The 2nd East Riding Artillery Volunteers was a part-time unit of Britain's
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery (RA) and colloquially known as "The Gunners", is one of two regiments that make up the artillery arm of the British Army. The Royal Regiment of Artillery comprises t ...
Humber
The Humber is a large tidal estuary on the east coast of Northern England. It is formed at Trent Falls, Faxfleet, by the confluence of the tidal rivers Ouse and Trent. From there to the North Sea, it forms part of the boundary between th ...
Estuary. Its successor units provided field artillery on the Western Front during
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
and air defence artillery during and after
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
. 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
The East Riding of Yorkshire, or simply East Riding or East Yorkshire, is a ceremonial county and unitary authority area in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It borders North Yorkshire to the north and west, South Yorkshire to t ...
. At the time of the
Jacobite rising of 1745
The Jacobite rising of 1745, also known as the Forty-five Rebellion or simply the '45 ( gd, Bliadhna Theàrlaich, , ), was an attempt by Charles Edward Stuart to regain the Monarchy of Great Britain, British throne for his father, James Franci ...
, the Wardens and Brethren of
Hull Trinity House
The Hull Trinity House, locally known as ''Trinity House'', is a seafaring organisation consisting of a charity for seafarers, a school, and a guild of mariners. The guild originated as a religious guild providing support and almshouses for the n ...
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
Bridlington is a coastal town and a civil parish on the Holderness Coast of the North Sea in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It is about north of Hull and east of York. The Gypsey Race enters the North Sea at its harbour. The 2011 Cen ...
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
The French Revolutionary Wars (french: Guerres de la Révolution française) were a series of sweeping military conflicts lasting from 1792 until 1802 and resulting from the French Revolution. They pitted French First Republic, France against Ki ...
, and a mixed unit of infantry and artillery manned the fort at Bridlington harbour. These units existed from 1794 until the
Treaty of Amiens
The Treaty of Amiens (french: la paix d'Amiens, ) temporarily ended hostilities between France and the United Kingdom at the end of the War of the Second Coalition
The War of the Second Coalition (1798/9 – 1801/2, depending on perio ...
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
The Sea Fencibles were naval fencible (a shortening of ''defencible'') units established to provide a close-in line of defence and obstruct the operation of enemy shipping, principally during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars.
The ea ...
A number of new artillery companies were formed in the East Riding during the first enthusiasm for the
Volunteer Movement
The Volunteer Force was a citizen army of part-time rifle, artillery and engineer corps, created as a popular movement throughout the British Empire in 1859. Originally highly autonomous, the units of volunteers became increasingly integrated ...
in 1859–60. The 1st Company East Yorkshire Artillery Volunteers formed at Bridlington, the 2nd at
Hunmanby
Hunmanby is a large village and civil parish in the Scarborough district of North Yorkshire, England. It was part of the East Riding of Yorkshire until 1974. It is on the edge of the Yorkshire Wolds, south-west of Filey, south of Scarboro ...
, and the 3rd at Hull (from personnel of the
Hull Dock Company
The Port of Hull is a port at the confluence of the River Hull and the Humber Estuary in Kingston upon Hull, in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England.
Seaborne trade at the port can be traced to at least the 13th century, originally cond ...
), 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
Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
Martin Samuelson, a prominent local engineer and shipbuilder, whose brother Alexander Samuelson served as
Captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
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
(Kingston upon) Hull City Council is the governing body for the unitary authority and city of Kingston upon Hull. It was created in 1972 as the successor to the Corporation of (Kingston upon) Hull, which was also known as Hull Corporation and fou ...
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
The fortifications of Kingston upon Hull consisted of three major constructions: the brick built Hull town walls, first established in the early 14th century ( Edward I), with four main gates, several posterngates, and up to thirty towers at ...
and four were placed in a battery built on the
Humber
The Humber is a large tidal estuary on the east coast of Northern England. It is formed at Trent Falls, Faxfleet, by the confluence of the tidal rivers Ouse and Trent. From there to the North Sea, it forms part of the boundary between th ...
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
A land mine is an explosive device concealed under or on the ground and designed to destroy or disable enemy targets, ranging from combatants to vehicles and tanks, as they pass over or near it. Such a device is typically detonated automati ...
, 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
The War Office was a department of the British Government responsible for the administration of the British Army between 1857 and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the new Ministry of Defence (MoD). This article contains text from ...
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
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery (RA) and colloquially known as "The Gunners", is one of two regiments that make up the artillery arm of the British Army. The Royal Regiment of Artillery comprises t ...
(later transferring to the Western Division). All Volunteer Artillery units became part of the
Royal Garrison Artillery
The Royal Garrison Artillery (RGA) was formed in 1899 as a distinct arm of the British Army's Royal Regiment of Artillery serving alongside the other two arms of the Regiment, the Royal Field Artillery (RFA) and the Royal Horse Artillery (RHA) ...
(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
The Territorial Force was a part-time volunteer component of the British Army, created in 1908 to augment British land forces without resorting to conscription. The new organisation consolidated the 19th-century Volunteer Force and yeomanry i ...
by the
Haldane Reforms
The Haldane Reforms were a series of far-ranging reforms of the British Army made from 1906 to 1912, and named after the Secretary of State for War, Richard Burdon Haldane. They were the first major reforms since the " Childers Reforms" of the ...
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
The Royal Field Artillery (RFA) of the British Army provided close artillery support for the infantry. It came into being when created as a distinct arm of the Royal Regiment of Artillery on 1 July 1899, serving alongside the other two arms of t ...
(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
Wenlock Barracks is a military installation on Anlaby Road in Kingston upon Hull, England.
History
The building was designed as the headquarters of the 2nd Northumbrian Brigade, Royal Field Artillery and opened in April 1911. The riding school ...
, Anlaby Road, Hull, while the 1st and 2nd East Riding Batteries and the ammunition column shared
Londesborough Barracks
Londesborough Barracks is a military installation in Kingston upon Hull, England.
History
The building was designed as the headquarters of the 1st Yorkshire (East Riding) Rifle Volunteer Corps and was completed in 1864. The barracks were name ...
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
, area_land_km2 = 6,172
, postal_code_type = Postcode
, postal_code = LL, CH, SY
, image_map1 = Wales North Wales locator map.svg
, map_caption1 = Six principal areas of Wales common ...
. On 3 August they were ordered to return to their respective headquarters, where at 17.00 next day they received orders to
mobilise
Mobilise is a set of Christian conferences, weekend retreats and resources for students and twenties, run by the Newfrontiers family of churches in the UK.
Mobilise Conference
The main Mobilise event is an annual conference which has been attend ...
. 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 classical mechanics, a central force on an object is a force that is directed towards or away from a point called center of force.
: \vec = \mathbf(\mathbf) = \left\vert F( \mathbf ) \right\vert \hat
where \vec F is the force, F is a vecto ...
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
The War Office was a department of the British Government responsible for the administration of the British Army between 1857 and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the new Ministry of Defence (MoD). This article contains text from ...
(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
Steenvoorde () is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. Once part of the Seventeen Provinces of the Low Countries, Steenvoorde was the site of the beginning of the Beeldenstorm, or " Iconoclastic Fury." Today the city is known for ...
on 23 April and went straight into action the next day in the
Second Battle of Ypres
During the First World War, the Second Battle of Ypres was fought from for control of the tactically important high ground to the east and south of the Flemish town of Ypres in western Belgium. The First Battle of Ypres had been fought the pre ...
. Casualties among the infantry were heavy during the fighting to stabilise the British line (
Battle of St Julien
During the First World War, the Second Battle of Ypres was fought from for control of the tactically important high ground to the east and south of the Flemish town of Ypres in western Belgium. The First Battle of Ypres had been fought the pre ...
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 (; french: Roulers, ; West Flemish: ''Roeseloare'') is a Belgian city and municipality in the Flemish province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Roeselare proper and the towns of Beveren, Oekene and Rumbeke.
The ...
(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
Gas is one of the four fundamental states of matter (the others being solid, liquid, and plasma).
A pure gas may be made up of individual atoms (e.g. a noble gas like neon), elemental molecules made from one type of atom (e.g. oxygen), or ...
(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
Armentières (; vls, Armentiers) is a commune in the Nord department in the Hauts-de-France region in northern France. It is part of the Métropole Européenne de Lille.
The motto of the town is ''Pauvre mais fière'' (Poor but proud).
Geogra ...
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
Merris () is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.
It is about west-northwest of Armentières, and about north of Béthune.
Heraldry
See also
*Communes of the Nord department
The following is a list of the 648 communes of ...
. 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
Zillebeke (also known as Zellebeck) is a village in the Flemish province of West Flanders in Belgium. It is a former municipality which is now part of Ypres.
History
On 3 March 1914 the then municipality was granted the arms of the last Lords o ...
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
Heuvelland () is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the villages of Dranouter, Kemmel, De Klijte, Loker, Nieuwkerke, Westouter, Wijtschate and Wulvergem. Heuvelland is a thinly populated r ...
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
The Battle of the Somme ( French: Bataille de la Somme), also known as the Somme offensive, was a battle of the First World War fought by the armies of the British Empire and French Third Republic against the German Empire. It took place be ...
until its third phase (the
Battle of Flers–Courcelette
The Battle of Flers–Courcelette (, 15 to 22 September 1916) was fought during the Battle of the Somme in France, by the French Sixth Army and the British Fourth Army and Reserve Army, against the German 1st Army, during the First World War. ...
). 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
Shrapnel may refer to:
Military
* Shrapnel shell, explosive artillery munitions, generally for anti-personnel use
* Shrapnel (fragment), a hard loose material
Popular culture
* ''Shrapnel'' (Radical Comics)
* ''Shrapnel'', a game by Adam C ...
all night to disrupt repair parties. The infantry attacked behind a
creeping barrage
In military usage, a barrage is massed sustained artillery fire (shelling) aimed at a series of points along a line. In addition to attacking any enemy in the kill zone, a barrage intends to suppress enemy movements and deny access across tha ...
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
The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers was an infantry regiment of the British Army. Raised in 1674 as one of three 'English' units in the Dutch Anglo-Scots Brigade, it accompanied William III to England in the November 1688 Glorious Revolution an ...
. (On other parts of the front the attacking infantry were supported by
Mark I tank
British heavy tanks were a series of related armoured fighting vehicles developed by the UK during the First World War. The Mark I was the world's first tank, a tracked, armed, and armoured vehicle, to enter combat. The name "tank" was initial ...
s.)
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
The Attacks on High Wood, near Bazentin le Petit in the Somme ''département'' of northern France, took place between the British Fourth Army and the German 1st Army during the Battle of the Somme. After the Battle of Bazentin Ridge on 14 July ...
, 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
The Battle of Morval, 25–28 September 1916, was an attack during the Battle of the Somme by the British Fourth Army (United Kingdom), Fourth Army on the villages of Morval, Pas-de-Calais, Morval, Gueudecourt and Lesboeufs, Lesbœufs held by th ...
(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
"Through Adversity to the Stars"
, colors =
, colours_label =
, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries =
, decorations ...
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
The Durham Light Infantry (DLI) was a light infantry regiment of the British Army in existence from 1881 to 1968. It was formed in 1881 under the Childers Reforms by the amalgamation of the 68th (Durham) Regiment of Foot (Light Infantry) and t ...
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
Arras ( , ; pcd, Aro; historical nl, Atrecht ) is the prefecture of the Pas-de-Calais Departments of France, department, which forms part of the regions of France, region of Hauts-de-France; before the regions of France#Reform and mergers of ...
sector for the forthcoming Arras offensive. On 25 March 1917 the divisional artillery was temporarily transferred to
VII Corps 7th Corps, Seventh Corps, or VII Corps may refer to:
* VII Corps (Grande Armée), a corps of the Imperial French army during the Napoleonic Wars
* VII Corps (German Empire), a unit of the Imperial German Army prior to and during World War I
* VII ...
and CCLI Bde moved up on 31 March to positions between
Beaurains
Beaurains () is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Hauts-de-France region in northern France.
Geography
A suburban town located 3 miles (5 km) south of Arras at the junction of the N17 with the D5 road.
History
The first ...
and
Agny
Agny () is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in northern France.
Geography
A farming village located 3 miles (5 km) southwest of Arras, at the D3 and D60 road junction.
History
World War I 1914–1918. War broke out in August 1914 ...
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
Wancourt is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Hauts-de-France region of France.
Geography
Wancourt is situated some southeast of Arras, at the junction of the D33 and the D34E roads. The A1 autoroute passes by just yards from th ...
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
The Second Battle of Passchendaele was the culminating attack during the Third Battle of Ypres of the First World War. The battle took place in the Ypres Salient area of the Western Front, in and around the Belgian village of Passchendaele, bet ...
. 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
Mustard gas or sulfur mustard is a chemical compound belonging to a family of cytotoxic and blister agents known as mustard agents. The name ''mustard gas'' is technically incorrect: the substance, when dispersed, is often not actually a gas, b ...
. 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
The Somme ( , , ) is a river in Picardy, northern France.
The river is in length, from its source in the high ground of the former at Fonsomme near Saint-Quentin, to the Bay of the Somme, in the English Channel. It lies in the geological ...
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
Iron sights are a system of physical alignment markers (usually made of metallic material) used as a sighting device to assist the accurate aiming of ranged weapons (such as a firearm, airgun, crossbow or even compound bow), or less commonly a ...
. 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
Marchélepot () is a former commune in the Somme department in Hauts-de-France in northern France. On 1 January 2019, it was merged into the new commune Marchélepot-Misery.Licourt for the rest of the day, firing on roads crowded with enemy troops, guns and transport, while being attacked by low-flying German aircraft.
There was further heavy fighting on 25 March. The gunners were hampered by fog in the morning, but afterwards supported the hard-pressed infantry all day. From Marchélepot and Licourt, CCLI Bde finally fetched up at Vermandovillers under the command of 24th Division. At one point in the evening, its batteries found themselves in front of the front line, the infantry having fallen back. The division was thoroughly split up and fought piecemeal during the Battle of Rosieres on 26 and 27 March, but the stubborn fighting during the retreat had slowed the German advance, which came to a halt by the end of the month. However, even when the division was relieved, its artillery remained in action with other formations, with CCLI Bde in the area of Gentelles until 8 April, under fire (particularly on 4 April) while fighting swirled back and forth round
Hangard Wood Hangard Wood is a locality south of Villers-Bretonneux northern France. It was the site of Hangard village and a battle in World War I. The battle of Hangard Wood was part of the German offensive Operation Michael, in the Arras - St-Quentin-La Fé ...
before settling down.
The division had been moved to the
Estaires
Estaires (; vls, Stegers) is a commune in the Nord department of the Hauts-de-France region in northern France.
The town gives its name to a type of chicken bred in the area: the Estaires chicken.
Geography
Estaires is located in French Fla ...
sector, which was where the next German offensive (the
Battle of Estaires
The Battle of the Lys, also known as the Fourth Battle of Ypres, was fought from 7 to 29 April 1918 and was part of the German spring offensive in Flanders during the First World War. It was originally planned by General Erich Ludendorff as O ...
) opened on 9 April. That morning the Northumbrian infantry had to advance from reserve and were committed piecemeal to relieve the Portuguese Expeditionary Force that had been driven from its positions. There followed three days of bitter fighting until the enemy advance was held. The German offensive was renewed on 12 April (the
Battle of Hazebrouck
Hazebrouck (, nl, Hazebroek, , vls, Oazebroeke) is a commune in the Nord department, Hauts-de-France. It was a small market town in Flanders until it became an important railway junction in the 1860s. West Flemish was the usual language until ...
), during which the division was relieved on 13 April.
Captured
The 50th Division was moved to a quiet sector to rest and absorb reinforcements. Unfortunately, the location chosen, the
Chemin des Dames
In France, the Chemin des Dames (; literally, the "ladies' path") is part of the route départementale (local road) D18 and runs east and west in the Aisne department, between in the west, the Route Nationale 2 (Laon to Soissons), and in the eas ...
ridge in the French sector, was the target of the third phase of the German offensive (the
Third Battle of the Aisne
The Third Battle of the Aisne (french: 3e Bataille de l'Aisne) was a battle of the German spring offensive during World War I that focused on capturing the Chemin des Dames Ridge before the American Expeditionary Forces arrived completely in ...
), which opened on 27 May. The division got word of the impending German attack, and at 20.00 on 26 May CCLI Bde was ordered to put down a bombardment on roads and approaches behind the enemy front line from 21.00 to midnight. The German guns did not reply, but at 01.00 on 27 May they opened a heavy preparation, which immediately cut all the telephone lines. The German infantry came on at 03.30, supported by tanks, and the division's front line dissolved by 05.30. Soon the enemy infantry were approaching the gunpits, where the gunners – fighting in
respirator
A respirator is a device designed to protect the wearer from inhaling hazardous atmospheres including fumes, vapours, gases and particulate matter such as dusts and airborne pathogens such as viruses. There are two main categories of respir ...
s because of gas shelling – suffered heavy casualties from shellfire.
CCLI Brigade HQ was overrun and taken prisoner virtually to a man, including the CO, Lt-Col F.B. Moss-Blundell. The batteries had their left flanks turned and were taken in rear. A Battery fired
point blank
Point-blank range is any distance over which a certain firearm can hit a target without the need to compensate for bullet drop, and can be adjusted over a wide range of distances by sighting in the firearm. If the bullet leaves the barrel paral ...
at the advancing infantry at a range of 60 yards and all the guns fired to the last minute. Most of the brigade's guns were put out of action by enemy shellfire, in the case of those remaining in action the
breechblock
A breechblock (or breech block) is the part of the firearm action that closes the breech of a breech loading weapon (whether small arms or artillery) before or at the moment of firing. It seals the breech and contains the pressure generated by th ...
s and dial sights were removed before capture. The enemy only captured the gun positions after hand-to-hand fighting. CCLI Brigade's total casualties were 19 officers and about 250 other ranks, chiefly missing.
Hundred Days Offensive
After the disaster on the Chemin des Dames, 50th (Northumbrian) Division was reduced to a training
cadre
Cadre may refer to:
*Cadre (military), a group of officers or NCOs around whom a unit is formed, or a training staff
*Cadre (politics), a politically controlled appointment to an institution in order to circumvent the state and bring control to th ...
. When it was reformed in the summer of 1918, all the original battalions had been replaced by others (mainly from the
Macedonian front
The Macedonian front, also known as the Salonica front (after Thessaloniki), was a military theatre of World War I formed as a result of an attempt by the Allied Powers to aid Serbia, in the autumn of 1915, against the combined attack of German ...
), but the artillery brigades were reconstituted under their old numbers.
The division re-entered combat in the Battle of Beaurevoir (3–5 October). By now the Allied
Hundred Days Offensive
The Hundred Days Offensive (8 August to 11 November 1918) was a series of massive Allies of World War I, Allied offensives that ended the First World War. Beginning with the Battle of Amiens (1918), Battle of Amiens (8–12 August) on the Wester ...
was gathering pace, the main
Hindenburg Line
The Hindenburg Line (German: , Siegfried Position) was a German defensive position built during the winter of 1916–1917 on the Western Front during the First World War. The line ran from Arras to Laffaux, near Soissons on the Aisne. In 191 ...
had been crossed, and the division encountered little opposition until the second day, when the artillery greatly assisted its advance through Gouy and
Le Catelet
Le Catelet () is a commune in the Aisne department in Hauts-de-France in northern France.
Population
See also
*Communes of the Aisne department
The following is a list of the 799 communes in the French department of Aisne.
The commu ...
onto the high ground of Prospect Hill. On 6 October the division forced its way into the Beaurevoir Line, the last support line of the Hindenburg defences.Wyrall, pp. 354–6.
After a short rest, 50th Division attacked again on 8 October (the
Second Battle of Cambrai
The Battle of Cambrai, 1918 (also known as the Second Battle of Cambrai) was a battle between troops of the British First Army (United Kingdom), First, Third Army (United Kingdom), Third and Fourth Army (United Kingdom), Fourth Armies and German ...
) advancing from Gouy towards Le Cateau. This was followed by the division's assault crossing of the
River Selle
The Selle (; also spelt Celle in the Oise) is a river of Hauts-de-France, France. It is long. Rising at Catheux, just north of Crèvecœur-le-Grand, Oise, it flows past Conty, Saleux, Salouël and Pont-de-Metz before joining the Somme at Amiens ...
(17 October), and then the Battle of the Sambre (4 November), where protected by a very accurate artillery barrage it quickly advanced through the
Forêt de Mormal
The Forêt de Mormal (Forest of Mormal) is a forest in France, near the Franco-Belgian border. It is best known to the British for its role in the retreat from Mons
The Great Retreat (), also known as the retreat from Mons, was the long withdr ...
, overran the German positions and pushed on to establish bridgeheads over the River Sambre.
On 5 November, 151st Infantry Bde resumed the advance, supported by CCLI Bde. They crossed the Sambre, followed by the artillery and made for the high ground beyond. The infantry got across the
Helpe Majeure
Helpe Majeure () is a river that runs through the Nord department in the Hauts-de-France region of France. It rises in the municipality of Ohain, with about a third of its watershed in Belgium, near the town of Momignies. The river initially mark ...
river, but the crossings were impassable for the artillery. By 7 November, some guns were across, and 151st Bde, with two 18-pounders accompanying each battalion, advanced to the high ground at St Aubin and Dourlers. By 9 November the division was pursuing the defeated Germans with mobile columns.
The 50th Division had been relieved and was in billets when the
Armistice with Germany
The Armistice of 11 November 1918 was the armistice signed at Le Francport near Compiègne that ended fighting on land, sea, and air in World War I between the Entente and their last remaining opponent, Germany. Previous armistices ...
came into effect on 11 November.
Demobilisation
Demobilization or demobilisation (see spelling differences) is the process of standing down a nation's armed forces from combat-ready status. This may be as a result of victory in war, or because a crisis has been peacefully resolved and militar ...
began in December 1918, and the division ceased to exist in France on 19 March 1919. It began to reform in England under its old name of Northumbrian Division in April 1920.
2/II Northumbrian Brigade
The 2nd Line TF units of the Northumbrian Division slowly assembled around
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne ( RP: , ), or simply Newcastle, is a city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England. The city is located on the River Tyne's northern bank and forms the largest part of the Tyneside built-up area. Newcastle is ...
, where 2nd Northumbrian Divisional HQ opened in January 1915. By May 1915, all the division's Home Service men had been transferred to separate units and thenceforth the 2nd Line units had the role of training drafts for the 1st Line serving in France. While under training they were responsible for defending the stretch of coast from
Seaham Harbour
Seaham is a seaside town in County Durham, England. Located on the Durham Coast, Seaham is situated south of Sunderland and east of Durham. The town grew from the late 19th century onwards as a result of investments in its harbour and co ...
through
Sunderland
Sunderland () is a port city in Tyne and Wear, England. It is the City of Sunderland's administrative centre and in the Historic counties of England, historic county of County of Durham, Durham. The city is from Newcastle-upon-Tyne and is on t ...
to Newcastle. The division became
63rd (2nd Northumbrian) Division
The 63rd (2nd Northumbrian) Division of the British Army was a second-line Territorial Force division, formed in 1914, which served on home defence duties during the First World War. The division was formed as a duplicate of the 50th (Northumbri ...
on 16 August. In November the division moved into winter quarters around
York
York is a cathedral city with Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. It is the historic county town of Yorkshire. The city has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a ...
and
Doncaster
Doncaster (, ) is a city in South Yorkshire, England. Named after the River Don, it is the administrative centre of the larger City of Doncaster. It is the second largest settlement in South Yorkshire after Sheffield. Doncaster is situated in ...
.
In May 1916 the RFA brigades were reorganised, 2/II Northumbrian Bde becoming CCCXVI (316) Brigade, RFA and the batteries becoming A, B and C. 2/5th Durham (H) Bty joined from 2/IV Northumbrian (318) Bde and became D (H) Bty. 63rd Divisional Artillery then moved to
Heytesbury
Heytesbury is a village (formerly considered to be a town) and a civil parish in Wiltshire, England. The village lies on the north bank of the Wylye, about southeast of the town of Warminster.
The civil parish includes most of the small neigh ...
to train on
Salisbury Plain
Salisbury Plain is a chalk plateau in the south western part of central southern England covering . It is part of a system of chalk downlands throughout eastern and southern England formed by the rocks of the Chalk Group and largely lies wi ...
for overseas service. However, the decision had been made to break up the weak 63rd (2nd Northumbrian) Division and its number was transferred to the
Royal Naval Division
The 63rd (Royal Naval) Division was a United Kingdom infantry division of the First World War. It was originally formed as the Royal Naval Division at the outbreak of the war, from Royal Navy and Royal Marine reservists and volunteers, who wer ...
, veterans of
Antwerp
Antwerp (; nl, Antwerpen ; french: Anvers ; es, Amberes) is the largest city in Belgium by area at and the capital of Antwerp Province in the Flemish Region. With a population of 520,504,
and
Gallipoli
The Gallipoli peninsula (; tr, Gelibolu Yarımadası; grc, Χερσόνησος της Καλλίπολης, ) is located in the southern part of East Thrace, the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles ...
, now arriving on the Western Front. Since the RN Division had no artillery of its own, 63rd Divisional Artillery was now assigned to it.Becke, Part 3b, pp. 117–28.
The brigade disembarked at Le Havre on 3 July 1916. On 26 July it was reorganised, 1/5th Kent (H) Bty joining from IV Home Counties (223) Bde as D (H) Bty. However, 316 Bde was broken up among the other RFA brigades of 63rd (RN) Division at the end of August 1916 before seeing any significant action as a unit.
Interwar
When the TF was reconstituted as the Territorial Army (TA), the 2nd Northumbrian Bde reformed on 7 February 1920 with an extra battery (formerly the Northumbrian Division's Heavy Battery). In 1921 the brigade and its batteries were renumbered:Frederick, p. 520.
73rd (Northumbrian) Brigade, RFA
* HQ at Wenlock Barracks, Hull (moving to Artillery Barracks, Lytton Street,
Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough ( ) is a town on the southern bank of the River Tees in North Yorkshire, England. It is near the North York Moors national park. It is the namesake and main town of its local borough council area.
Until the early 1800s, the a ...
in the 1930s)
* 289 (1st East Riding) Battery at Hull
* 290 (2nd East Riding) Battery at Hull
* 291 (1st North Riding) Battery at Upgang Lane,
Whitby
Whitby is a seaside town, port and civil parish in the Scarborough borough of North Yorkshire, England. Situated on the east coast of Yorkshire at the mouth of the River Esk, Whitby has a maritime, mineral and tourist heritage. Its East Clif ...
* 292 (2nd North Riding) Battery (Howitzers) at Grange Road, Middlesbrough (moving to the Artillery Barracks, Lytton Street, before 1930) – ''formerly the Northumbrian (North Riding) Heavy Battery''
** No 1 Cadet Battery ( St Mary's College, Middlesbrough) attached to 292 Bty
The unit continued to form part of 50th (Northumbrian) Division. In 1924 the Royal Field Artillery was subsumed into the Royal Artillery (RA) after which RFA brigades were termed Field Brigades, RA.
Anti-Aircraft conversion
In the 1930s the increasing need for anti-aircraft (AA) defence for Britain's cities was addressed by converting a number of TA units to that role. 73rd (Northumbrian) Field Bde became 62nd (Northumbrian) AA Bde on 10 December 1936, and the four batteries were renumbered 172 (1st ER) to 175 (2nd NR). The unit formed part of 30th (Northumbrian) AA Group in 2 AA Division.Frederick, pp. 754–9, 771.
As international tensions increased, the TA's AA strength grew rapidly, much of this expansion being achieved by splitting existing units. In March 1938 the two North Riding batteries (174 and 175) were transferred to form a new 85th (Tees) AA Bde at Middlesbrough, while 73rd Bde's HQ returned to Hull and the unit was brought up to strength with 221 (1st West Riding) Bty at
York
York is a cathedral city with Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. It is the historic county town of Yorkshire. The city has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a ...
converted from a battery of 54th (West Riding and Durham) Medium Bde. It also formed a new 266 (3rd East Riding) Bty at Hull on 29 October 1938. 1 January 1939 all RA brigades were redesignated as regiments The last change in 62 AA Rgt's composition before the outbreak of war came on 7 March 1939, when 221 Bty left to form part of another new regiment, 91st AA Rgt.
World War II
Mobilisation and Phoney War
The TA's AA units were mobilised on 23 September 1938 during the
Munich Crisis
The Munich Agreement ( cs, Mnichovská dohoda; sk, Mníchovská dohoda; german: Münchner Abkommen) was an agreement concluded at Munich on 30 September 1938, by Germany, the United Kingdom, France, and Italy. It provided "cession to Germany ...
, with units manning their emergency positions within 24 hours, even though many did not yet have their full complement of men or equipment. The emergency lasted three weeks, and they were stood down on 13 October. In February 1939 the existing AA defences came under the control of a new
Anti-Aircraft Command
Anti-Aircraft Command (AA Command, or "Ack-Ack Command") was a British Army command of the Second World War that controlled the Territorial Army anti-aircraft artillery and searchlight formations and units defending the United Kingdom.
Origin
...
. In June a partial mobilisation of TA units was begun in a process known as 'couverture', whereby each AA unit did a month's tour of duty in rotation to man selected gun positions. On 24 August, ahead of the declaration of war, AA Command was fully mobilised at its war stations.
On mobilisation, the regiment manned gunsites in the Humber Gun Zone as part of 39 AA Bde in 2 AA Division (although a new 7 AA Division was being formed to cover the area north of the Humber, its exact responsibilities had still to be worked out), and drew its ammunition from the magazine at
Paull
Paull (archaic ''Paul'', ''Pall'', ''Pawle'', ''Pawel'', ''Paulle'', ''Paghel'', ''Paghill'', ''Paghil'', ''Pagula'') is a village and civil parish in Holderness, in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England, lying on the north bank of the Humber ...
.39 AA Bde War Diary 1939–41, The National Archives (TNA), Kew, file WO 166/2272.Routledge, Table LXV, p. 396. On the outbreak of war, the Humber Gun Zone had 30 heavy AA guns, of which 28 were operational.
Shortly after the outbreak of war, a number of the regiment's TA officers volunteered to transfer to the Regular 4th AA Rgt, which was deploying to France with the British Expeditionary Force.
On 23 September 1939 62nd AA Rgt and the Humber Gun Zone were transferred to the command of 31 (North Midland) AA Bde in 7 AA Division, but returned to 39 AA Bde in 2 AA Division in May 1940.
39 AA Brigade already referred to its AA units equipped with heavy AA guns ( 3-inch, 3.7-inch or 4.5-inch) as HAA (to distinguish them from the newer light AA or LAA units that were being formed; this became official across the Royal Artillery on 1 June 1940 and the regiment became 62nd (Northumbrian) HAA Rgt on 1 June.
Battle of Britain and Blitz
After the
Fall of France
The Battle of France (french: bataille de France) (10 May – 25 June 1940), also known as the Western Campaign ('), the French Campaign (german: Frankreichfeldzug, ) and the Fall of France, was the German invasion of France during the Second World ...
, German day and night air raids and mine laying began along the East Coast of England, intensifying through June 1940. Several times the Humber HAA guns (62nd and 91st HAA Rgts) were in action against aircraft attacking the
Salt End
Salt End or Saltend is a hamlet in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England, in an area known as Holderness. It is situated on the north bank of the Humber Estuary just outside the Hull eastern boundary on the A1033 road. It forms part of the civi ...
and
North Killingholme
North Killingholme is a small village and civil parish in North Lincolnshire, England.
Situated on the southern bank of the Humber Estuary north-west of Grimsby, Killingholme is divided into two administrative districts, to its south being th ...
oil installations north and south of the estuary, and the guns scored their first 'kill' on the night of 26/27 June. At this time 62nd HAA Rgt had 173 (2nd East Riding), 198 (from 67th (York and Lancaster) HAA Rgt) and 409 HAA Btys under command; in August it had 172 (1st East Riding) and 198 HAA Btys, while 173 was in the
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city status in the United Kingdom, city in South Yorkshire, England, whose name derives from the River Sheaf which runs through it. The city serves as the administrative centre of the City of Sheffield. It is Historic counties o ...
Gun Zone under 67th HAA Rgt and 409 HAA Bty had gone to the
Derby
Derby ( ) is a city and unitary authority area in Derbyshire, England. It lies on the banks of the River Derwent in the south of Derbyshire, which is in the East Midlands Region. It was traditionally the county town of Derbyshire. Derby gai ...
Gun Zone. As of 11 July, the Humber Gun Zone had 38 operational HAA guns.
''
Luftwaffe
The ''Luftwaffe'' () was the aerial-warfare branch of the German ''Wehrmacht'' before and during World War II. Germany's military air arms during World War I, the ''Luftstreitkräfte'' of the Imperial Army and the '' Marine-Fliegerabtei ...
'' night raids over the Humber increased during August while the
Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain, also known as the Air Battle for England (german: die Luftschlacht um England), was a military campaign of the Second World War, in which the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) of the Royal Navy defende ...
was under way, but were still small in scale. By October, 62nd HAA Rgt on the north bank of the Humber had all three of its own batteries back under command, manning static 4.5-inch guns, together with 198 HAA Bty until that went to reinforce the defences of London as
The Blitz
The Blitz was a German bombing campaign against the United Kingdom in 1940 and 1941, during the Second World War. The term was first used by the British press and originated from the term , the German word meaning 'lightning war'.
The Germa ...
got under way. The AA Defence Commander (AADC) and Gun Operations Room (GOR) for the Humber Gun Zone (later Gun Defence Area, GDA) were based at Wenlock Barracks.
A new 10 AA Division was created in November 1940, and 39th AA Bde was transferred to it, retaining its responsibility for the defence of the Humber Estuary and
Scunthorpe
Scunthorpe () is an industrial town and unparished area in the unitary authority of North Lincolnshire in Lincolnshire, England of which it is the main administrative centre. Scunthorpe had an estimated total population of 82,334 in 2016. A pre ...
.Farndale, Annex D.
Throughout the night of 12/13 December the Humber guns engaged large numbers of bombers passing over on their way to attack Sheffield and
Rotherham
Rotherham () is a large minster and market town in South Yorkshire, England. The town takes its name from the River Rother which then merges with the River Don. The River Don then flows through the town centre. It is the main settlement of ...
(the
Sheffield Blitz
The Sheffield Blitz is the name given to the worst nights of German ''Luftwaffe'' bombing in Sheffield, England, during the Second World War. It took place over the nights of 12 December and 15 December 1940.
In 1940, Sheffield was a city o ...
). In February 1941 the ''Luftwaffe'' began a campaign of intensive minelaying in the Humber, and 'barrage fire' against the circling raiders was pretty much guesswork. However, barrage fire partially disrupted a heavy raid against Hull and Grimsby on the night of 23/24 February. Predicted concentrations, using Gun Laying (GL) Radar, were more effective if there were not too many targets.
The regiment sent a
cadre
Cadre may refer to:
*Cadre (military), a group of officers or NCOs around whom a unit is formed, or a training staff
*Cadre (politics), a politically controlled appointment to an institution in order to circumvent the state and bring control to th ...
of experienced officers and other ranks to 206th Training Regiment at
Arborfield
Arborfield is a village on the A327 road in Berkshire about south-east of Reading, about west of Wokingham. It lies in the civil parish of Arborfield and Newland in the Borough of Wokingham, about west of its sister village of Arborfield C ...
to provide the basis of a new 407 HAA Bty; this was formed on 16 January 1941 and joined the regiment temporarily on 10 April and then permanently from 10 June. 62nd HAA Rgt was also reinforced from 26 March to 19 May by 242 HAA Bty of 77th (Welsh) HAA Rgt on loan from
Cardiff
Cardiff (; cy, Caerdydd ) is the capital and largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Cardiff ( cy, Dinas a Sir Caerdydd, links=no), and the city is the eleventh-largest in the United Kingd ...
.39 AA Bde War Diary June–December 1941, TNA file WO 166/2273.
Hull was raided regularly during the better weather of March 1941 (the
Hull Blitz
The Hull Blitz was the bombing campaign that targeted the English port city of Kingston upon Hull by the German ''Luftwaffe'' during the Second World War.
Large-scale attacks took place on several nights throughout March 1941, resulting in over ...
), with a serious raid on 13/14 March leaving many fires burning and numerous casualties, while
Hull Docks
The Port of Hull is a port at the confluence of the River Hull and the Humber Estuary in Kingston upon Hull, in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England.
Seaborne trade at the port can be traced to at least the 13th century, originally cond ...
was attacked on 31 March/1 April. The most concentrated attacks came on the nights of 7/8 and 8/9 May. On the first night, fires started in the city acted as a beacon for subsequent waves of bombers, and the telephone lines to the GOR were cut. The Humber guns fired 1950 rounds that night. On the second night, the bombers starting dive-bombing the still-burning city in groups, making predicted fire difficult, but the guns fired about 3400 rounds. The two-night blitz resulted in over 400 deaths in the city. However, after mid-May the number of raids against the UK tailed away and the Blitz is considered to have ended on 16 May, though periodic raids still occurred.
The regiment provided further cadres. One was for 442 HAA Bty formed on 12 June 1941 at 210th HAA Training Rgt,
Oswestry
Oswestry ( ; ) is a market town, civil parish and historic railway town in Shropshire, England, close to the Welsh border. It is at the junction of the A5, A483 and A495 roads.
The town was the administrative headquarters of the Borough of ...
, which joined 130th (Mixed) HAA Rgt ('Mixed' units being those into which women of the
Auxiliary Territorial Service
The Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS; often pronounced as an acronym) was the women's branch of the British Army during the Second World War. It was formed on 9 September 1938, initially as a women's voluntary service, and existed until 1 Februa ...
were integrated). Another cadre was for 466 HAA Bty formed on 7 August 1941 at 210th HAA Training Rgt, which became Mixed on 3 September and joined 135th (M) HAA Rgt.
The number of 4.5-inch HAA guns in the Humber GDA continued to increase during 1941, and on 5 September the regiment was reinforced by 184 HAA Bty from 66th (Leeds Rifles) HAA Rgt, replaced in November by 340 HAA Bty from 95th HAA Rgt until 10 December. In November, RHQ, including the GOR, left Wenlock Barracks and moved out of the city to
Wawne
Wawne , also spelled Waghen, is a small village and civil parishes in England, civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. The village is situated approximately north of Kingston upon Hull, Hull city centre and south-east of Bever ...
Hall.
Mobile training
62nd HAA Regiment now became a unit of the field force rostered for overseas service. On 15 February 1942 it left 39 AA Bde, and joined 11 AA Bde for mobile training at
Yeovil
Yeovil ( ) is a town and civil parishes in England, civil parish in the district of South Somerset, England. The population of Yeovil at the last census (2011) was 45,784. More recent estimates show a population of 48,564. It is close to Somer ...
, while 407 HAA Bty transferred to 128th HAA Rgt as the 62nd adopted the three-battery organisation of field force HAA regiments. Between training, field force AA units were loaned back to AA Command, and by April the 62nd had joined 70 AA Bde in 4 AA Division in
North West England
North West England is one of nine official regions of England and consists of the ceremonial counties of England, administrative counties of Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Merseyside. The North West had a population of ...
.Order of Battle of Non-Field Force Units in the United Kingdom, Part 27: AA Command, 14 May 1942, with amendments, TNA file WO 212/81.
In July 1942, 62nd HAA Rgt left AA Command and came under direct WO control. By November it had attached to it the ancillary sub-units to make it fully mobile to take part in
Operation Torch
Operation Torch (8 November 1942 – Run for Tunis, 16 November 1942) was an Allies of World War II, Allied invasion of French North Africa during the Second World War. Torch was a compromise operation that met the British objective of secu ...
Royal Corps of Signals
The Royal Corps of Signals (often simply known as the Royal Signals – abbreviated to R SIGNALS or R SIGS) is one of the combat support arms of the British Army. Signals units are among the first into action, providing the battlefield communi ...
* 62 HAA Workshop,
Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
The Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME ) is a corps of the British Army that maintains the equipment that the Army uses. The corps is described as the "British Army's Professional Engineers".
History
Prior to REME's for ...
(REME)
* 62 HAA Rgt Platoon,
Royal Army Service Corps
The Royal Army Service Corps (RASC) was a corps of the British Army responsible for land, coastal and lake transport, air despatch, barracks administration, the Army Fire Service, staffing headquarters' units, supply of food, water, fuel and dom ...
North Africa
The regiment landed in
North Africa
North Africa, or Northern Africa is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region, and it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of Mauritania in ...
Allied Force Headquarters
Allied Force Headquarters (AFHQ) was the headquarters that controlled all Allied operational forces in the Mediterranean theatre of World War II from August 1942 until the end of the war in Europe in May 1945.
AFHQ was established in the Un ...
by 18 December 1942. 62 AA Bde was the second AA formation to arrive, and its role was to relieve the most mobile AA units at
Algiers
Algiers ( ; ar, الجزائر, al-Jazāʾir; ber, Dzayer, script=Latn; french: Alger, ) is the capital and largest city of Algeria. The city's population at the 2008 Census was 2,988,145Census 14 April 2008: Office National des Statistiques ...
and allow them to advance with the Allied Forces as they drove eastwards. 62nd HAA Regiment had one battery deployed at the port of Algiers by mid-January 1943. Further arrivals allowed 62 AA Bde to extend its area eastwards, and by mid-March 62nd HAA Rgt had 4-gun troops at Algiers, at
Blida
Blida ( ar, البليدة; Berber languages, Tamazight: Leblida) is a city in Algeria. It is the capital of Blida Province, and it is located about 45 km south-west of Algiers, the national capital. The name ''Blida'', i.e. ''bulaydah'' ...
and
Maison Blanche
Maison Blanche (''White House'' in French) was a department store in New Orleans, Louisiana, and later also a chain of department stores. It was founded in 1897 by Isidore Newman, an immigrant from Germany.
Maison Blanche is perhaps best remem ...
airfields, and 1 1() batteries (12 guns) at Bougie harbour. Algiers and Bougie were defined as Vulnerable Areas (VAs) and were designated as Inner Artillery Zones (IAZs) where the guns were permitted to fire at any aircraft within 12,000 yards (11,000 m) unless they returned
Identification friend or foe
Identification, friend or foe (IFF) is an identification system designed for command and control. It uses a transponder that listens for an ''interrogation'' signal and then sends a ''response'' that identifies the broadcaster. IFF systems usual ...
(IFF) signals.
In the final phase of the campaign,
Operation Vulcan
Operation Vulcan (22 April – 6 May 1943) and Operation Strike (6–12 May 1943) were the final ground attacks by the Allied forces against the Italian and German forces in Tunis, Cape Bon, and Bizerte, the last Axis toeholds in North Africa ...
in mid-May, the regiment was deployed with two batteries at Bougie and one at
Djidjelli
Jijel ( ar, جيجل), the classical Igilgili, is the capital of Jijel Province in north-eastern Algeria. It is flanked by the Mediterranean Sea in the region of Corniche Jijelienne and had a population of 131,513 in 2008.
Jijel is the adminis ...
Until April 1944 the regiment remained in North Africa with 52 AA Bde, protecting the ports of
Bizerta
Bizerte or Bizerta ( ar, بنزرت, translit=Binzart , it, Biserta, french: link=no, Bizérte) the classical Hippo, is a city of Bizerte Governorate in Tunisia. It is the northernmost city in Africa, located 65 km (40mil) north of the cap ...
,
Bône
Annaba ( ar, عنّابة, "Place of the Jujubes"; ber, Aânavaen), formerly known as Bon, Bona and Bône, is a seaport city in the northeastern corner of Algeria, close to the border with Tunisia. Annaba is near the small Seybouse River ...
and
Philippeville
Philippeville (; wa, Flipveye) is a city and municipality of Wallonia located in the province of Namur, Belgium. The Philippeville municipality includes the former municipalities of Fagnolle, Franchimont, Jamagne, Jamiolle, Merlemont, Ne ...
from which the invasions of Sicily and Italy were launched and supplied. The brigade landed at
Barletta
Barletta () is a city, ''comune'' of Apulia, in south eastern Italy. Barletta is the capoluogo, together with Andria and Trani, of the Province of Barletta-Andria-Trani. It has a population of around 94,700 citizens.
The city's territory belong ...
in south-east Italy on 22 April 1944. It moved up to the
Foggia Airfield Complex
The Foggia Airfield Complex was a series of World War II military airfields located within a radius of Foggia, in the Province of Foggia, Italy. The airfields were used by the United States Army Air Force Fifteenth Air Force as part of the stra ...
and in July it relieved 8 AA Bde. 62nd HAA Regiment then moved with 8 AA Bde across Italy, first to
Civitavecchia
Civitavecchia (; meaning "ancient town") is a city and ''comune'' of the Metropolitan City of Rome in the central Italian region of Lazio. A sea port on the Tyrrhenian Sea, it is located west-north-west of Rome. The harbour is formed by two pier ...
and the US airfields on the
Tiber
The Tiber ( ; it, Tevere ; la, Tiberis) is the third-longest river in Italy and the longest in Central Italy, rising in the Apennine Mountains in Emilia-Romagna and flowing through Tuscany, Umbria, and Lazio, where it is joined by the Riv ...
plain, then back across to
Ancona
Ancona (, also , ) is a city and a seaport in the Marche region in central Italy, with a population of around 101,997 . Ancona is the capital of the province of Ancona and of the region. The city is located northeast of Rome, on the Adriatic S ...
. In the second half of 1944, with the threat from the ''Luftwaffe'' greatly reduced, AA units in Italy began to be withdrawn for disbandment. By January 1945 most of 8 AA Bde had left, but 62nd HAA Rgt remained deployed at Ancona until early May, when all AA defence commitments ended and the regiment instead formed a transport pool for the Allied occupying force.
Regimental HQ with 172, 173 and 266 HAA Btys was placed in suspended animation on 10 December 1945.
Postwar
When the TA was reconstituted on 1 January 1947 the regiment reformed at Hull as 462 (Northumbrian) HAA Rgt, and on 14 July the following year it became a 'Mixed' unit, indicating that members of the
Women's Royal Army Corps
The Women's Royal Army Corps (WRAC; sometimes pronounced acronymically as , a term unpopular with its members) was the corps to which all women in the British Army belonged from 1949 to 1992, except medical, dental and veterinary officers and cha ...
(WRAC) were integrated into it. It also had a HAA Workshop of the REME at the Walton Street TA Centre in Hull.Frederick, p. 1016.444–473 Rgts RA at British Army 1945 on. /ref> The regiment formed part of 57 AA Bde (the former 31 AA Bde) based at
Immingham
Immingham is a town, civil parish and ward in the North East Lincolnshire unitary authority of England. It is situated on the south-west bank of the Humber Estuary, and is north-west from Grimsby.
The region was relatively unpopulated and un ...
, but that formation was disbanded in 1948. On 1 January 1954 the regiment absorbed 676 HAA Rgt, a short-lived unit that had been formed postwar at Hull.
AA Command was disbanded in 1955 and there were wholescale disbandments and mergers among the TA's AA units. On 10 March 1955, 462 HAA Rgt amalgamated with the Lincolnshire-based 529 LAA Rgt and 581 (5th Bn The Royal Lincolnshire Regiment) HAA Rgt to form 440 (Humber) LAA Rgt with the following organisation by 1960:Frederick, p. 1014.
* RHQ at Wenlock Barracks, Hull
* P Battery at Hull
* Q Battery at
Grimsby
Grimsby or Great Grimsby is a port town and the administrative centre of North East Lincolnshire, Lincolnshire, England. Grimsby adjoins the town of Cleethorpes directly to the south-east forming a conurbation. Grimsby is north-east of Linco ...
and
Louth Louth may refer to:
Australia
*Hundred of Louth, a cadastral unit in South Australia
* Louth, New South Wales, a town
* Louth Bay, a bay in South Australia
**Louth Bay, South Australia, a town and locality
Canada
* Louth, Ontario
Ireland
* Cou ...
* R (5th Royal Lincolnshire Regt) Battery at
Scunthorpe
Scunthorpe () is an industrial town and unparished area in the unitary authority of North Lincolnshire in Lincolnshire, England of which it is the main administrative centre. Scunthorpe had an estimated total population of 82,334 in 2016. A pre ...
, later Grimsby
* S Battery (ex 529 LAA Rgt, disbanded 1 May 1960)
* 440 (Humber) Light Aid Detachment, REME, at Hull
Many of the WRACs who could not be accommodated in the merged regiment transferred to a squadron of the
Royal Corps of Signals
The Royal Corps of Signals (often simply known as the Royal Signals – abbreviated to R SIGNALS or R SIGS) is one of the combat support arms of the British Army. Signals units are among the first into action, providing the battlefield communi ...
that was also based at Wenlock Barracks. The merged regiment was equipped with electrically-operated L/70 Bofors guns to deal with low-flying aircraft, and training was handled by the men of the former 529 LAA Rgt. In 1961 the LAA part of its title was dropped, and then in 1964 it became a Light Air Defence regiment. In the 1960s the regiment was granted the
Freedom
Freedom is understood as either having the ability to act or change without constraint or to possess the power and resources to fulfill one's purposes unhindered. Freedom is often associated with liberty and autonomy in the sense of "giving on ...
of the City of Hull and the Boroughs of Scunthorpe and Grimsby, and formed its own band.
A further reduction in 1967 saw the TA reorganised as the
TAVR
Percutaneous aortic valve replacement (PAVR), also known as percutaneous aortic valve implantation (PAVI), transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) or transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), is the replacement of the aortic valve o ...
, and on 1 April 1967 the regiment became The Humber Regiment RA (Territorials), without guns:Frederick, p. 1042.
* P (East Riding) Battery at Hull
* Q Battery at Grimsby (absorbed elements of 594 Ambulance Squadron,
Royal Corps of Transport
The Royal Corps of Transport (RCT) was a British Army Corps established to manage all matters in relation to the transport of men and material for the Army and the wider Defence community. It was formed in 1965 and disbanded in 1993; its units and ...
)
* R (5 Lincoln) Battery at Scunthorpe
On 1 January 1969 the Humber Regiment was reduced to an eight-man cadre located with 250 (Hull) Field Ambulance,
Royal Army Medical Corps
The Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) is a specialist corps in the British Army which provides medical services to all Army personnel and their families, in war and in peace. The RAMC, the Royal Army Veterinary Corps, the Royal Army Dental Corps a ...
; part of P Bty went to 129 (East Riding) Field Squadron,
Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually called the Royal Engineers (RE), and commonly known as the ''Sappers'', is a corps of the British Army. It provides military engineering and other technical support to the British Armed Forces and is heade ...
, at Hull (descended from the
East Riding Royal Garrison Artillery
The East Riding Royal Garrison Artillery (ERRGA) was a part-time unit of Britain's Royal Artillery based at Hull in the East Riding of Yorkshire. It provided coastal defence artillery along the Humber Estuary from 1908 to 1956, manned siege batte ...
); part of Q Bty formed a platoon in 16 Independent Company, Parachute Regiment, at Grimsby.
However, on 1 April 1971 the unit was reconstituted from the cadre at Hull as A (The Humber Artillery) Battery, 2nd Battalion,
Yorkshire Volunteers
The Yorkshire Volunteers was an infantry regiment of the British Territorial Army. The regiment was raised on 1 April 1967 and disbanded on 25 April 1993.
Following subsequent amalgamations and reorganisations the regiment is represented by th ...
at Wenlock Barracks. The battery became an infantry company in 1975 and on 1 December 1977 it amalgamated with B Company of the battalion at Londesborough Barracks. The Humber Artillery lineage was discontinued until 1 April 1991, when E (The Humber Artillery) Company reformed at Mona House, Hull, from elements of 2nd Bn and of 129 Field Sqn.
Finally, on 4 April 1992, E Company was reabsorbed by B Company and the Humber Artillery lineage ended.
William Denison, 1st Earl of Londesborough
William Henry Forester Denison, 1st Earl of Londesborough (19 June 1834 – 19 April 1900), known as The Lord Londesborough from 1860 to 1887, was a British peer and Liberal politician. He was also one of the main founders of Scarborough FC.
E ...
, appointed 11 August 1860
* Beilby Lawley, 3rd Lord Wenlock, appointed 30 March 1881
* O. Sanderson, appointed 8 August 1914
* Colonel F.B. Moss-Blundell, CMG, DSO, TD, appointed 21 September 1927
* Major
Lawrence Dundas, 2nd Marquess of Zetland
Lawrence John Lumley Dundas, 2nd Marquess of Zetland, (11 June 1876 – 6 February 1961), styled Lord Dundas until 1892 and Earl of Ronaldshay between 1892 and 1929, was a British Conservative politician. An expert on India, he served as Secreta ...
, appointed 30 November 1932
Memorial
A memorial plaque was placed in
Holy Trinity Church, Hull
Hull Minster is the Anglican minster and the parish church of Kingston upon Hull in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. The church was called Holy Trinity Church until 13 May 2017 when it became Hull Minster.
History
It is the largest pa ...
, in 1960 to mark the centenary of the East Yorkshire Artillery Volunteers. Its full wording is:UKWMR Ref 35647. /ref>
THIS TABLET WAS PLACED HERE TO MARK THE CENTENARY/ YEAR IN 1960 OF THE FORMATION OF THE EAST YORKSHIRE/ ARTILLERY VOLUNTEERS AND IN RECOGNITION OF THE/ FAITHFUL AND GALLANT SERVICES OF THOSE CITIZENS OF/ KINGSTON UPON HULL AND OTHERS WHO SERVED IN PEACE AND/ WAR AS ARTILLERY MEN IN THE UNDERMENTIONED REGIMENT/ 3RD EAST YORKSHIRE ARTILLERY VOLUNTEERS 2ND EAST YORKSHIRE ARTILLERY VOLUNTEERS 2ND EAST RIDING OF YORKSHIRE/ RGA VOLUNTEERS 2ND NORTHUMBRIAN BRIGADE RFA T.F. EAST RIDING RGA T.F. 77TH SIEGE BATTERY RGA T.F./ 165 SIEGE BATTERY RGA T.F. 251ST BRIGADE T.F. 73RD NORTHUMBRIAN FIELD BRIGADE RA T.A. EAST RIDING HEAVY/ BRIGADE RA T.A. 62ND HEAVY A.A. REGIMENT RA T.A. 422 EAST RIDING COAST REGIMENT RA T.A. 462 MIXED HEAVY/ A.A. REGIMENT RA T.A. 676 A.A. REGIMENT RA T.A. 440 HUMBER LIGHT A.A. REGIMENT RA T.A.
Notes
References
* Ian F.W. Beckett, ''Riflemen Form: A Study of the Rifle Volunteer Movement 1859–1908'', Aldershot, The Ogilby Trusts, 1982, .
* Maj A.F. Becke,''History of the Great War: Order of Battle of Divisions, Part 2a: The Territorial Force Mounted Divisions and the 1st-Line Territorial Force Divisions (42–56)'', London: HM Stationery Office, 1935/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2007, .
* Maj A.F. Becke,''History of the Great War: Order of Battle of Divisions, Part 2b: The 2nd-Line Territorial Force Divisions (57th–69th), with the Home-Service Divisions (71st–73rd) and 74th and 75th Divisions,'' London: HM Stationery Office, 1937/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2007, .
* Maj A.F. Becke,''History of the Great War: Order of Battle of Divisions, Part 3b: New Army Divisions (30–41) and 63rd (R.N.) Division'', London: HM Stationery Office, 1939/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2007, .
* David Blanchard, ''Aisne 1918'', Barnsley: Pen & Sword, 2015, .
* Gregory Blaxland, ''Amiens: 1918'', London: Frederick Muller, 1968/Star, 1981, .
* Brig-Gen Sir James E. Edmonds & Lt-Col R. Maxwell-Hyslop, ''History of the Great War: Military Operations, France and Belgium 1918'', Vol V, ''26th September–11th November, The Advance to Victory'', London: HM Stationery Office, 1947/Imperial War Museum and Battery Press, 1993, .
* Maj L.F. Ellis, "History of the Second World War: United Kingdom Military Series: Victory in the West", Volume II: "The Defeat of Germany", London: HMSO, 1968/Uckfield: Naval & Military, 2004, .
* Gen Sir
Martin Farndale
General Sir Martin Baker Farndale, (6 January 1929 – 10 May 2000) was a British Army officer who reached high office in the 1980s.
Military career
Educated at Yorebridge Grammar School, Askrigg, and the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Farnda ...
, ''History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery: Western Front 1914–18'', Woolwich: Royal Artillery Institution, 1986, .
* Gen Sir Martin Farndale, ''History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery: The Years of Defeat: Europe and North Africa, 1939–1941'', Woolwich: Royal Artillery Institution, 1988/London: Brasseys, 1996, .
* J.B.M. Frederick, ''Lineage Book of British Land Forces 1660–1978'', Vol II, Wakefield, Microform Academic, 1984, .
* Peter Hart, ''Bloody April: Slaughter in the Skies over Arras, 1917'', London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2005, .
*
* Norman E.H. Litchfield, ''The Territorial Artillery 1908–1988 (Their Lineage, Uniforms and Badges)'', Nottingham: Sherwood Press, 1992, .
* Norman Litchfield & Ray Westlake, ''The Volunteer Artillery 1859–1908 (Their Lineage, Uniforms and Badges)'', Nottingham: Sherwood Press, 1982, .
* J. McWilliams & R.J. Steel, ''Gas! The Battle for Ypres, 1915'', St Catherines, Ontario: Vanwell Publishing, 1985, .
* Martin Middlebrook, ''The Kaiser's Battle, 21 March 1918: The First Day of the German Spring Offensive'', London: Allen Lane, 1978/Penguin, 1983, .
* R.W.S. Norfolk, ''Militia, Yeomanry and Volunteer Forces of the East Riding 1689–1908'', York: East Yorkshire Local History Society, 1965.
* ''Titles and Designations of Formations and Units of the Territorial Army'', London: War Office, 7 November 1927.
* Everard Wyrall, ''The Fiftieth Division 1914–1919'', 1939/Uckfield: Naval & Military, nd, .
{{refend
East Yorkshire
The East Riding of Yorkshire, or simply East Riding or East Yorkshire, is a ceremonial county and unitary authority area in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It borders North Yorkshire to the north and west, South Yorkshire to th ...