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. |
Archives
November 2024
|