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Extract from war diary of 150 Heavy Battery RGA

This section of the Long, Long Trail will be helpful for anyone wishing to find out about the day to day activities of the army.

Coverage

This diary covers the period 9-27 April 1918. The battery was firing in the defence against the German attack now known as the Battle of the Lys. The enemy onslaught is at first very successful, pushing back the British line and creating great consternation. The heavy artillery is called upon to fire on the enemy's rear, to destroy reserves coming up and to disrupt supply.

Extract

09 April 18

 Battery moved to Gonnehem.
10 April 18 Battery moved to Bernenchon. From 9.30pm to 8am 11 April, harrassing fire was carried out throughout the night, 200 rounds being fired.
11 April 18 The guns were hurriedly pulled out & position taken up at V4c (sheet 36A SE) between Ecleme and Robecque.
12 April 18 3am-5.30am: Harrassing fire carried out on roads & bridges. Areas searched & swept. More than 900 rounds were fired in this position between these times. The guns were again hurriedly withdrawn & brought into action at 028d55.90 (sheet36A SW) near HAM-EN-ARTOIS. Gun & much personal kit was left at this position on account of close proximity of Enemy Forces. 2.40pm-8.30pm: Many GF, NF & LL calls were answered by all our Guns. During the night 450 rounds were fired on roads & important road junctions.
13 April 18 Arrived at Morbecque (J1670.48.Sheet 36A). 4pm 32 rounds were fired on large concentration of enemy forces. 5.55pm A barrage was fired on road West of MERVILLE.
14 April 18 “SOS” Call was answered at 1-5pm. 3 OR’s & 4 Wounded by Hostile Shell..
15-17 April 18 Harrassing fire was carried out day & night on roads & tracks around MERVILLE & NERF BERQUIN about 400 rounds being fired each day. A great number of Area Calls were also answered.
18 April 18

2.30pm A gas bombardment was fired on LE SART-MERVILLE road, 80 rounds fired.
19-21 April 18 Harrassing fire concentrations. Area Calls to were carried out during the period, between 400 & 500 rounds being fired each day. 21 April at 1.20pm: Guns were calibrated on chimney NW of MERVILLE 5 OK’s out of 6 rounds.
22 April 18 4am & 10pm: gas bombardments at these times on important points near MERVILLE. 7 Area calls were answered & 200 rounds on roads & tracks were fired during the day.
23-27 April 18 Throughout this period (day & night) selected roads were harassed continually, about 400 rounds fired each day. 5 gas bombardments on Enemy Batteries took place & a good deal of Counter Bty work was also done. Area calls were answered & several SOS calls were responded to. During this period observation was very poor

Casualties

By using a combination of the records of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and the RGA volume of "Soldiers Died in the Great War 1914-19", I have identified two of the casualties of 14 April 1918 as:
149166 Cpl Archibald Box. Aged 32 and a resident of Hightown, Manchester, he died of wounds and is buried in Aire Communal Cemetery.
193050 Pte Benjamin Skevington. Aged 39, a native of Northampton, he was killed in action and is buried in Morbecque British Cemetery.

Sources

This extract from the Battery war diary is from the original held at the National Archives in piece WO95/301.