War Diary for 93rd Army Field Artillery Brigade October 1917 to January 1919.
He transferred from “C” Battery 79th Brigade R.F.A. to “C” Battery 93rd Army Brigade R.F.A. sometime in early January 1918.
79th Brigade were in action at Havrincourt and Hermies from 26 December 1917 to 22 March 1918, whilst 93rd Brigade were also in action at Hermies between 5 December 1917 and 26 February 1918. Major McCallum, C.O. of 93rd Brigade, wrote on 12 April 1919 that he had been under his command “for over 15 months.” The change of Brigade took place around 4th January 1918 in my estimation, at which time 78th and 79th Brigades of 17th Divisional Artillery were joined by 93rd Brigade along with 235th and 236th Brigades . By the end of October, “C” Battery 79th Brigade had only 2 guns left out of six following their action at Langemarck-Poelcapelle. They withdrew from there on 7 November and had a rest period until 16 December. 93rd Brigade were at this time attached to 2nd Division, and then joined 17th Divisional Artillery from 4th January. This could well be the time at which he transferred Brigades.
5 December 1917 to 26 February 1918, 93rd Army Brigade R.F.A. in action at Hermies, 20 miles south-east of Arras and 10 miles west of Bapaume.
27 February to 10 March 1918, in reserve at wagon lines near Haplincourt (about 6 miles west of Hermies).
10 to 21 March 1918, in action at Vaulx-Vraucourt, under 6th Divisional Artillery. 21 to 25 March, pushed back 9 miles west to Achiet-le-Petit, 5 miles west of Bapaume (German Spring Offensive).
He was married on 25 March 1918 in Birkenhead to Mary Veronica Madge Whelan whilst on leave.
25 March to 22 April, in action in Sailly-au-Bois region, 13 miles west of Bapaume, under 62nd Divisional Artillery.
22 April to 26 May, in action near Mailly-Maillet 4 miles south of Sailly-au-Bois. Under New Zealand D.A. and 12th D.A.
27 May to 24 June, in reserve at Harponville west of Albert.
24 June to 4 August 1918, in action near Aveluy, 10 miles south of Mailly-Maillet and 2 miles north of Albert. 5 to 10 August, in action near Beaussart and Mailly-Maillet. Under 12th and later 17th Divisional Artillery of V Corps.
10 to 15 August at wagon lines at Harponville. 16 August they march 15 miles north to Grenas and remain there until 18 August.
19 August to 8 October 1918, 93rd Brigade advanced east about 25 miles from Douchy-les-Ayette to Cantaing, 4 miles south-west of Cambrai.
9 October the Brigade continues east until the Armistice on 11 November 1918, ending the war in Jenlain near the French border, about 25 miles from Mons in Belgium.
Post-war, from 15 November to 4 December they were at Beaudignies, 7 miles from Jenlain, 5 to 13 December at Hautmont 22 miles to the east, then between 14 and 18 December they marched a further 30 miles east to Charleroi in Belgium, where they remained until at least the end of January 1919. The war diary ends at that point. His first child was born on 29 December 1918.
