Australian Light Horse Studies Centre

Citation: "A" Battery, Royal Australian Artillery, New South Wales, Contents

Posted by Project Leader at 12:01 AM EAST

Updated: Monday, 10 May 2010 6:22 PM EADT

"A" Battery, Royal Australian Artillery, New South Wales

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Saturday, 13 December 2003

"A" Battery, Royal Australian Artillery, New South Wales, Outline
Topic: BW - NSW - A Bty RAA

"A" Bty RAA(NSW)
"A" Battery, Royal Australian Artillery, New South Wales

Outline

Map illustrating the activities of the "A" Battery, Royal Australian Artillery, New South Wales in South Africa, 1899 - 1900.

[From: Chamberlain, M., The Australians in the South African War 1899-1902, Canberra, 1999.]

In 1911, Lieutenant-Colonel P. L. Murray, produced a marvellous Boer War reference detailing all the contingents sent from Australia to South Africa, giving a brief history of the formation and finally, listing all the soldiers who saw service in South Africa with that unit. The book was called, Official Records of the Australian Military Contingents to the War in South Africa. It is now the standard reference and starting place for any person interested in pursuing information about Australian involvement in the Boer War.

Murray, P. L., Official Records of the Australian Military Contingents to the War in South Africa, pp. 48 - 52.

"A" Battery, Royal Australian Artillery

This unit was formed entirely of officers and men belonging do the Royal Australian Artillery, New South Wales; the officers and men of the Field Battery already in existence being taken as the nucleus, and the strength made up from the Garrison companies.

In point of personnel it was, probably; in point of discipline it was certainly, the meat highly classed detail that left Australia for the war. The Royal Australian Artillery, New South Wales, under their "Naval and Military Forces Act of 1871" were subject to the Imperial Army Act and Regulations, and to the Kings (the Queens) Regulations for the Army; therefore the code under which they were trained was a complete replica of that of the Royal Artillery. Thus the men were embarked under a perfect system of organisation.

The battery was equipped with six 15-pr. B.L. guns; with their wagons, etc, and supplied in all respects as a complete unit of its arm. It was the only Australian Field Battery sent to the front.

References to Orders.
Inspection of buttery, GO, NSW, 144/99
Pay and allowances, GO, NSW, 88/00
Embarkation, GO, NSW, 146/99
Personnel, GO, NSW, 149/99

Clothing

This consisted of the brown F:S. uniform, chord pants and puttees; with helmets.

Establishment

The following was the establishment approved:-
One Commanding Officer;
4 Subalterns (1 Acting Captain);
1 Battery Sergeant-major;
1 Battery Quartermaster Sergeant;
6 Sergeants;
1 Farrier Sergeant;
4 Shoeing Smiths;
2 Collar Makers;
2 Wheelers;
2 Trumpeters;
6 Corporals;
6 Bombardiers;
76 Gunners;
63 Drivers.
Total Field Battery, 175.

The actual Captain of the Battery was Captain H Dangar, who was at the time of departure in South Africa as a Special Service officer. It was expected, that he would join the battery there, which he did.

Pay and separation allowance were at the usual rates.

Embarkation and Return.

The battery embarked at Sydney on the 30th December, 1899, in the transport Warrigal, comprising 7 officers (including Captain G. A. Marshall, A.M.C., and Rev. E. C. Beck, C.E. Chaplain, with relative rank of Major); and 170 non-commissioned officers, artificers, and rank and file, with 148 horses; 6 guns, 6 wagons, 11 carts. Arrived at Cape Town 5th February, 1900. Two of the men died in South Africa.

Captain Dangar joined at Cape Town on 6th February, and remained with the battery for some months.

On the 15th March, 1901. Lieutenant R: G. King, with a draft of 43 sergeants and sank and file, and 19 horses, left Sydney and proceeded to South Africa, where he joined the battery, and was posted for duty, with the section under Captain Antill, serving with Colonel Williams’ column in Transvaal.

The battery having completed about 13 months' arduous service, was ordered home, and the various sections (which had been detached for special duty indifferent parts of the country), having re-united, the embarkation took place on the transport Harlech Castle on 12th August, 1901, arriving at Sydney on 18th September ; having called at Albany, Adelaide, and Melbourne on the passage.

Service

"A" Battery, soon after its arrival in South Africa, joined General Settle's column, which was then engaged in clearing the districts of Prieska, Kenhardt, and Goodania, in north-western Cape Colony.

In December, 1900, the left section joined Colonel Crabbe’s column, then operating on the Orange River, and remained with him until March, 1901, taking part in the chase after De Wet in the Hopetoun district. Was instrumental in capturing De Wet's guns north of Pompean Pan in February. Also attached to Colonel GrenfeIl's column in Graff Reinet district, operating against Commandants Malan and Kritzinger.

The battery was subsequently employed in the Transvaal with Colonel Williams' and Colonel Remington’s columns, and took part iii the operations against the commandoes then in the field.

It was unfortunate that the battery, from beginning to end, was split up, and be hardly served at all as a complete unit. Colonel Smith observes in his diary, 25th October, 1900:- " My battery now has its right section at Vryburg, its left at Prieska, and the centre here (Upington), thus covering a front of 360 miles." The sections, however, individually did especially good service.

Further Reading:

"A" Battery, Royal Australian Artillery, New South Wales, Roll of Honour

Citation: "A" Battery, Royal Australian Artillery, New South Wales, Outline

Posted by Project Leader at 12:01 AM EAST

Updated: Tuesday, 12 July 2011 10:40 PM EADT

"A" Battery, Royal Australian Artillery, New South Wales

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Friday, 12 December 2003

"A" Battery, Royal Australian Artillery, New South Wales, Nominal Roll
Topic: BW - NSW - A Bty RAA

"A" Bty RAA(NSW)
"A" Battery, Royal Australian Artillery, New South Wales

Nominal Roll

Murray, P. L., Official Records of the Australian Military Contingents to the War in South Africa, pp. 53 - 56.

"A" Battery, Royal Australian Artillery, New South Wales

2336 Corporal John ABBOTT

1134 Gunner Charles John ABDY

2871 Driver John McNabb ABEL

3043 Gunner GA ALLEN

3111 Driver AJ ANDERSON

2819 Driver Charles ANDERSON

Lieutenant Edward Augustus ANTILL

2799 Gunner Charles APLIN

2916 Driver Charles Amery ARTHUR

2483 Gunner Harry William BAILEY

2656 Driver Arthur Sydney BARRETT

2297 Driver Henry John BASTIN

2401 Corporal WJ BATTEN

Hon. Major Ernest C BECK

2974 Driver Maurice James BEHAN

2513 Gunner Charles Alfred BENNETT

2535 Corporal Colin BLACK

3053 Acting Bombardier WT BOURKE

2933 Driver George BRADLEY

2922 Driver Arthur Albert BRAIN

2901 Driver Neil William BREEN

2300 Sergeant John BRIDGE

2655 Driver Henry Gilbert BROOK

2646 Gunner William John BROWN

2841 Driver Douglas BROWNFIELD

1296 Gunner William BRUSH

1295 Wheelwright Sergeant William BUFFERY

2945 Driver William James BULTITUDE

2958 Driver Cyril Theodore BURKETT

2893 Driver John Edward BURROWS

3046 Driver SP BUSH

2495 Driver George James BUTT

3000 Acting Bombardier TH CALLAN

2724 Gunner George CAMPBELL

2833 Gunner Charles CARRADUS

2878 Driver Charles CEDERBERG

Lieutenant Sydney Ernest CHRISTIAN

2668 Gunner William Ernest CLARE

2751 Gunner Patrick James CLARKE

2975 Driver William COGGINS

1426 Sergeant Robert COLBOURNE

304 Battery Sergeant Major William COLEMAN

2836 Acting Bombardier Frederick Jocelyn COLLESS

COLLINS

2976 Driver John COLTER

2895 Driver John CONNELL

2981 Acting Bombardier W CONNOCHIE

3143 Driver F COOKE

2834 Gunner Edward COTTER

3128 Driver EH COULCHER

2665 Acting Bombardier Charles COWBURN

2650 Gunner Edward DARK

2713 Gunner James DECLOUET

2459 Driver Arch. Henry DONALDSON

2716 Gunner Reginald DUNN

3022 Driver WH EASTERBROOK

2708 Gunner Walter EDWARDS

3155 Driver ECB ELLIS

2809 Acting Bombardier Frank FAIRLAMB

2037 Trumpeter William FARRELL

2855 Gunner Frederick FISHER

2313 Driver Percy Charles FLOWER

1090 Gunner George FORREST

2854 Driver Charles GALLAGHER

2883 Driver Clifford Stephen GARDINER

1716 Driver Ambrose GAZZARD

2937 Driver Edward GILL

2908 Trumpeter Leonard Percival GILLARD

2798 Driver Thomas Michael GILLARD

2978 Driver William J GILMORE

2260 Gunner Cornelius GILSHANNON

2485 Bombardier John GLEESON

2610 Gunner Bernard GOWING

3047 Driver WJ GUNNING

2977 Driver Harry James GURD

2589 Gunner William Frank HADFIELD

2689 Gunner William HAMILTON

2969 Gunner James HANNEY

2826 Gunner John HART

2884 Gunner Albert Thomas HATTER

2904 Gunner William James HENEBURY

2929 Gunner E HESSIAN

2728 Acting Bombardier I HEWITT

2583 Gunner Claude HIBBERD

3141 Driver J HICKEY

2851 Gunner Walter HICKEY

2667 Bombardier George HICKS

2523 Corporal Richard HIGGINS

2774 Gunner Arthur Chilton HILL

2647 Gunner Alfred HINDS

2649 Gunner Joseph HINDS

2740 Gunner William HODSON

2892 Gunner Owen Eugene Joseph HOGAN

1662 Sergeant Thomas HOLLAND

2240 Gunner James HOLMES

3067 Gunner HJ HORNE

3139 Gunner H HOWARTH

2906 Gunner Horace Maitland HOWARTH

2952 Gunner Patrick John HOWE

2832 Gunner George Russell HUGHES

2885 Gunner Thomas Russell HUGHES

2857 Gunner Alexander Robert IVES

2351 Collar maker Sergeant Thomas JANSEN

3182 Driver J JOHNSTON

2971 Driver Septimus JONES

2914 Gunner Walter Thomas JONES

3016 Acting Bombardier B KAVANAGH

2429 Sergeant C KELAHER

2442 Gunner Michael KELLY

814 Sergeant John Dunne KENNEDY

2600 Gunner James Daniel KENNELLY

2864 Gunner Arthur Luxmore KING

Lieutenant Robert Guy Cyril KING

2548 Gunner William KNIGHT

3026 Gunner C KREMER

2072 Gunner Gerald George LA TOUCHE

3021 Driver H LANE

2298 Driver William Charles LANG

2815 Gunner Alfred Henry LAWRENCE

2226 Sergeant Robert LAWRIE

2493 Acting Bombardier George Sebastian LEAPE

2746 Gunner Herbert Henry LEONARD

2732 Gunner J LEONARD

2415 Gunner FC LINDSELL

2927 Driver Ernest Escott LOCKE

2894 Gunner Laurence LOVEDAY

2882 Gunner Philip James LYNCH

3124 Gunner CP MACDONNELL

3008 Driver JH MACKAY

Captain George Archibald MARSHALL

2687 Gunner William MCCARTHY

3100 Gunner AH MCCAULEY

2598 Gunner William Henry MCCORMACK

2874 Gunner Martin MCDONNELL

2496 Acting Bombardier Ed. Spencer MCELWEE

2759 Gunner Patrick MCFARLANE

2435 Gunner James John MCGRATH

2683 Acting Bombardier John T MCKENZIE

2897 Acting Bombardier H MCLAURIN

2691 Acting Bombardier David MCLEAN

2972 Driver James MCLEAN

2533 Corporal John MCLEOD

3069 Gunner A MCMAUGH

2898 Gunner Fred. Arthur MCWILLIAMS

2903 Driver George Edward MILWOOD

2800 Gunner Philip Charles MOHR

3013 Driver C MORAN

2900 Gunner Arthur Thomas MORRIS

3138 Driver JM MULHEARN

2606 Gunner John MULLEN

2382 Gunner Cameron MURRAY

2930 Gunner Claude MURRAY

2552 Driver Ernest Edward MURRAY

2949 Gunner Wilfred J O'BRIEN

2844 Gunner Walter O'TOOLE

2973 Driver Herbert PARKER

2915 Gunner Augustus PERRIN

2859 Gunner David PHEENEY

2466 Corporal Arthur PORTEUS

2860 Gunner Ernest PUGH

2534 Driver James QUINN

2673 Gunner Samuel RALPHS

2846 Acting Bombardier E RANDALL

1200 Brigade Quartermaster Sergeant George RAUCHLE

2530 Gunner Patrick REILLY

2872 Driver Percy RICE

3146 Driver W RICE

2599 Gunner Leo RIDGE

2014 Driver Fred. William RIDGWAY

2727 Gunner William Travers RINGWOOD

2666 Driver Donald ROBERTSON

2935 Gunner TR ROBINSON

2605 Farrier Sergeant Matthew ROSS

2910 Driver Thomas ROSSI

2567 Gunner John RYAN

2791 Driver William SARE

2153 Driver James SEAGE

2965 Driver Jeremiah Charles SELMES

2699 Acting Bombadier H SERCOMBE

2871 Driver Samuel George SEWARD

2614 Gunner George SEYMOUR

2211 Corporal Robert SHANKLAND

3020 Driver P SHARPE

2721 Gunner Michael James SHEEDY

2616 Gunner William SIMON

2601 Gunner John Peter Paul SKALLA

2332 Gunner Richard Daniel SKUSE

2410 Gunner Samuel SMITH

Colonel Sydenham Campbell Urquhart SMITH

2766 Gunner Henry Edward SMYTH

3017 Driver RJ STEPHENSON

2642 Gunner Edward STEWARD

2189 Gunner John Neil STEWART

2928 Driver George Wm STOPP

2853 Gunner And. STURROCK

Lieutenant Henry St. John SWEETLAND

675 Gunner George SYKES

Lieutenant Herbert James Cox TAYLOR

2775 Gunner Algernon THORNTON

2865 Gunner Arthur Ashton TOWNSEND

2966 Driver James Walter TREVENAR

2213 Gunner Thomas Charles TRISTRAM

2754 Gunner James TURNER

2202 Gunner John VALENTINE

3031 Driver FJ VERDON

2086 Driver William Charles VINCENT

3123 Gunner H VLAEMINCK

1569 Gunner John WAKERLEY

2932 Driver Joseph Grafton WALSH

3034 Gunner LC WALSH

2862 Gunner Walter WARNER

3045 Driver GA WATKINS

2967 Driver William Harry WATSON

3078 Gunner T WEAVER

2968 Driver James WHEELER

2310 Driver Arthur WHITBREAD

2603 Gunner Alfred Richard WHITE

2888 Gunner John WHITE

2863 Gunner Joseph WHITE

116 Driver John WHITTON

1613 Gunner William WILLIS

2551 Gunner Charles Richard WILSON

2979 Driver William WISEMAN

3005 Driver EA WITHERS

3030 Driver AH WONSON

2941 Driver Colin Campbell WOODWARD

3136 Gunner E YOUNGER

3120 Gunner T YOUNGER

Further Reading:

"A" Battery, Royal Australian Artillery, New South Wales, Roll of Honour

Citation: "A" Battery, Royal Australian Artillery, New South Wales, Nominal Roll

Posted by Project Leader at 12:01 AM EAST

Updated: Tuesday, 12 July 2011 5:51 PM EADT

"A" Battery, Royal Australian Artillery

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Thursday, 11 December 2003

Boer War, 1899 - 1902, Australian Forces, "A" Battery, Royal Australian Artillery, Roll of Honour
Topic: BW - NSW - A Bty RAA

Boer War, 1899 - 1902

Australian Forces

Roll of Honour

"A" Battery, Royal Australian Artillery

Poppies on the Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial, Canberra

The Roll of Honour contains the names of all the men known to have served at one time with the "A" Battery, Royal Australian Artillery and gave their lives in service of Australia, whether as part of the "A" Battery, Royal Australian Artillery or another unit during the Boer War.

Roll of Honour

Walter EDWARDS

Bernard GOWING

J T MCKENZIE

Lest we forget

Further Reading:

Citation: "A" Battery, Royal Australian Artillery, New South Wales, Roll of Honour

Posted by Project Leader at 12:01 AM EAST

Updated: Monday, 10 May 2010 6:24 PM EADT