Cardigan Battery, Royal Field Artillery

The Cardigan Battery, Royal Field Artillery was a Territorial unit which had been formed during 1908 out of pre-existing volunteer units. Based, as the name suggests, in Cardiganshire, it drew its recruits mainly from the town of Aberystwyth. The battery formed, along with the 3rd and 4th Glamorgan Batteries and the 2nd Welsh Ammunition Column, the 2nd Welsh Brigade, Royal Field Artillery of the 53rd (Welsh) Division.

Mobilized in August 1914 the battery, as with all Territorial units, was manned by men who had volunteered for service at home and had no obligation for overseas service. Due to the expansion of the army and the Territorial Force and the forming of a second Welsh TA division, the 68th (2nd Welsh) Division, the 2nd Welsh Brigade was designated the 1st/2nd Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, while its second line unit, raised in Cardiff on 14 September 1914, became the 2nd/2nd  Brigade, Royal Field Artillery. The Cardigan Battery concentrated with the 53rd Division in the area of Bedford and Northampton soon after mobilisation and later moved to Norfolk and Suffolk. The 69th Division reached Bedford and Northampton by 29 April 1915.

The Divisional Artillery did not leave England when the 53rd Division embarked for service at Gallipoli during July 1915. It remained at Bedford and was rearmed before embarking for France from 20 November 1915 and concentrating near Pont Remy. The battery enttrained on 1 February 1916 for Marseilles, where it sailed for Egypt. By 22 February 1916 the artillery had concentrated at Beni Salama and came once again under command of the 53rd Division. It then fought with the division during its long and arduous campaign in Egypt, Palestine and Syria.

Casualties of the Cardigan Battery

The Cardigan Battery was exceedingly lucky to suffer very few casualties during the war., suffering the loss of only thirty one known men. Only six of these died while actually serving with the Battery: the remainder had since transferred to others. These men are shown below. If any more are discovered, this list will be updated.