'Wheeler' in R.F.A.?

[oldun]

Whilst researching my father's army life as a Gunner in the RFA I am puzzled by an entry in his service papers.  This shows that he was 'Appointed Wheeler vice "Dennis" , In the Field 29/5/1916.'

I have tried to find out what a 'wheeler' was, but apart from an article describing a horse as a wheeler have had no success.

In my father's records it classes 'Wheeler' as a Specialist Military Qualification but no further information.

Please can anyone give me any further information?  Thank You.

[youngtug]

Hello Oldun. One of my uncles was a wheeler/gunner, he was also a wheelwright by trade. On his service records he has a certificate of proficiency for wheeler has a trade skill. Also on a previous thread there was a similar question;http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,425774.0.html

[oldun]

Many thanks, Youngtug.  My father was an engineer by trade but, as far as I know, had no wheelwright connection.  In the industrial West Riding of Yorkshire, machine tools were the usual forte of the engineer.

In his service notes, however, there was a reference to 'his horse' whilst training near Doncaster - he was late in bedding it out!!

On returning to the UK from France in Feb. 1919 he returned to his previous occupation as machine tool engineer.

Not many people about who remember the Royal Field Artillery, it seems to have become the Royal Artillery during the progress of the war. Only the 1914 -1915 star amongst his medals is inscribed R.F.A. The other two are inscribed R.A.

Thanks again,  there may still be someone who remembers!

[battiscombe]

I think the Wheeler would be a skilled 'gunner', along with Saddlers, Shoeing Smiths etc to keep horseborne artillery (as they largely were) mobile. you could then be a sheoing smith corporal, wheeler serjeant etc if promoted .. each battery had a complement of such specialists to repair gun and limber wheels and associated mechanics, damaged in the field. His technical skills would fit with that i would think, if possibly moving towards more mechanised transport by the end of the war. Prewar records (at least) record examinations to qualify as a Wheeler, shoeing smith etc .. i guess with some additional pay..
It is normal for general war medals to simply have RA and star medals of 1914 or 195 to have RFA, RGA or RHA - I think that by the time the general war medals were issued (1920?) all were listed as RA
 .. my grandad was regular prewar RFA, and keen to point out that difference.
Records of appointments in service records commonly record who the man was who was replaced (i.e. Denniss)

[oldun]

Many thanks Battiscombe for your reply.  Your comment about his technical skills as an engineer certainly seems a good link.

In the limited records which I have for my father, 'Wheeler' is shown as a 'Specialist Military Qualification', although there is no record of any pay increase at the time of the appointment.

There is a record of being granted 'Proficiency Pay Class 1' in the field, on 1st July 1915, just 3 months after arriving in France, but his appointment as Wheeler was not until 29th May 1916.

Again, thanks for your observations, it is very difficult at this distance to find any definitive knowledge of events at the time.  As I was only 18 months old when my father died in 1930, I had no opportunity to ask about any of his army life and my mother was very reticent to speak about it.

[km1971]

'Vice' means replacing. So he replaced the previous wheeler who was called Dennis. To get the promotion he would have had to have been properly qualified, but then wait for a vacancy to arise.
Each battery had two wheelers - http://www.1914-1918.net/whatartbrig.htm

Ken

[oldun]

Thank you very much Ken, for the information.  The link was particularly useful, as I have managed to trace my father's war service zone with the 2nd W.R. Brigade in the 49th Division.  I was unaware of the battles in which he may have been involved and the link you gave highlights some of these.  It also gives a possible answer to a family question.

My father died from double pneumonia and it has always been thought that he may have been involved in one of the gas attacks in France thereby weakening his lungs.  This would now appear to be a distinct probability, as I followed the links through to the Phosgene attack of December 1915, where the 49th Div. was operating at the time

Thank you for your help, not only with the question of 'Wheeler', but also for the help with an unstated question!    Roy