2/1st Notts RHA

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An 18 pdr QF crew of another battery in action in the open desert of lower Mesopotamia, March 1917

The 2/1st Nottinghamshire Battery, Royal Horse Artillery (Territorial Force) was a TF horse artillery unit of the British Army active during the Great War. It was formed on 6th March 1915 as the second line unit of the 1st Notts RHA (TF). It was attached to the 2/1st Notts & Derby Mounted Brigade , which was comprised of all the new second line formations of those units forming the original Notts & Derby Mounted Brigade (TF). The new brigade formed part of 2/2nd Mounted Division. The second line TF units were initially intended for home defence, releasing the first line for service abroad. The 2/2nd Mounted was allocated to defence of the Norfolk coast (with divisional HQ based at Kings Lyn), taking over from the original 2nd Mounted Division which contained the 1st Notts battery. The batteries of the 2/2nd Mounted were equipped with the 15 pounder Breech Loading Cannon, rather than the more modern 13 pounder Quick Firing gun used by other RHA units.

The battery left its division (by now renumbered as 1st Mounted Division) in June 1917, and was sent to Mesopotamia, arriving in Basra on 13 August 1917 where it joined CCXV (1st Wessex) Brigade Royal Field Artillery (TF). Here it was re-equipped with the 18 pounder QF gun and the battery was redesignated as 816 Battery RFA (TF). On 4 October 1917 the brigade was attached to the 15th Indian Division of the British Indian Army shortly after that division had fought at the Battle of Ramadi.

In its new identity the 2/1st Notts then participated in the remainder of the Mesopotamia Campaign, and with the 15th Indian Division fought at the Occupation of Hit and the Action of Khan Baghdadi.

The 15th Indian Division was formally disbanded in March 1919, and there is no further mention of the 2/1st Notts in the official histories. Most British troops attached to Indian Army divisions in Mesopotamia found themselves in India when their divisions were disbanded/repatriated, as there was a shortage of shipping to get the men home to Britain. In April 1919 the Third Afghan War broke out, and British troops were inducted into various units to serve. At least one soldier of the 2/1st Notts is known to have fought in this war with another battery.^[1]

[edit] Notes and references

Becke, A.F. (1945). History of the Great War: Order of Battle of Divisions: Territorial Force & Mounted Divisions Pt. 2A. London HMSO.

Perry, F.W. & Becke, A.F. (1945). History of the Great War: Order of Battle of Divisions: Indian Army Divisions Pt. 5B. London HMSO. ISBN 187116723X

Moberly, F.J. (1923). Official History of the War: Mesopotamia Campaign, Imperial War Museum. ISBN 1870423305

General Staff, Indian Army (1926). The Third Afghan War 1919 Official Account, Government of India Central Publication Branch.