House, The Green, Stratford.<ref>Osborne, Mike, 2006. Always Ready: The Drill Halls of Britain's Volunteer Forces, Partizan Press, Essex, p232</ref> The 3rd Battery had a drill hall on the High Street, Grays, Essex.<ref>Osborne, Mike, 2006. Always Ready: The Drill Halls of Britain's Volunteer Forces, Partizan Press, Essex, p159</ref>


In 1907 the [[Member of Parliament]] for [[Epping (UK Parliament constituency)|Epping]], Lt-Col [[Amelius Lockwood, 1st Baron Lambourne|Amelius Lockwood]], asked a [[Parliamentary question]] implicitly criticising the small number of [[BL 15-pounder gun|15-pounder breechloading guns]] assigned to the one heavy battery and eight companies of the Essex RGA (V), all of which were allocated to mobile guns.<ref>[https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1907/jul/15/arming-of-essex-royal-garrison-artillery Lockwood PQ 15 July 1907 at Hansard.]</ref>
During the First World War, the Brigade served in the UK and France. In 1916, the Brigade was renumbered as '''271st Brigade Royal Field Artillery (TF)'''. They were placed in suspended animation in 1919.<ref>Litchfield, Norman E H, 1992. ''The Territorial Artillery 1908–1988'', The Sherwood Press, Nottingham, p63.</ref>


==Interwar years==
==Territorial Force==
When the [[Volunteer Force|Volunteers]] were subsumed into the new [[Territorial Force]] (TF) under the [[Haldane Reforms]] of 1908,<ref name = L&W4/><ref>Beckett, pp. 247–53.</ref><ref>Spiers, Chapter 10.</ref> the Essex RGA (V) was split up. While one battery at Stratford remained with the RGA as the [[East Anglian (Essex) Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery|East Anglian (Essex) Heavy Battery]], the bulk of the unit was assigned to the [[Royal Field Artillery]] (RFA) as the '''II (or 2nd) East Anglian Brigade''', with the following organisation:<ref name = L&W/><ref name = Regts/><ref name = List/><ref name = Frederick675>Frederick, p. 675.</ref><ref name = Litchfield>Litchfield, pp. 63–5.</ref><ref>[http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/28121/supplements/2153 ''London Gazette'' 20 March 1908.]</ref><ref name = Conrad>[http://web.archive.org/web/20060219202408/http://home.comcast.net/~markconrad/BRIT14.html Conrad, ''1914''.]</ref>
* HQ – Artillery House, Stratford Green<ref name = DrillStratford/><ref name = Stepping>[https://www.steppingforwardlondon.org/400196.html Stratford at Stepping Forward London.]</ref>
* 1st Essex Battery – Artillery House, Stratford Green<ref name = Stepping/>
* 2nd Essex Battery – 17 Victoria Road, Romford<ref name = DrillRomford/>
* 3rd Essex Battery – Artillery Drill Hall, Brook Road, Grays<ref name = DrillGrays/>
* 2nd East Anglian Ammunition Column – Artillery House, Stratford Green<ref name = Stepping/>
The three batteries were each equipped with four modernised [[Ordnance BLC 15-pounder|BLC 15-pounder]] guns. The unit was assigned to the [[54th (East Anglian) Division|East Anglian Division]] of the TF. <ref name = Conrad/><ref name = Becke54>Becke, Pt 2a, pp. 125–31.</ref><ref name = Trail54>[http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/order-of-battle-of-divisions/54th-east-anglian-division/ 54th (EA) Division at Long, Long Trail.]</ref>


==World War I==
After the war, the unit was reconstituted, with four batteries, as the 2nd East Anglian Brigade RFA (TF) in the reformed [[Army Reserve (United Kingdom)|Territorial Army]].<!--' This included one battery from the [[Essex Royal Horse Artillery]]' - While I'm inclined to believe this statement, the writer has provided no reference to back it up and it is flatly contradicted by the Regiments.org site-->. In 1921, it was reorganised again, this time as the '''85th (East Anglian) Brigade RFA (TA)''', at which time the batteries were numbered 337 to 340<!--per Regiments.org site, see References below-->.<ref>Litchfield, Norman E H, 1992. ''The Territorial Artillery 1908–1988'', The Sherwood Press, Nottingham, p64</ref> In 1925, 339 battery was redesignated as the 339th (Essex RHA) Battery.<!--Again, as per regiments.org-->
===Mobilisation===
The East Anglian Division began its annual training on 27 July 1914, with the divisional artillery travelling to [[Otterburn Training Area|Redesdale Training Area]] in [[Northumberland]]. When the order to [[Mobilization|mobilise]] was given on 4 August, the units had to return to their headquarters by train and then move to their war stations. By 10 August the division had concentrated around [[Brentwood, Essex]], and on 20 August it moved to [[Chelmsford]] and formed part of the coast defences of the UK until the following May.<ref name = Becke54/><ref name = Trail54/><ref>Sainsbury, p. 39.</ref>


On the outbreak of war, units of the [[Territorial Force]] were invited to volunteer for Overseas Service. On 15 August 1914, the [[War Office]] issued instructions to separate those men who had signed up for Home Service only, and form these into reserve units. On 31 August, the formation of a reserve or 2nd Line unit was authorised for each 1st Line unit where 60 per cent or more of the men had volunteered for Overseas Service. The titles of these 2nd Line units would be the same as the original, but distinguished by a '2/' prefix. In this way duplicate battalions, brigades and divisions were created, mirroring those TF formations being sent overseas.<ref>Becke, Pt 2b, p. 6.</ref>
==Second World War==

By the outbreak of the Second World War, the unit had been redesignated as 85th (East Anglian) Field Regiment RA (TA). In 1943, it was reorganised and redesignated as 85th Mountain Regiment RA (East Anglian)(TA). At the end of the war, the unit was placed in suspended animation in 1945.<ref>Litchfield, Norman E H, 1992. ''The Territorial Artillery 1908–1988'', The Sherwood Press, Nottingham, p64</ref>
===1/II East Anglian Brigade===
The 1st East Anglian Division was employed on coast defence until May 1915, when it was concentrated at St Albans preparatory to going overseas as the [[54th (East Anglian) Division|54th (1st East Anglian) Division]]. However, when the infantry departed for the [[Gallipoli Campaign]], the divisional artillery was left behind. In August it joined the [[69th (2nd East Anglian) Division|2nd East Anglian Division]] at [[Thetford]] and [[Brandon, Suffolk]], rearmed with modern [[Ordnance QF 18-pounder|18-pounder guns]] and handed over its obsolete 15-pounders to the 2nd Line batteries.<ref name = Becke54/><ref name = Trail54/><ref name = Becke69>Becke Pt 2b, pp. 31–9.</ref><ref>Sainsbury, p. 44.</ref>

On 17 November 1915 the 54th Divisional Artillery embarked for France, where it joined [[33rd Division (United Kingdom)|33rd Division]], a '[[Kitchener's Army]]' division whose artillery were still under training. After a month on the [[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]], during which parties of officers and men had been attached for training to other divisions in the Front Line, 54th Divisional Artillery was warned that it was to be transferred to [[Sultanate of Egypt|Egypt]] to rejoin its parent division, which had been withdrawn from Gallipoli. Embarkation began at [[Marseille]] on 30 January 1916 and disembarkation was completed at [[Alexandria]] by 14 February. The divisional artillery rejoined 54th (EA) Division at Mena Camp near [[Cairo]] and in April moved into No 1 (Southern) Section of the [[Suez Canal]] defences, where it began training for desert warfare.<ref name = Becke54/><ref name = Trail54/><ref name = FarnFF71>Farndale, ''Forgotten Fronts'', p. 71.</ref><ref>Sainsbury, pp. 44–7.</ref>

On 26 May 1916 1/II East Anglian Brigade was renumbered '''CCLXXI (271) Brigade, RFA''', and its batteries became A, B and C. On 20 December it was reorganised into two six-gun batteries, with C Battery split up between A and B, and was joined by A Bty from 272 (H) Bde (the old 1/1st Suffolk Bty in 1/III East Anglian Howitzer Bde), which became C (H)/271 Bty equipped with four [[QF 4.5-inch howitzer|4.5-inch howitzers]] and with its share of 272's Brigade Ammunition Column.<ref name = Litchfield/><ref name = Becke54/><ref name = Trail54/><ref name = FarnFF71/><ref name = Frederick687>Frederick, p. 687.</ref>

CCLXXI Brigade then took part in the [[Sinai and Palestine Campaign]], including the [[First Battle of Gaza|First]] (26–7 March), [[Second Battle of Gaza|Second]] (17–9 April) and [[Third Battle of Gaza|Third Battles of Gaza]] (27 October–7 November) and the final capture of [[Gaza City|Gaza]] (1–7 November). At the end of the year the division was engaged in the [[Battle of Jaffa (1917)|Battle of Jaffa]] (21–22 December). 54th (EA) Division was next engaged in the action at [[Second Transjordan attack on Shunet Nimrin and Es Salt#Prelude|Berukin]] (9–10 April 1918). Finally it took part in the opening stage of [[Edmund Allenby, 1st Viscount Allenby|Allenby's]] final offensive (the [[Battle of Megiddo (1918)|Battle of Megiddo]]), known as the [[Battle of Sharon]] (19–23 September).<ref name = Becke54/><ref name = Trail54/>

The division was then taken out of the line and concentrated at [[Haifa]], where it was engaged in repairing communications for the rapidly advancing army. It next moved to [[Beirut]], where it was concentrating when the [[Armistice of Mudros]] was signed with Turkey and hostilities ended on 31 October.<ref name = Becke54/>

In late November 1918 the division was ordered to return to Egypt, the artillery proceeding by sea and arriving in mid-December. Demobilisation began in January 1919, and the TF units were slowly reduced to [[Cadre (military)|cadres]]. In March and April, when its guns had been handed in and about one-third of its men had left, 54th Divisional Artillery was converted into an ''ad hoc'' cavalry regiment to act as mounted police during disturbances in Cairo. Demobilisation recommenced in May and was completed in June.<ref name = Becke54/><ref>Sainsbury, p. 88.</ref>

===2/II East Anglian Brigade===
The volunteers pouring into the depots manned the 2nd Line TF units. Training for the 2nd Line artillery was hindered by the shortage of equipment, and several months passed before guns, horses and harness were received. Even then, only obsolete French [[De Bange 90 mm cannon]] were available for training. Early in 1915 the 2nd East Anglian Division (which was numbered 69th in August 1915) concentrated round Thetford, where it formed part of [[First Army (Home Forces)|First Army]] in [[Central Force (United Kingdom)|Central Force]]. The divisional artillery was distributed around Brandon, [[Cambridge]] and [[Tuddenham]]. In November the divisional artillery took over the 15-pounder guns released by its 1st Line (''see above'').<ref name = Becke69/>

The division's role throughout the war was to train drafts of reinforcements for units serving overseas. In May 1916, 2/II East Anglian Brigade was numbered '''CCCXLVI (346) Bde''', the batteries became A, B and C, and it was joined by [[1st Suffolk Artillery Volunteer Corps|2/2nd Suffolk (Howitzer) Bty]] from 2/III East Anglian Brigade, which became D (H) Bty.<ref name = Litchfield/><ref name = Becke69/><ref name = Frederick687/><ref name = Trail69>[http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/order-of-battle-of-divisions/69th-2nd-east-anglian-division/ 69th (2nd EA) Division at Long, Long Trail.]</ref> The following month the division was transferred to [[Northern Command (United Kingdom)|Northern Command]] and moved to [[Harrogate]] in North Yorkshire.<ref name = Becke69/>

On 10 November 1916, B Bty was broken up to bring A and C Btys up to six-gun strength, and the following month [[1st Norfolk Artillery Volunteers|CCCXLV (2/I East Anglian) Bde]] was broken up, with C (2/3rd Norfolk) Bty becoming B Bty in CCCXLVI Bde. On 22 December a group of new six-gun 18-pdr batteries were formed at Harrogate in 69th (2nd EA) Division's billeting area, and on 30 December two of these, 384 and 385, were attached to CCCXLVI Bde, affiliated to A and B Bty respectively. This gave the brigade the following organisation:<ref name = Frederick687/><ref name = Becke69/><ref>Army Council Instruction 2403 of 22 December 1916.</ref>
* A Bty – former 2/1st Essex + half 2/2nd Essex
** 384 Bty
* B Bty – former 2/3rd Norfolk + half 2/2nd Norfolk
** 385 Bty
* C Bty – former 2/3rd Essex + half 2/2nd Essex
* D (H) Bty – former 2/2nd Suffolk (H)

After training alongside CCCXLVI Bde, 384 and 385 Batteries joined CLXVI Bde and went with it in September 1917 to join [[14th Indian Division]] in [[Mesopotamian campaign|Mesopotamia]].<ref>Frederick, p. 549.</ref><ref>Perry, pp. 127–30.</ref>

At the beginning of May 1917 69th (2nd EA) Division moved to [[Nottinghamshire]], remaining in Northern Command, with the artillery at [[Welbeck]] Camp. The following winter it went into winter quarters in Doncaster. By now many of the original infantry units had left the division, which lost its territorial designation, becoming simply 69th Division. It never went overseas, spending the whole war providing reinforcement drafts for units serving overseas. [[Demobilization|Demobilisation]] began after the [[Armistice with Germany]], and the divisional artillery had virtually disappeared by 27 January 1919.<ref name = Becke69/>

===3/II East Anglian Brigade===
A 3rd Line Depot brigade (3/II East Anglian Brigade) was formed early in March 1915. At first, training had to be carried out without any guns, harness or horses. In May the unit was affiliated to No 4 TF Artillery School at [[High Wycombe]], which took over training while 3/II became a holding and draft-finding unit. The 3rd Line East Anglian brigades were merged into the school in August 1916, when it became 4th Reserve Brigade, RFA (TF).<ref>Sainsbury, pp. 93–5.</ref>

===85th (East Anglian) Field Brigade===
When the TF was reformed on 7 February 1920 the unit was reformed in 54th (East Anglian) Division as 2nd East Anglian Brigade, RFA, with a new 4th Essex Bty at [[Colchester]]. On the reconstitution of the TF as the [[Territorial Army (United Kingdom)|Territorial Army]] in 1921 it was numbered as '''85th (East Anglian) Brigade, RFA''', with the following organisation:<ref name = Litchfield/><ref name = List/><ref name = Frederick522>Frederick, p. 522.</ref><ref name = Frederick491>Frederick, pp. 491–5.</ref><ref>''Titles and Designations'', 1927.</ref>
* RHQ at Artillery House, Stratford Green
* 337 (Essex) Field Bty at Artillery House, Stratford Green
* 338 (Essex) Field Bty at Hornchurch Road, Romford
* 339 (Essex) Field Bty at 17 Sir Isaac's Walk, Colchester
* 340 (Essex) Field Bty (Howitzers) at 40 Brook Road, Grays
* 1st Cadet Battery

When the RFA merged into the Royal Artillery on 1 June 1924, the unit became a 'Field Brigade, RA'<ref name = Litchfield/><ref name = Frederick522/> In July 1925 the subtitle of the Colchester battery was changed to 'Essex RHA', commemorating the [[Essex Royal Horse Artillery]] that had been disbanded in 1919. On 1 October 1932, 339 (Essex RHA) Bty transferred to [[104th (Essex Yeomanry) Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery|104th (Essex Yeomanry) Fd Bde]] and was replaced by 213 Bty, converted from 232 Medium Bty (formerly the East Anglian (Essex) RGA, ''see above'') of 58th (Essex and Suffolk) Medium Bde. This battery had always shared the brigade's HQ at Stratford.<ref name = List/><ref name = Frederick491/><ref>Frederick, p. 686.</ref><ref name = RegtsERHA>[http://web.archive.org/web/20060222065124/http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/volmil-england/varty/ex-rha.htm Essex RHA at Regiments.org.]</ref>

The RA adopted the more usual designation of 'Regiment' for its brigades on 1 November 1938, and when the TA was doubled in size after the [[Munich Crisis]] 85th (East Anglian) Field Rgt formed 134th Field Rgt as its duplicate.<ref name = Litchfield/><ref name = Regts/>

==World War II==
Both 85th and 134th (East Anglian) Field Rgts were serving with 54th (EA) Division in [[Eastern Command (United Kingdom)|Eastern Command]] when it mobilised on the outbreak of war.<ref name = Joslen89>Joslen, p. 89.</ref>

In January 1942 54th (EA) Division was placed on a lower establishment, an acknowledgement that it was not going to be sent on active service. 85th (East Anglian) Field Rgt later served in [[Persia and Iraq Command]] (PAIFORCE) and then converted to mountain artillery, in which role it fought in the [[Italian Campaign (World War II)|Italian Campaign]]. 134th Field Rgt, which was granted the '(East Anglian)' subtitle in 1942, was shipped to [[British Raj|India]], where it first became a jungle field regiment and then a medium regiment, in which role it served in the [[Burma campaign (1944–1945)|Burma Campaign]].<ref name = Frederick522/><ref name = Joslen89/><ref>Joslen, pp. 467, 485, 507, 513.</ref><ref>Frederick, pp. 531, 741, 899.</ref>


==Postwar==
==Postwar==
When the TA was reconstituted on 1 January 1947, 134th Medium Rgt was disbanded and 85th Mountain Rgt was reformed as '''285 (Essex) Airborne Light Rgt''' with RHQ and P Bty at Artillery House, Stratford Green.<ref name = Litchfield/><ref name = Regts/><ref name = Stepping/><ref name = Frederick522/><ref name = Frederick1001>Frederick, pp. 1001–2.</ref><ref name = 45on285>[http://british-army-units1945on.co.uk/territorial-army-royal-artillery/266-288-regiments.html 266–288 Rgts RA at British Army 1945 on.]</ref> The regiment formed part of the TA's [[16th Airborne Division]].<ref name = 45on285/><ref>Litchfield, Appendix 5.</ref><ref>[http://www.orbat.info/history/historical/uk/ta47.html Watson, ''TA 1947''.]</ref>
In 1947, the unit was reconstituted as 285th Airborne Light Regiment RA (Essex) (TA).<ref>Litchfield, Norman E H, 1992. ''The Territorial Artillery 1908–1988'', The Sherwood Press, Nottingham, p64</ref>

On 28 May 1951 the regiment became '''285 (Essex) Airborne Field Rgt''', and on 27 June 1955 it was redesignated again as '''285 (Essex) Parachute Field Rgt'''.<ref name = Litchfield/><ref name = Regts/><ref name = Frederick1001/><ref name = 45on285/> However, 16th Airborne Division was disbanded in 1956 and the number of air-portable units was reduced. On 31 October 1956 the regiment merged with [[292nd (5th London) Parachute Field Regiment, Royal Artillery|292 (5th London) Parachute Field Rgt]] to form [[289th Parachute Light Regiment, Royal Artillery|289 Parachute Light Rgt]] in [[44th Parachute Brigade (V)|44th Independent Parachute Brigade Group]]. This regiment in turn was reduced to [[289 Parachute Battery, Royal Horse Artillery]], in 1967.
<ref name = Litchfield/><ref name = Regts/><ref name = Frederick1001/><ref name = 45on285/><ref>[http://british-army-units1945on.co.uk/territorial-army-royal-artillery/289-322-regiments.html 289–322 Rgts RA at British Army 1945 on.]</ref>

==Honorary colonels==
The following served as [[Colonel (United Kingdom)#Honorary Colonel|Honorary Colonel]] of the unit:<ref name = List/>
* Thomas White, appointed to 3rd Essex AVC 20 February 1869
* [[William Makins|Sir William Makins, 1st Baronet]], [[Member of Parliament|MP]],[[Volunteer Decoration|VD]], former CO, appointed to 3rd Essex AVC 23 April 1874
* R.M. Laurie, [[Distinguished Service Order|DSO]], [[Territorial Decoration|TD]], former CO, appointed 7 March 1922
* [[Charles Howard-Bury]], DSO, MP, appointed 30 July 1927
* H.R. Wilson, DSO, TD, former CO, appointed 30 July 1932
* W.J. Bransden, TD, former CO, appointed 21 March 1938

==Memorials==
There is a memorial plaque to the men of the 1st Essex VA who served in the Second Boer War in [[St John's Church, Stratford]].<ref name = StJohn/><ref>[https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/12395 IWM WMR Ref 12395.]</ref>


There is a memorial at the Army Reserve Centre at Romford, originally at Artillery House, Stratford, in memory of the men of 2nd East Anglian Bde, RFA, and the other units based there who died in 1914–18.<ref>[https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/12425 IWM WMR Ref 12425.]</ref>
In 1951, the Regiment was reorganised as '''285th Airborne Field Regiment RA (Essex)(TA)'''. In 1956, the Regiment was amalgamated with [[3rd Middlesex Artillery Volunteers|292nd (5th London) Airborne Field Regiment RA (TA)]] to form [[289 Commando Troop, Royal Artillery|289 Parachute Light Regiment, Royal Artillery (TA)]].


==Notes==
==Notes==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist|3}}


==References==
==References==
{{refbegin|2}}
* Ian F.W. Beckett, ''Riflemen Form: A Study of the Rifle Volunteer Movement 1859–1908'', Aldershot, The Ogilby Trusts, 1982, {{ISBN|0-85936-271-X}}.
* Lt-Col H.F. Joslen, ''Orders of Battle, United Kingdom and Colonial Formations and Units in the Second World War, 1939–1945'', London: HM Stationery Office, 1960/Uckfield: Naval & Military, 2003, {{ISBN|1-84342-474-6}}.
* Maj A.F. Becke,''History of the Great War: Order of Battle of Divisions, Part 2a: The Territorial Force Mounted Divisions and the 1st-Line Territorial Force Divisions (42–56)'', London: HM Stationery Office, 1935/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2007, ISBN 1-847347-39-8.
* Maj A.F. Becke,''History of the Great War: Order of Battle of Divisions, Part 2b: The 2nd-Line Territorial Force Divisions (57th–69th), with the Home-Service Divisions (71st–73rd) and 74th and 75th Divisions,'' London: HM Stationery Office, 1937/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2007, ISBN 1-847347-39-8.
* Litchfield, Norman E H, and Westlake, R, 1982. ''The Volunteer Artillery 1859–1908'', The Sherwood Press, Nottingham. {{ISBN|0-9508205-0-4}}
* Ian F.W. Beckett, ''Riflemen Form: A Study of the Rifle Volunteer Movement 1859–1908'', Aldershot: Ogilby Trusts, 1982, ISBN 0 85936 271 X.
* Litchfield, Norman E H, 1992. ''The Territorial Artillery 1908–1988'', The Sherwood Press, Nottingham. {{ISBN|0-9508205-2-0}}
* Gen Sir [[Martin Farndale]], ''History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery: The Forgotten Fronts and the Home Base 1914–18'', Woolwich: Royal Artillery Institution, 1988, ISBN 1-870114-05-1.
* J.B.M. Frederick, ''Lineage Book of British Land Forces 1660–1978'', Vol II, Wakefield: Microform Academic, 1984, ISBN 1-85117-009-X.
* Lt-Col H.F. Joslen, ''Orders of Battle, United Kingdom and Colonial Formations and Units in the Second World War, 1939–1945'', London: HM Stationery Office, 1960/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2003, ISBN 1-843424-74-6.
* Norman E.H. Litchfield, ''The Territorial Artillery 1908–1988 (Their Lineage, Uniforms and Badges)'', Nottingham: Sherwood Press, 1992, ISBN 0-9508205-2-0.
* Norman Litchfield & Ray Westlake, ''The Volunteer Artillery 1859–1908 (Their Lineage, Uniforms and Badges)'', Nottingham: Sherwood Press, 1982, ISBN 0-9508205-0-4.
* Osborne, Mike, 2006. Always Ready: The Drill Halls of Britain's Volunteer Forces, Partizan Press, Essex. {{ISBN|1-85818-509-2}}
* Osborne, Mike, 2006. Always Ready: The Drill Halls of Britain's Volunteer Forces, Partizan Press, Essex. {{ISBN|1-85818-509-2}}
* F.W. Perry, ''History of the Great War: Order of Battle of Divisions, Part 5b: Indian Army Divisions'', Newport, Gwent: Ray Westlake, 1993, ISBN 1-871167-23-X.
* Lt-Col J.D. Sainsbury, ''The Hertfordshire Batteries, Royal Field Artillery: An Illustrated History 1908–1920'', Welwyn: Hertfordshire Yeomanry and Artillery Historical Trust/Hart Books, 1996, ISBN 0-948527-04-8.
* War Office, ''Army Council Instructions Issued During December 1916'', London: HM Stationery Office.
* War Office, ''Titles and Designations of Formations and Units of the Territorial Army'', London: War Office, 7 November 1927 (RA sections also summarised in Litchfield, Appendix IV).


==External sources==
===External sources===
* [https://ra39-45.co.uk The Royal Artillery 1939–45]
* [http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk Chris Baker, ''The Long, Long Trail'']
* [http://www.1914-1918.net The Long, Long Trail]
* [http://british-army-units1945on.co.uk British Army units from 1945 on]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20100118221541/http://warpath.orbat.com/index.htm The Regimental Warpath 1914–1918]
* [http://web.archive.org/web/20060219202408/http://home.comcast.net/~markconrad/BRIT14.html Mark Conrad, ''The British Army, 1914'' (archive site)]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20051228103659/http://www.regiments.org/regiments/index.htm Land Forces of Britain, the Empire and Commonwealth]
* [http://www.drillhalls.org/index.htm The Drill Hall Project]
* [https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials Imperial War Museum, War Memorials Register]
* [http://www.britishmilitaryhistory.co.uk British Military History]
* [http://web.archive.org/web/20051228103659/http://www.regiments.org/regiments/index.htm Land Forces of Britain, the Empire and Commonwealth – Regiments.org (archive site)]
* [http://www.patriotfiles.com/index.php?name=Sections&req=listarticles&secid=17 Patriot Files orders of battle]
* [http://www.steppingforwardlondon.org Stepping Forward: A Tribute to the Volunteer Military Reservists and Supporting Auxiliaries of Greater London]
* [http://www.orbat.info/history/historical/uk/ta47.html Graham Watson, ''The Territorial Army 1947'']
{{refend}}


[[Category:Artillery Volunteer Corps of the British Army|Essex]]
[[Category:Artillery Volunteer Corps of the British Army|Essex]]
[[Category:Military units and formations in Essex]]
[[Category:Military units and formations in Essex]]
[[Category:Military units and formations in Harwich]]
[[Category:Military units and formations established in 1860]]
[[Category:Military units and formations established in 1860]]
[[Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1956]]

Revision as of 15:18, 12 September 2021

1st Essex Artillery Volunteers
2nd East Anglian Brigade, RFA
85th (East Anglian) Field Regiment
285 (Essex) Airborne Light Regiment
Crest of the 1st Essex Artillery Volunteers, c1890
Active18 February 1860– 31 October 1956
Country United Kingdom
Branch Volunteer Force/Territorial Army
RoleGarrison Artillery
Field Artillery
Mountain Artillery
Medium Artillery
Airborne Artillery
Part of54th (East Anglian) Division
Garrison/HQArtillery House, Stratford Green
EngagementsSinai and Palestine Campaign
Italian Campaign
Burma Campaign
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Sir William Makins, 1st Baronet, MP,VD

The 1st Essex Artillery Volunteers was a unit of Britain's part-time auxiliary forces raised in Essex in 1860 in response to an invasion scare. It served under various designations as field artillery in Palestine during World War I. During World War II its units served as mountain artillery in Italy and as jungle artillery and medium artillery in Burma. Postwar it became an airborne unit until it was merged with other units in the 1950s.

Volunteer Force

The enthusiasm for the Volunteer movement following an invasion scare in 1859 saw the creation of many units composed of part-time soldiers eager to supplement the Regular British Army in time of need.[1] It is not clear what happened to the 1st Essex Artillery Volunteer Corps (AVC), which was apparently formed in November 1859 but was short-lived. The 2nd Essex AVC was formed at Harwich and its first officers were commissioned by the Lord Lieutenant of Essex on 18 February 1860; it was renumbered as the 1st Essex AVC in September. Similarly, the original 3rd Essex at Barking was renumbered 2nd; its officers were commissioned on 13 September and it moved to Grays in November. A new 3rd Essex AVC was formed at Plaistow on 26 June 1861, later moving to Stratford. No administrative brigade was formed for the Essex AVCs, which were attached to various other units for administration:[2][3][4][5][6][7]

A major reorganisation of the Volunteer Force in 1880 saw the 1st Norfolk Admin Brigade consolidated into a single unit, with the 1st Essex AVC due to become No 5 Battery at Harwich. Meanwhile the 2nd and 3rd Essex, with one-and-a-half batteries and eight batteries respectively, merged to form a new 1st Essex. However, the Harwich volunteers were unhappy with the arrangements and asked to be transferred to the new 1st Essex AVC, which thus had the following organisation:[3][4][5][7]

  • Headquarters (HQ) at Artillery House, Stratford Green[8]
  • No 1 Battery at Harwich
  • No 2 Battery at Grays, with an additional half battery
  • Nos 3–10 Batteries at Stratford
  • Cadet Corps at Harwich, disbanded 1884

The unit was attached to the Eastern Division of the Royal Artillery (RA) from 1 April 1882, and from September 1886 its official title was 2nd Volunteer (Essex) Brigade, Eastern Division, RA; it reverted to '1st Essex Artillery Volunteers' in 1889. It was increased to 12 batteries in April 1886.[3][4][5][7]

As well as manning fixed coast defence artillery, some of the early Artillery Volunteers manned semi-mobile 'position batteries' of smooth-bore field guns pulled by agricultural horses. But the War Office refused to pay for the upkeep of field guns for Volunteers and they had largely died out in the 1870s. In 1888–91 the 'position artillery' concept was revived and some Volunteer batteries were reorganised as position batteries to work alongside the Volunteer infantry brigades, the others becoming garrison companies. On 14 July 1892 the 1st Essex Volunteer Artillery was reorganised as one position battery and 11 companies:[3][4][5][7][9][10]

Waistbelt clasp of the Essex Volunteer Artillery, ca 1891.

By April 1899 there were two companies at Harwich, and they left to combine with four newly-raised companies in Suffolk to form a new 1st Suffolk and Harwich Volunteer Artillery grouped around the ports of Harwich, Ipswich and Felixstowe. This left the rest of the 1st Essex concentrated in the London suburbs and along the Thames Estuary. On 1 June 1899 all the Volunteer artillery units became part of the Royal Garrison Artillery (RGA) and with the abolition of the RA's divisional organisation on 1 January 1902 the unit became the 1st Essex RGA (Volunteers).[3][4][5][7][14]

When the City Imperial Volunteers were raised to serve in the Second Boer War, some 240 members of the 1st Essex VA volunteered, of whom 14 non-commissioned officers (NCOs) and gunners were selected. One sergeant died while on service.[15]

In 1907 the Member of Parliament for Epping, Lt-Col Amelius Lockwood, asked a Parliamentary question implicitly criticising the small number of 15-pounder breechloading guns assigned to the one heavy battery and eight companies of the Essex RGA (V), all of which were allocated to mobile guns.[16]

Territorial Force

When the Volunteers were subsumed into the new Territorial Force (TF) under the Haldane Reforms of 1908,[10][17][18] the Essex RGA (V) was split up. While one battery at Stratford remained with the RGA as the East Anglian (Essex) Heavy Battery, the bulk of the unit was assigned to the Royal Field Artillery (RFA) as the II (or 2nd) East Anglian Brigade, with the following organisation:[4][5][7][19][20][21][22]

  • HQ – Artillery House, Stratford Green[8][23]
  • 1st Essex Battery – Artillery House, Stratford Green[23]
  • 2nd Essex Battery – 17 Victoria Road, Romford[12]
  • 3rd Essex Battery – Artillery Drill Hall, Brook Road, Grays[11]
  • 2nd East Anglian Ammunition Column – Artillery House, Stratford Green[23]

The three batteries were each equipped with four modernised BLC 15-pounder guns. The unit was assigned to the East Anglian Division of the TF. [22][24][25]

World War I

Mobilisation

The East Anglian Division began its annual training on 27 July 1914, with the divisional artillery travelling to Redesdale Training Area in Northumberland. When the order to mobilise was given on 4 August, the units had to return to their headquarters by train and then move to their war stations. By 10 August the division had concentrated around Brentwood, Essex, and on 20 August it moved to Chelmsford and formed part of the coast defences of the UK until the following May.[24][25][26]

On the outbreak of war, units of the Territorial Force were invited to volunteer for Overseas Service. On 15 August 1914, the War Office issued instructions to separate those men who had signed up for Home Service only, and form these into reserve units. On 31 August, the formation of a reserve or 2nd Line unit was authorised for each 1st Line unit where 60 per cent or more of the men had volunteered for Overseas Service. The titles of these 2nd Line units would be the same as the original, but distinguished by a '2/' prefix. In this way duplicate battalions, brigades and divisions were created, mirroring those TF formations being sent overseas.[27]

1/II East Anglian Brigade

The 1st East Anglian Division was employed on coast defence until May 1915, when it was concentrated at St Albans preparatory to going overseas as the 54th (1st East Anglian) Division. However, when the infantry departed for the Gallipoli Campaign, the divisional artillery was left behind. In August it joined the 2nd East Anglian Division at Thetford and Brandon, Suffolk, rearmed with modern 18-pounder guns and handed over its obsolete 15-pounders to the 2nd Line batteries.[24][25][28][29]

On 17 November 1915 the 54th Divisional Artillery embarked for France, where it joined 33rd Division, a 'Kitchener's Army' division whose artillery were still under training. After a month on the Western Front, during which parties of officers and men had been attached for training to other divisions in the Front Line, 54th Divisional Artillery was warned that it was to be transferred to Egypt to rejoin its parent division, which had been withdrawn from Gallipoli. Embarkation began at Marseille on 30 January 1916 and disembarkation was completed at Alexandria by 14 February. The divisional artillery rejoined 54th (EA) Division at Mena Camp near Cairo and in April moved into No 1 (Southern) Section of the Suez Canal defences, where it began training for desert warfare.[24][25][30][31]

On 26 May 1916 1/II East Anglian Brigade was renumbered CCLXXI (271) Brigade, RFA, and its batteries became A, B and C. On 20 December it was reorganised into two six-gun batteries, with C Battery split up between A and B, and was joined by A Bty from 272 (H) Bde (the old 1/1st Suffolk Bty in 1/III East Anglian Howitzer Bde), which became C (H)/271 Bty equipped with four 4.5-inch howitzers and with its share of 272's Brigade Ammunition Column.[20][24][25][30][32]

CCLXXI Brigade then took part in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign, including the First (26–7 March), Second (17–9 April) and Third Battles of Gaza (27 October–7 November) and the final capture of Gaza (1–7 November). At the end of the year the division was engaged in the Battle of Jaffa (21–22 December). 54th (EA) Division was next engaged in the action at Berukin (9–10 April 1918). Finally it took part in the opening stage of Allenby's final offensive (the Battle of Megiddo), known as the Battle of Sharon (19–23 September).[24][25]

The division was then taken out of the line and concentrated at Haifa, where it was engaged in repairing communications for the rapidly advancing army. It next moved to Beirut, where it was concentrating when the Armistice of Mudros was signed with Turkey and hostilities ended on 31 October.[24]

In late November 1918 the division was ordered to return to Egypt, the artillery proceeding by sea and arriving in mid-December. Demobilisation began in January 1919, and the TF units were slowly reduced to cadres. In March and April, when its guns had been handed in and about one-third of its men had left, 54th Divisional Artillery was converted into an ad hoc cavalry regiment to act as mounted police during disturbances in Cairo. Demobilisation recommenced in May and was completed in June.[24][33]

2/II East Anglian Brigade

The volunteers pouring into the depots manned the 2nd Line TF units. Training for the 2nd Line artillery was hindered by the shortage of equipment, and several months passed before guns, horses and harness were received. Even then, only obsolete French De Bange 90 mm cannon were available for training. Early in 1915 the 2nd East Anglian Division (which was numbered 69th in August 1915) concentrated round Thetford, where it formed part of First Army in Central Force. The divisional artillery was distributed around Brandon, Cambridge and Tuddenham. In November the divisional artillery took over the 15-pounder guns released by its 1st Line (see above).[28]

The division's role throughout the war was to train drafts of reinforcements for units serving overseas. In May 1916, 2/II East Anglian Brigade was numbered CCCXLVI (346) Bde, the batteries became A, B and C, and it was joined by 2/2nd Suffolk (Howitzer) Bty from 2/III East Anglian Brigade, which became D (H) Bty.[20][28][32][34] The following month the division was transferred to Northern Command and moved to Harrogate in North Yorkshire.[28]

On 10 November 1916, B Bty was broken up to bring A and C Btys up to six-gun strength, and the following month CCCXLV (2/I East Anglian) Bde was broken up, with C (2/3rd Norfolk) Bty becoming B Bty in CCCXLVI Bde. On 22 December a group of new six-gun 18-pdr batteries were formed at Harrogate in 69th (2nd EA) Division's billeting area, and on 30 December two of these, 384 and 385, were attached to CCCXLVI Bde, affiliated to A and B Bty respectively. This gave the brigade the following organisation:[32][28][35]

  • A Bty – former 2/1st Essex + half 2/2nd Essex
    • 384 Bty
  • B Bty – former 2/3rd Norfolk + half 2/2nd Norfolk
    • 385 Bty
  • C Bty – former 2/3rd Essex + half 2/2nd Essex
  • D (H) Bty – former 2/2nd Suffolk (H)

After training alongside CCCXLVI Bde, 384 and 385 Batteries joined CLXVI Bde and went with it in September 1917 to join 14th Indian Division in Mesopotamia.[36][37]

At the beginning of May 1917 69th (2nd EA) Division moved to Nottinghamshire, remaining in Northern Command, with the artillery at Welbeck Camp. The following winter it went into winter quarters in Doncaster. By now many of the original infantry units had left the division, which lost its territorial designation, becoming simply 69th Division. It never went overseas, spending the whole war providing reinforcement drafts for units serving overseas. Demobilisation began after the Armistice with Germany, and the divisional artillery had virtually disappeared by 27 January 1919.[28]

3/II East Anglian Brigade

A 3rd Line Depot brigade (3/II East Anglian Brigade) was formed early in March 1915. At first, training had to be carried out without any guns, harness or horses. In May the unit was affiliated to No 4 TF Artillery School at High Wycombe, which took over training while 3/II became a holding and draft-finding unit. The 3rd Line East Anglian brigades were merged into the school in August 1916, when it became 4th Reserve Brigade, RFA (TF).[38]

85th (East Anglian) Field Brigade

When the TF was reformed on 7 February 1920 the unit was reformed in 54th (East Anglian) Division as 2nd East Anglian Brigade, RFA, with a new 4th Essex Bty at Colchester. On the reconstitution of the TF as the Territorial Army in 1921 it was numbered as 85th (East Anglian) Brigade, RFA, with the following organisation:[20][7][39][40][41]

  • RHQ at Artillery House, Stratford Green
  • 337 (Essex) Field Bty at Artillery House, Stratford Green
  • 338 (Essex) Field Bty at Hornchurch Road, Romford
  • 339 (Essex) Field Bty at 17 Sir Isaac's Walk, Colchester
  • 340 (Essex) Field Bty (Howitzers) at 40 Brook Road, Grays
  • 1st Cadet Battery

When the RFA merged into the Royal Artillery on 1 June 1924, the unit became a 'Field Brigade, RA'[20][39] In July 1925 the subtitle of the Colchester battery was changed to 'Essex RHA', commemorating the Essex Royal Horse Artillery that had been disbanded in 1919. On 1 October 1932, 339 (Essex RHA) Bty transferred to 104th (Essex Yeomanry) Fd Bde and was replaced by 213 Bty, converted from 232 Medium Bty (formerly the East Anglian (Essex) RGA, see above) of 58th (Essex and Suffolk) Medium Bde. This battery had always shared the brigade's HQ at Stratford.[7][40][42][43]

The RA adopted the more usual designation of 'Regiment' for its brigades on 1 November 1938, and when the TA was doubled in size after the Munich Crisis 85th (East Anglian) Field Rgt formed 134th Field Rgt as its duplicate.[20][5]

World War II

Both 85th and 134th (East Anglian) Field Rgts were serving with 54th (EA) Division in Eastern Command when it mobilised on the outbreak of war.[44]

In January 1942 54th (EA) Division was placed on a lower establishment, an acknowledgement that it was not going to be sent on active service. 85th (East Anglian) Field Rgt later served in Persia and Iraq Command (PAIFORCE) and then converted to mountain artillery, in which role it fought in the Italian Campaign. 134th Field Rgt, which was granted the '(East Anglian)' subtitle in 1942, was shipped to India, where it first became a jungle field regiment and then a medium regiment, in which role it served in the Burma Campaign.[39][44][45][46]

Postwar

When the TA was reconstituted on 1 January 1947, 134th Medium Rgt was disbanded and 85th Mountain Rgt was reformed as 285 (Essex) Airborne Light Rgt with RHQ and P Bty at Artillery House, Stratford Green.[20][5][23][39][47][48] The regiment formed part of the TA's 16th Airborne Division.[48][49][50]

On 28 May 1951 the regiment became 285 (Essex) Airborne Field Rgt, and on 27 June 1955 it was redesignated again as 285 (Essex) Parachute Field Rgt.[20][5][47][48] However, 16th Airborne Division was disbanded in 1956 and the number of air-portable units was reduced. On 31 October 1956 the regiment merged with 292 (5th London) Parachute Field Rgt to form 289 Parachute Light Rgt in 44th Independent Parachute Brigade Group. This regiment in turn was reduced to 289 Parachute Battery, Royal Horse Artillery, in 1967. [20][5][47][48][51]

Honorary colonels

The following served as Honorary Colonel of the unit:[7]

  • Thomas White, appointed to 3rd Essex AVC 20 February 1869
  • Sir William Makins, 1st Baronet, MP,VD, former CO, appointed to 3rd Essex AVC 23 April 1874
  • R.M. Laurie, DSO, TD, former CO, appointed 7 March 1922
  • Charles Howard-Bury, DSO, MP, appointed 30 July 1927
  • H.R. Wilson, DSO, TD, former CO, appointed 30 July 1932
  • W.J. Bransden, TD, former CO, appointed 21 March 1938

Memorials

There is a memorial plaque to the men of the 1st Essex VA who served in the Second Boer War in St John's Church, Stratford.[15][52]

There is a memorial at the Army Reserve Centre at Romford, originally at Artillery House, Stratford, in memory of the men of 2nd East Anglian Bde, RFA, and the other units based there who died in 1914–18.[53]

Notes

  1. ^ Beckett.
  2. ^ Beckett, Appendix VIII.
  3. ^ a b c d e Frederick, p. 657.
  4. ^ a b c d e f Litchfield & Westlake, pp. 67–71.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j 1st Essex AV at Regiments.org.
  6. ^ London Gazette, 6 March 1860.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i Army List, various dates.
  8. ^ a b Stratford at Drill Hall Project.
  9. ^ Beckett, p. 178.
  10. ^ a b Litchfield & Westlake, pp. 4–6.
  11. ^ a b Grays at Drill Hall Project.
  12. ^ a b Romford at Drill Hall Project.
  13. ^ Hornchurch at Drill Hall Project.
  14. ^ Litchfield & Westlake, p. 156.
  15. ^ a b 1st Essex VA memorial at St Hohn's Stratford.
  16. ^ Lockwood PQ 15 July 1907 at Hansard.
  17. ^ Beckett, pp. 247–53.
  18. ^ Spiers, Chapter 10.
  19. ^ Frederick, p. 675.
  20. ^ a b c d e f g h i Litchfield, pp. 63–5.
  21. ^ London Gazette 20 March 1908.
  22. ^ a b Conrad, 1914.
  23. ^ a b c d Stratford at Stepping Forward London.
  24. ^ a b c d e f g h Becke, Pt 2a, pp. 125–31.
  25. ^ a b c d e f 54th (EA) Division at Long, Long Trail.
  26. ^ Sainsbury, p. 39.
  27. ^ Becke, Pt 2b, p. 6.
  28. ^ a b c d e f Becke Pt 2b, pp. 31–9.
  29. ^ Sainsbury, p. 44.
  30. ^ a b Farndale, Forgotten Fronts, p. 71.
  31. ^ Sainsbury, pp. 44–7.
  32. ^ a b c Frederick, p. 687.
  33. ^ Sainsbury, p. 88.
  34. ^ 69th (2nd EA) Division at Long, Long Trail.
  35. ^ Army Council Instruction 2403 of 22 December 1916.
  36. ^ Frederick, p. 549.
  37. ^ Perry, pp. 127–30.
  38. ^ Sainsbury, pp. 93–5.
  39. ^ a b c d Frederick, p. 522.
  40. ^ a b Frederick, pp. 491–5.
  41. ^ Titles and Designations, 1927.
  42. ^ Frederick, p. 686.
  43. ^ Essex RHA at Regiments.org.
  44. ^ a b Joslen, p. 89.
  45. ^ Joslen, pp. 467, 485, 507, 513.
  46. ^ Frederick, pp. 531, 741, 899.
  47. ^ a b c Frederick, pp. 1001–2.
  48. ^ a b c d 266–288 Rgts RA at British Army 1945 on.
  49. ^ Litchfield, Appendix 5.
  50. ^ Watson, TA 1947.
  51. ^ 289–322 Rgts RA at British Army 1945 on.
  52. ^ IWM WMR Ref 12395.
  53. ^ IWM WMR Ref 12425.

References

  • Maj A.F. Becke,History of the Great War: Order of Battle of Divisions, Part 2a: The Territorial Force Mounted Divisions and the 1st-Line Territorial Force Divisions (42–56), London: HM Stationery Office, 1935/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2007, ISBN 1-847347-39-8.
  • Maj A.F. Becke,History of the Great War: Order of Battle of Divisions, Part 2b: The 2nd-Line Territorial Force Divisions (57th–69th), with the Home-Service Divisions (71st–73rd) and 74th and 75th Divisions, London: HM Stationery Office, 1937/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2007, ISBN 1-847347-39-8.
  • Ian F.W. Beckett, Riflemen Form: A Study of the Rifle Volunteer Movement 1859–1908, Aldershot: Ogilby Trusts, 1982, ISBN 0 85936 271 X.
  • Gen Sir Martin Farndale, History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery: The Forgotten Fronts and the Home Base 1914–18, Woolwich: Royal Artillery Institution, 1988, ISBN 1-870114-05-1.
  • J.B.M. Frederick, Lineage Book of British Land Forces 1660–1978, Vol II, Wakefield: Microform Academic, 1984, ISBN 1-85117-009-X.
  • Lt-Col H.F. Joslen, Orders of Battle, United Kingdom and Colonial Formations and Units in the Second World War, 1939–1945, London: HM Stationery Office, 1960/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2003, ISBN 1-843424-74-6.
  • Norman E.H. Litchfield, The Territorial Artillery 1908–1988 (Their Lineage, Uniforms and Badges), Nottingham: Sherwood Press, 1992, ISBN 0-9508205-2-0.
  • Norman Litchfield & Ray Westlake, The Volunteer Artillery 1859–1908 (Their Lineage, Uniforms and Badges), Nottingham: Sherwood Press, 1982, ISBN 0-9508205-0-4.
  • Osborne, Mike, 2006. Always Ready: The Drill Halls of Britain's Volunteer Forces, Partizan Press, Essex. ISBN 1-85818-509-2
  • F.W. Perry, History of the Great War: Order of Battle of Divisions, Part 5b: Indian Army Divisions, Newport, Gwent: Ray Westlake, 1993, ISBN 1-871167-23-X.
  • Lt-Col J.D. Sainsbury, The Hertfordshire Batteries, Royal Field Artillery: An Illustrated History 1908–1920, Welwyn: Hertfordshire Yeomanry and Artillery Historical Trust/Hart Books, 1996, ISBN 0-948527-04-8.
  • War Office, Army Council Instructions Issued During December 1916, London: HM Stationery Office.
  • War Office, Titles and Designations of Formations and Units of the Territorial Army, London: War Office, 7 November 1927 (RA sections also summarised in Litchfield, Appendix IV).

External sources

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1st_Essex_Artillery_Volunteers&oldid=1043897534"