31 August 1916 to January 1918, “C” Battery 79th Brigade R.F.A.

War Diary for 79th Brigade R.F.A. July 1915 to November 1918, also maps for September 1917.

28 August to 20 September 1916, in action at Sailly-au-Bois, 11 miles north of Albert.

Sailly-au-Bois 28 August to 20 September 1916.

From 31 August, A, B & C of 79th Brigade became six-gun batteries by absorbing two guns (with their personnel) each from the batteries of 80th Brigade, which ceased to exist. The rest of 80th Brigade moved to 78th Brigade. D remained a four-gun Howitzer battery.

21 September to 2 October 1916, marched to Pas-en-Artois, training took place and new positions were prepared.

3 to 17 October 1916, in action at Hébuterne, 10 miles north of Albert.

3 to 17 October 1916 at Hébuterne.

18 to 20 October 1916, the Brigade moved to Albert and prepared new gun positions.

21 October to 20 November 1916, in action at Thiepval, 5 miles north of Albert (near Du Mouquet Farm, a.k.a. Mucky Farm).

21 October to 20 November 1916, in action at Thiepval, north of Albert (near Du Mouquet Farm, a.k.a. Mucky Farm).

21 November to 10 December 1916, resting at Meaulte.

From 11 December 1916 to 3 March 1917, in action at Ginchy, 9 miles east of Albert.

From 11 December 1916 to 3 March 1917, in action at Ginchy.

6 to 16 March 1917, in action at Martinpuich, 6 miles east of Albert.

79th Brigade at Martinpuich 6 to 16 March 1917.

17 to 29 March 1917, Brigade moved to Bray and prepared new gun positions.

30 March to 8 April 1917, in action near Sainte-Catherine, 2 miles north of Arras (which is 24 miles north of Albert). HQ at “C” Camp near Bray Mont-Saint-Éloi, 5 miles NW of guns.

79th Brigade R.F.A. positions at Sainte-Catherine 30 March to 8 April 1917.

Overview of the Arras battlefield.

Map borrowed from http://www.shiny7.uk/7CoyJul-Dec1917.html
79th Brigade remained in this general area from 17 March until 27 September 1917.

9 to 12 April 1917, in action at Arras (1st Battle of The Scarpe, part of the 2nd Battle of Arras).

79th Brigade movements 9 to 12 April 1917. Precise position not given (they took over from 59th Brigade, whose location was not stated, on 12 April), but generally they were moving south-east down the Arras-Cambrai road towards Monchy-le-Preux.

12 April to 15 May 1917, in action at Monchy-le-Preux (2nd and 3rd Battles of Arras).

Positions near Monchy 12 April to 15 May 1917.

Monchy-le-Preux – Newfoundland Heroes.

British artillerymen fire 18 pounders and 8 inch howitzers, near Monchy-le-Preux, 1917.

16 to 22 May 1917, in action at Hénin-sur-Cojeul, 6 miles south-east of Arras.

Positions at Hénin-sur-Cojeul 16 to 22 May 1917.

26 May to 16 June 1917, in action at Monchy-le-Preux, 7 miles east of Arras.

Batteries near Feuchy Chapel, O.P.’s at Monchy, 26 May to 16 June 1917.

18 June to 27 September 1917, in action near Fampoux (on the Scarpe), 5 miles east of Arras.

Positions near Fampoux 18 June to 27 September 1917.

On 31 July 1917 he was treated for an abscess by 51st Field Ambulance near Fampoux. His rank at this time was Sergeant and his unit was “C” Battery 79th Brigade R.F.A. He went with Bombardier G.F. Boyd of “D” Battery, who had suspected bronchitis.

Trench map (51b NW) for the above.

28 September to 4 October 1917, moved about 60 miles north to Langemarck near Ypres.

5 October to 7 November 1917, in action at Langemarck-Poelcapelle (Third Battle of Ypres, Battle of Passchendaele).

By the end of October, C Battery had two guns remaining out of six, A Battery had four and B Battery five. Lt.-Col L.E. Warren, Officer Commanding 79th Brigade, noted in his Record of Services that between 5 October and 7 November 18 guns had been destroyed and five damaged. The War Diary for October records that the Brigade had fired about 46,000 shells, 16 men had been killed and 134 wounded.

Langemarck 5 October to 7 November 1917.

8 November to 16 December 1917, resting and training at Ochtezeele, 30 miles to the west.

17 to 26 December 1917, marched 80 miles south to Havrincourt (near Cambrai).

26 December 1917 to 3 January 1918, in action at Havrincourt (9 miles south-west of Cambrai).

Positions near Havrincourt 26 December 1917 to 3 January 1918.