The Guards Divisional Artillery (abbreviated to 'Guards DA' or 'GDA') was a force of field artillery raised in Ireland as part of Kitchener's Army early in World War I. Assigned to the Guards Division on the Western Front, it took part in the battles of Loos, the Somme, Ypres, Cambrai, the German Spring Offensive, the final Hundred Days Offensive and then the postwar Occupation of the Rhineland.
Organisation and training On 6 August 1914, less than 48 hours after Britain's declaration of war, Parliament sanctioned an increase of 500,000 men for the Regular British Army, and the newly appointed Secretary of State for War, Earl Kitchener of Khartoum issued his famous call to arms: 'Your King and Country Need You', urging the first 100,000 volunteers to come forward. This group of six divisions with supporting arms became known as Kitchener's First New Army, or 'K1'.War Office Instructions No 32 (6 August) and No 37 (7 August).Becke, Pt 3a, pp. 2 & 8; Appendix 1. Recruitment was rapid and the 'K2' units followed shortly after, including 16th (Irish) Division authorised on 11 September. The divisional artillery for this formation (16th (I) DA) was quickly raised at Cahir, Fermoy and Kilkenny in September, though there was a shortage of Irish recruits for the artillery and many of the gunners were from England. The divisional artillery had the following planned organisation:Becke, Pt 3a, pp. 61–9.Denman, p. 52.16th/Guards DA at Long, Long Trail. LXXIV Brigade, Royal Field Artillery (RFA): 232, 233, 234 Batteries LXXIV Brigade Ammunition Column (BAC) LXXV Brigade, RFA 235, 236, 237 Btys LXXV BAC LXXVI Brigade, RFA 238, 239, 240 Btys LXXVI BAC LXXVII (Howitzer) Brigade, RFA 241 (H), 242 (H) 243 (H) Btys LXXVII (H) BAC 16th Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery (RGA) 16th Divisional Ammunition Column (DAC)
The three numbered batteries in each field brigade were to be equipped with six guns each (18-pounder guns or 4.5-inch howitzers), but on 23 January 1915 they were reorganised as four batteries of four guns, lettered A, B, C, D in each brigade. Brigadier-General C.E. Goulburn was appointed Commander, Royal Artillery (CRA) for 16th (I) Division on 25 October 1914. The training of 16th (I) Division progressed slowly, and initially the artillery 'had neither guns, dial sights, directors, nor harness for the horses'. It was some months before the batteries were able to obtain even 15 horses each, let alone guns. In January 1915 B/LXXVII (H) Bty had to do its gun drill with a single 12-pounder muzzle-loading cannon. In a change of policy heavy batteries were removed from divisional artillery, and 16th Hvy Bty left, landing in France on 10 July 1915 and serving independently on the Western Front for the rest of the war. The field brigades and DAC began crossing from Ireland to England in July to complete their training at the Larkhill ranges on Salisbury Plain. However, the rest of the division was still delayed, and in August it was decided to send 16th (I) DA (less LXXVII (H) Bde, which had only just arrived on Salisbury Plain) to France to become the divisional artillery for a new Guards Division that was being assembled within the British Expeditionary Force (BEF).Headlam, Vol I, p. 29.Headlam, Vol II, Appendix I.77th Bde War Diary October 1914–December 1916, The National Archives (TNA), Kew, file WO 95/1962/3.
Guards Divisional Artillery was formed at Rollestone Camp on 18 August, with Headquarters (HQ), LXXIV, LXXV and LXXVI Bdes and the DAC transferred from 16th (I) DA. The missing howitzer brigade was supplied by LXVI (H) Bde, which had been left behind when 11th (Northern) Division had sailed for Gallipoli in June. The composition of Guards DA on formation was therefore as follows:Guards DA HQ War Diary August–September 1915, TNA file WO95/1198/1.Becke, Pt 1, pp. 25–31.Guards Division at Long, Long Trail.Becke, Pt 1, Appendix I.Edmonds, 1915, Vol II, p. 140.Headlam, Vol II, Appendix II.
LXI (H) Bde – Lieutenant-Colonel G.N. Cartwright A, B, C, D (H) Btys – 4 x 4.5-inch howitzers each LXI (H) BAC LXXIV Bde – Lt-Col L.P. Garden A, B, C, D Btys – 4 x 18-pdrs each LXXIV BAC LXXV Bde – Lt-Col Frederick Thackeray A, B, C, D Btys – 4 x 18-pdrs each LXXV BAC LXXVI Bde – Col Russell Gubbins A, B, C, D Btys – 4 x 18-pdrs each LXXVI BAC Guards DAC – Lt-Col H. Fawcus
Guards Division's commander, the Earl of Cavan, was conscious of the inexperience of his artillery and wanted the best RA officers to command it. Brigadier-Gen Goulburn who had trained 16th (I) DA became CRA of Guards Division on 30 August, but was replaced on 13 September by Brig-Gen Alexander Wardrop who had experience in the recent fighting. Colonel Gubbins, a recalled reserve officer, was later replaced as Commanding Officer (CO) of LXXVI Bde by Lt-Col G.R.V. Kinsman. Major D. Le P. Trench was appointed Brigade major of Guards DA on its formation.
Western Front LXI (H) Brigade was the first unit to leave Rollestone Camp, entraining at Amesbury on 22 August for Southampton Docks, where it embarked on the transports Mona's Queen, Nirvana and Austrialand. It landed at Le Havre next morning and went by train to Saint-Omer. It was followed by HQ, the 18-pounder brigades and the DAC from 27 August, and the whole force was billeted in villages around the divisional concentration at Lumbres by 4 September.61st Bde War Diary August 1915–November 1916, TNA file WO 95/1203/3.74th Bde War Diary October 1915–February 1919, TNA file WO 95/1203/4.75th Bde War Diary August 1915–March 1919, TNA file WO 95/1203/5.76th Bde War Diary September 1915–April 1917, TNA file WO 95/1204/1.Guards DAC War Diary September 1915–February 1919, TNA file WO 95/1204/2.
Most of the infantry units of Guards Division had been serving on the Western Front since the beginning of the war, but some battalions were newly arrived from England and the division was undergoing training to integrate these. None of the artillery units had any experience, and thus soon after arrival LXI (H) and LXXIV Bdes were sent up to First Army's area for a week's introduction to front line duties with the Meerut and Lahore Divisions respectively. By 18 September all the batteries had been through this process, and 2nd Guards Brigade carried out a field exercise with the DA. Next day Guards Division received its orders to take over a sector of the front line south of Aire.Headlam, Vol I, pp. 33–4.
Loos Guards Division was assigned as the final reserve for the BEF's forthcoming offensive (the Battle of Loos), and secretly moved up by night marches to the neighbourhood of Allouage, west of Béthune, ready to advance behind the first reserves (21st and 24th Divisions) when required. The reserve divisions contributed a few field brigades to the preliminary bombardments, Guards DA sending LXXV Bde forward on 19 September for this purpose. Meanwhile, the rest of the division continued its preparations, LXXVI Bde carrying out a field exercise with 3rd Guards Brigade on 21 September. The offensive was launched on 25 September and the GDA began its approach march next day, taking over the infantry's bivouacs at Nœux-les-Mines. After struggling along roads choked by 21st and 24th Division's columns, Guards Division launched its own attack on 27 September, when Brig-Gen Wardrop had the guns of 21st and 24th Divisions as well as his own under command. LXXVI Brigade supporting 3rd Guards Bde took up positions near 'Quality Street' and engaged targets between the 'Chalk Pits' and Hill 70. In the afternoon the battery commanders established their observation posts (OPs) in the prominent coal mine winding gear known as the 'Pylon'. However, LXI (H) Bde at the rear of the column never came into action. The division's attack was a partial success, 2nd Gds Bde being pushed back from its furthest advance among the coal pits, and 3rd Gds Bde digging in on the nearer slope of Hill 70. The division renewed its attack on the pits on 28 September, the artillery putting down a hurricane bombardment on the objective just before zero, but without success. 24th DA was withdrawn on 29 September and LXI (H) Bde came into action. Guards DA set up an advanced HQ at Quality Street and LXXIV and LXXV Bdes reconnoitred new positions, while LXXVI Bde came temporarily under 21st DA. Guards Division consolidated its position before being relieved on 30 September.Edmonds, 1915, Vol II, pp. 170, 177, 272–3, 284, 339–41, 354–60.Headlam, Vol I, pp. 48–69.
While Guards Division's infantry rested, the guns remained in position around Quality Street and Mazingarbe, digging in and registering various targets. Guards DA's four brigades together with one brigade of 24th DA constituted the left group of the artillery concentrated under Brig-Gen Wardrop's command. The Guards infantry came back into the line for a proposed attack on 3–4 October, for which a 3-day preliminary bombardment was planned, but the enemy recaptured the Hohenzollern Redoubt and the infantry were rushed north to deal with this, while the GDA remained in place covering the troops of 12th (Eastern) Division. On 5 October LXXV Bde was heavily shelled, with some damage, the gunners taking shelter in nearby trenches. Lieutenant-Col Thackeray of LXXV Bde was admitted to hospital with pneumonia on 8 October (he died on 15 October.) and was replaced by Lt-Col A.B. Bethell on 8 October. On 8 October a registration shell fired by LXI (H) Bde caused a huge explosion and column of smoke in the enemy-held village of Cité St Elie. Later that day the guns fired barrages on pre-arranged targets around the Puits and Hill 70 against enemy attacks developing against 12th (E) Division. These attacks had been halted by nightfall. The British resumed their offensive on 13 October and the GDA fired a bombardment with observation aircraft in support of 12th (E) Division's attack on the Quarries and Hulluch, which made limited progress. The capture of the Quarries was completed on the night of 17/18 October. Two nights later GDA's brigades moved north to Annequin, Cambrin and Vermelles to relieve 28th DA in support of Guards Division, which was holding the line after the bitter Action of the Hohenzollern Redoubt.Edmonds, 1915, Vol II, pp. 375, 378, 380–3, Sketches 40, 41.Headlam, Vol I, pp. 70–3.Guards DA HQ War Diary October–December 1915, TNA, file WO95/1198/2.