1st Glamorganshire Artillery Volunteers

1366: 1122:. 81st Field Rgt left Nijmegen on 18 October and took up its new gun positions by midnight on 20 October. The regiment had to provide its own patrols because there were no infantry between the guns and the enemy – the attacking infantry only moved up at the last moment. Lieutenant-Col R.V. Hills took over as CO on 20 October, and the next day Major R.J.H. Lloyd, who had been in temporary command, was wounded. The attack on s'Hertogenbosch (Operation Alan) began at 06.30 on 22 October, the infantry of 71 Bde advancing behind a timed programme fired by the guns. The regiment also fired at preselected targets on call, and fired coloured smoke to indicate targets for the 1107: 944: 214: 601: 1449:. The division began the movement promptly, and began the attack on Centuripe a day early. The divisional artillery deployed wherever it could find positions along the road; as the Official Historian commented: 'In Sicily there grew up the art, further developed in Italy of placing field and medium guns in positions which would have been seen in earlier days, as freakish'. The initial advance across 'immensely difficult terrain' was accomplished, but then there was bitter fighting for the town itself. On the afternoon of 2 August the division's reserve, 492:(WO) issued instructions to separate those men who had signed up for Home Service only, and form these into reserve units. Then 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 batteries, brigades and divisions were created, mirroring those TF formations being sent overseas. 1489: 742: 39: 1099:, which the Germans held for two days, with the regiment firing several barrages and taking some casualties from return fire. The divisional artillery's flank was open, and had to be protected by a company from the divisional reconnaissance regiment; around 50 Germans were taken prisoner within the regiment's gun lines. Afterwards the guns fired frequent Harassing Fire (HF) tasks as the enemy slowly withdrew in front of 53rd Division. On 7 October, the regiment moved into the 501: 63: 80: 1309: 1056:

81st Fd Rgt driving back to collect ammunition were misdirected into an apparently deserted village where they found and captured three Germans. Driving out, the Germans warned them of mines, so they dismounted and cleared the mines from the road under fire from Germans still in the village. They then handed over their prisoners to the nearest infantry before collected the ammunition for their battery.

431: 1827:, coronet and motto in service dress, while the other ranks wore Welsh dragon badges. During and after the Second World War, the whole of 81st and 281st Field Rgts wore RA badges, but after 1967 their successors in the Glamorgan Yeomanry Troop of 211th (South Wales) Bty in 104th Light Air Defence Rgt were allowed the dragon collar badge in No 1 uniform. 1170:. In December the regiment was required to transfer 25 of its men to the infantry to make up for losses in the campaign so far. On 20 January 1945 the division moved to the Eindhoven area to refit and train for a special operation. On the night of 4/5 February the regiment moved its guns into concealed positions near 1043:. The battalion was accompanied y the battery commander and two Forward Observation Officers (FOOs) from 342 Fd Bty, who brought down defensive fire (DF) when the battalion was subjected to attacks by tanks, infantry and artillery; it held the position thanks to the effective DF. On 17 August 71 Bde attacked 1647:

and then moving into the lead. On 13 April 38 Brigade provided the break-out force of battalion groups with field artillery regiments in support. Once the Reno had been bridged, 38 Bde fought its way through and broke out once more, heading for the critical 'Argenta Gap'. By now 25-pounder ammunition

1405:

including 78th Division. The operation was launched on the evening of 5 May and extended the following day. The weight of artillery fire was immense, with all the guns averaging 368 rounds per gun in the first 24 hours, and the infantry made steady progress. Tunis fell on 7 May and all remaining Axis

711:

The establishment of a TA divisional artillery brigade was four 6-gun batteries, three 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

1388:

the divisional artillery was joined by all the heavy artillery and the foothills were captured without much difficulty; both villages had been taken and an advance of 10 miles (16 km) made by the end of the following day. On 14 April the division attacked the hills overlooking Longstop Hill, in

1055:

and the killing ground 'Serpent' where German forces were fleeing through the narrowing Falaise Gap. The guns fired 'Uncle' (all guns in the division) and then 'Victor' (all guns in the corps) targets steadily throughout the day on the enemy escape routes. The situation was chaotic: three gunners of

612:

from August 1915) did not concentrate at Northampton until April 1915, moving in the summer to replace the 53rd (Welsh) Division at Bedford. Training of the units was made difficult by the lack of arms and equipment, and the requirement to provide drafts to the 1st Line overseas. In June the first

1145:

on the canal line. On 9 November the FOO with 1st HLI and his signaller were captured by an enemy patrol as they went OP before first light. When the regiment moved to south of Weert, there was no infantry protection in front, and enemy patrols set off tripwire flares close by. On 14 November the

1015:

and 4th BN RWF was transferred to 71 Bde, with 342 Fd Bty affiliated to it. On 3 August 71 Bde planned two battalion-sized raids. 81st Field Rgt was to have fired two smokescreens for Operation Bayonet, but it was cancelled. It did fire in support of Operation Bugle, but that was called off soon

1198:

defences and closing on the Stoppelberg. That feature was taken during the morning and the division pushed on to the edge of the forest, but it was hard to get guns and vehicles along the muddy forest tracks. 81st Field Rgt reported that the second-in-command's OP tank had to be used to tow out

1047:, Houx and Point 244 supported by a fireplan involving the whole divisional artillery. The attack was successful and the fireplan described as 'immaculate'. 1st OBLI then followed up with an attack on Pointed 241 and 262. Next day the division had its Observation Posts (OPs) overlooking 1181:) opened at 05.00 on 8 February with the heaviest concentration of artillery employed by the British Army so far in the war. The bombardment hit enemy gun positions, HQs, and communications. After a pause and dummy attack at 07.40 to induce the Germans to man their guns, the 1361:

Lüder. The Surreys suffered heavy casualties and 322 Bty supporting them lost all eight of its guns. The division was involved in bitter defence for the Tebourba Gap against German attacks on 1–3 December, and another bitter battle round Longstop Hill on 22–24 December.

1189:

was laid down to protect the assaulting columns. At 10.30 the full barrage made its first lift and the advance began. 81st Field Rgt fired in support of 71 Bde as usual. 53rd Division's objectives were the Brandenburg and Stoppelberg features in the northern part of the

795:

in the summer of 1939, where the details of the split into two regiments were settled. The TA was mobilised on 1 September 1939, just before the outbreak of war. 81st Field Rgt remained part of 53rd (Welsh) Division, while 132nd was assigned to the duplicate

1624:, but advancing was difficult, and the capture of Monte La Pieve and Monte Spadura took from 13 to 24 October at heavy cost. Fighting on the Italian Front largely shut down for winter, but not before more abortive attacks by 78th Division in December. 617:. Some ammunition wagons arrived in September, and eight more 90 mm guns in October. Training began to speed up. In November the 90 mm guns were handed in, and the brigade moved to Bedford to take over the 5-inch howitzers from the 1st Line. 1319:

from 78th Division, including 132nd Fd Rgt, landed in the first wave of Operation Torch. Forward Observation Officers from the artillery accompanied the two assault battalions as they landed on 'Apples Green' and 'Apples White' beaches near

1686:, effectively ending the Glamorgan Artillery Volunteers lineage. On 31 October 1956 the regiment absorbed the Glamorgan batteries of 408 (Glamorgan and Pembroke) Coast Rgt and 887 Locating Battery, which had been formed in Cardiff in 1947. 237:

arrived in Swansea for the Volunteers who installed them on the Swansea Embankment. The RGAM, which had no guns of its own, were able to use them for their 1860 annual training. A proposal to mount a heavy battery for the RGAM on the

730:. 81st (Welsh) Fd Rgt began this process by combining 321 and 322 Fd Btys into 321 Fd Bty, and 323 and 324 Fd Btys to form a new 322 Fd Bty. However, this arrangement was short-lived, because the TA was doubled in size after the 1277:. 38th Division's Commander, Royal Artillery (CRA), Brigadier H.J. Parham, developed techniques for concentrating large numbers of guns onto a single target in a very short time, and demonstrated them on the artillery ranges at 852:

was that the two-battery organisation did not work: field regiments were intended to support an infantry brigade of three battalions. As a result, they were reorganised into three 8-gun batteries, each of two four-gun troops of

1365: 1130:, which went well as the division fought its way into the outskirts of the town; it took two more days of house-to-house fighting to clear the old town, while the artillery fired HF tasks on the Germans' escape routes. 1146:

division crossed the canal (Operation Mallard) with support from the guns, and on 16 November the regiment struggled across the temporary bridges with 71 Bde, ending the day in front of the defended locality of

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from 15 July, 71 Bde capturing Cahier and holding on to it by hard fighting. In early August, fearing heavy casualties among the units of a single recruiting area, 53rd (W) Division dispersed the battalions of

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gun tractors. By December 1940 81st (Welsh) Fd Rgt reorganised as A, B and C Btys, and on 14 January 1941 these were numbered as 323, 324 and 459 Fd Btys. The additional men for 459 Fd Bty came from disbanded

1542:

of 38 Bde broke out of the bridgehead and captured Santa Maria on 29 November, supported by all the divisional artillery and a number of other regiments. Next day the brigade swept down the Li Colli ridge to

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After the order to mobilise was received on 4 August 1914, the units of the Welsh Division assembled at their drill halls. The 1st Welsh Brigade mobilised at Swansea under the command of a regular officer,

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of the 3rd Glamorgan AVC succeeded him in command; Capt Francis of the 1st Glamorgan AVC had previously been promoted as second major of the brigade on 6 May 1864 and became second lt-col on 27 April 1868.

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and the high ground beyond, but rain and mud bedevilled preparations. The division seized Vineyard Hill on 3 November and the enemy began to withdraw that night. By 9 November the division had reached the

1538:. Patrols could cross the river, but a fullscale operation was needed to establish a bridgehead. Despite the weather the Royal Engineers repaired roads and built bridges. When the weather abated the 6th 632:

and the batteries became A and B. However, like the 1st Line brigade, it was broken up before the end of 1916 to provide howitzer batteries to the field gun brigades: A (2/1 Glamorgan) (H) Bty went to

1512:, with two brigades sent round the coast by landing craft and one wading across the river on 3 October. Unfortunately, heavy rain the next day made the river impassable, just when a counter-attack by 1393:), despite an army-wide shortage of 25-pounder ammunition. This time the positions were taken and held after several days of fighting. 78th Division was then positioned for a direct drive on Tunis ( 3894: 979:. Their ships joined a convoy off Sheerness on 24 June and the regiment under the command of Lt-Col A.W. Tyler had landed in Normandy and was concentrated with other units of the division in the 3401:

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,

3889: 1254:, the divisions at home under training only had about six World War I-era guns apiece. On 15 July the division joined III Corps, part of the Mobile Force stationed in Wales and NW England. 723:

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.

863: 1426:

between 25 and 28 July. It began moving into its concentration area south of Monte Scalpello on 26 July and completed its concentration on 30 July, just in time to participate in the

1343:(500 miles (800 km) distant) on 15 November as the first support troops began unloading at Algiers docks and the air forces began operating the airfields. The group's attack on 3874: 258:

were responsible for maintaining the battery, but its manning was the responsibility of the RGAM and the Volunteers. In the late 1870s at least two of the 68-pdrs were replaced by

1246:

38th (Welsh) Division underwent training through the winter of 1939–40 in South-East Wales as part of Western Command. Training was hindered by the lack of equipment. After the

1652:, arriving on 22 April. After more stiff fighting, the division crossed in pursuit of the disintegrating German forces. Fighting on the Italian Front ended on 2 May after the 726:

In 1938 the RA also adopted a new organisation for field artillery regiments, changing from four six-gun batteries to an establishment of two batteries, each of three four-gun

1582:) were very strong and the attack had to be called off. However, the weight of artillery overwhelmed the German guns and by 25 May the leading troops of the division reached 3884: 1609:

on 23 July. Casualties in Eighth Army meant that the division had to return to the Italian front in the autumn, landing on 15 September. The division began assembling around

262:

on traversing slide carriages, but financial stringency prevented any further modernisation and the battery's armament remained unchanged to the end of the 19th Century.

3879: 1316: 1199:

bogged guns and tractors ('its only use; in all other respects it was an infernal nuisance'). It took several days for the division to push on through Pfalzdorf towards

1126:(RAF). The infantry made slow progress, but by the end of 23 October 71 Bde was nearing its objectives. Next day 81st Field Rgt fired in support of a fresh attack by 1154:

towards Roermond on the night of 21/22 November. Bridging operations were held up until the divisional artillery was able to suppress the German guns. 4th Battalion

1158:, supported only by 81st Fd Rgt, made several abortive attempts to cross the anti-tank ditch, but 1st OBLI succeeded, aided by a smokescreen fired by 81st Fd Rgt. 656:

The 1st Welsh Brigade, RFA, was reformed in the 53rd (W) Division on 7 February 1920 with 1st, 2nd and 3rd Glamorgan Batteries (the 3rd being transferred from the

918: 1648:

was running short, but on 18 April 38 Bde cut in behind Argenta and 78th Division was leap-frogging its brigades up the Via Adriatica. Then it headed for the

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on 11 February. By 22 February the artillery had rejoined the division at Beni Salama. For the rest of the year the recuperating division was stationed in the

3615:, London: HM Stationery Office, 1960/London: London Stamp Exchange, 1990, ISBN 0-948130-03-2/ Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2003, ISBN 1-843424-74-6. 3386:

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)

1578:, supported by all three regiments of field artillery and masked by mist. But when the mist cleared it became obvious that the German positions (part of the 1230:, ending the fighting on 21st Army Group's front. The regiment handed in its guns on 30 May and converted to an infantry role with the occupation forces. 1846: 1586:

railway station. The Germans began to withdraw that night, and XIII Corps began a slow pursuit along Highway 6 against rearguards. 78th Division reached

1422:

as a reserve formation for the operation, which began with assault landings on 10 July. 78th Division embarked on 23 July and landed on the beaches near

1247: 365: 558:

to refit. On 30 January 1916 the divisional artillery was ordered to rejoin the rest of the division. The batteries entrained at Pont-Remy, embarked at

577:, and the batteries became A and B. Then on 25 December 1916 the divisional artillery was reorganised: A (1/1st Glamorgan) (H) Bty became C (H) Bty in 1852: 1731: 1667:

132nd (Welsh) Field Regiment was placed in suspended animation on 31 December 1945 and formally disbanded when the TA was reformed on 1 January 1947.

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The Allies landed on mainland Italy in early September 1943. 78th Division began to arrive on 22 September, and immediately began advancing towards

1288:

132nd Field Rgt was authorised to use its parent unit's 'Welsh' subtitle on 17 February 1942. It left 38th Division on 15 July 1942, when it joined

1266: 657: 582: 265: 1554:

Progress in the Italian campaign bogged down during the winter of 1943–4. The Allies' spring campaign in 1944 began with a renewed attempt to take

913:, which had just joined 53rd (W) Division. The regiment was to support 71 Bde in the forthcoming campaign, with the batteries allotted as follows: 1859: 1289: 1127: 1091:' main thrust. 81st Field Rgt crossed the canal on 19 September and went into action supporting the advance of 71 Bde. There was particularly at 1012: 488:

By 11 August the Welsh units had completed their concentration and TF members were invited to volunteer for Overseas Service. Four days later the

357: 1039:. On 13/14 August 71 Bde made a night advance and at midday on 14 August 4th RWF was ordered to continue the advance to Point 240, south-east of 1380:

The renewed Allied offensive in Tunisia began on 8 April 1943 with operations to open the Oued Zarga–Medjez road. For 78th Divisions' attack on

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bridgehead captured during Market Garden. While at Nijmegen one FOO was killed, and the regiment's CO, Lt-Col Tyler, was wounded and evacuated.

3589: 3566: 3369: 3323: 2720: 1694: 1571: 910: 637: 293: 2110: 3783: 3657: 3438: 1453:

was sent in, supported by 132nd Fd Rgt and the rest of the divisional and corps artillery. The town was cleared by first light the next day.

1227: 172:

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

1989: 1418:(Operation Husky) as early as January 1943, and after the end of the Tunisian campaign went into training at Hammamet. It was assigned to 1605:

and its river but suffering heavy casualties. The exhausted division was then sent to the Middle East for rest and refit, embarking for

369: 273: 1389:

four days of hard fighting, but could not hold the final hill, Tanngoucha. On 23 April it attacked Longstop and Tanngoucha again (the

3850: 1468:

on 5 August, with strong artillery support. German resistance then stiffened, and 78th Division had to put in a full-scale attack at

3754: 3742: 3706: 3695: 3676: 3642: 3627: 3605: 3582: 3545: 3526: 3511: 3492: 3473: 3423: 3408: 3393: 2577: 665: 388: 230: 83: 874: 536:

and on 8 November they handed over their obsolescent 5-inch howitzers to their 2nd Line unit, which had just arrived at Bedford.

3306: 3286: 1262: 1106: 943: 412: 380: 213: 2289: 3796: 2309: 1815:

Between 1920 and about 1938 the officers and men of 324 (Glamorgan Yeomanry) Bty continued to wear the Glamorgan Yeomanry's

1796: 1752: 1628: 1390: 797: 460: 3840: 2356: 1824: 1800: 1434: 1174:, while the rest of the men were confined to barracks in Nijmegen and the divisional signs on vehicles were painted over. 633: 578: 152:

was formed in 1859 in response to a French invasion threat. Raised as a coast artillery unit, it later became part of the

3830: 2337: 1643:. The operation was launched on 9 April behind massed artillery and went according to plan, with 78th Division clearing 1539: 1419: 712:

and the battery staffs were mounted. Partial mechanisation was carried out from 1927, at first with tractors, then with

600: 589: 356:

In 1890 the unit's headquarters was moved to Swansea from Cardiff and the Cardiff batteries were detached to form a new

1640: 1433:

Large amounts of 25-pounder ammunition had been gathered for this operation. 78th Division's task was first to relieve

1870: 1559: 1293: 1142: 544: 1194:. Opposition was not strong but the terrain was difficult. By 02.00 on 9 February the leading units were through the 551:

by 25 November, from where parties were sent to various divisional artilleries for instruction in front line duties.

391:. By 1893 the War Office Mobilisation Scheme had allocated the 1st Glamorgan Artillery Volunteers to the defences at 1088: 878: 870: 242:

of Swansea Pier was abandoned when it was found that the structure would not support its weight. In June 1861 five

528:

in May 1915. In July the infantry of the division (now renamed the 53rd (Welsh) Division) embarked for service at

399:(RGA). On 1 January 1902 the RGA's divisional structure was abolished, and the unit at Swansea was designated the 1682:

281st (Welsh) Rgt still had a Glamorgan Yeomanry battery, and on 30 September 1953 the regiment was redesignated

1415: 1398: 1278: 1258: 1003: 968: 842: 609: 3835: 2897: 1836: 1725: 1402: 1347:

on 25 November failed, but other forces bypassed it and the brigade occupied it the next day and pushed on for

991: 925: 905:

in August, returning to Sutton Valence the following month. In October it moved into the permanent barracks at

826: 621: 396: 373: 277: 1562:' reserve for this. All the field guns in the corps were involved in the preliminary bombardment and then the 3820: 3008: 2997: 2699: 1566:

laid on for the attacking divisions on 11/12 May. 78th Division was committed to the battle on 15 May in the

2986: 2975: 2628: 1555: 1501: 1488: 1134: 1084: 1019:

When the breakout from the Normandy beachhead began in early August, 53rd Division cleared the banks of the

931: 825:, where a number of men were withdrawn and sent back to key civilian jobs. They were replaced by a draft of 822: 792: 741: 17: 2719:

Order of Battle of the Forces in the United Kingdom, Part 2: 21 Army Group, 24 July 1943, with amendments,

2592: 1874: 1166:

Further operations were halted by winter weather. 71 Brigade Group including 81st Fd Rgt went for rest in

1068: 854: 716:

lorries, but the guns retained iron-tyred wheels until pneumatic tyres began to be introduced just before

554:

Meanwhile, after suffering appalling casualties at Gallipoli, 53rd (Welsh) Division had been withdrawn to

505: 482: 269: 3701:

Osborne, Mike, 2006. Always Ready: The Drill Halls of Britain's Volunteer Forces, Partizan Press, Essex.

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Gunners in Normandy: The History of the Royal Artillery in North-West Europe January 1942 to August 1944

1863: 1336:, and the whole brigade group was ashore before 12.00. It was in position around Birtouta by nightfall. 1155: 1008: 614: 424: 153: 2144:

Mobilization Tables for Home Defence, List of Militia, Yeomanry and Volunteer Units, HMSO, London, 1893

532:, but the divisional artillery remained at Bedford. In October the batteries were re-armed with modern 38: 1480:

on 13 August. By now the Germans were evacuating Sicily, and the division was ordered to stand fast.

1087:

was launched on 17 September. XII Corps had an important subsidiary role clearing the country west of

3613:

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

1656:, and 78th Division entered Austria as part of the occupation force on 8 May 1945, advancing towards 1653: 1522:

completed a bridge for tanks and guns to get across in support, after which the advance was resumed.

1450: 1352: 1182: 533: 361: 226: 137: 3327: 592:

of 1917–18, including the Battles of Gaza, the Fall of Jerusalem, and the final victory at Megiddo.

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

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