Author Topic: Gun drill  (Read 569 times)

Offline miggymog

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Gun drill
« on: Thursday 08 May 14 14:34 BST (UK) »
I have an ancestor's tankard engraved with the following:

"1st Artillery Brigade Volunteer 1st Ld A.V. 1877.  3rd Brigade prize for Gun Drill won by Gunner Hunt."

Would this refer to a field gun and would it be similar to those used during WW1?   I would really like to know if he might have been involved in any conflict around 1877.    Although I have a photograph of Gunner Hunt I have never been able to positively identify his uniform.

Any help would be most appreciated.

Margery

Offline km1971

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Re: Gun drill
« Reply #1 on: Thursday 08 May 14 15:06 BST (UK) »
Hi Margery

As a Volunteer he would only attend one evening a week, plus a few weekends and a two week summer camp. So he would not have served overseas. Records for Volunteers have almost certainly been destroyed. So you are lucky you have the tankard. Otherwise you would not know he served.

Where did he live? As to attend one evening a week he probably lived locally. The Court pages of Kelly's/Gores/Post Office Directories will probably include an entry for all the Volunteers in the area.

This could be them - The enthusiasm of the Volunteer movement in 1859 and subsequent years saw the creation of many Rifle, Artillery and Engineer Volunteer units composed of part-time soldiers eager to supplement the Regular British Army in time of need. The 1st London (City) Artillery Volunteer Corps (AVC) was first raised in the City of London on 15 April 1863, with its HQ and five (later six) batteries at 5 Farringdon Road. The titles '1st London' and 'City of London' were used interchangeably throughout the unit's history. As one of the later AVCs raised, the 1st Londons ranked 61st (later 65th) in order of precedence. The first Commanding Officer was Captain (later Lieutenant-Colonel) John Walmisley (1818–90), a London solicitor, famous oarsman and former officer in the Honourable Artillery Company. The unit's first Honorary Colonel was HRH Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh.
 
In 1873 the 1st London AVC became part of the 1st Administrative Brigade of Middlesex Artillery Volunteers under the command of Walmisley. AVCs proved expensive to maintain, and the Secretary of State for War, Edward Cardwell refused to pay for the upkeep of horses, harness and field-guns from the annual capitation grant. As a result, many Volunteer Field artillery units were wound up in the 1870s and the two batteries of the 1st Middlesex (Hanover Square) AVC were absorbed into the 1st London. In 1883 the 1st London also absorbed the 1st Surrey AVC, and by now it had 16 batteries around the City and County of London (Nos 1–3 and 8 at Camberwell; Nos 4, 9, 11 and 13–16 at the HQ at the Barbican; No 5 at Peckham; No 6 at Norwood; No 7 at Tooting; No 10 at Kilburn; No 12 at Shepherd's Bush). At first the brigade had consisted of Horse and Field artillery batteries, but now the 16 batteries became Garrison Artillery companies, divided into two wings, each commanded by a lieutenant-colonel. This made it one of the strongest brigades in the country, at one time boasting a strength of over 1500 volunteers.

Source - Wikipedia

He could not be in both the 1st Brigade and 3rd Brigade, so I think it was 3rd prize he received.

Regarding the size of field gun as it does not give his battery he could have been either horse artillery or field artillery. About this time the British army reverted to muzzle loaders to save money. Volunteers and the other part-timers (the Militia) would be at the back of the queue, so he probably used a Crimean War vintage piece. The size depending upon if he was horse or field

Ken

Offline miggymog

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Re: Gun drill
« Reply #2 on: Friday 09 May 14 16:30 BST (UK) »
Ken,

Thank you so much for your very informative reply.   My gt. grandfather was living either in Paddington or Kilburn during the period 1871/1881 and I believe he was a Gilder.

What a pity his christian name wasn't included in the inscription on the mug!

I now have an idea of what volunteering involved and I will now look at the Kelly's Office Directories to see if I can find any information - thank you for that suggestion.

Margery

Offline km1971

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Re: Gun drill
« Reply #3 on: Friday 09 May 14 18:31 BST (UK) »
Hi Margery

Just reread my last and I hope you are not expecting a list of all Volunteers in the directory. I meant all Volunteer units will be listed, ie their headquarters.

Ken