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World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar great 1914 1918 first battalion regiment
Gnr. William Frederick Orchard
British Army Royal Horse Artillery
William Frederick Orchard was my grandfather. According to the Medal Rolls Index he first saw service in Area 3 (Egypt) 31 Mar 1915 (aged 23) as a Gunner in the Royal Horse Artillery. The same index shows him subsequently in the Royal Field Artillery. However, I believe William served in India prior to World War 1, and his medal ribbons includes what is either the Dehli Durbar Medal 1911 or the Coronation Medal 1911 to support this. I also inherited two books on the Coronation and India by Bennet/Coleman from 1912, to further support the supposition. This is alongside the 1915 Star (RHA/IAB4/292), British War Medal (RFA/349B/5016y) and Victory Medal (RFA/349B/5016y).
He was injured during WW1 by shrapnel and suffered with this in later life. Thus far I have been unable to locate his service record.
Additional Information:
Between the 9 October 1912 and the 16 November 1914 he was with the XIII Brigade. The XIII Brigade was in Mhow, India (X&Y batteries) according to British Army Order of Battle 1914. With Y Battery moving to the UK and joining up with XV Brigade in January 1915.
Between 17 Nov 1914 to 14 Mar 1915 his Service Record shows he was part of XV Brigade. Which had been formed at Leamington, Warwickshire in January 1915. Each battery was equipped with four 18 pounders each. The brigade was assigned to the 29th Division.
In March 1915, the 29th Division (including XV Brigade) embarked at Avonmouth and sailed for Alexandria (via Malta) arriving from 28 March. On 7 April, the division began re-embarking at Alexandria and sailed for Gallipoli.
Y Battery was involved in the Capture of Sedd el Bahr (26 Apr); the 1st (28 April), 2nd (6–8 May) & 3rd Battles of Krithia (4 Jun), the Battle of Gully Ravine (28 June – 2 July) and the Battle of Krithia Vineyard (6–13 August). They were evacuated from Helles between 7 and 8 January 1916).
In March 1916 the Brigade was transferred to France, landing at Marseille and reaching the Somme area (near Pont-Remy) between 15 and 29 March. The brigade remained on the Western Front for the rest of the war. Although my grandfather was admitted to hospital 5 April 1916 with leg abscesses eventually being transferred to England later that month.
Following his recovery he was assigned to X Brigade (training) based in Woolwich, before joining V Brigade in November 1917, probably just after the Battle of Paschendale.
On 20th of December 1917 he was posted to "O" Battery part of V Brigade and was involved in the Battle of Amiens in the Hundred Days Offensive which lasted between 8 Aug 1918 - 11 Nov 1918. His records showed he suffered a gun shot wound - not shrapnel, (in action) on 5 October 1918 and was again transferred back to England, where he remained in the Army Reserve. He was discharged from the army in November 1922 having completed his terms of engagement, but relinlisted the same month for another two years, finally being dicharged in Novemebr 1924.
John Orchard
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