Hello folks! I'm sending this out to a few Lists in the hope that someone can give me a pointer, so please reply off-topic if you think it isn't going to be relevant for anyone else on the list I have a Death Certificate for a 'relly' who died in London in 1921. His occupation is given as ' Bootmaker ex Saddler 28473 R.F.A.' Does anyone have a clue about what the letters refer to? Given the preceding numerals it sounds like either an Army number with the initials of the regiment or perhaps a Trade Guild membership. I haven't had much luck with Google - but then I don't relly know where to start looking. The lists are such wonderful sources for material, that I thought someone was bound to know something In hope and thanks, Beryl in Tassie - hot and humid

The Royal Field Artillery The most numerous arm of the artillery, the horse-drawn RFA was responsible for the medium calibre guns and howitzers deployed close to the front line and was reasonably mobile. It was organised into Brigades, which were under command of Divisions or higher formations. The Brigades of the Royal Field Artillery What did a Brigade of RFA comprise? During the war a whole new form of artillery was developed to meet the unusual conditions of war on the Western Front: the trench mortar. The lighter weapons being manned by the infantry, the RFA provided the manpower for the heavier mortars: regards Martin ----- Original Message ----- From: "Beryl Hayes" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]>; "hampshire" <[email protected]>; <[email protected]> Sent: Friday, January 30, 2009 11:19 PM Subject: [ENG-WILTSHIRE] Occupation > Hello folks! > > I'm sending this out to a few Lists in the hope that someone can give me a > pointer, so please reply off-topic if you think it isn't going to be > relevant for anyone else on the list > > I have a Death Certificate for a 'relly' who died in London in 1921. His > occupation is given as ' Bootmaker ex Saddler 28473 R.F.A.' Does anyone > have a clue about what the letters refer to? Given the preceding numerals > it sounds like either an Army number with the initials of the regiment or > perhaps a Trade Guild membership. > > I haven't had much luck with Google - but then I don't relly know where to > start looking. > > The lists are such wonderful sources for material, that I thought someone > was bound to know something > In hope and thanks, > Beryl in Tassie - hot and humid > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > > > E-mail message checked by Spyware Doctor (6.0.0.386) > Database version: 5.11660 > http://www.pctools.com/uk/spyware-doctor-antivirus/ E-mail message checked by Spyware Doctor (6.0.0.386) Database version: 5.11660 http://www.pctools.com/uk/spyware-doctor-antivirus/

HI Beryl I have seen others have told you RFA stands for Royal Field Artillery but I found a posting on the Greatwar mailing lists, another Rootsweb list. The message I found is in response to someone else's query and I thought you might find the reply of interest, though I can't vouch for how accurate what is written is. you might find this mailing list one to interest you. Search the archives of the list to see if anyone else has similar interests to yourself. http://listsearches.rootsweb.com/th/read/GREATWAR/2007-09/1190471527 You could do as I did and just goolge Saddler RFA and see if you can find anything else of interest to you. If you have a subscription to Ancestry you may find the mans army service or pension record there, they have a few such items from WWI available to download, look under the UK records on the site.. Regards Jenny DeAngelis. Spain. <<I have a Death Certificate for a 'relly' who died in London in 1921. His occupation is given as ' Bootmaker ex Saddler 28473 R.F.A.' Does anyone have a clue about what the letters refer to? Given the preceding numerals it sounds like either an Army number with the initials of the regiment or perhaps a Trade Guild membership.>>