Designations within the 14th Field Brigade, RA

[Stirrick]

I have a soldier who served with the 14th Field Brigade, RA in India between 1926 and 1930.
However some of the Brigade's Battery designations have got me stumped.

I believe (?) that the 14th Bde comprised the 39th, 68th, 88th Batteries at this time.

He was posted to the 14th in Feb 1926 but presumably first had to take passage out to India. After his arrival (?) in March,1926 he was posted to the 38/14th Field Battery. Does this signify the 38th Battery in the 14th Brigade ? Or a combined 38th & 14th Batteries ? And when did these become part of the 14th Bde ?

In March,1929, he was transferred to the 38/61st Field Battery. Again, is this a combined 38th and 61st Battery ? But still in the 14th Bde ?

I'd be grateful if a more knowledgable head could put me on the right path.

[Andy J2022]

The designations mean the XX battery of the YY Brigade. The Battery he was posted to was the 38 (Seringapatam) Battery first raised in 1768 and disbanded in 2018. During its existence it formed part of several field brigades and later field regiments.

[BushInn1746]

A search of year 1925 only ...

Civil and Military Gazette (Lahore), Lahore, Pakistan, 24th November 1925

THE Officers, 14th Brigade, Royal Artillery Mess, Lytton Road, Quetta, give Notice that they will not be responsible for any debts contracted in their names by Khansamah or Mess Staff.

It doesn't answer your question, but seems to give a late 1925 location.

Mark

[BushInn1746]

Civil and Military Gazette (Lahore), Lahore, Pakistan, 20th August 1926

QUETTA POLO.
CADET COLLEGE CUP.
THE SEMI-FINALS.
Quetta, Aug. 18.

The semi-finals of the Quetta Cadet College Cup Polo Tournament were played off to-day, in pleasant weather, and before a fair number of spectators. The first match was between the 14th Field Brigade, R. A. and O. B. Play started level on the handicap and the Artillery won by five goals to one. The umpires were Captains Loup and Thompson.
   The second match was between the 18th K. E. O. Cavalry and the Remnants. ...

The umpires were Major Cox and Fitzgerald.

Mark

[Stirrick]

Thanks, Mark, I'd seen conflicting reports of when the 14th arrived in India, so it's nice to know that it was definitely already there when our man arrived.

And thanks for that, Andy. That makes sense - our man remained with the 38th Field Battery throughout his time in India. But this moved from the 14th to the 61st Field Brigade in March,1929.

I found it hard to locate anything online about Brigades and Batteries in the inter-war years. I couldn't find anything at all on the 61st.

Thanks again.

[Andy J2022]

There is a large handful of books on the history of the Royal Artillery, but I don't know of any particular one to recommend for the interwar period. Unfortunately the Royal Artillery Museum is in a state of flux and the archive staff are not currently accepting new enquiries, but it is possible to visit in person and carry out research. The archive is held at Larkhill on Salisbury Plain. However I think a phone call might be worth trying, just to ask about how much information they hold about the deployment and activities of 38 Battery for the period you are interested in. In particular you would need to consult the Battery Digests of Service (peacetime details of the activities of individual Batteries, c.1890-1939). I would also suggest that the archive of The Gunner magazine would be worth checking out, both for the details about the Battery in general, and also on the off-chance that your man got a mention, perhaps as the member of a sports team or attending a social event. Unfortunately the Imperial War Museum doesn't hold any copies of The Gunner magazine for the period 1921-1929.
Other possible sources here: https://www.thegunners.org.uk/heritage/