Royal Field Artillery

The Royal Field Artillery (RFA) of the British Army provided close artillery support for the infantry.[1] It came into being when created as a distinct arm of the Royal Regiment of Artillery on 1 July 1899, serving alongside the other two arms of the Regiment, the Royal Horse Artillery (RHA) and the Royal Garrison Artillery (RGA). It ceased to exist when it was amalgamated with the Royal Garrison Artillery arm of the Regiment in 1924.[2] The Royal Field Artillery was the largest arm of the artillery. It was responsible for the medium calibre guns and howitzers deployed close to the front line and was reasonably mobile. It was organised into brigades, attached to divisions or higher formations.

Irish member of the Royal Field Artillery (1904)

Notable members

Ernest Wright Alexander, Victoria Cross recipient
Geoffrey Vesey Holt, 2nd Lt, son of Sir Vesey Holt, of Mount Mascal, Bexley, Kent & Assistant Scout Master for 1st North Cray Scout Group; killed, aged 19 at 3rd Battle of Ypres, Passchendaele on 2 September 1917[3]
Colin Gubbins (1896–1976), prime mover of the Special Operations Executive (SOE)
Arthur G. Hobbs, driver, Distinguished Conduct Medal recipient
Dar Lyon (1898–1964). first-class cricketer
Norman Manley (1893–1969), first Premier of Jamaica, serving from 14 August 1959 to 29 April 1962
Donald McLeod (1882–1917), represented Scotland at football
Cecil Patteson Nickalls, D.S.O. (1877-1925), champion polo player who took his own life with a gun on 7 April 1925[4]
Alfred William Saunders (1888–1930), World War I flying ace
Garth Neville Walford, Victoria Cross recipient
Francis Wallington, first recipient of the Military Cross four times

References

Clarke 2004, p. 4
Carman 1973, p. 28
Commonwealth War Graves Commission - 2nd Lt G V Holt, Royal Field Artillery
David Frith (2011). Silence Of The Heart: Cricket Suicide. p. 55. Cecil Patteson Nickalls, who won the DSO while serving in the Royal Field Artillery in the Great War ... representing England at polo against the United States in 1902 ...

Bibliography

Carman, W.Y. (1973). The Royal Artillery. Volume 25 of Man-at-Arms Series. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 0-85045-140-X.
Clarke, Dale (2004). British Artillery 1914–19 Field Army Artillery. Volume 94 of New Vanguard Series. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1-84176-688-7.

External links

A List of the formation, attachments and history of each Brigade of the Royal Field Artillery

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[Clarke4-1] Clarke 2004, p. 4

[Carman28-2] Carman 1973, p. 28

[3] Commonwealth War Graves Commission - 2nd Lt G V Holt, Royal Field Artillery

[gun-4] David Frith (2011). Silence Of The Heart: Cricket Suicide. p. 55. Cecil Patteson Nickalls, who won the DSO while serving in the Royal Field Artillery in the Great War ... representing England at polo against the United States in 1902 ...