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Thank you all for the great deal of info supplied
and for offers of help.
I will apply for his service record.
I do find some of the search sites confusing, but,
thanks to your pointers I now know how to
proceed.
Grateful to all.
Ian
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Look up your guy at:
http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/databases/cef/001042-100.01-e.php
You can get a copy of his attestation paper there.
Now look at the "search help" link.
This tells you how to send off for his service record - price is $0.40 per page + postage, so varies a lot. I paid $33 for 60+ pages posted within Canada. (My guy had an extensive medical record). This will tell you when your guy went to France, and if he was away from his unit in hospital, etc.
Now the RCHA brigade were troops at the corps level, so weren't attached to any particular Canadian division. To find out where exactly they were posted, you'll need to check out their War Diaries. Unit WDs are rather equivalent to ship's log books - most Canadian WDs are online (see search help link).
Finally, check out Nicholson's Official History of CEF at:
http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/his/oh-ho/detail-eng.asp?BfBookLang=1&BfId=22
It's a lot shorter, more readable and less fanciful than Edmonds' official British one. This will give you some idea why your guy's where he's at
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If you'd like us to look on Ancestry can you post his details?
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Royal Canadian Horse Artillery - Wikipedia, the free encyclo...
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November 1871, all British soldiers except the Halifax and Esquimalt garrisons withdrew from Canada, and Canada's most urgent defence priority became the maintenance of permanent fortifications. On 20 October 1871, the formation of two regular batteries of artillery was authorized for the "care, protection, and maintenance of Forts, Magazines, Armament and Warlike Stores recently, or about to be handed over to the Canadian Government in the Provinces of Ontario and Quebec." The Royal Canadian Horse Artillery is the direct descendant of these two regular batteries.
The two units were soon raised; A Battery was stationed at Kingston and B Battery at Quebec. Each battery was formed into two divisions: a mounted division serving as field gunners, and a dismounted division acting as garrison artillery. In addition to the heavy ordnance of the fixed fortifications, each battery was equipped with four 9-pounder smooth-bore muzzle-loading guns and two 24-pounder howitzers. The ancient 9-pounders were replaced in 1873 by new 9-pounder muzzle-loading rifled field guns.
In addition to performing normal garrison duties, the regular batteries functioned as schools of gunnery for the militia artillery. In February 1880, both schools were designated Royal Schools of Gunnery; three years later they were retitled Royal Schools of Artillery. A third battery of regulars was authorized; and, although C Battery was not formed until 1887, the three regular batteries were designated the Regiment of Canadian Artillery in 1883.
Both A and B batteries were sent West in 1885 on the outbreak of the Northwest Rebellion. A Battery, marching with General Middleton's main column, went into action at Fish Creek on 24 April, thereby becoming the first Canadian artillery unit since Confederation to fire at the enemy.
The Regiment was granted the coveted prefix Royal and titled The Royal Canadian Artillery in 1893. At the same time, it was also reorganized: the mounted divisions of the original units were formed into A and B batteries, Royal Canadian Field Artillery; the dismounted divisions and C Battery were organized as Nos. 1 and 2 companies, Royal Canadian Garrison Artillery.
The second Canadian contingent for South Africa, approved in December 1899, included a field-artillery brigade of three batteries, each armed with six 12-pounder breech-loading guns. One section of each battery was drawn from the regular gunners; the remainder was recruited from militia artillery units. The Canadian artillery gained a considerable measure of experience, prestige, and self-confidence from its very creditable performance in South Africa.
At the turn of the century, an effort was made to convertthe militia into a cohesive fighting formation. Units were grouped into brigades with supporting arms and services. A and B batteries were ordered to train as horse artillery to act with cavalry brigades. In 1905, these batteries became horse artillery in name as well as function. They were designated A and B batteries, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery, and rearmed with the new 13-pounder quick-firing gun adopted by the Royal Horse Artillery of the British Army.
The reorganization, rearming, and retraining of the gunners came just in time to prepare them for the stern test of the First World War. The Royal Canadian Horse Artillery Brigade was formed in late August and attached to the Canadian Cavalry Brigade. As the cavalry formed part of the British Cavalry Corps, the RCHA Brigade supported various British formations as well as Canadian units.
The RCHA returned to peace-time soldiering in fine style when C Battery was reconstituted and stationed at Winnipeg; but in 1922, disaster loomed when it was proposed that all horse artillery units be converted and redesignated as field artillery. Ultimately sentiment prevailed and the horse gunners were permitted to retain their traditional designation, although it lost all practical significance when the regiment was mechanized in 1930.
On the outbreak of the Second World War, the three batteries of the RCHA were formed into the 1st Field Brigade, RCHA, of the 1st Canadian Division. Shortly after their arrival in England, the artillery brigades were reorganized into field regiments, and the 1st Field Brigade became the 1st Field Regiment, RCHA. The regiment remained with the 1st Canadian Division for the duration of the war, supporting operations in Sicily, Italy, and North-West Europe.
When the regular force was reorganized after the war, the 1st Field Regiment, RCHA was formed at Camp Shilo, Manitoba. In August 1950, the Canadian government authorized the formation of an infantry brigade group to serve with the United Nations force in Korea; and a new artillery unit, the 2nd Field Regiment, RCHA was formed.13 Two additional regiments of field artillery were raised in 1951, when Canada recruited the 27th Canadian Infantry Brigade Group for service with the NATO force in Europe. The new regiments, the 79th and 81st field regiments, were subsequently redesignated the 3rd and 4th field regiments, RCHA.
In 1971, The Royal Canadian Horse Artillery celebrated 100 years of unbroken service since the raising of A and B batteries in 1871. Today the regiment continues to serve in Canada, in Europe with Canada's NATO force, and as part of Canada's continuing contribution to UN peace-keeping operations.
Uniform
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Hope this is the right spot for this.
Is there anyone out there with experience of searching
Canadian records, with special reference to the Canadian
Expeditionary Forces 1916-19. I find myself going round in
circles. My uncle joined in 1916 the Royal Canadian Horse Artillery, C Battery. Is it possible to find out where they went
in Europe and if C battery was amalgamated.
Grateful for any pointers.
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