245th Siege Battery was a heavy howitzer unit of Britain's Royal Garrison Artillery (RGA) raised in Essex and Suffolk during World War I. It saw active service on the Western Front at Messines and Ypres, against the German Spring Offensive, at Villers-Bretonneux and in the final Allied Hundred Days Offensive.

Mobilisation On the outbreak of war in August 1914, units of the part-time Territorial Force (TF) were invited to volunteer for Overseas ServiceBecke, Pt 2b, p. 6. and the majority of the Essex and Suffolk Royal Garrison Artillery did so. This unit had mobilised as part of No 14 (Essex & Suffolk) Coastal Fire Command at Landguard Fort, charged with defending the Haven ports of Harwich, Felixstowe and Ipswich and the associated naval base.Farndale, Forgotten Fronts, pp. 402, 409.Maurice-Jones, p. 185. By October 1914, the campaign on the Western Front was bogging down into Trench warfare and there was an urgent need for batteries of siege artillery to be sent to France. The WO decided that the TF coastal gunners were well enough trained to take over many of the duties in the coastal defences, releasing Regular RGA gunners for service in the field.WO Instruction No 248 of October 1914. Soon the TF RGA companies that had volunteered for overseas service were also supplying trained gunners to RGA units serving overseas and providing cadres to form complete new units.Maurice-Jones, pp. 200–1.

In August 1915 Harwich was chosen as one of the depots for forming these units, under the command of Major G.W. Horsfield of the Essex & Suffolk RGA.The rest of the personnel were returning wounded Regulars, men of the Special Reserve, 'Kitchener's Army' volunteers, 'Lord Derby men' and later conscripts.Army List, August 1914.Penstone, pp. 9–14. 245th Siege Battery, RGA, was formed at Harwich on 29 August 1916 with a cadre of 3 officers and 78 ORs from the Essex & Suffolk RGA under Army Council Instruction 1739 of 7 September 1916.Army Council Instructions September 1916.Frederick, pp. 702–6.

Western Front Messines

The battery went out to the Western Front on 29 January 1917, equipped with four 6-inch 26 cwt howitzers and joined 52nd Heavy Artillery Group (HAG) serving under Second Army in the Ypres sector.RGA at Long, Long Trail.'Allocation of Siege Batteries RGA', The National Archives (TNA), Kew, file WO 95/5494/4.'Headquarters Heavy Artillery Groups', TNA file WO 95/5494/1.52nd HAG War Diary June 1916–December 1917, TNA file WO 95/544/5.Becke, Pt 4, pp. 79–87.

It was a quiet period in this sector: 52nd HAG at Bac St Maur occasionally shelled Fleurbaix south of Armentières, provided cover for infantry raids, or carried out counter-battery (CB) tasks.Falls, 1917, Vol I, pp. 532-4. Second Army was gathering artillery for the Battle of Messines and on 24 May the battery transferred to 17th HAG. At this point the battery was under the command of Major J.V. Verschoyle-Campbell and its officers included 2/Lt (later Maj-Gen) Harold Arthur ('Dog') Hounsell.Hounsell at Generals of WWII.Routledge, pp. 180, 274, 284.). On 7 June 17 HAG carried out CB fire for II ANZAC Corps when it attacked following the explosion of huge mines. The results of the limited attack were spectacular, with the whole Messines–Wytschaete Ridge being captured.Edmonds, 1917, Vol II, pp. 41–2, 44–9, 54–5.Farndale, Western Front, pp. 184–92.Wolff, pp. 111–4, 117–9.17th HAG War Diary May 1915–April 1919, TNA file WO 95/388/1. German retaliatory fire was intense and casualties among the RGA were high: on 13 June Maj Verschoyle-Campbell was wounded (he was later awarded the Distinguished Service Order for keeping his guns in action under heavy shelling and gas bombardment.London Gazette, 16 August 1917.).

In June 1917 the strength of 245th Siege Bty was increased when the personnel for an additional section joined from 339th Siege Bty. 339th Siege Bty had been formed on 15 January 1917 at Tynemouth. The personnel went out to the Western Front on 29 May and joined II Anzac Corps Heavy Artillery (HA) on 5 June. Immediately on arrival one section was posted to 245th Siege Bty, the other to 295th. However, the two additional guns for the section did not reach 245th Siege Bty until February 1918.

Ypres On 17 July HAG moved to Fifth Army. 245th Siege Bty remained with Second Army in 42nd HAG (4 July). Both armies were preparing for the Flanders offensive (the Third Battle of Ypres). Although the preliminary bombardment had begun on 16 June, the Germans had air superiority and better observation posts (OPs), and a number of British batteries were kept hidden ('silent') including 245th Siege Bty near Knoll Farm, south-east of Zillebeke. The attack (the Battle of Pilckem Ridge) was launched on 31 July and during the afternoon 73rd HAG of Fifth Army took command of 245th Siege Bty, which opened CB fire in support of II Corps. II Corps had the hardest task, and it received the heaviest German retaliatory fire; its divisions made little progress through the shattered woods onto the plateau in front of them. Deadlocked, the corps was unable to continue towards its second and third objectives. Heavy rain in the evening halted any further moves.Becke, Pt 4, pp. 111–20.Becke, Pt 4, pp. 137–43.73rd HAG War Diary October 1916–October 1919, TNA file WO 95/476/1.Edmonds, 1917, Vol II, pp. 106–8, 135–9, 150, 158–60, 170–4.Farndale, Western Front, pp. 195–203.Wolff, pp. 148–9, 157–60.

In early August the batteries of 73rd HAG went silent once more. Then on 10 August they supported II Corps in a morning attack to improve its position, but this was a failure. Meanwhile, the massed guns prepared the way for the next assault (the Battle of Langemarck) on 16 August. This was also a failure and resulted in heavy casualties both to the infantry and the batteries east of Zillebeke. II Corps made another attack on 22 August at Inverness Copse, which was only partially successful.Edmonds, 1917, Vol II, pp. 190–4, 203.Farndale, Western Front, p. 204.

On 23 August 245th Siege Bty came under the command of 43rd HAG, a headquarters that had not been involved in the earlier actions. By now the battery was commanded by Maj (later Brigadier Alec Wildey.43rd HAG War Diary July–December 1917, TNA file WO 95/321/1.Routledge, p. 218.Wildey at Generals of WWII. On 26 and 27 August the group carried out neutralising CB fire for II and XIX Corps, which were engaged in actions at Inverness Copse and Zonnebeke. Enemy retaliation was fierce, and working parties trying to lay a new armoured telephone line to 245th Siege Bty at Knoll Farm were harassed by shellfire and suffered casualties; the line was not completed until 29 August, and was then frequently cut by shellfire. The battery temporarily took over two surviving guns of 73rd Siege Bty, which had been badly shelled and had gone for rest. 245th Siege Bty continued in its role of neutralising hostile batteries.Becke, Pt 4, pp. 243–6.Edmonds, 1917, Vol II, pp. 207–8.

As the Ypres offensive bogged down, Second Army took over its direction in September and 43rd HAG was reinforced and transferred to X Corps in that army as Northern Counter-Battery Double Group. The attack on the Gheluvelt Plateau by X Corps on 20 September during the Battle of the Menin Road Ridge was successful because the objectives were limited and the heavy artillery support was overwhelming. 43rd HAG's batteries fired neutralising CB tasks all day, some on new targets spotted by aircraft, and hostile fire was weak, though 245th Siege Bty suffered a few casualties. The CB fire continued over the following days to disrupt German attempts at counter-attacks.Becke, Pt 4, pp. 193–7.Edmonds, 1917, Vol II, pp. 236–41, 247–8, 253–6, 258–9, 271–4, 277.Farndale, Western Front, pp. 205–8.Wolff, pp. 191–4.

From the night of 24/25 September 43rd HAG's batteries concentrated on Gheluvelt to prepare for the attack planned for 26 September (the Battle of Polygon Wood), but reverted to CB fire when the Germans put in a spoiling attack between the Menin Road and Polygon Wood on 25 September. Second Army's attack still went in as scheduled at 05.50 on 26 September. 43rd HAG fired its CB neutralising tasks all day, and the German counter-attacks were crushed by the massed artillery.Edmonds, 1917, Vol II, pp. 282–4, 286–92.Farndale, Western Front, pp. 208–9.Wolff, pp. 199–200. The group continued its CB support for X Corps' partially successful attacks on 4 October at the Battle of Broodseinde and 9 October Battle of Poelcappelle. X Corps carried out a feint attack with full artillery support when the neighbouring II ANZAC Corps attacked on 12 October at the First Battle of Passchendaele. By now the tables were turned: British batteries were clearly observable from the Passchendaele Ridge and were subjected to hostile CB fire, while their own guns sank into the mud and became difficult to move and fire. To be able to supply them with ammunition the heavy guns had to stay strung out one behind the other along the few available roads, making them an easy target. The battery was suffering almost daily casualties from shellfire and gas – Maj Wildey had been wounded on 28 September – and by 17 October it was down to an effective strength of 4 officers and 83 other ranks (ORs) against an establishment of 7 officers and 188 ORs.Edmonds, 1917 Vol II, pp. 303–9, 327–30, 338–43, 374-77.Farndale, Western Front, pp. 209–13.Wolff, pp. 207–12, 223–35, 249–51.

The battery transferred to the command of 51st HAG on 20 October, but continued the bombardments as Second Army renewed the attack on the ridge (the Second Battle of Passchendaele) on 26 October. It transferred again to 41st HAG on 29 October, and finally went to rest on 5 November.51st HAG War Diary August 1916–March 1919, TNA file WO 95/473/3.

Winter 1917–18 245th Siege Bty remained at rest until 21 November, then joined 6th HAG on 24 November. This group HQ was out of the line at Bomy with its batteries undergoing training, but on 30 November it received urgent orders to move to Third Army with 245th Siege Bty. 6th HAG HQ joined VII Corps HA at Villers-Faucon and the battery was in position by the night of 2 December; other batteries then joined the group. By 4 December 245th Siege Bty was in action, firing continuously in support of Third Army's troops who had been trying to ward off the fierce German counter-attack following the Battle of Cambrai. The fighting died down after a few days and routine activity resumed. 245th Siege Bty attempted some CB shoots, but the weather was too poor for observation aircraft. On 31 December the battery carried out some firing to support V Corps' attack on Welch Ridge.6th HAG War Diary March 1917–December 1917, TNA file WO 95/299/3.Becke, Pt 4, pp. 89–98.Becke, Pt 4, pp. 175–8.Becke, Pt 4, pp. 163–7.Miles, 1917, Vol III, pp. 251–2, 275–7.

By now HAG allocations were becoming more fixed, and they were converted into permanent RGA brigades during the winter. 6th HAG became 6th Brigade on 27 December, defined as a 'Mixed' brigade with a variety of different calibre guns. 245th Siege Bty remained with this brigade until 1919.Farndale, Western Front, Annex E.Farndale, Western Front, Annex M.

On 1 January 1918 245th Siege Bty came under heavy CB fire from 5.9-inch guns directed by a German aircraft; some casualties were caused but no guns damaged. After further shelling, the battery moved one section to a new forward position. It continued its own registration shoots when weather permitted, carried out harassing fire (HF), supported trench raids, and responded to SOS calls when the Germans retaliated. 245th Siege Bty finally received two new 6-inch howitzers to bring it up to its six-gun establishment in February 1918.6th Bde War Diary January 1918–April 1919, TNA file WO 95/299/4.

Spring Offensive