More photos of the Gunners' return to Vimy Ridge have been posted in the 2017 Yearbook. Check out the stories and the photos that have been posted so far.
One hundred years ago, on 14 April 1917,
31st Battery, Canadian Field Artillery, Canadian Expeditionary Force was a sub-unit of the 8th Canadian Field Artillery Brigade in the 3rd Canadian Division. The Brigade war diary records: Berthonvas Farm F4 d9.1 Sheet 5.c Battery Commanders went forward to VIMY to recconnoitre positions. Lieut. Whitaker took two guns of the 38th Battery to a position in LA CHAUDIERE. Both of these were taken over the Ridge to this position on the day of April 14th. The LENS-ARRAS Road east of VIMY RIDGE was in a terrible condition and under direct observation by the enemy. It was shelled constantly. Lieut. Whittaker succeeded in getting the section in without casualties and took up his position and reported to the O.C. 43rd Battalion. The water tower at LA CHAUDIERE was used as an O.P. The night of the 14/15th the 40th Battery moved forward to new positions in VIMY. The road was in a very bad condition and constant blocks occurred the Battery being over 17 hours on the road. 58th Battery, Canadian Field Artillery, Canadian Expeditionary Force was a sub-unit of the 14th Canadian Field Artillery Brigade in the 5th Canadian Division. The Division was training in England and the Brigade war diary records: WITLEY - Cold rainy day. DUKE inspected lines at 12.20 NOON. The three 18 Pr. Batteries in PARK at BATTY GUN DRILL, the HOW BATTY at the O ? work across HASLEMERE RD. H.R.H. and retinue were aminatographed. GR. BULLEN C.L. 58th BATTY awarded 28 days detention on 13.4.17 by R.C.M. for absence without leave. CPL ATKINSON to WOOLWICH 5th Canadian Siege Battery, Canadian Artillery, Canadian Expeditionary Force war diary records: Mt St Eloy - Very little doing today 60 Rounds being fired on trenches in M36b 25.00 and M31c30.10. The 15th Field Artillery Regiment RCA perpetuates the following sub units: 31st Battery, Canadian Field Artillery, Canadian Expeditionary Force, 58th Battery, Canadian Field Artillery, Canadian Expeditionary Force, 5th Canadian Siege Battery, Canadian Artillery, Canadian Expeditionary Force, 68th Battery, Canadian Field Artillery, North Russia Expeditionary Force, was not authorized to be formed until 3 August 1918, and 85th Battery, Canadian Siberian Expeditionary Force was not authorized to be formed until 12 July 1918. One hundred years ago, on 13 April 1917,
31st Battery, Canadian Field Artillery, Canadian Expeditionary Force was a sub-unit of the 8th Canadian Field Artillery Brigade in the 3rd Canadian Division. The Brigade war diary records: Berthonvas Farm F4 d9.1 Sheet 5.c Heavy snowstorm. Batteries did very little firing owing to our infantry patrols being out. 58th Battery, Canadian Field Artillery, Canadian Expeditionary Force was a sub-unit of the 14th Canadian Field Artillery Brigade in the 5th Canadian Division. The Division was training in England and the Brigade war diary records: WITLEY - Section training and cleaning up for H.R.H. DUKE OF CONNAUGHT tomorrow. 5th Canadian Siege Battery, Canadian Artillery, Canadian Expeditionary Force war diary records: Mt St Eloy - No entry The 15th Field Artillery Regiment RCA perpetuates the following sub units: 31st Battery, Canadian Field Artillery, Canadian Expeditionary Force, 58th Battery, Canadian Field Artillery, Canadian Expeditionary Force, 5th Canadian Siege Battery, Canadian Artillery, Canadian Expeditionary Force, 68th Battery, Canadian Field Artillery, North Russia Expeditionary Force, was not authorized to be formed until 3 August 1918, and 85th Battery, Canadian Siberian Expeditionary Force was not authorized to be formed until 12 July 1918. Master Warrant Officer (ret) John McClelland (1978-1999) is currently working on a project in the Lower Mainland. I thought it would be appropriate if we called a beer call for the 28th of April at 1800 Hours at the JIMY MACS NEIGHBOURHOOD PUB / 19935 96 AVENUE, LANGLEY, BC . C'mon down that Friday and retell some of those ancient lies from days gone by! RSVP on our Facebook page!
One hundred years ago, on 12 April 1917,
31st Battery, Canadian Field Artillery, Canadian Expeditionary Force was a sub-unit of the 8th Canadian Field Artillery Brigade in the 3rd Canadian Division. The Brigade war diary records: Berthonvas Farm F4 d9.1 Sheet 5.c Lieut. Col Eaton, who died on the 11th instant, was buried today at Row G, Barlin Military Cemetery. On the night of the 12th/13th, one gun of the 38th Battery in the command of Lieut. Whittaker went forward to a position on the LENS-ARRAS Road S.29.d.7.2. The gun was to be used as a sniping gun. 58th Battery, Canadian Field Artillery, Canadian Expeditionary Force was a sub-unit of the 14th Canadian Field Artillery Brigade in the 5th Canadian Division. The Division was training in England and the Brigade war diary records: WITLEY - An ? of 2 Lbs hay per horse for 175 horses of BDE to load during ? days. 18 men struck off strength on transfer to T.M.s and 6 men to D.A.G. 5th Canadian Siege Battery, Canadian Artillery, Canadian Expeditionary Force war diary records: Mt St Eloy - No entry The 15th Field Artillery Regiment RCA perpetuates the following sub units: 31st Battery, Canadian Field Artillery, Canadian Expeditionary Force, 58th Battery, Canadian Field Artillery, Canadian Expeditionary Force, 5th Canadian Siege Battery, Canadian Artillery, Canadian Expeditionary Force, 68th Battery, Canadian Field Artillery, North Russia Expeditionary Force, was not authorized to be formed until 3 August 1918, and 85th Battery, Canadian Siberian Expeditionary Force was not authorized to be formed until 12 July 1918. One hundred years ago, on 11 April 1917,
31st Battery, Canadian Field Artillery, Canadian Expeditionary Force was a sub-unit of the 8th Canadian Field Artillery Brigade in the 3rd Canadian Division. The Brigade war diary records: 12:14 p.m. L.O. 8th C.I.B. reports 6.9s firing from direction AVIONS from s.29.d.81/2.81/2. 12:55 p.m. L.O. 8th C.I.B. reports our right flank S.30 central and left flank S.29.b.81/2.,3. 1.30 p.m. “ “ “ “ left Battalion being heavily shelled by batteries along railway in T.13.d 3.46 p.m. F.O.O. 35th Battery reports enemy shelling our support line and PRINZ ARNOLF GRABEN from direction of Haus No.1. 4.15 p.m. 30th Battery report hostile 4.1 Battery at about T.21.d.3.8 58th Battery, Canadian Field Artillery, Canadian Expeditionary Force was a sub-unit of the 14th Canadian Field Artillery Brigade in the 5th Canadian Division. The Division was training in England and the Brigade war diary records: WITLEY - A small skeleton scheme in conjunction with Inf. was worked out today. 5th Canadian Siege Battery, Canadian Artillery, Canadian Expeditionary Force war diary records: Mt St Eloy - At Noon we fired 40 Rounds on Vimy Station in T19d 92.80. and then switched to La Chaudiere firing 20 Rounds into this place. A very good shoot on Hostile Battery S26 at S12d 49.15 was carried out during the afternoon by aeroplane observation. 199 Rounds were fired, the airman reporting that three gun-pits were totally destroyed and two other badly damaged. 100 Rounds were fired into BLIGHTY TRENCH and 78 on roads in S18a. During the night we fired 96 Rounds in an intense bombardment on houses and North West portion of T19a. S4d 0.9 to S4b 0.1 tp S11a 9.3 ½. The 15th Field Artillery Regiment RCA perpetuates the following sub units: 31st Battery, Canadian Field Artillery, Canadian Expeditionary Force, 58th Battery, Canadian Field Artillery, Canadian Expeditionary Force, 5th Canadian Siege Battery, Canadian Artillery, Canadian Expeditionary Force, 68th Battery, Canadian Field Artillery, North Russia Expeditionary Force, was not authorized to be formed until 3 August 1918, and 85th Battery, Canadian Siberian Expeditionary Force was not authorized to be formed until 12 July 1918. One hundred years ago, on 10 April 1917,
31st Battery, Canadian Field Artillery, Canadian Expeditionary Force was a sub-unit of the 8th Canadian Field Artillery Brigade in the 3rd Canadian Division. The Brigade war diary records: Berthonval Farm 3.54 a.m. Capt. Davidson reports P.P.C.L.I. being heavily shelled with 5.9s from VIMY or T.19 central 6.45 a.m. L.O. 8th C.I.B reports everything O.K. 12.45 p.m. L.O. 8th C.I.B reports at least one battalion of enemy infantry in open formation about T.21.b.0.4½ Our artillery now searching in this vicinity. 1.10 p.m. L.O. reports small parties of enemy moving south along Sunken Road in T.28.a and c. 2.15 p.m. L.O. 8th C.I.B. reports large numbers of enemy troops standing and lying around in the open in T.21.a., T.20.a. and b. and on railway tracks in T.19.b. 3.00 to 4.00 p.m. We bombarded FLIT and FLOWER Trenches to protect our infantry patrols which were going out. 5.35 p.m. L.O. reports Right Battalion are forward as far as FLIRT Trench in S.30.b. NOTE. During the latter part of the afternoon F.O.O. 38th Battery ranged one of our 60 pdr Batteries on two Hostile Batteries at T.25.b.8.4. A good registration was obtained. An ammunition dump being set on fire. Bursts of fire were kept over these batteries during the night but they advocated their positions before morning. 6.00 p.m. L.O. 8th C.I.B. reports two hostile batteries in action about T.26.c..8.8½. 11.50 p.m. LO. Right Bn. Reports enemy shelling our front line about S.29.d.8.5. very heavily. 58th Battery, Canadian Field Artillery, Canadian Expeditionary Force was a sub-unit of the 14th Canadian Field Artillery Brigade in the 5th Canadian Division. The Division was training in England and the Brigade war diary records: WITLEY - The usual training carried. Use is being made of miniature range belonging to Infantry. The weather is only fair. 5th Canadian Siege Battery, Canadian Artillery, Canadian Expeditionary Force war diary records: Mt St Eloy - From 5.00 a.m. to 6.30 a.m. we fired 50 Rounds on a machine gun emplacement in S16a 0.9 with fairly good results, there were no direct hits but much material damage was caused to the emplacement. At 7.a.m. plane went up to direct us on hostile battery S26 at S12d 8.15 First few rounds were mostly A’s and B’s but after 16 Rounds plane gave C I on account of a shortage of petrol. About 1.p.m. troops were seen massing for a counter-attack in T13b and d, we immediately switched and fired 40 Rounds into them, Troops were also seen massing in S17b and 18a, these were also dispersed by artillery fire, in which we fired 20 Rounds. 4.55.p.m. plane went up to direct us on (Z4, but we had only fired one round before a heavy snow snowstorm came on, forcing the plane to land. During the night we kept up continuous fire at slow rate on tracks through S17d tp T13c also tracks through S17d to T7b. The 15th Field Artillery Regiment RCA perpetuates the following sub units: 31st Battery, Canadian Field Artillery, Canadian Expeditionary Force, 58th Battery, Canadian Field Artillery, Canadian Expeditionary Force, 5th Canadian Siege Battery, Canadian Artillery, Canadian Expeditionary Force, 68th Battery, Canadian Field Artillery, North Russia Expeditionary Force, was not authorized to be formed until 3 August 1918, and 85th Battery, Canadian Siberian Expeditionary Force was not authorized to be formed until 12 July 1918. Captain Frank Randolph May, MC was a member of the Montreal Heavy Brigade Canadian Artillery prior to joining the 165th Siege Battery. He transferred to the 5th Siege Battery and the 2nd Brigade Canadian Field Artillery. He was promoted to Captain at an undetermined date and was awarded the Military Cross as noted in the RCAA publication Officers who served Overseas in the Great War with the Canadian Artillery. Deceased 11 Feb 1961.
Any additional detail on Captain May would be greatly appreciated. Check out the 2017 Yearbook for updates on the Vimy Tour.
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