2nd West Riding of Yorkshire Royal Garrison Artillery Volunteer Corps, Bradford
The following source list was originally available only on paper in one of the West Yorkshire Archive Service offices. It may have been compiled many years ago and could be out of date. It was designed to act as a signpost to records of interest on a particular historical subject, but may relate only to one West Yorkshire district, or be an incomplete list of sources available. Please feel free to add or update with any additional information. |
The 2nd West Yorkshire (West Riding) Artillery Volunteer Corps was first raised at Bradford on 10 October 1860 after the British Government recommended the formation of Volunteer Artillery Corps to bolster Britain's costal defences. By 1898 the unit had been renamed the 2nd West Riding of Yorkshire Royal Garrison Artillery Volunteers. The 1st Yorkshire (West Riding) Artillery Volunteer Corps were raised at Leeds on 2 August. Some Territorial Army records are held at WYAS: Leeds
In 1871 the 2nd Yorkshire (West Riding) Artillery Volunteer Corps became the 1st Admin Brigade, Yorks (West Riding) Artillery Volunteers containing five battalions: 2nd, 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th. By 1880 the Brigade had been disbanded and in 1907 the unit became known as the 2nd West Riding Brigade Royal Field Artillery Volunteers. In the late nineteenth century they were equipped with 4.7 inch guns drawn by steam tractors.
The Territorial and Reserve Force Act of 1907 caused a major reorganisation of The Reserve Army. The 1907 Act brought together volunteer units to form the Territorial Force which eventually became the Territorial Army in 1921. The Territorials now had the capacity to backup the Regular Army if the need arose. The West Riding Brigade Territorial Royal Field Artillery Territorial Force now had three batteries and an ammunition column equipped with 15 pounder guns.
During the First World War the 2nd West Riding Brigade were part of the 49th (West Riding) Division who went to France in 1915. In the First World War the Brigade's headquaters was at Bradford Valley Parade Barracks. During the War they were renamed the 246th Brigade Royal Field Artillery. In 1915 a second brigade was formed the 2/2nd West Riding Brigade RFA (TF) who supported the 62nd division. At the start of the First World War the 4th, 5th and 6th Batteries were stationed as follows:
4th Battery at Valley Parade, Bradford 5th Battery live and drill at Halifax, Headquaters, Arden Road, Halifax 6th Battery, drill at Heckmondwike
West Yorkshire Archive Service: Bradford does not hold records for British Volunteer Forces. Any medal records or service records that survive are held by the National Archives British Army : auxillary forces in-depth research guide. The survival of service records post 1859 are very rare. There are registers of Volunteers' Long Service Medals, 1906-1925 WO 102/21
Non personnel records which survive and are held by the West Yorkshire Archive Service: Bradford are as follows:
6D95 , The Bradford Volunteer Artillery, Published History and Transcipts, 1914-1946