War Diary - 86th Brigade, R.F.A.

This is an excerpt from the War Diary of 86th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery for the period December 1916 to June 1917.

86th Brigade was part of 19th Division and, when my grandfather William Baynham was posted to it on 29th December 1916, it included  ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’, and ‘D’ Batteries. He joined ‘A’ Battery, which at the time was in billets at Occoches, and saw action with them until 12th June 1917 when he was wounded near Ypres.

[ square brackets are mine ]

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1916, December

Nr ALBERT

30th – Party of 1 NCO and 10 men left to prepare positions for the Brigade to come into action near HEBUTERNE.

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1917, January

Nr DOULLENS

1st – Marched to Billets at AMPLIER.

2nd – Marched into action Nr HEBUTERNE as Re-enforcing Brigade to 31st Divisional Arty.

Nr HEBUTERNE

3rd – A. C. & D Batteries attached to Left Group (170 FA Bde). B Battery attached to Right Group (169 FA Bde).

4th to 8th – Batteries registering and improving Gun positions.

9th – List of Awards in the Field for Operations around MOUQUET FARM published in 19th Division Orders. (Extract attached – App I)

9th to 11th – Active operations carried out under Orders of Group Commanders. Scheme issued by 13th Corps & 31st Divl Artillery. Bombardment of trenches, etc whilst 7th Division attacked MUNICH TRENCH. ATTACK SUCCESSFUL.

12th – Groups taken over by G.O.C. RA 19th Divn.

15th – 31st Divl Arty relieved by 19th Divl Arty. 87th Bde Right Group, 88th Bde Left Group. Batteries remain attached to Groups as above. Bde Hd Qrs move into Reserve in SAILLY-AU-BOIS.

23rd – All arrangements complete for Re-organisation of Brigade, which becomes an Army Field Artillery Brigade. (36 Gun Bttys 18 Pdre & 16 Gun Howitzer Battery with Ammunition Column). C/86 to be split up. Right Section going to D/87 & Left Section to D/88. The Brigade to be reformed. B/260 51st Divl Artillery becomes C/86, one Section from C/308 61st Divl Arty making D/86 up to 6 guns. Brigade Ammn Column Personnel etc from 19th D.A.C. & 51st Divisional Arty.

24th – Personnel. Horses & vehicles from 19th D.A.C. joined [ so perhaps this is the date on which William Baynham joined ‘A’ Battery, rather than the date he was posted? ]

28th – C/86 split up & absorbed by D/87 & D/88.

F. R. Hannay, LIEUT: COL: R.F.A., COMMANDING 86TH BRIGADE R.F.A.

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1917, February

11th  – B/260 FA Bde 51st Division joined Brigade and became C Battery. One Section of C/108 FA Bde 61st Division joined D/86. Re-organisation of the Brigade now complete less Brigade Ammunition Column.

14th – C/86 relieve C/Res 32nd Divn in action over 16/17 & 17/18 (See Operation Order – App I). Order received for preparing new positions in front of SERRE.

18th – A, B & D Batteries moved into new positions in front of SERRE. All Batteries attached temporary to Right Group (155th (ARMY) FA Bde). Batteries are not being used for defensive purposes, in case of emergency, however they may be required to re-inforce any particular position of the Front. Registration of zones, and allotment of S.O.S Lines carried out under Orders of Group Comdr.

25th – Tactical command of Brigade handed over by 155 (Army) FA Bde.

26th – Batteries moved [ ? ] into selected positions 1000x SW of SERRE. Registration complete before dark. Bde HQ established at C/86 old position K 2? C 3·2.

27th – Registration completed. F.O.O. ordered to engage all seen targets. All O.P.s manned from DAWN to DUSK. No movements of enemy were observed. Light Firing carried selected points N E of PUISIEUX. Kept under Steady Fire throughout the night.

28th – Selected points throughout day and night kept under Steady Fire.

F E Mitchell, Lt for LIEUT: COL: R.F.A., COMMANDING 86TH BRIGADE R.F.A

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1917, March

Nr SERRE

1st – Attack made on KNIFE & FORK TRENCHES N of PUISIEUX, Batteries co-operated. Operation Order attached. Fire was kept throughout the night 1/2/3/17 on Selected Points S of BUCQUOY..

2nd – Captain A. J. Peterson D.S.O rejoined the Brigade. Enemy approaches & tracks kept under fire throughout the day.

3rd – Light firing on enemy trenches leading to BUCQUOY.

4th – Brigade ordered to take up wire cutting positions S.E. of PUISIEUX. Owing to bad state of road & much work to be done Brigade will only be called upon to fire for S.O.S.

5th – Positions reconnoitred, approaches practically impassable. Work started on these positions.

7th – Batteries ordered to stop work on positions S.E. of PUISIEUX owing to positions considered too far forward. Brigade attached to 7th Division.

8th – Batteries ordered to take up forward positions N.W. of PUISIEUX, for wire cutting. All to have 400 Rds per Guns [ ? ] by 12th.

9th – Batteries moved into position, all Registrations completed by Noon.

10th – Batteries busy wire cutting on ARNUM and BUCQUOY trenches.

11th – Wire cutting continued

12th – Wire cutting continued. Reported to 7th D.A. that wires on Bde Front successfully cut. Battery positions heavily shelled throughout the afternoon.

13th – Enemy again active around Battery Positions, Hostile Fire quietened by Heavies.

14th – Attack on BUCQUOY, ARNIM & BUCQUOY TRENCHES. Launched at 1·00 a.m. No preliminary bombardment. Batteries co-operated firing up to 5·00 a.m. Attack unsuccessful. Infantry falling back on to original line of posts [ ? ]

15th – Steady observed fire kept up during the Day.

16th – Fire directed on point N of BUCQUOY.

17th – Enemy evacuated BUCQUOY, ACHIET-LE-GRAND and sundry other villages. Brigade Guns out of Range.

18th to 20th – All Ammunition of Bde run up by hand to Bde Dump E of PUISIEUX.

21st – Brigade withdrawn to Wagon Line.

25th – Brigade to be transferred to 3rd Army. Marched to BEAUVAL.

26th – Brigade marched to PIT BOURET

27th – Working parties sent forward to prepared positions just N of ARRAS

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1917, April

Nr ARRAS

1st – Batteries registered from O.P. and continued work on their dugouts and gun posts. Enemy shelled back areas with heavy artillery. Ammunition was brought up again during the night.

2nd – Registration was continued. Lt Salverson of C/86 Bde R.F.A. was wounded in the face and evacuated to C.C.S.

3rd – Brigade Ammunition Column and batteries of the group continued to bring ammunition up to the guns. Batteries made all their final preparations for the Preparatory Bombardment

4th (6·00 am) – The Preliminary Bombardment commenced at 6·30 am. Medium and heavy trench mortars commenced cutting German Front Line wire. Owing to the great difficulty in finding wire cutting positions within the divisional zone the Howitzers (311 Bde R.F.A.) were used. Gaps made in the wire were kept open by the batteries who fired frequent salvoes at the wire during the night.

5th (8·30 am) – A rehearsal barrage was carried out. The hostile artillery replied but shelling was irregular & weak. Wire cutting was continued during the day & the gaps kept open by bursts of fire during the night.

6th – Batteries continued their wire cutting programme. At 120 pm a practice barrage was carried out to enable battery commanders to see that no gaps were left between battery zones.

7th – B/86 was shelled in the early morning by 4·3s. The officers’ mess was hit and Major H S Brown was wounded in the face. Batteries continued wire cutting.

8th – Lieut G I Millar D/86 killed by 77mm shell burst in the O.P. Rehearsal barrage carried out. Capt H F Stephens D/86 wounded in leg with HE splinter. Evacuated to C.C.S.

9th – Attack E of ARRAS commenced at 5·30 am. Barrage was well carried out. All objectives reached by infantry. Very little opposition put up by enemy. Prisoners many. Our casualties slight. After the second objective had been reached, Batteries moved forward to prepared positions 1000yds in front.

10th – Infantry busy consolidating new line. Observed fire kept up during the day. Enemy put a counter attack which was easily repulsed. Batteries moved up into forward position by BLUE LINE (2nd Objective). Capt. J. C. RAE A/86 killed. Maj. W. G. PORTER C/86 wounded whilst registering. 2/Lt G. R. DAVIES HQ wounded whilst reconnoitring position with C.O. in the morning. All battery Commanders now killed or wounded since 2nd Inst.

11th – Bde HQ moved forward to position in BLACK LINE (1st Objective). Enemy kept under observed fire throughout the day. Lt D. C. YERESMITH C/86 wounded whilst registering. Enemy approaches kept under intermittent fire throughout the night.

12th – Brigade grouped with 152nd F.A. Bde (Left Group) under command of O.C. 152nd F.A. Bde. Co-operated with division on right (9th) in small attack which unfortunately failed. 2/Lt G. N. BAGLEY joined HQ as orderly officer.

13th – Observed fire carried out during the day & approaches kept under intermittent fire throughout the night.

14th – Enemy reported to be falling back on GAVRELLE-OPPY line of trenches W. of GAVRELLE. Infantry patrols pushed through BAILLEUL.

15th – Capt. F. A. WOODCOCK-BAC posted to Command 62nd DAC. Infantry patrols pushed forward to within 300 yards of GAVRELLE-OPPY line but were held up by M.G. fire from GAVRELLE.

16th – Howitzer Battery commenced wire cutting on GAVRELLE-OPPY line. 18 Pounder Batteries moved forward into new positions near the BROWN LINE (Third Objective) during the afternoon and night.

17th – 18 Pounder Batteries completed registration and commenced wire cutting on the GAVRELLE-OPPY line. At 3 PM the 34th DA was relieved by the 63rd DA. 86th Army FA Bde became grouped with the 311th & 223rd AFA Bdes forming the ‘W’ Group under the orders of LT-COL WINGFIELD D.S.O. commanding the 223rd FA Bde.

Nr ARRAS

18th – Wire cutting continued by 18 Pounder Batteries – task was difficult owing to wind conditions and frontal nature of fire.

19th – On account of wire cutting by 18 Pdrs having proved unsatisfactory it was decided to detach a section of D/86 to take the wire in enfilade. 18 Pdrs kept enemy under observed fire throughout the day, the eastern and N. E. approaches to GAVRELLE were subjected to bursts of fire during the night.

20th – D/86 Enfilade Section commenced wire cutting with 106 Fuze with good results. 18 Pdrs were engaged in calibration and registration of enemy trenches during the day. Approaches to GAVRELLE kept under intermittent fire during the night. 2/LT G. N. BAGLEY became A/Adjutant vice LT F. E. MITCHELL posted to Command 86th (Army) B.A.C.

21st – D/86 continued wire cutting with its Enfilade Section. 18 Pdrs had rehearsal of S.O.S. Barrage with satisfactory results. Approaches were kept under intermittent bursts of fire during the night and wire was fired on to keep gaps open. 2/LT D. FISKE joined HQ staff as Orderly Officer.

22nd – All Batteries engaged in wire cutting throughout the day – gaps were kept under fire throughout the night.

23rd – The 63rd (R.N.) Division attacked GAVRELLE – the Third Army co-operated on our right and 2nd Div made a feint attack on left. The 63rd (R.N.) Div reached all its objectives. Battery positions reconnoitred in valley beyond BROWN LINE (3rd objective). Enemy made seven counter attacks, all of which failed. Fire on back areas kept up during night to prevent massing of enemy for counter attack.

24th – GAVRELLE subjected to inborn bombardment by heavies, principally 8” opportunity targets were taken on throughout the day by all Batteries. Back areas again kept under fire during night.

25th – Little activity on either side. Small parties [of] enemy fired upon during day & intermittent fire kept up throughout the night on roads & tracks in back areas.

Nr GAVRELLE

26th – Batteries continued firing during day at opportunity targets. During night Batteries started digging forward positions in valley WEST of GAVRELLE. B.A.C. & Wagon Lines brought forward ammunition.

27th – Brigade temporarily out of action as men resting during day. Finished new positions at night & moved into them. Further quantities of ammunition brought up. 2/LT R. C. CLAPHAM D/86 wounded. Brigade HQ moved forward beyond BROWN LINE.

28th – At 4·25 a.m. 63rd Div made attack on OPPY-ARLEUX line. 2nd Div attacked on our left. All objectives attained, but owing to heavy counter attacks, ground near OPPY and N.E. GAVRELLE not held. Important position of MILL at GAVRELLE captured and held. A/CAPT E. R. OWEN D/86 killed and 2/LT P. T. HAWORTH D/86 wounded. B/86 Battery position shelled with 8”, no damage done.

29th – Situation quiet. This Brigade did not fire during day, owing to exposed positions of Batteries.

30th – Very little firing done by this Brigade for same reason as yesterday. B/86 moved their position during night of 30/4, having been shelled out of their previous position.

During the past month, the following casualties have occurred in action in this Brigade:-

Killed:  2/Lt. G. I. MILLAR,  Capt. J. C. RAE, Lt. D. C. VERESMITH & A/Capt. E. R. OWEN.  Other ranks – 12.

Wounded:  2/Lt. SALVERSON, Maj. H. S. BROWN, Capt. H. E. STEPHENS, 2/Lt. G. R. DAVIES, Maj. W. G. PORTER, 2/Lt. J. BARRON, 2/Lt. R. C. CLAPHAM & 2/Lt. P. J. HAWORTH. Other ranks – 23.