Thanks to Max D I was able to access the West Yorkshire Heavy battery through the archives. (They are free at the moment.) I am reading them & transcribing them to follow a relative through to his death in 1917 at Poziers. Not much was left of his records but I have found bits, such as the date of his disembarkation in France and the manner of his death. Using what I know I am following the West Yorks. Already through the diaries I know they left Lumley Barracks, York (he lived there, so joined locally) and marched to Hedon near Hull leaving the guns on the racecourse (Gt. Gran always said they billeted on a racecourse before going to France, now I know which one). I know which ship he sailed on & that he went with the first troops from the West Yorks (using his date of disembarkation), so I have learnt a lot just through the first 10 pages, including that the government water troughs were rubbish and rotted after 3 months.
My question is: What is an artifcer? I found it difficult to read, they were listed with the no. of men on the 4th August 1914. There were 12 of them and they came after the officers and sergeants and before the trumpeters and other ranks. This was a heavy battery with guns and horses, was he something to do with them.
Thank you in anticipation.
Louise
