100 Years Ago Today on 22 October 1917

​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.