War Diaries For

The 5th (Army) Field Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery

 

Home 1940 1941 1942 1943
1944 1945 1946 1947
Memorandum From Lt.-Col R.R. Hoare D.S.O., M.C., R.H.A. August 1942

 

 

November and December 1939

 

Place Date Hour Summary of Events and Information References to Appendices

WOTTON-UNDER-EDGE

Nov 1st

 

Reconnaissance party of Capts D Welsh & N.L. Foster and Lieut W.R. Holman and 15 ORs move moved from St John’s Wood to WOTTON UNDER EDGE - DURSLEY area to prepare billeting area.

 

 

11th

 

Advance party of 60 ORs move from ST JOHN’S WOOD to Billeting area and were disposed - Capt Welsh and “K” Battery at DURSLEY - Capt Foster Lieut Holman with residential HQ and G battery at WOTTON-UNDER-EDGE.

 

 

13th

 

Lieut S.R. St John joined from RA Reception Centre ESHER and took over duties of orderly officer.

 

 

25th

 

Main body arrived from ST JOHN’S WOOD & Btys moved into their respective billeting areas.

 

 

 

 

5th (Army) Regiment R.H.A. (Consisting of “G” (Mercer's Troop) & “K” Btys RHA) was formed from “K” Battery R.H.A.

Authority

App I

 

 

 

Lieut Col A.A.M. Durrand assumed command of the regiment.

See App for distribution of Officers

 

28th

 

24 ORs joined from 2nd Field Training Regiment & were posted to Btys

 

 

29th

 

Lieut (& QM) G.P. Fisher D.C.M., M.M. joined from 12 Field Regt RA.

 

 

30th

 

171 ORs joined from Training Regts & were posted to Btys

 

 

Dec 4th

 

60 ORs joined from 3 Field Training Regt & were posted to be Btys

 

 

7th

 

2/Lieuts H.C.N.M Oulton & F.D.N Simon joined from 4th Field Training Regt & were posted to “G” &  “K” Btys respectively

Authority

W.O. Telegram

 

8th

 

2/Lieut G F Elston joined from 10th Field Training Regt & was posted to “K” Bty

20/Arty/5590/A.G 6 (o) of 5.12.39

 

11th

 

Capt A.E. Brocklehurst & Lieut J.R. Kynaston joined from RA Reception Centre, ASCOT & were posted to “G” Battery R.H.A.

 

WOTTON

Dec 12th

 

2/Lieut J.N. Nicholson joined from 12th Fd Tg Regt and was posted to “G” Bty

 

 

18th

 

Capt N.L. Foster appointed Adjutant.

 

 

23.

 

Lieut J.M. Northen joined from Palestine on this date and posted to K Bty.

Posting order not received

 

27.

 

2/Lieuts M.C. Lanyon, R.M. Bremner and J.H. Whitcombe joined from 122nd Officers Cadet Training Regt and were posted to ‘G’ & K and K Btys respectively.

Authority 112/Arty/8429 A.g 6 (o) of 11.12.39

 

 

 

 

 

 

28.

 

An advance party of 3 Officers and 29 ORs left for LARKHILL. Asst Adj i/c

 

 

29

 

8, Gunners specialists join from 2nd Fd Rrg Regt RA

 

LARKHILL

 

 

The Regiment moved to LARKHILL for practice from Dec 30th - Jan 1st and to take part in the 50th Div exercise from Jan 4th -6th 1940.

 

 

 

 

Owing to lack of W.D. Transport the following vehicles were used, on loaned from other units:-

 

 

 

 

Buses. 32 seater                13 Field

 

      Towing Vehicles                 10 loaned  
      In personal cars                 16 loaned  
      On arrival, 3 officers and all ORs are accommodated by the 121st Med/Heavy Regt. RA. and the remaining officers at the School of Artillery.  
  30 } ‘G’ & ‘K’ fired course shooting. Each troop also fired on A/Tank shoots  
  31st } with 25 pdr guns on platforms, loaned by S. of. A.  
         
     

Capt RHA

 
         

 

 

   

Appendix I

 

 

THE WAR OFFICE

           LONDON, S.W.1.

 
 
Artillery/5579 (A.G.6.a)

9th  November, 1939.

 

SECRET.

 

Sir,

            I am directed to inform you that it has been decided to form the following new unit by conversion of “K” Battery, Royal Horse Artillery.

 

Designation of Unit                     5th (Army) Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery.

 

Designation of Batteries “G” and “K” Batteries.

 

Allotted to                                 2nd Contingent, Corps Troops .

 

Date of Conversion                     25th November, 1939.

 

Place of Conversion                    WOTTON-UNDER-EDGE (Railway Station - CHARFIELD, L.M.S.)

 

To reach full strength in trained personnel by       1st December, 1939

 

Armament                                 24 18-pdr. Mark II P (In accordance with War Office letter No. 54/Arty./2026 (A.2.) dated 20th October, 1939.

 

2.         The establishment of this unit will be as laid down in War Establishments,  Volume II, Part I, III/1931/9/4 - Field Regiment.

 

3.         Officers will be posted by the Under-Secretary of State, War Office (A.G.6.o.) and other ranks by Officer in-charge, Royal Artillery records (Field Branch).

 

4 .        Details of the provision of other ranks are attached as Appendix ‘A’.

 

5.         Any enquiries regarding other ranks will be addressed to Officer in-charge, Royal Artillery records (Field Branch) and not to the War Office, in the first instant.

 

6.         “G” Battery, Royal Horse Artillery is at present serving with 4th Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery. Personnel would remain with 4th Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery and details regarding the transfer of the records, etc., of “G” Battery to the 5th (Army) Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery will be notified separately. 4th Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery will consist of “C” and “F” Batteries only.

 

/7. …..

The General Officer Commanding-in-Chief,

            EASTERN COMMAND.

Copies to:-        General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Command.

General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, The British Troops in Egypt.

Commander-in-Chief, Home Forces.

Officer in-charge, Royal Artillery Records (Field Branch).

Officer in-charge, R.A.O.C. Records.

Regimental Paymaster, Royal Artillery (Field Branch).

Officer Commanding, “K” Battery, Royal Horse Artillery.

Secretary, Royal Artillery Institution.

 

7.         An L.A.D. will be provided for this regiment (War Establishment III/193153.3).

8.         The Signal Section to serve with this regiment will be the 57th Field Regiment RA Signal Section which will be formed by first cavalry provisional signals, Chelsea, S.W.3.

 

9.         Instructions have been issued for the return of animals on the strength of K battery, Royal Horse Artillery to the army horse collecting centre, Melton Mowbray.

 

I am,

          Sir,

                                             Your obedient Servant,

 

   

Colonel

For Director of Recruiting Organization.

 

 

 

 

Appendix ‘A’ to War Office letter

20/Artillery/5579 (A.G.6.a.) dated

9th November, 1939.

 

Formation of 5th (Army) Regiment, R.H.A.

by conversion of “K” Battery, R.H.A.

 

 

 

 

Other Ranks required to complete

to War Estabishment plus First Line

Re-inforcements.

Provision.

Remarks.

Rank

Number

 

B.Q.M.S.

Serjeants       )

Bombardiers   )

Artillery Clerk

Fitters (a)

 

 

1

 

8

1

5

          )

          )

          )           To be detailed by

          )

          )              Officer i/c R.A. Records,

          )                   (Field Branch).

              

R.H.A. to be selected if available.

 

 

(a)   In Lieu of Artificers R.A.  To be selected from militia potential tradesmen now at Ascot

 

Drivers I.C.

Gunners (suitable as signallers & Specialists)

Gunners

 

 

85

 

35

30

 

          )

          )           To be posted by

          )                   Officer i/c R.A. Records

          )                         (Field Branch) by

          )           20th November, 1939.

 

 

From Ascot Reception Station.

As many as possible to be Reservists, R.H.A. being select if available.

To join “K” Battery. R.H.A. at

St. John’s Wood. (Railway Station                   MARLEBBOROUGH ROAD).

Drivers I.C.

Gunners (suitable as signallers & Specialists)

Gunners

 

85

 

35

30

          )

          )           To be posted by

          )                   Officer i/c R.A. Records

          )                         (Field Branch) by

          )           30th November, 1939.

 

From ex-militiamen in “D” Batteries of Field and Signal Training Regiments. R.A.

 

To join at WOTTON-UNDER-EDGE.

     (Railway Station – CHARFIED, L.M.S.)

TOTAL

316

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A P P E N D I X II

.

 

OFFICERS PRESENT WITH 5 REGIMENT, R.H.A. ON

FORMATION.


 

 

 

Regimental Headquarters.

 

Lieut. Colonel A.A.M. Durand, M.C., R.H.A.

+          Major G.W.W Heath, M.C., R.H.A.

+          Lieut. W.R. Holman, R.H.A.

+          Lieut. S.R. St. John, R.H.A.

 

 


 

“G” Battery, R.H.A.

 

            Major H.E. Collett-White, R.H.A.

            Capt. A.D.M. Teacher, R.H.A.

            Capt. N.L. Foster, R.H.A.

+          Capt. J.A. Norman, R.H.A.

   


 

K” Battery, R.H.A.

 

            Major R.R. Hoare, M.C., R.H.A.

+          Capt. F.D. Moore, R.H.A.

            Capt. D. Welsh, R.H.A.

+          Lieut. N.B.C. Teacher, R.H.A.

 


 

Note.

+          Were serving with “K” Battery, R.H.A. on date of formation of 5th Regiment, R.H.A.

 

Remaining officers were attached to “K” Battery, R.H.A., until the formation of 5th Regiment, R.H.A.

 

 

-------oOo-------

 

HP.

 

 

 

Home 1940 1941 1942 1943
1944 1945 1946 1947
Memorandum From Lt.-Col R.R. Hoare D.S.O., M.C., R.H.A. August 1942

 

© 2020 Copyright of  www.desertrats.org.uk