WW1 Gunners in action |
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This 18-pounder Mark II field gun saw considerable action on the Western Front in the War. Between September 1916 and November 1917 it fired 16,513 rounds before being sent back to Britain to have its barrel relined/rebored. When it returned to France in March 1918 it was issued to 53rd Battery.Royal Field Artillery and took part in opposing the German spring offensive of 1918 and in the subsequent British advance in the autumn.Over 5,670 18-pounders were produced by the British and American factories by 1918. Over 86 million 18-pounder shells were fired during the war. This gun is on show at the Imperial War Musuem. IWM website clickhere.
Night action for RFA gunners on the western front.
18 Pounder guns of which John was a crew member fired 3.3inch (84mm) calibre shells, shells weighed 18.5lb (8.4kg) each.
A well trained crew could fire 30 rounds a minute. 3 types of shell were fired, High expolsive,Sharpnel,and Gas.
Quick fire
Royal Field Artillery batterys consisted of 6, 18 pounder guns to each battery, named "A" battery "B" battery "C" battery
"D" battery were normally Howitzers.
An 18-pounder field gun had a crew of ten, six of whom operated it in action. The limber is drawn by a team of six horses with a driver on one side of each pair, each of the artillerymen on the gun would have a number, no1 in command,(usually a Sergeant) No2 Operates breech mechanism. No3 Limbers and unlimbers (with no2) and fires the gun No4 Limbers up and unlimbers ammunition wagon(with 5 and 6) No5and6 Hook in and unhook ammunition team No6 operates the fuse indicator. No7and8 are Reserves at the wagon line and assists with ammunition and replacing any casualties on the gun. No10 "Coverer" takes over in the event of an injury to number 1, but looks after wagon teams in the mean time.
This picture (IWM Q5171) Illustrates 6 men positioning a gun for action during the Battle of Arras spring 1917.
gunpit at poziers (IWM Q4065)Actual sign from the Pozieres area used during ww1 For an excellent comprehensive look at "what was a Brigade"
by Derek Driscoll.click here 
A Battery in action.
165 brigade at the time of Johns death was commanded by:- Lt Col A.P.Boxall R.F.A.
165 Brigade in 1918 was a member of the 31st Divisional artillery commanded by:- Brig. Gen. E.P.Lambert C.B.C.M.G.RA.
H.Q.was at Wallon Cappel in July/Aug 1918. 
Action stations
31st Division, whereabouts 1918 until Johns wounding.
March 21st saw the start of the 'Great German offensive'. This offensive if successful could have changed the whole outcome of the war. Germany's well trained stormtroopers made great advances,up to 40 miles inside allied lines. The German high command were slow in getting trained reinforcements to relieve them, which cost them dear. Infact it was the beginning of the end for the German empire, who realised they faced defeat when their offensive eventually failed which led to the start of the German armies retreat.
Battle of St Quentin
21-23 Mar.
1st Battle Bapaume
24-25 Mar.
1st Battle Arras
28 Mar.
Battle of Estaures
9-11 Apr.
Battle of Hazebrouck
12-15 Apr.
Action of La Becque
28 Jun.
July and August at Wallon Cappell.
(July 18th. Turn of the tide for the allies.)
In August 1914, Royal Artillery personnel numbered 4,083 officers, and 88,837 other ranks, by November 1918, there were 29,990 officers, and 518,790 other ranks. Guns and Howitzer from 486 to 6,437, ammunition of all calibres totalled approx 170,385,295.
49,076 Royal regiment of artillery gave their lives between 1914-1919.
Artillery memorial London
INTERESTING FACTS AND FIGURES ON WW1.
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Hostilities opened on Aug 4th 1914. and closed on Nov 11th 1918.
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The armistice was signed on the hundredth day of the fifth year of the war.
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The British army came first into action at Mons and British troops recaptured Mons on the last day of the fighting.
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At the outbreak of hostilities the strength of the British army at home and abroad was 256,014 of all arms, while the total strength available for the firing line was slightly over 131,000 officers and men. At the end we had sent into the field 8,654,000.
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On the 1st of July 1916 British killed in action amounted to over 19,000 loses,all casualties totalling 57,000 in one single day, the worst in British history.
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During the battle of the somme the RFA fired over 7,000,000 shells.
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The first tanks appeared in the battle of the somme, Sept 1916.
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The first bomb (22lbs) dropped on British soil was in Dover on Christmas eve 1914, it fell harmlessly in a field.
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There were 51 zeppelin raids on England between Jan 19, 1915 and April 12 1918.
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The total casualties killed and injured from airship and aeroplane raids and bombardments amounted to 4,820, (1,413 killed,) included in the casualties were 295 children.
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The casualties in the war were appalling There were, roughly, 187,000 war widows in the British Isles. The total British losses in the Army Navy and Air Force, including wounded and missing and prisoners of war, amounted to 3,098,260. 13% of the population over 6 million people were mobilised. Britain lost 7.5 million tons of shipping, over a thousand ships.
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The end of hostilities saw the collapse of three mighty empires. Russia,Austria and Germany. Germany suffered 1.8 million dead.
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France had over 20% of its population 8 million active in the war 3.5% were killed. with 5 million casualties.
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In total some 10 million people lost their lives during ww1.
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MY GUESTBOOKDrop me a line.
clickhere.
Great ww1 site and forum hosted by Chris Baker.
clickhere.
Excellent site on Worcester 241 artillery brigade.
Kings crown RFA cap badge.
Latin motto UBIQUE(forward)QUE FAS ET GLORIA DUCUNT(Where(Whither) right and glory lead).