Manchester Artillery - Knowledge (XXG)

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could see them. The anti-tank guns were overrun and captured, though most of the two gun detachments got away. In the absence of other information the batteries fired their pre-arranged SOS tasks. 66th (2nd EL) Division defended its positions stubbornly, but about midday a section of C Bty was overrun. The mist having cleared, the batteries were now firing over open sights at ranges of 1,000 yards (910 m) to 1,500 yards (1,400 m) and about 15.00 they were ordered to withdraw. The gunners got away, but B Bty had to disable and abandon its guns. At 16.30 the brigade was ordered to prepare to defend the Brown Line. Brigade HQ moved back to

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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 and would absorb the flood of volunteers coming forwards. In this way duplicate batteries, brigades and divisions were created, mirroring those TF formations being sent overseas.

455: 71: 758:, in 66th (2nd EL) Division's defences. These consisted of an Outpost Zone (the Blue Line) along Cologne Ridge, and a Battle Zone behind as the position of main resistance, with the Red Line in front and the Brown Line at the rear; the final line of resistance was the Green Line. The guns were disposed in depth through these zones, with fall-back positions prepared. Hargicourt itself was in the outpost zone, and brigade HQ was moved back to 88: 1100:

equipped with 18-pounders and one with 4.5-inch howitzers, all of World War I patterns. However, the batteries only held four guns in peacetime. The guns and their first-line ammunition wagons were still horsedrawn and the battery staffs were mounted. Partial mechanisation was carried out from 1927, but the guns retained iron-tyred wheels until pneumatic tyres began to be introduced just before

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During the night of 6/7 August the division's infantry waded across the river, but the artillery had to wait for the sappers to build bridges before it could cross the deep and narrow valley. The following evening the bridgehead came under heavy attack, but the infantry and artillery broke up all the attacks and the bridgehead was firmly held. By now XXX Corps had captured the dominating

47: 397: 646:, and from the brigade's administrative centre at Manchester). The division was finally ready for overseas service at the end of 1916. Before leaving England the brigade's batteries were made up to 6 guns each and a section of the former 2/2nd Cumberland (H) Bty joined from CCCXXXII Bde to bring D (H) Bty up to six howitzers, giving the final organisation of the brigade: 696:. However, the Germans launched a spoiling attack, and the expected breakthrough at Ypres failed to materialise, so the operation was cancelled. Lieutenant-Col Hill left the brigade in July and Maj H.B. O'B. Traill, a regular RGA officer, was transferred in and promoted to succeed him. 66th (2nd EL) Division was relieved by 42nd (EL) Division in October and went to the 591: 570:

Bde (the Bolton Artillery). The Brigade Ammunition Column did go to France, where it became No 3 Section of the reformed 42nd Divisional Ammunition Column. The two Manchester batteries fought with their new brigades in 42nd (EL) Division for the rest of the war on the Western Front, including the operations on the Flanders coast in 1917, the defence against the

638:. 66th (2nd EL) Division's training suffered long delays caused by having to find reinforcement drafts for 42nd (EL) Division. Supplying one draft of 250 gunners in 1916 considerably delayed the whole division; these then had to be replaced by drafts from the 3rd Line (in the case of 2/II East Lancs Bde these came from 3/II East Lancs Bde at 864:

month all the batteries were back to their six-gun strength. From 14/15 to 22 May 66th DA was in action near Busseboom supporting counter-attacks by the 14th French Division, and in June and early July it covered small operations by various formations in Second Army. XIX Corps HQ then moved into the area and assigned 66th DA to support

1035:, where the Germans had abandoned its ammunition trains and dumps. That night the Germans shelled the station, attempting to destroy the ammunition. Early next morning, 11 November, 199th Bde sent forward two battalions, each with two 18-pdrs, to drive off the enemy's screens. Hostilities ended at 11.00 that day when the 827:

CCCXXXI Bde (6 guns) with C Bty (6 guns) and part of D Bty (2 howitzers) from CCCXXX Bde, with his HQ in Villers-Bretonneux and the batteries deployed around the station. Next day Adams' Group was joined by D/CCCXXXI Bty (4 howitzers) and A/CCCXXX Bty (4 guns), while the rest of his brigade was under Laird. During the

1680:. It was a textbook operation, employing 21st Army Group's superior resources in airpower, engineering and artillery to overcome formidable minefields, anti-tank ditches and fortifications with low casualties. 59 AGRA was one of three AGRAs devoted to supporting the attack by a single infantry brigade ( 1023:(RAF) squadrons, armoured cars, anti-aircraft guns, cyclists, machine gunners, engineers and pioneers, and support services. While Bethell's force continued pursuing the beaten Germans, the remainder of Fourth Army halted to ease its supply problems. The rest of CCCXXXI Bde supported 199th Bde around 826:

for newly-arrived American troops, but 66th DA continued as an independent artillery force. By now XIX Corps had assigned its available field artillery to cover particular sectors, regardless of the formation to which they belonged. On 30 March Lt-Col Adams took command of a group comprising C Bty of

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The Manchester Artillery Memorial consists of three marble panels containing 106 names from World War I and 64 from World War II. Originally at the Manchester Artillery Drill Hall in Hyde Road, Ardwick, it was later moved to the Army Reserve Centre at Belle Vue Street, Gorton, HQ of 209 (Manchester)

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and what remained on Bijude after the bombardment, but the other objectives still held out. Next mourning the division worked its way steadily forward and secured these objective by midday. By now the flanking divisions were closing in on the city centre and the German defenders withdrew across the

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refused to pay for the upkeep of field guns for Volunteers and they had largely died out 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. By 1890 the whole of the

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on 31 October. The brigade had suffered casualties of 8 killed and 65 wounded in the month. It went back into the line on 11 November, relieving Australian gunners. The final attack on Passchendaele had been made the previous day, but the guns remained under shell and gas attack on the open slopes.

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On 28 January 1917, after the division reached El Arish, orders arrived for it to be sent to the Western Front. It was at Alexandria by 21 February, when CCXII Bde was broken up before the division embarked. A Battery became C Bty of CCX (formerly 1/I East Lancs) Bde, and B Bty became C Bty of CCXI

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59th (S) Division now reverted to XII Corps. By the end of July the Allied breakout from the Normandy beachhead was under way and the German forces in front of XII Corps began to withdraw on the night of 3 August. 59th (S) Division followed up closely and reached the Orne by nightfall on 4 August.

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area to reorganise, with the batteries returning to their own brigades. With no infantry to support, the trench mortar batteries and the Small Arms Ammunition Section of the Divisional Ammunition Column were disbanded, releasing gunners and drivers to reinforce the gun batteries. By the end of the

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began at 04.30 on the morning of 21 March with a heavy 6-hour bombardment of the division's gun positions, which also cut the telephone lines and prevented runners getting through with messages. There was a heavy mist and Germans troops were able to penetrate the Blue Line before the artillery OPs

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On 10 August, TF units were invited to volunteer for overseas service. The infantry brigades of the East Lancashire Division volunteered within two days and soon 90 per cent of the division had signed up. On 15 August 1914, the War Office issued instructions to separate those men who had opted for

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Units returning from France were rapidly reinforced, re-equipped with whatever was available, and deployed for home defence. Field regiments were reorganised into three batteries, and 52nd Fd Rgt accordingly formed 437 Fd Bty by 29 March 1941. In the autumn of 1941 it was decided to convert 42nd

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attached to 18th (E) Division. CCCXXXI Brigade was now organised into three four-gun batteries (B, C and D) under the command of Maj Grice-Hutchinson. 66th DA was relieved on the night of 7/8 April. Between 21 March and 13 April CCCXXXI Bde had suffered casualties of 4 officers and 35 other ranks

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The War Office had realised even before D-Day that the army's manpower situation was so bad that some formations in 21st Army Group would have to be disbanded sooner or later. At the end of August 1944 59th (Staffordshire) was selected, as the junior infantry division, to be broken up to provide

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The canal defences were situated east of the waterway, with a string of self-contained posts, each garrisoned by an infantry battalion and an artillery battery. The division did much of the construction and trained in the desert, the gunners carrying out field firing with their new guns. The gun

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The brigade was once again part of 42nd (EL) Divisional Artillery. In 1924 the RFA was subsumed into the Royal Artillery (RA), and the word 'Field' was inserted into the titles of its brigades and batteries. The establishment of a TA divisional artillery brigade was four 6-gun batteries, three

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The 2nd Line units of the East Lancashire Division were raised in September and October 1914, with only a small nucleus of instructors to train the mass of volunteers. Training was slow because the 2nd Line artillery lacked guns, sights, horses, wagons and signal equipment. The

771:, and later to Nobescourt Farm to be close to the infantry HQ. Although 66th (2nd EL) Division still held some of its Battle Zone positions at the end of the day, its casualties were heavy, and it was outflanked following the collapse of the neighbouring division to the north. 786:

units. Lieutenant-Col Adams with CCCXXXI Brigade HQ went back to the wagon lines to take charge of the withdrawal of the transport. That night the surviving units of XIX Corps, slipped away from the meagre defences of the Green Line and joined the 'Great Retreat' towards the

1360:, but once the guns were brought up they totally suppressed the German artillery. While the armoured divisions advanced up the roads, the lightly-equipped 8th Indian Division took to the narrow tracks through the hills, driving German rearguards from the hilltop towns. 978:

began work on other crossings. The barrage began moving forward again at 10.33 and by 11.15 the brigade had secured Fourth Army's objective for the day. The infantry had worked further forward by 19.30, and CCCXXXI re-arranged the night SOS barrage lines accordingly.

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66th Divisional Artillery remained in the line at Ypres during the winter, finally reverting to the command of its parent division when that returned to the sector on 13 January 1918. The division moved south by rail in mid-February, with CCCXXXI Bde established at

566:, near the Palestine frontier, on 22 December. On 25 December 1916 CCXI Bde was renumbered CCXII (exchanging numbers with the former 1/III East Lancs (Bolton Artillery)) and was reorganised, with C Bty being split between A and B to bring them up to six guns each. 1421:, but 8th Indian Division had already been withdrawn from the line as the first Indian formation to transfer to the Far East to fight the Japanese. 52nd (Manchester) Fd Rgt embarked for the UK on 27 July and passed into suspended animation on 3 November 1945. 835:, and was heavily shelled. Communications were cut so runners had to be used, and some of the batteries had to be pulled back into Villers-Bretonneux, but they achieved good results, their SOS fire stopping one attack just short of the positions of 920:

in a small attack to straighten the line on the Lys. With the success of Second Army's attack further north, the Germans in front of 40th Division on the Lys began to withdraw, and from 3 October CCCXXXI Bde was put under the tactical command of

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Then on 30 November HQ 59 AGRA was informed that due to the acute shortage of infantry replacements, the formation was soon to be disbanded. Its last task was to fire in support of Operation Guildford on 3 December. This was an attack by

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After the infantry of 66th (2nd EL) Division were relieved on 11 October, the guns remained in position. They were regularly under fire, and the ammunition had to be brought up by pack-horses. CCCXXXI Brigade supported the attacks by

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and the brigade operated from south of the town, carrying out harassing fire and covering raids. The advance was resumed on 15 October, CCCXXXI Bde once again supporting the advance guard, moving by way of La Houlette (17 October),

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on 4–5 August, after which 42nd (EL) Division set off in pursuit. The men and horses suffered badly from lack of water, but the Turks lost heavily. The division then returned to the canal posts, with A Bty of CCXI Bde at Pelusium.

1530:. After this preparation the artillery fired a barrage in front of the attacking infantry, who moved forward at 04.20; 59th (S) Division was on its first objectives within an hour. After further preparation by fighter-bombers of 925:

as it formed the advance guard. However, the German retirement was so rapid that the brigade had little to do except reconnoitre new positions across the Lys, which it crossed on 5 October. The Germans took up positions beyond

700:. The road congestion and the mud on the Passchendaele ridge was so bad that the batteries could not all get up to their intended positions: only C Bty got into action in time to support the division's attack on 9 October (the 1713:, but AA Command was abolished on 10 March 1955 and there were wholesale amalgamations among its regiments. 310 HAA Regiment was amalgamated with 360, 465, 574 and 606 Rgts to form a new 314 HAA Rgt, with P (Manchester) Bty. 1107:

In 1938 the RA modernised its nomenclature and a lieutenant-colonel's command was designated a 'regiment' rather than a 'brigade'; this applied to TA field brigades from 1 November 1938. The TA was doubled in size after the

1031:. The South Africans attacked, coming under fire from artillery, machine guns and aircraft, but captured the high ground, while the RAF attacked the retreating German transport column. Following, CCCXXXI Bde HQ moved up to 301:

on 17 August 1860, becoming a full battery by the following month. It formed a 2nd Battery on 14 December 1860, a 3rd and 4th on 22 January 1861, and the 5th and 6th on 6 May 1863, when John Isaac Mawson (director of the

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on 10 September, the first TF division to go overseas. However, only two brigades of its divisional artillery accompanied it, and 1/II East Lancs was one of those left behind, spending the next few months in Manchester.

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in XIII Corps, covered by the artillery of other formations. It now came up from reserve and took up the advance. On 5 November A and C Btys of CCCXXXI Bde, each with a howitzer section from D Bty, crossed the canal at

1538:, 59th (S) Division pushed fresh troops through at 07.30 towards their second objectives. This time there was more opposition: the division kept up the pressure all day and by nightfall had taken the village of 1442:

After the BEF was evacuated from Dunkirk, Home Forces underwent a reorganisation to meet a potential German invasion. As part of this, 66th Division was disbanded on 23 June 1940. On 10 July 110th Fd Rgt joined

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Units of the East Lancashire Division had been on their annual training when war came: on 3 August they were recalled to their drill halls and at 17.30 next day the order to mobilise was received. The men were

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in command. While many smaller AVCs were grouped into administrative brigades, the 19th Lancashire was large enough to stand on its own, and the single-battery 15th (Garston and Hale) Lancashire AVC (formed at

273:. Both regiments were reformed postwar, but after a number of amalgamations they and several other Manchester-based units were reduced into 209 (Manchester Artillery) Battery in the present-day Army Reserve. 1349:. It continued advancig with short, powerfully supported attacks against stubborn resistance, where artillery ammunition supply became the limiting factor, until winter weather brought an end to operations. 1003:

respectively as they followed the retreating Germans. The rest of CCCXXXI Bde moved up over the next two days. On 9 November Fourth Army formed a pursuit force under the commander of 66th (2nd EL) Division,

1379:. The gunners had particular problems in firing over crests to hit targets behind, and artillery ammunition also had to be rationed from November. On 26 December the Germans launched a counter-attack (the 534:

wheels were fitted with 'ped-rails' to assist movement across soft sand, for which 12 rather than 6 horses were harnessed to gun-carriages and limbers. In late July the division was ordered north, where a

1725: 962:, the rest of the guns and HQ following next day. Zero hour for 25th Division was 06.15 on 4 November, and the brigade fired a creeping barrage lasting 5 hours 20 minutes as the infantry attacked between 762:

to be in close touch with the infantry brigade it was to support. Some 18-pdrs (one each from A and C Btys) were given an anti-tank role in anticipation of the Germans using them. The long-anticipated

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Next day the Germans again attacked under cover of mist, and were through the Brown Line by midday. The division withdrew towards the Green Line. By now some reinforcements had arrived, including

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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,

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As well as manning fixed garrison artillery, some of the early Artillery Volunteers manned semi-mobile 'position batteries' of smooth-bore field guns pulled by agricultural horses. But the

1112:, and most regiments formed duplicates. Part of the reorganisation was that field regiments changed from four six-gun batteries to an establishment of two batteries, each of three four-gun 634:

and the batteries designated A, B and C. The division's howitzer brigade (2/IV East Lancs) was broken up, and 2/1st Cumberland (Howitzer) Bty joined CCCXXXI Bde as D (H) Bty, equipped with

1709:. On 1 January 1954 the regiment merged with 634 (8th Lancashire Fusiliers) HAA Rgt, which had been created from a longstanding TA infantry battalion in 1947. The merged regiment became 1027:. On 10 November Bethell's Force picked its way forward with single field gun sections accompanying the South African advance guard. Cavalry patrols found the enemy deployed just beyond 1691:

area, and disbandment began, with the first drafts of gunners transferring to the infantry in the UK. 110th (Manchester) Field Rgt passed into suspended animation on 31 January 1945.

3641: 416:, consisting of the 15th, 16th and 17th Lancashire Batteries and the II East Lancashire Brigade Ammunition Column. The brigade formed part of the divisional artillery for the TF's 778:, which manned the Green Line as the 66th passed through. Lieutenant-Col J. Laird of CCCXXX Bde was now given command of 'Left Group' of field artillery covering the left half of 3651: 3646: 1657: 728:, who took over their guns in position on 27 October. 66th Divisional Artillery then rallied at the waggon lines, taking over the Canadian guns, and marched to rest billets at 1526:

beginning on 8 July. For this operation the divisional artillery was reinforced by a considerable amount of corps artillery, by naval gunfire and by the heavy bombers of

1180: 3497:, London: HM Stationery Office, 1928/Imperial War Museum and Battery Press, 1992, ISBN 1-870423-26-7/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2011, ISBN 978-1-84574-952-1. 3354:, London: HM Stationery Office, 1947/Imperial War Museum and Battery Press, 1993, ISBN 1-870423-06-2/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2021, ISBN 978-1-78331-624-3. 1612:

reinforcements for other formations. However, the divisional Headquarters, Royal Artillery, (HQRA) and its field artillery regiments were converted into an independent

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The Manchester Artillery mobilised on 1 September 1939, just before the outbreak of war, as part of 42nd (EL) Infantry Division, but from 27 September the newly-formed

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A reduction in the TA on 1 May 1961 saw 252 (Manchester) Fd Rgt absorb RHQ, P (Manchester) and R (Stockport) Btys of 314 HAA Rgt. The TA was further reduced into the

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On the outbreak of war 52nd Fd Rgt was still equipped with 18-pdrs and 4.5-inch howitzers, but by the time 42nd (EL) Division began crossing to France to join the

327:(formed on 22 March 1860 as the 1st Lancashire (Manchester) Mounted Rifle Volunteers) was also attached to the 19th AVC from 1871 until its disbandment in 1873. 1447:, formerly as a motor division, which was reorganising as a conventional infantry division and required a third field regiment. At the time the division was in 1070:

When the TF was reconstituted on 7 February 1920, II East Lancs Bde reformed at Manchester with 17 to 20 Lancashire Btys. In 1921 the TF was reorganised as the

353:, Manchester. When the Volunteers were consolidated in 1880 the 19th Lancashire AVC became the 7th Lancashire AVC, and the following year its full title became 3301:

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)

3343:, London: Macmillan, 1937/Imperial War Museum and Battery Press, 1995, ISBN 1-87042394-1/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2009, ISBN 978-1-84574-726-8. 1199: 916:

on 28 September. 66th Divisional Artillery was not initially involved, but the day before CCCXXXI Bde fired a creeping barrage to support 23rd Battalion

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on 10 November. On 17 February 1942 110th Fd Rgt was authorised to use its parent unit's 'Manchester' subtitle. On 1 June 59th (S) Division was sent to

1566:). 59th (S) Division captured Haut des Forges, but Noyers held out against successive attacks. However, the battle was successful in pinning several 782:, consisting of what remained of 66th DA (two of his own btys, with A, C (3 guns) and D (5 howitzers) Btys of CCCXXXI Bde), and other nearby RFA and 1402:, with massive artillery support added to its own guns, and ample ammunition stocks built up during the winter. It then secured crossings over the 807:. Here the division's infantry were relieved, but 66th DA fired in support of 'Carey's Force' , a scratch force of engineers that held the line at 1262: 1163: 345:) was promoted to lt-col to succeed him as commanding officer (CO). On 14 June 1876 Maj Ralph Peacock (of the Manchester locomotive manufacturers 3439: 1717: 1681: 1444: 1242: 881: 865: 525: 494:

until 14 June 1915, by which time the rest of the East Lancashire Division (now designated 42nd (East Lancashire) Division) had been landed at

908:, CCCXXXI Bde took over responsibility for protecting the division's advance guard and next day it laid down a barrage to help 12th Battalion 676:

66th (2nd EL) Division was ordered to France on 11 February 1917 and CCCXXXI Bde entrained on 11 March for Southampton, where it embarked for

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7th Lancashire Volunteer Artillery was organised as position batteries. Lieutenant-Col Richard K. Birley took over as CO on 25 March 1891.

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following an invasion scare in 1859 saw the creation of many Volunteer Corps composed of part-time soldiers eager to supplement the Regular

1012: 358: 1257:. 42nd Divisional Artillery was evacuated on 30 May, but 205 Bty was still fighting with 2nd Division and did not get away until 2 June. 1042:

Having led the pursuit, 66th (2nd EL) Division was initially selected to form part of the Army of Occupation, and began its march to the

349:) was promoted to the command in turn (Sowler later succeeded Mawson as Hon Col). By this time the unit's headquarters (HQ) was given as 1234: 1016: 600: 315: 424:

field guns to each battery From 23 March 1913 the brigade was commanded by Lt-Col Harry Sowler, son of Sir Thomas, the former Hon Col.

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threatened the BEF's flank, and it had to retreat again. 52nd Field Rgt was deployed in emergency anti-tank (A/T) positions along the

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in North East England. 110th Field Rgt formed its third battery, 475 Fd Bty, on 26 January 1941 while the regiment was stationed at

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and Happegarbes. The barrage initially advanced slowly, which was an advantage given the heavy mist disrupting the crossing of the

688:. The artillery covered a number of trench raids by the division, but otherwise the front was quiet. In July the division moved to 2084: 1341:(1–4 November) where a German counter-attack 'was blown to pieces by the divisional artillery'. 8th Indian Division then captured 1464: 704:). The barrage was weak, and shells buried in the mud did no damage. The division's attack, in heavy rain, made little progress. 616: 365:(RA) from 1 April 1882. When the RA's divisional structure was reorganised on 1 July 1889, the 7th Lancashire became part of the 3234: 3190: 1429: 3019:

Order of Battle of the Forces in the United Kingdom, Part 2: 21 Army Group, 24 July 1943, with amendments, TNA file WO 212/238.

1621: 1575: 1314: 996: 855:. From 20 April it formed a single composite brigade under Lt-Col Laird, with C and D Btys manned by CCCXXXI Bde. It supported 417: 262: 177: 1190: 896:

was now under way, and 66th DA's batteries began moving forward on 1 September, supporting various divisions advancing on the

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on the Flanders Coast where British troops were being concentrated for a planned thrust up the coast in conjunction with the

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66th (2nd East Lancashire) Division disappeared from the war for many months, its surviving infantry units becoming training

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in October and it was not until December that it received its 18-pdrs. In September Lt-Col Francis Hill transferred from the

515: 1383:) but 8th Indian Division had already been rushed to bolster the US sector concerned and the German attack was not pressed. 814: 741: 1531: 1414:

on 23 April. German resistance was crumbling and there was little opposition to its crossing on the night of 25/26 April.

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in January 1916. 42nd (EL) Division concentrated at Mena Camp on 22 January before moving into the southern sector of the

210: 1511: 803:. On 26 March the Germans forced their way across the canal and the retreat was resumed. On 28 March 66th DA crossed the 3617: 1617: 1334: 1306: 943: 909: 848: 775: 559: 270: 226: 182: 149: 1233:. As the Germans thrust behind the BEF, by 26 May RHQ of 52nd Fd Rgt was controlling a group consisting of 206 Bty and 1653: 955: 951: 681: 479: 249:. Just before World War II the Manchester Artillery again formed a duplicate. While the parent regiment served in the 230: 538:

column was advancing on the defences. CCXI Brigade was stationed at El Ferdan. The Turkish force was defeated at the

346: 1261:(EL) Division into an armoured division. 52nd (Manchester) and 53rd (Bolton) Fd Rgts left on 20 October, and joined 791:. The heavy artillery and transport began crossing the canal next morning, with Laird's group coming into action at 1613: 1551: 1475: 1460: 1000: 836: 779: 668: 159: 1309:

had removed the threat to the oilfields, and troops could be released from Paiforce. 8th Indian Division moved to

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to take command of the 2/II. In early 1916 the division moved into the East Coast defences, with its artillery at

17: 1563: 1456: 1055: 2785: 2770: 1705:

in 94 (AA) AGRA. However, 94 AGRA was disbanded in September 1948, when the regiment was probably taken over by

970:, but the Germans were driven off by the barrage and left a number of bridges undestroyed. These were rushed by 3502:

Death of a Division: Eight Days in March 1918 and the Untold Story of the 66th (2/1st East Lancashire) Division

3332:

and Battery Press, 1995, ISBN 0-89839-219-5/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2009, ISBN 978-1-84574-725-1.

2746: 1737: 1503: 1448: 983: 852: 535: 381: 331: 303: 3609: 1891: 1641: 1386: 1325: 1253:), but RHQ and 206 Bty took part in a rearguard action on Mont des Cats with the artillery and engineers of 1220: 1119: 832: 763: 571: 421: 311: 238: 234: 154: 113: 1769: 1483: 1302: 1203: 1036: 893: 856: 759: 701: 693: 643: 579: 511: 335: 246: 3364:

History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series: The War in France and Flanders 1939–1940

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331 Bde RFA War Diary September 1915–February 1916, The National Archives (TNA), Kew, file WO 95/3128/1.

1728:. This battery continues in today's Army Reserve, based at Belle Vue Army Reserve Centre in Manchester. 1706: 1645: 1507: 1310: 982:

By now 66th (2nd EL) Division had been reformed as a fighting division and had fought at the battles of

913: 783: 725: 612: 575: 384:(RGA) and with the abolition of the RA's divisional organisation on 1 January 1902, the unit became the 242: 214: 1558:, an armoured thrust east of Caen, XXX Corps fought continuously from 15 to 18 July, attacking in the 3466:

Orders of Battle, United Kingdom and Colonial Formations and Units in the Second World War, 1939–1945

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while demobilisation began. This process was completed on 4 May 1919 when the brigade was disbanded.

917: 635: 620: 3555:, London: HM Stationery Office, 1960 /Uckfield, Naval & Military Press, 2004, ISBN 1-845740-67-X 3533:, London: HM Stationery Office, 1987/Uckfield, Naval & Military Press, 2004, ISBN 1-845740-70-X. 3522:, London: HM Stationery Office, 1973/Uckfield, Naval & Military Press, 2004, ISBN 1-845740-69-6. 3468:, London: HM Stationery Office, 1960/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2003, ISBN 1-843424-74-6. 3461:, London: HM Stationery Office, 1988/Uckfield, Naval & Military Press, 2004, ISBN 1-845740-72-6. 3450:, London: HM Stationery Office, 1987/Uckfield, Naval & Military Press, 2004, ISBN 1-845740-71-8. 3303:, London: HM Stationery Office, 1935/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2007, ISBN 1-847347-39-8. 3412:

History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery: The Years of Defeat: Europe and North Africa, 1939–1941

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itself, but as a follow-up formation it crossed to Normandy between 21 and 27 June 1944. It joined

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in time of need. A large number of independent Artillery Volunteer Corps (AVCs) were formed across

258: 3549: