223780 Dvr. Raymond Adolphus Coomber British Army 6th (London) Brigade. Royal Field Artillery My grandfather, Raymond Adolphus Coomber, was born in 1875 and, prior to the start of The Great War, lived in the East Brixton area of South London, not far from Holland Road, where the Headquarters of 6th London Brigade of the Royal Field Artillery was based.
I believe that he joined this unit at some time before 1914 as a driver, and later was badly injured when a horse he was riding fell, rolling on him and breaking both of his legs. I do not know whether this was an accident or if it happened as a result of enemy action.
Two photographs exist of him in uniform. One is with my grandmother and shows a smart soldier wearing spurs and carrying a riding crop. The other is taken from a postcard (he is 7th from the left in the front rank) which shows artillerymen in various scruffy uniforms and headgear. The back of the postcard is stamped High Wycombe. I suspect that this picture could have been taken after he recovered from his injuries and was sent to a reserve unit.
The only souvenir I have of his military service is a very large kitchen knife with the War Dept. arrow stamped on the wooden handle. So perhaps he was not only a driver, but also the battery cook.
|