One hundred years ago on 24 October 1917
31st Battery, Canadian Field Artillery, Canadian Expeditionary Force was a sub-unit of the 9th Canadian Field Artillery Brigade in the 3rd Canadian Division. The 9th Brigade war diary records: Operation Order #114 was issued with reference to the first stage of the capture of PASSCHENDAELE to take place on the morning of the 26th instant. The visibility was good throughout the day and many enemy aeroplanes were observed, some of them flying very low and sweeping our forward trenches with machine gun fire. Ten Gothas flew across our lines and flew around the rear areas dropping many bombs. Several enemy balloons were also up in the morning. We fired about 1200 rounds during the day. Enemy artillery was very active, mainly on our communication roads, firing about 700 rounds mostly 5.9’s. 3rd Canadian Divisional Artillery war diary records: Visibility was good and activity in the air and of the artillery was above normal on both sides all day. About 1p.m. sixteen Gothas came over our lines and dropped bombs in our area from the battery positions to YPRES, Our Anti-Aircraft and Machine Guns did not seem to have any effect on them. The enemy replied to both of our preparatory barrages. Our barrages were reports to be well placed. No. of guns in action – 109 – 18-pdrs. 42 – 4.5” Hows. Ammunition expended A.3605, AX.3554, BX.1952 5th Canadian Siege Battery, Canadian Artillery, Canadian Expeditionary Force was a sub-unit of 1st Canadian Heavy Artillery Group. Their war diary records: No 1257815 Gunner MacFarlane W. P. Seriously wounded and No 1257868 Gunner Gorham E. R. Slightly wounded. Fired 143 rounds on strong points by visual observation and 48 Rounds Bursts of Fire and Harrassing. 1st Canadian Heavy Artillery Group war diary records: Barrages carried out at 07:00 and 13:30; 1007 rounds all calibers ? during the day. Harrassing and ? carried out intermittently during the day with 3098 rounds being expended. General Officer Commanding, Royal Artillery, Canadian Corps war diary records: Art'y Order # 93 issued. 99th Siege Bty. R.G.A. relieved by 3rd Canadian Siege Bty. 129th Siege Bty. R.G.A. relieved by 1st Cdn. Siege Bty. 57th Siege Bty. R.G.A. relieved by 6th Cdn. Siege Bty. Our siege groups cut wire, engaged cross roads, posts, concrete structures and co-operated in barrages. Counter-bty. work: three successful destructive shoots, one concentration, two bursts of fire on MOORSLEDE, and 36 hostile batteries engaged. Hostile art'y showed considerable activity during the night, particularly against our bty. positions. 15th Field Artillery Regiment RCA perpetuates the following sub units: 31st 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. Exercise Easy Rider 83 - A nice winter drive up to Pemberton and then back through Hope. Check out the rest of the photos in the 1983 yearbook. Were you there? Have you got some stories to share?
85 Battery - January 1941
Unfortunately we do not have any names of any of the members in the photograph, except for George the dog! The Battery Commander at this time was supposed to be Major Arthur Cowan, MC. However, there appears to be two majors and they both seem to have the same medal ribbons. Photographs on the 1941 Yearbook page may be slightly clearer. Additional photographs and a newspaper article have been uncovered regarding our Sikh contingent with the 102nd Coast Regiment RCA in 1954. We're looking to reconnect with the members or their families so that we can capture their story in our Regimental History. Check out the 1954 Yearbook for additional photographs and a video from their training at Mary Hill. The following names have been added to the nominal roll.
Didar Singh Bains Kesar Singh Bhattai Kullar Singh Hardial Giani Singh Mani Karam Singh Sahota Seventy Eight years ago on 23 October 1939 From the war diaries of 85 Heavy Battery, RCA CASF a sub-unit of the 15th (Vancouver) Coast Brigade 23 Oct 1939 – York Island Weather: heavy rain The war diaries of the Headquarters 15th (Vancouver) Coast Brigade RCA and the following Batteries have yet to be located:
31st Heavy Battery stationed at Stanley Park and Narrows North 58th Heavy Battery stationed at Point Grey and Steveston One hundred years ago on 23 October 1917
31st Battery, Canadian Field Artillery, Canadian Expeditionary Force was a sub-unit of the 9th Canadian Field Artillery Brigade in the 3rd Canadian Division. The 9th Brigade war diary records: Operation Order #113-2 was issued with reference to further Preparatory Barrages by our batteries. The visibility throughout the day was very poor but one of our F.O.Os reported that one of our heavy shells dropped very close to a Hun pill-box and about 20 men were seen to run from it to the rear. One of these men, who was wounded, wandered towards our front line and was brought in by our infantry. We expended about 1000 rounds during the day. Enemy shelling was below normal. 3rd Canadian Divisional Artillery war diary records: The zones of Artillery Groups and Brigades covering 3rd. Canadian Division front were re-arranged from 6.p.m. O.O.140 Rain prevented good observation and also aerial activity on both sides till late afternoon when about fifteen hostile planes crossed our lines and attacked our trenches near KOREK with machine guns. Enemy artillery was active on our back areas, and during the night bombs were dropped in the vicinity of YPRES and WIELTJE and VLAMERTINGHE. Two preparatory barrages were fired by us. No. of guns in action – 98 – 18-pdrs. 29 – 4.5” Hows. Ammunition expended A.3857, AX.3434, BX.1470 5th Canadian Siege Battery, Canadian Artillery, Canadian Expeditionary Force was a sub-unit of 1st Canadian Heavy Artillery Group. Their war diary records: Nil 1st Canadian Heavy Artillery Group war diary records: Barrages carried out at 07:00 and 13:30; 1007 rounds all calibers ? during the day. Harrassing and ? carried out intermittently during the day with 3098 rounds being expended. General Officer Commanding, Royal Artillery, Canadian Corps war diary records: Art'y Order #92 issued. Our heavy art'y fired on wire, strong points, houses etc. Counter-battery work: successful aeroplane shoots and concentrations on hostile batteries. The enemy put a barrage on our lines early in the morning. During the day heavy shelling of our bty. positions and roads. 15th Field Artillery Regiment RCA perpetuates the following sub units: 31st 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. Torrential downpours and howling winds did not keep the Yorke Island Field Days events from happening last weekend. Our day on the island was sunny and calm and provided an excellent opportunity to get most of the stakeholders together and discuss the Vision for the future of Yorke. Check out more pictures and the complete story on the 2017 Yearbook.
Challenge # 4 - The 211 Battery Party
I call it the 211 Battery Party as that is what appears to be written on one of the tables. There's something about "no cash" written there as well. Of course the Armoury that the party is being held in is not Bessborough. But that's part of the whole story that needs to be uncovered. WHO is holding the party? WHAT are they celebrating? WHERE is it taking place? (That's an easy one). WHEN did it take place? There's a story here that needs to be told. Check out the other photos on the Who, What, When, Where page. Seventy Eight years ago on 22 October 1939 From the war diaries of 85 Heavy Battery, RCA CASF a sub-unit of the 15th (Vancouver) Coast Brigade 22 Oct 1939 – York Island Weather: fair. The war diaries of the Headquarters 15th (Vancouver) Coast Brigade RCA and the following Batteries have yet to be located:
31st Heavy Battery stationed at Stanley Park and Narrows North 58th Heavy Battery stationed at Point Grey and Steveston One hundred years ago on 22 October 1917
31st Battery, Canadian Field Artillery, Canadian Expeditionary Force was a sub-unit of the 9th Canadian Field Artillery Brigade in the 3rd Canadian Division. The 9th Brigade war diary records: Our batteries started to move their guns forward, amid the worst conditions as to weather and mud that has ever been experienced by this brigade in FRANCE. In many cases it took from 50 - 100 men and 12 horses to pull out one gun. Operation Order #113-1 was issued with reference to further barrages to be put on by our batteries. The day was very foggy owing to the mucky ground the batteries had very much difficulty in establishing the O.Ps and very little intelligence was received. During the night the enemy heavily shelled our battery positions and aeroplanes also dropped about 25 bombs near them. 3rd Canadian Divisional Artillery war diary records: Enemy Artillery was active principally on battery positions in vicinity of D.14.a & b. and D.15. Our heavies bombarded enemy strong points and our Howitzer batteries carried out harassing fire programme. The 18-pdr batteries have been moving the guns taken over to new forward positions under the most trying conditions the roads being very bad and very congested, and the mud, where it was necessary to leave the road, made it necessary to build roads with sandbags and boards. Ammunition is being brought up steadily by batteries and Divisional Ammunition Column, great difficulties being overcome. Two preparatory barrages were laid down. No. of guns in action – 94 – 18-pdrs. 26 – 4.5” Hows. Ammunition expended A.2291, AX.2282, BX.1334 5th Canadian Siege Battery, Canadian Artillery, Canadian Expeditionary Force was a sub-unit of 1st Canadian Heavy Artillery Group. Their war diary records: No 2001258 Gunner Marshall wounded in arm and side. No Firing today but work was carried on with mounting guns in preparation for the advance. 1st Canadian Heavy Artillery Group war diary records: Barrages carried out at 07:00 and 13:30; 1007 rounds all calibers ? during the day. Harrassing and ? carried out intermittently during the day with 3098 rounds being expended. General Officer Commanding, Royal Artillery, Canadian Corps war diary records: Bdes. of 3rd Australian D.A. relieved by 26th and 311th Army Bdes. R.F.A. Concentrations and harassing fire and co-operation in barrages by our siege groups. Counter-battery work: 7 N.F. calls. 41 hostile btys. engaged. Double amount of harassing fire co-operating with 5th Army and 1st French Army operations on the left. Enemy put heavy barrage on our front line during the night, also great hostile art'y activity against our btys. and roads during the day. 15th Field Artillery Regiment RCA perpetuates the following sub units: 31st 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. |
Archives
April 2024
|