100 Years Ago Today

​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, and the
85th Battery, Canadian Siberian Expeditionary Force.
 
One hundred years ago, on 2 April 1917 the batteries disposition was as follows:
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:
We continued throughout the night with wire-cutting. Enemy shelling has been extremely light. At 7.00 a.m. we put on a trial or practice barrage. Intelligence Officer 3rd C.D.A. reported it very good, bursts low, and barrage well placed and uniform.
0.0.57 issued today orders a systematic and periodical bombardment of VIMY, PETIT VIMY and LE CHAUDIERE. Only two of our 18_pdrs and one 4.5 Howitzer Battery are to take part in this operation.
 
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 - Ordinary training in Gun Park carried on. Inspection of Laying (?). Musketry Instructors under SGT KEDDIE, att 150th Bn arrived. Schedule made out for(?).
 
5th Canadian Siege Battery, Canadian Artillery, Canadian Expeditionary Force war diary records:
Mt St Eloy - At 10.a.m. we fired 5 minutes rapid on Les Tilleuls Cross roads in S11a 90.88 without observation and at Noon fired 12 Rounds on Crater D62 to check error of day.
At 12.30.p.m. fired 5 minutes rapid on VIMY STATION without observation. From 12.50.p.m. to 2.0.p.m. fired 5 Rounds on CLAUDE TRENCH at S15a 85.75 to S9c 95.05, Lt Gass observed this shoot and reported very good results , We again got one short round which fell well behind our lines. It was thought the N.C.T. used on this shoot was bad and a written report on this matter was sent into H.Q.  During the evening we received an S.O.S. call and opened fire on S22a 4.8 and S16d 05.20, S5c 70.40 and S15b 90.94. At 11.10 p.m. it was reported all quiet again.
 
68th Battery, Canadian Field Artillery, North Russia Expeditionary Force was not authorized to be formed until 3 August 1918.
 
85th Battery, Canadian Siberian Expeditionary Force was not authorized to be formed until 12 July 1918.