Calcutta Volunteer Battery: Difference between revisions

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The Commonwealth War Graves Commission  lists three deaths in Africa where the regiment is listed as Indian Defence Force Artillery Calcutta Volunteer Bty., Calcutta Port Defence Volunteer Corps.  
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission  lists three deaths in Africa where the regiment is listed as Indian Defence Force Artillery Calcutta Volunteer Bty., Calcutta Port Defence Volunteer Corps.  


There is also one death listed on the Basra Memorial where the regiment is listed as Indian Defence Force Artillery, 1st (Calcutta Port Defence) Group Garrison Artillery. Another death is listed at the Baghdad (North Gate) War Cemetery.  These men fought in Mesopotamia as part of the  [[Volunteer Artillery Battery]] who fought at Kut<ref>charlie962 [http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?/topic/225519-online-1916-article-re-calcutta-volunteer-battery-artillery-east-afr/&do=findComment&comment=2507107 Online 1916 article re Calcutta Volunteer Battery] ''Great War Forum'' 22 March 2017. Retrieved 23 March 2017.</ref> and became Prisoners of War  -  see [[Prisoners of the Turks (First World War)]].
There is also one death listed on the Basra Memorial where the regiment is listed as Indian Defence Force Artillery, 1st (Calcutta Port Defence) Group Garrison Artillery. Another death is listed at the Baghdad (North Gate) War Cemetery.  These men fought in Mesopotamia as part of the  [[Volunteer Artillery Battery]] who fought at Kut<ref>charlie962 [https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/225519-online-1916-article-re-calcutta-volunteer-battery-artillery-east-afr/?do=findComment&comment=2507107 Online 1916 article re Calcutta Volunteer Battery] ''Great War Forum'' 22 March 2017. Retrieved 17 October 2019.</ref> and became Prisoners of War  -  see [[Prisoners of the Turks (First World War)]].


There is a War Diary for service in Palestine, April 1917 to December 1918. In July 1917, when stationed at El Arish (Arish), Egypt, (this part of) the Calcutta Volunteer Battery was renamed 204th "Calcutta" Battery RGA <ref>Porter, David [http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=225519&p=2237636 Online 1916 article re Calcutta Volunteer Battery] ''Great War Forum'' 11 March 2015. Retrieved 15 March 2015</ref>
There is a War Diary for service in Palestine, April 1917 to December 1918. In July 1917, when stationed at El Arish (Arish), Egypt, (this part of) the Calcutta Volunteer Battery was renamed 204th "Calcutta" Battery RGA <ref>Porter, David [https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/225519-online-1916-article-re-calcutta-volunteer-battery-artillery-east-afr/?do=findComment&comment=2237636 Online 1916 article re Calcutta Volunteer Battery] ''Great War Forum'' 12 March 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2019.</ref>


'''Note''': For some Army record purposes, it seems this Battery had no formal existence, and the men are regarded as part of their original Volunteer Regiments.
'''Note''': For some Army record purposes, it seems this Battery had no formal existence, and the men are regarded as part of their original Volunteer Regiments.
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==Records==
==Records==
*National Archives catalogue reference [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7247323 WO 329/2939 Calcutta Volunteer Battery, East Africa miscellaneous: medal rolls. 1914-15 Star]. This database is on Ancestry.
*National Archives catalogue reference [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7247323 WO 329/2939 Calcutta Volunteer Battery, East Africa miscellaneous: medal rolls. 1914-15 Star]. This database is on Ancestry.
*Ancestry database for the British War Medal and Victory Medal roll, Indian Army/ The Cal.Port Def. Garr.Arty. AF page 494 (of 618) contains a list of names for Mesopotamia and  East Africa, and pages 431 and 432 are stated to have  more Calcutta Artillery Volunteers for Africa.<ref>charlie962 [http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?/topic/225519-online-1916-article-re-calcutta-volunteer-battery-artillery-east-afr/&do=findComment&comment=2507288 Online 1916 article re Calcutta Volunteer Battery [Artillery<nowiki>]</nowiki>-East Afr] ''Great War Forum'' 23 March 2017. Retrieved 26 March 2017.</ref> This appears to be TNA catalogue reference WO 329/2384.
*Ancestry database for the British War Medal and Victory Medal roll, Indian Army/ The Cal.Port Def. Garr.Arty. AF page 494 (of 618) contains a list of names for Mesopotamia and  East Africa, and pages 431 and 432 are stated to have  more Calcutta Artillery Volunteers for Africa.<ref>charlie962 [https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/225519-online-1916-article-re-calcutta-volunteer-battery-artillery-east-afr/?do=findComment&comment=2507288 Online 1916 article re Calcutta Volunteer Battery [Artillery<nowiki>]</nowiki>-East Afr] ''Great War Forum'' 24 March 2017. Retrieved 17 October 2019.</ref> This appears to be TNA catalogue reference WO 329/2384.
*National Archives catalogue reference [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7360107  WO 95/4728 War Diary: Lines of communication Palestine: 204 Calcutta Battery Royal Garrison Artillery 1917 Apr. - 1918 Dec.]
*National Archives catalogue reference [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7360107  WO 95/4728 War Diary: Lines of communication Palestine: 204 Calcutta Battery Royal Garrison Artillery 1917 Apr. - 1918 Dec.]
*''Seventeenth Annual Report of the Calcutta Port Defence Volunteer Corps, season 1915-1916'' is available at the [[British Library]]. This may '''possibly''' contain a reference to those serving overseas.
*''Seventeenth Annual Report of the Calcutta Port Defence Volunteer Corps, season 1915-1916'' is available at the [[British Library]]. This may '''possibly''' contain a reference to those serving overseas.
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*[http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19161205.2.7.aspx "Calcutta Contingent. Splendid Services in East Africa Stirring Experiences"] ''The Straits Times'', 5 December 1916, Page 3 Newspapers SG
*[http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19161205.2.7.aspx "Calcutta Contingent. Splendid Services in East Africa Stirring Experiences"] ''The Straits Times'', 5 December 1916, Page 3 Newspapers SG
*[http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=FS19170224.2.30 "Seven Lions"] ''Feilding Star'', Volume XIII, Issue 3176, 24 February 1917, Page 4. Comments by a member of the Calcutta Volunteer Battery re East Africa. paperspast.natlib.govt.nz
*[http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=FS19170224.2.30 "Seven Lions"] ''Feilding Star'', Volume XIII, Issue 3176, 24 February 1917, Page 4. Comments by a member of the Calcutta Volunteer Battery re East Africa. paperspast.natlib.govt.nz
*[http://www.westernfrontassociation.com/the-great-war/great-war-on-land/other-war-theatres/1072-indian-volunteers-in-the-great-war-east-african-campaign.html  "Indian Volunteers in the Great War East African Campaign"] by Harry Fecitt. Western Front Association.  
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20170302195115/http://www.westernfrontassociation.com/the-great-war/great-war-on-land/other-war-theatres/1072-indian-volunteers-in-the-great-war-east-african-campaign.html  Indian Volunteers in the Great War East African Campaign] by Harry Fecitt, now an archived webpage. Western Front Association.
*1916 Photograph: Calcutta Volunteer Battery with a 12 pounder gun, Bura Camp, Kenya, East Africa, during WW1. Select image 33 from the [http://www.maryevans.com//lb.php?ref=36057  On Call in Africa Collection] Mary Evans Picture Library.
*[http://www.kaiserscross.com/188001/524201.html  The 29th Punjabis in  British East Africa: September to December 1914] by Harry Fecitt. Harry’s Africa kaiserscross.com. Contains a brief reference to the Cossipore Artillery Volunteers  (Calcutta Volunteer Battery)
*[http://www.kaiserscross.com/188001/524201.html  The 29th Punjabis in  British East Africa: September to December 1914] by Harry Fecitt. Harry’s Africa kaiserscross.com. Contains a brief reference to the Cossipore Artillery Volunteers  (Calcutta Volunteer Battery)
*CWGC record: [http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1422800/PACEY,%20F%20A Pacey, F A]  Died between 04/08/1914 and 31/12/1914  Indian Defence Force Artillery Calcutta Bty.1st (Calcutta Port Defence) Group. Nairobi British And Indian Memorial
*CWGC record: [http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1422800/PACEY,%20F%20A Pacey, F A]  Died between 04/08/1914 and 31/12/1914  Indian Defence Force Artillery Calcutta Bty.1st (Calcutta Port Defence) Group. Nairobi British And Indian Memorial

Latest revision as of 12:30, 17 October 2019

The Calcutta Volunteer Battery was established during the First World War to serve overseas.

There appear to be three distinct groups in the Calcutta Volunteer Battery, one group which served in Africa, one which served in Mesopotamia, and one which served in Egypt and Palestine.

The group of volunteers who served in East Africa during the First World War as the Calcutta Volunteer Battery was formed from Volunteer regiments based in Calcutta, the Calcutta Port Defence Volunteers and the Cossipore Artillery Volunteers.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission lists three deaths in Africa where the regiment is listed as Indian Defence Force Artillery Calcutta Volunteer Bty., Calcutta Port Defence Volunteer Corps.

There is also one death listed on the Basra Memorial where the regiment is listed as Indian Defence Force Artillery, 1st (Calcutta Port Defence) Group Garrison Artillery. Another death is listed at the Baghdad (North Gate) War Cemetery. These men fought in Mesopotamia as part of the Volunteer Artillery Battery who fought at Kut[1] and became Prisoners of War - see Prisoners of the Turks (First World War).

There is a War Diary for service in Palestine, April 1917 to December 1918. In July 1917, when stationed at El Arish (Arish), Egypt, (this part of) the Calcutta Volunteer Battery was renamed 204th "Calcutta" Battery RGA [2]

Note: For some Army record purposes, it seems this Battery had no formal existence, and the men are regarded as part of their original Volunteer Regiments.

Also see

Records

External links

References

  1. charlie962 Online 1916 article re Calcutta Volunteer Battery Great War Forum 22 March 2017. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
  2. Porter, David Online 1916 article re Calcutta Volunteer Battery Great War Forum 12 March 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
  3. charlie962 Online 1916 article re Calcutta Volunteer Battery [Artillery]-East Afr Great War Forum 24 March 2017. Retrieved 17 October 2019.