4th South Midland (Howitzer) - 243 Brigade Royal Field Artillery This site commemorates the 4th South Midland Brigade of the Royal Field Artillery which was composed of the 4th Warwickshire Howitzer Battery (based in Coventry), the 5th Warwickshire Howitzer Battery (based in Rugby) and its ammunition column. Please scroll down this Home page for a history. 
The men and horses of the 4th South Midland Brigade,
 from Rugby and Coventry, Warwickshire, trained together in the Territorial Army prior to 1914 and served together until their Brigade was dispersed in the artillery reorganisation of 18 May 1916. They were led by my grandfather, Francis West (right). In February 1916 the 4th South Midland Brigade was enlarged to three batteries with the addition of the D Howitzer Battery of 126 Brigade.
In May 1916 Brigades in the British Artillery were renumbered. The 4th South Midland became 243 Brigade, but its men were scattered.
The Howitzer Brigades were split up and their guns, officers, men and support staff redistributed to Brigades previously armed with 18 pounder guns. The 4th Howitzer Battery from the 4th South Midland Brigade was allocated to 240 Brigade (previously 1st South Midland, Gloucester). Its 5th Battery went to 241 Brigade (previously 2nd South Midland, Worcester) and the new D Battery went to 242 Brigade (previously 3rd South Midland, Warwickshire).
243 Brigade was in effect a new unit, made up of three 18 pounder D batteries only recently recruited and now transferred from the other three South Midlands brigades to make way for the incoming Howitzers. 243's A Battery came from 240 Brigade, its B Battery from 241 Brigade and its C Battery from 242 Brigade.
The artillery Brigades were then grouped in preparation for the Somme battle. Francis West commanded a Group of 243 Brigade and 240 Brigade. All four Brigades fought in the Battle of the Somme.
243 Brigade existed for only five months. Once the battle of the Somme was over, artillery Batteries were enlarged from four to six guns and on 18 October 1916 the survivors of 243 Brigade were distributed back to 240 and 241 Brigades. My grandfather was not among them. Like many of his friends and men, he fought and was killed in a unit which went out of existence and became a footnote in the histories of successor units.
The 240 and 241 Brigades of the Royal Field Artillery are well chronicled by other researchers. Their records include some members of the 4th South Midland Howitzer Brigade, like Reginald Pridmore, 1887-1918, who were transferred in 1916.
Site for 1st South Midland / 240 Brigade of the Royal Field Artillery researched by Derek J. Driscoll. Please note, the link from 240 site back to this 243 site is obsolete and non-operative.
Commemorative Site for 241 Brigade of the Royal Field Artillery researched by Dennis Corbett http://www.denniscorbett.com/241.html
This page is based on the war papers of Frank West which were preserved by his widow. They include diaries of his command, his letters home, the diary of his friend Reginald Pridmore, and various unidentified photographs together with lists of the 4th Battery and 5th Battery with some dependents providing their home addresses for purposes of welfare and support. Any information about men who served in the 4th South Midland Howitzer Brigade would be gratefully received. Please contact EandCW@aol.com
A full explanation of a British Artillery brigade in World War One is provided by Chris Baker on the extensive The British Army in the Great War web site. site and images copyright Evelyn Wilcock 2003 |