Question about abbreviations

[The Prussian]

Hello!

I just have a simple question about two stamps upon british medals.

I have british war medal, stamped R.A. and a 1914-15 star stamped R.F.A.

Is there a difference between Royal Artillery and Royal Field Artillerie? I couldn´t find R.F.A. in the abbreviations-index of the National Achive.

Thanks a lot in advance!

[Mervyn Mitton]

Royal Field Artillery were the fast moving horse drawn guns. They had a long history .

[paul wood]

And lets not forget the the RHA.

Paul

[Aberdeen Medals]

The Royal Regiment of Artillery (RA) was comprised of three distinct elements as under;

- Royal Horse Artillery (R.H.A.)

- Royal Field Artillery (R.F.A.)

- Royal Garrison Artillery (R.G.A.)

With regards to the naming protocols adopted for issuance of the Great War campaigns medals to British arillerymen, the 1914 and 1914-15 Stars were mostly issued showing the respective branch of artillery, i.e., R.H.A, R.F.A. or R.G.A., while the British War and Interallied Victory Medals were named to the Regiment, i.e. R.A.

Basis above, your recipient of the 1914-15 Star to the R.F.A., would also have been entitled to a further pair of medals comprising British War Medal and Interallied Victory Medal, these latter if issued, being named abbreviated to R.A.

[The Prussian]

Thank you very much for the informations, mates!

I stil have one more question. In Germany we had field-artillery and foot-artillery. Both were drawn by horses or later by lorry. The difference was the calibre (lower or more than 10,5cm).

By example the british 8" howitzer, Mk VI (203,2cm). Was ist field- or horse-artillery or foot-artillery? If foot-artillery, which abbreviation would be used for the medals, please?

[peter monahan]

The Royal Field Artillery, which existed as a separate element within the RA from 1899 to 1927, manned the 'medium' artillery, which in 1914-8 included howitzers, heavy mortars and guns up to at least the 18 pounders. In fact, the 18 lber was the backbone of the RFA in the Great war, being replaced after the War by the 25 pounder, which was used through WWII.

The RFA was organized in Brigades, which generally, I believe, contained artillery of a common calibre. For example, the 6th Brigade was designated "6th (Howitzer) Brigade, as were the 12th and 18th Brigades.

Here is a useful site: http://www.1914-1918.net/cra.htm

Edited January 25, 2013 by peter monahan

[The Prussian]

Ah, all right!

That makes it clearly.Thank you very much! I was confused, because in a german book about international artillery, the british artillery was divided in

Light artillery (up to the 127mm)

Medium artillery (up to 152mm)

Heavy artillery (more than 183mm)