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 5 April 1917 the batteries disposition was as follows:
31st Battery, Canadian Field Artillery was a sub-unit of the 8th Canadian Field Artillery Brigade in the 3rd Canadian Division. The Brigade war diary records:
The raid carried out by the 52nd Battalion on our front at 4 a.m. this morning was quite successful. The Infantry remained in the enemy trenches for 10 minutes and withdrew without casualties. The Raiding Party succeeded in capturing one prisoner. Our support was reported as excellent. A letter of thanks from Lieut. Col. W.B. Evans is Comdg 52nd Canadian Battalion, has been received, as is attached hereto.
O.O. 59 issued to-day gives the following information:
On Z Day the Canadian Corps will attack and capture VIMY RIDGE. The details of the Artillery support are to be issued later. In the meantime we are to devote ourselves to thoroughly cutting the enemy wire defences and by day and by night we are to keep under fire points engaged by the Heavy Artillery during the day in order to prevent repairs.
O.O. 60 was issued to-night. The 43rd Canadian Battalion carried out three simultaneous raids. Two of them were quite successful by the Left Flank party were badly cut up. Our support for the right flank was reported as very satisfactory.
 
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 - Sections training in the field. Late passes. Midnight for Sergeants and 11 pm for other Ranks. Gas training is progressing. No lectures for Limber Gunners as ST. SGT FAWCETT is sick with eczema.
 
5th Canadian Siege Battery, Canadian Artillery, Canadian Expeditionary Force war diary records:
Mt St Eloy - During the morning we fired on Vimy, portion north of road in S24d 1.0 tp T19c 8 ½.9 and east of line tarouga T19c 0.0 to S24b 7.0. From 1.p.m. to 1.50 p.m. we fired 100 Rounds on enemy Headquarters at S15a 60.30 obtaining 3 direct hits and destroying the entire place.  We then switched to a Machine Gun Emplacement in S15a 52.38, firing 5o Rounds with very good results, we obtained several direct hits and a great deal of material was thrown up. At 3.25 p.m. we fired 50 Rounds on a Trench Mortar and emplacement in S22a 25.30. This was done by double line observation and considered a very good shoot. The emplacement was very badly damaged and a quantity of material destroyed and thrown up. We then received instructions to switch to another Trench mortar which had been giving considerable trouble, but by this time the light was fading and observation getting more difficult, however 50 Rounds were fired with good results and the emplacement was considerably damaged.  From 4.p.m. to 6.p.m.  we fired 30 Rounds on THELUS portion between line through A12a 80 and A12b 2.7 and road from cemetery running S.W. through village. This was done without observation.
 
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.