2nd East Riding Artillery Volunteers

The 2nd East Riding Artillery Volunteers was a part-time unit of Britain's Royal Artillery based at Hull and along the Humber Estuary. Its successor units provided field artillery on the Western Front during World War I and air defence artillery during and after World War II. Latterly it formed part of the Humber Artillery based at Hull.

Early history

At times of national crisis volunteers were regularly called upon to defend the vulnerable harbours on the coast of the East Riding of Yorkshire. At the time of the Jacobite rising of 1745, the Wardens and Brethren of Hull Trinity House formed four volunteer artillery companies, equipped with 20 nine-pounder cannon taken from a ship lying in Hull Roads. These were the first volunteer artillery units formed in Yorkshire, though there may have been others manning the cannon in the fort covering Bridlington harbour. The companies were stood down after the Jacobite defeat at Culloden.

Hull Trinity House organised a new artillery company during the French Revolutionary Wars, and a mixed unit of infantry and artillery manned the fort at Bridlington harbour. These units existed from 1794 until the Treaty of Amiens in 1802. When the peace broke down in 1803, the Bridlington Volunteer Artillery reformed, but the guns at Hull were manned by the Sea Fencibles and by Regulars.

Volunteer Force

A number of new artillery companies were formed in the East Riding during the first enthusiasm for the Volunteer Movement in 1859–60. The 1st Company East Yorkshire Artillery Volunteers formed at Bridlington, the 2nd at Hunmanby, and the 3rd at Hull (from personnel of the Hull Dock Company), all in 1859. In 1860 the 4th to 9th Companies followed at Hull and these were formed into a battalion on 12 May, becoming the 4th Yorkshire (East Riding) Artillery Volunteer Corps under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Martin Samuelson, a prominent local engineer and shipbuilder, whose brother Alexander Samuelson served as Captain of the 6th Company.Beckett, Appendix VIII.Norfolk, pp. 35–8 and Appendix V.Frederick, pp. 671–2.2nd East Riding Artillery Volunteers at Regiments.org
/ref>Litchfield & Westlake, pp. 176–9.

The 4th AVC competed with other Hull volunteer units for recruits, luring officers and non-commissioned officers (NCOs) away from the 2nd East Riding Rifle Volunteer Corps and recruits from the 3rd East Riding Artillery Volunteer Corps, which was disbanded in 1860. The 4th continued to expand, increasing its establishment in 1877 from eight to 12 batteries with a total of 965 men in 1878. One battery was formed by employees of Messrs Rose, Downs & Thompson (a manufacturer of oilseed crushing machinery), and another from members of the Hull Gymnastic Society. The 1st and 2nd Companies having combined to form the 1st East Riding Artillery Volunteers, the 4th was renumbered 2nd East Riding Artillery Volunteers in September 1880.''Army List'', various dates.

The unit leased from Hull Corporation a hall that had been built for a working men's exhibition adjacent to the Corporation Field in Park Street. The government supplied 32-pounder muzzle-loading guns in June 1860. Eight were used for drill purposes at the Hull Citadel and four were placed in a battery built on the Humber Bank adjacent to Earle's shipyard. The unit took part in national gunnery competitions, and won the Queen's Prize on several occasions. From 1886 the coastal artillery batteries were supplemented by minefields, and the 2nd East Riding AV trained with the Humber Division Submarine Miners.

As well as manning fixed coast defence artillery, some of the early Artillery Volunteers manned semi-mobile 'position batteries' of smooth-bore field guns pulled by agricultural horses. But the War Office refused to pay for the upkeep of field guns for Volunteers and they had largely died in the 1870s. In 1888 the 'position artillery' concept was revived and some Volunteer companies were reorganised as position batteries to work alongside the Volunteer infantry brigades. On 14 July 1892 the 2nd East Riding Volunteer Artillery were reorganised as one position battery and 10 garrison companies. By 1893 the War Office Mobilisation Scheme had allocated the unit to the Humber defences.

In 1882 the 2nd East Riding AV became part of the Northern Division of the Royal Artillery (later transferring to the Western Division). All Volunteer Artillery units became part of the Royal Garrison Artillery (RGA) in 1899 and with the abolition of the divisions the unit was redesignated 2nd East Riding Royal Garrison Artillery (Volunteers) on 1 January 1902.

Territorial Force

With the creation of the Territorial Force by the Haldane Reforms in 1908, the RGA Volunteers were extensively reorganised. In the original plans, the 2nd East Riding RGA would have become the 3rd Northumbrian Brigade in the Royal Field Artillery (RFA), comprising 1st–3rd East Riding Batteries and 3rd Northumbrian Ammunition Column. However, these plans were revised in 1910, so that the Hull-based RGA formed two field batteries and an ammunition column in the 2nd Northumbrian Brigade, RFA, and a separate East Riding RGA with four companies of coast defence artillery. The 2nd (or II) Northumbrian Bde was completed by a North Riding Battery from the former 1st East Riding RGA.Litchfield, pp. 250–4.Becke, Pt 2a, pp. 93–100.

The 2nd Northumbrian Brigade had its headquarters (HQ) at Wenlock Barracks, Anlaby Road, Hull, while the 1st and 2nd East Riding Batteries and the ammunition column shared Londesborough Barracks in Park Street with the East Riding RGA and other TF units. The North Riding Battery was at the Drill Hall in Castle Street, Scarborough.

The three batteries were each equipped with four 15-pounder guns. The brigade was part of the Northumbrian Division of the TF.50 Division at Long, Long Trail.
/ref>

World War I

Mobilisation

In late July 1914 the units of the Northumbrian Division were at their annual training camp in North Wales. On 3 August they were ordered to return to their respective headquarters, where at 17.00 next day they received orders to mobilise. This was particularly difficult for the divisional artillery, which had to gather requisitioned horses and mules and fit them with harness, and collect ammunition from Ordnance stores. The units went to their war stations along the coast, where there were numerous alerts. In October the division became part of Central Force in Home Defence and manned the Tyne Defences.

On the outbreak of war, TF units were invited to volunteer for Overseas Service and the large majority of the Northumbrian Division accepted. On 15 August the War Office (WO) issued instructions to separate those men who had signed up for Home Service only, and form these into reserve units. On 31 August, the formation of a reserve or 2nd Line unit was authorised for each 1st Line unit where 60 per cent or more of the men had volunteered for Overseas Service. The titles of these 2nd Line units would be the same as the original, but distinguished by a '2/' prefix. In this way duplicate battalions, brigades and divisions were created, mirroring those TF formations being sent overseas.Becke, Pt 2b, pp. 49–54.63 Division at Long, Long Trail.
/ref>

1/II Northumbrian Brigade

Ypres

The Northumbrian Division trained hard while manning the Tyne Defences, and orders to proceed to France to join the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) arrived on 16 April 1915. The division completed its concentration in the area of Steenvoorde on 23 April and went straight into action the next day in the Second Battle of Ypres. Casualties among the infantry were heavy during the fighting to stabilise the British line (Battle of St Julien 24–28 April), but the divisional artillery did not take part. Part of the divisional artillery first went into action at the Battle of Frezenberg Ridge (8–13 May), but 1/II Northumbrian Bde was not involved until the end. At 17.00 on 13 May it was ordered forward under the orders of the Commander, Royal Artillery, (CRA) of 28th Division, and occupied its gun positions in pitch darkness at 23.00. The batteries were south of Potijze, between the Menin and Ypres–Potijze roads, where they covered the zone between the Ypres–Westroosebeke road and the Ypres–Roulers (Roeselare) railway.

The Northumbrian Division officially became the 50th (Northumbrian) Division on 14 May. For the next 10 days the situation was quiet apart from desultory artillery fire (the BEF was short of artillery ammunition) but on 24 May the Germans launched another serious attack accompanied with gas (the Battle of Bellewaarde Ridge). The 50th Division had been split up to reinforce other formations and the infantry were heavily engaged for two days, but with ammunition being scarce there was little the gunners could do to support them.

Over the following months the division was concentrated and took over its own section of the line south of Ypres, with its own artillery in support. At first the 1/II Northumbrian Bde was south-east of Wippenhoek. By the end of July the division had moved to the Armentières sector, with 1st and 2nd East Riding Btys west of Ferme de la Buterne, and 3rd North Riding Bty just east of the lunatic asylum and the railway. The division stayed in this quiet sector until mid-November, when it moved to Merris. On 23 November 1915 the brigade was re-equipped with four modern 18-pounder guns to each battery, replacing the obsolete, short-ranged 15-pounders known to the gunners as 'pip-squeaks' .

In December 1915 the division returned to the Ypres Salient, in the Hill 60 sector, with the divisional artillery distributed around Zillebeke Lake, in appalling conditions. There was almost constant low-level fighting until the division was relieved at the beginning of April 1916 and moved to the Wytschaete sector. Here the observation posts on Mont Kemmel gave the gunners some advantage.

During May 1916 the BEF's artillery was reorganised. The 1/II Northumbrian Bde was numbered CCLI Brigade RFA (251 Bde) and the batteries were lettered A, B and C. The brigade formed a fourth battery, D, which was exchanged with 5th Durham Bty from the IV Northumbrian Brigade (CCLIII or 253 Bde), equipped with 4.5-inch howitzers. This became D (H) Bty. The brigade ammunition columns were merged into the divisional ammunition column.Frederick, p. 693.

Somme

50th (Northumbrian) Division was not involved in the Somme Offensive until its third phase (the Battle of Flers–Courcelette). CCLI Brigade, under Lt-Col F.B. Moss-Blundell, moved into position at Contalmaison on 19 August 1916, while the infantry took over the front line between 7 and 10 September. The attack was to be delivered on 15 September, preceded by three days' bombardment by the divisional artillery during which the 4.5-inch howitzers pounded the enemy defences during daylight and fired harassing gas shell at night, while the 18-pounders fired shrapnel all night to disrupt repair parties. The infantry attacked behind a creeping barrage of 18-pounder shells, the first time the divisional artillery had fired one. It started 150 yards (140 m) ahead of the British front line at Zero hour (06.20) and then advanced at 50 yards per minute until 200 yards (180 m) beyond the first objective, where it paused for an hour, providing a protective curtain of fire while the infantry reorganised. This procedure was then to be repeated for the second and third objectives. CCLI Brigade, with one battery of CCL Bde attached, fired the inner right-hand portion of the divisional barrage, supporting the advance of 7th Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers. (On other parts of the front the attacking infantry were supported by Mark I tanks.)

7th Northumberland Fusiliers took their first objective (Hook Trench) with little trouble, but 47th (1/2nd London) Division to the right was unable to capture High Wood, and the Fusiliers suffered severe flanking fire from that dominant position. 7th Battalion was unable to follow the barrage to the second objective (the Starfish Line) and only reached it an hour late. Follow-up attacks were beaten back. However the advance on the flank of High Wood did assist the 47th Division in finally capturing that position. An attempt to continue the attack the following morning after a 15-minute intense bombardment was a failure. It took a week of fighting for the division to reach its final objective.

The division made further piecemeal advances during the Battle of Morval (25–28 September) and then made another setpiece attack at the Battle of the Transloy Ridges at 15.15 on 1 October. The barrage laid down by the divisional artillery was described by participants as 'a perfect wave of fire without any gaps', and by a Royal Flying Corps observer as 'a most magnificent barrage. The timing ... was extremely good. Guns opened simultaneously ... As seen from the air the barrage appeared to be a most perfect wall of fire, in which it was inconceivable that anything could live'. The creeping barrage also acted as a smokescreen, and infantry advancing close behind it were onto their objectives with few casualties.

On the night of 3/4 October the division was relieved, but the artillery remained in the line, supporting other formations. The division returned on 24 October for an attack on the Butte de Warlencourt, which was several times delayed. 151st (Durham Light Infantry) Brigade finally attacked on 5 November, supported by all available guns. Because the infantry could only move slowly through the mud, the barrage advanced at only 25 yards (23 m) per minute. Although 9th Bn Durham Light Infantry crept forward behind the barrage and took their objective, the rest of the assault bogged down. After strong German counter-attacks the infantry had been pushed back to their start line by 13.00 on 6 November, despite the efforts of the gunners to break up the counter-attacks. Further lodgements made in the enemy positions on 14 November were also driven back, and the divisional artillery was relieved that night. The task of hauling the guns out of the mud was particularly onerous.

On 16 November a further reorganisation of field artillery was carried out, when the four-gun 18-pounder batteries were increased to six guns each. The two sections of B/253 Bty (the former D/251 Bty) rejoined, together with a section of C/253 Bty, and one two-gun section was assigned to each battery of 251st Bde. D (H) Battery continued with just four howitzers until 16 January 1917, when it was joined by Left Section of D (H)/252 Bty (the former 3rd Northumbrian Bde).

Arras

After a winter spent trench-holding, 50th Division was moved to the Arras sector for the forthcoming Arras offensive. On 25 March 1917 the divisional artillery was temporarily transferred to VII Corps and CCLI Bde moved up on 31 March to positions between Beaurains and Agny under the command of 56th (1/1st London) Division. 1 April was spent getting ammunition up to the guns and in registering targets, then from 2 April until Z Day for the First Battle of the Scarpe (9 April) the guns were engaged in the general bombardment, wire-cutting and gas shelling. The attack went in behind a barrage that was described as a 'tornado of shell fire' and was generally successful. 50th Division took over some of the captured ground on 12/13 April, and then became involved in heavy fighting round Wancourt Tower. A German counter-attack on 18 April was completely dispersed by the divisional artillery.

The advance was renewed on 23 April in the Second Battle of the Scarpe, 50th Division attacking towards Wancourt Tower, supported by the artillery of 14th (Light) Division as well as its own. The heavy barrage rolled forwards too slowly, and the infantry suffered casualties by advancing into it. They took their early objectives, but had been forced back by midday. The division attacked with a fresh brigade in the afternoon, preceded by another barrage, and held its objectives by nightfall. During the summer of 1917 the division held a section of the line, with frequent raids and exchanges of artillery fire.

Passchendaele

In October 50th Division returned to the Ypres sector to take part in the last and worst phase of the Third Ypres Offensive, the Second Battle of Passchendaele. Here the problem was to get the guns up through the mud close enough to the line to fire a barrage to support the infantry through the Germans' deep defences. Five separate barrages were fired, the field guns participating in the creeping barrage and then the standing barrage. Zero hour was at 05.40 on 26 October, but from the first the infantry struggling through the mud could not keep up with the barrage, which had no effect on the concrete pillboxes. The three attacking battalions of the Northumberland Fusiliers suffered appalling casualties and gained almost no ground, while the gunners suffered heavily from shellfire, both high explosive and mustard gas. Some advances were made on 30 and 31 October, and the division was finally withdrawn for rest and training on 9 November.

Spring Offensive

50th (Northumbrian) Division was 20–25 miles behind the lines in GHQ Reserve when the German spring offensive opened on 21 March 1918 (the Battle of St Quentin), but the divisional artillery moved out that afternoon, CCLI Bde marching via Cartigny and Bouvincourt to Vraignes, and 02.00 on 22 March the batteries went into action east of Poeuilly (B/251), east and west of Sailor's Wood (D/251 and A/251) and west of Soyécourt (C/251), covering the zone near Caulières Wood. The brigade fired bursts on pre-arranged 'SOS lines' from 09.00, but the batteries were blinded by fog. The infantry of the division had crossed the River Somme and was deployed for action on the 'Green Line' by 08.00 that morning. There they attempted to improve the partially-dug defences before the troops retreating from the German advance passed through them. The division came under attack at 16.30. Unfortunately, the protective barrage from the divisional artillery came down on the defence line rather than on the attackers. A vital ridge was lost, and although the attack ceased at nightfall, the division pulled back towards the Somme Canal, covered by the darkness and next morning's mist.

At 05.30 on 23 March, CCLI Bde moved south to cover the retreat of 24th Division, and put down a protective barrage, communication being maintained by officer patrols. The brigade's guns were in turn shelled with considerable accuracy by German guns directed by reconnaissance aircraft. The brigade was then ordered to retire across the Somme Canal, which was achieved under heavy shellfire.

The division's infantry played little part in the Battle of the Somme Crossings on 24 March, but CCLI Bde had a busy day. Informed at 10.00 by 24th Infantry Bde that the enemy were crossing the largely dry canal and advancing on Morchain, A/251 Bty moved in sections to the crest of a hill and caught large numbers of Germans in the open, firing on them over open sights. C/251 and D/251 Btys fell back with 24th Bde, but it was not until 11.30 that A/251 and B/251 received orders to retire, which they did by alternate sections. The batteries came into action again between Marchélepot

HOME


Content is Copyleft
Website design, code, and AI is Copyrighted (c) 2014-2017 by Stephen Payne


Consider donating to Wikimedia



As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases