12th Divisional Ammunition Column, Royal Field Artillery

   12th Divisional Ammunition Column, Royal Field Artillery served with 12th (Eastern) Division. 12th (Eastern) Division was formed in August 1914 as part of Kitchener's First New Army. The Division concentrated in late August with 35th Brigade and artillery near Shorncliffe, 36th Brigade at Colchester, 37th Brigade at Purfleet, Engineers and RAMC at Hounslow, ASC initially were at Aldershot then moved to Lord's Cricket Ground. Final training was undertaken near Aldershot from the 20th of February 1915, with the cavalry, motor machine gun battery, sanitary and veterinary sections joining. They proceeded to France between the 29th of May and 1st of June 1915 landing at Boulogne, they concentrated near St Omer and by 6th of June were in the Meteren-Steenwerck area with Divisional HQ being established at Nieppe. They underwent instruction from the more experienced 48th (South Midland) Division and took over a section of the front line at Ploegsteert Wood on the 23rd of June 1915. They were in action in The Battle of Loos from the 30th of September, taking over the sector from Gun Trench to Hulluch Quarries consolidating the position, under heavy artillery fire. On the 8th they repelled a heavy German infantry attack and on the 13th took part in the Action of the Hohenzollern Redoubt, capturing Gun Trench and the south western face of the Hulluch Quarries. During this period at Loos, 117 officers and 3237 men of the Division were killed or wounded.By the 21st they moved to Fouquieres-les-Bethune for a short rest then returned to the front line at the Hohenzollern Redoubt until the 15th of November, when they went into reserve at Lillers. On the 9th of December, 9th Royal Fusiliers assisted in a round-up of spies and other suspicious characters in the streets of Bethune. On the 10th the Division took over the front line north of La Bassee canal at Givenchy. On the 19th of January they began a period of training in Open Warfare at Busnes, then moved back into the front line at Loos on the 12th of February 1916. In June they moved to Flesselles and carried out a training exercise. They moved to Baizieux on the 30th June and went into the reserve at Hencourt and Millencourt by mid morning on the 1st of July. They relieved the 8th Division at Ovillers-la-Boisselle that night and attacked at 3.15 the following morning with mixed success. On the 7th they attacked again and despite suffering heavy casualties in the area of Mash Valley, they succeeded in capturing and holding the first and second lines close to Ovillers. They were withdrawn to Contay on the 9th July. They were in action in The Battle of Pozieres on the 3rd of August with a successful attack capturing 4th Avenue Trench and were engaged in heavy fighting until they were withdrawn on the 9th. They moved north and in 1917 were in action at Arras in The First Battle of the Scarpe, The Battle of Arleux and The Third Battle of the Scarpe. They remained in the Arras sector until the 30th of October when they moved to Hesdin for the Cambrai offensive in which the Division suffered heavy losses. In March 1918 they moved by motor lorry from Busnes to Albert and were in action in The Battle of Bapaume and spent the spring engaged in heavy fighting a the enemy advanced across the old Somme battlefields. On the 1st of July 1918, they attacked Bouzincourt. but were repelled by the enemy. They were relieved on the 10th and moved to the area south of Amiens. They were in action in The Battle of Amiens and were engaged in heavy fighting from the 22nd pushing the enemy back and capturing Meaulte, Mametz, Carnoy, Hardecourt and Faviere Wood with in a week. In September they were in action in a successful attack on Nurlu and pursued the enemy back to Sorel Wood. They were in action during The battles of the Hindenburg Line, including The Battle of Epehy and The Battle of the St Quentin canal. In October they fought in The Final Advance in Artois reaching the Scheldt Canal by the 27th. They were withdrawn for rest on the 30th and after the Armistice moved to the area east of Douai and were engaged in battlefield salvage and sports until demobilisation began.

   LXV (Howitzer) Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, consisting of 205, 206 and 207 (Howitzer) Batteries and 65th Brigade Ammunition Column served with 12th (Eastern) Division, which was formed in August 1914 as part of Kitchener's First New Army. The Division concentrated in late August with 35th Brigade and artillery near Shorncliffe, 36th Brigade at Colchester, 37th Brigade at Purfleet, Engineers and RAMC at Hounslow, ASC initially were at Aldershot then moved to Lord's Cricket Ground.
In February 1915 the three six-gun batteries were reorganised to become four four-gun batteries and were renamed A, B, C and D. Final training was undertaken near Aldershot from the 20th of February 1915, with the cavalry, motor machine gun battery, sanitary and veterinary sections joining. They proceeded to France between the 29th of May and 1st of June 1915 landing at Boulogne, they concentrated near St Omer and by 6th of June were in the Meteren-Steenwerck area with Divisional HQ being established at Nieppe. On the 18th of June C Battery left the brigade and would join 129 Brigade, 27th Division in September.
The Brigade underwent instruction from the more experienced 48th (South Midland) Division and took over a section of the front line at Ploegsteert Wood on the 23rd of June 1915. They were in action in The Battle of Loos from the 30th of September, taking over the sector from Gun Trench to Hulluch Quarries consolidating the position, under heavy artillery fire. On the 8th they repelled a heavy German infantry attack and on the 13th took part in the Action of the Hohenzollern Redoubt, capturing Gun Trench and the south western face of the Hulluch Quarries. During this period at Loos, 117 officers and 3237 men of the Division were killed or wounded. By the 21st they moved to Fouquieres-les-Bethune for a short rest then returned to the front line at the Hohenzollern Redoubt until the 15th of November, when they went into reserve at Lillers. On the 9th of December, 9th Royal Fusiliers assisted in a round-up of spies and other suspicious characters in the streets of Bethune. On the 10th the Division took over the front line north of La Bassee canal at Givenchy. On the 19th of January they began a period of training in Open Warfare at Busnes, then moved back into the front line at Loos on the 12th of February 1916.
The Brigade Artillery was reorganised on the 25th of May 1916. A an B Batteries transferred to 62nd and 63rd Brigades respectively. D Batteries of 62nd, 63rd and 64th Brigades joined and were renamed A, B and C Batteries, 65th Brigade. In June they moved to Flesselles and carried out a training exercise. They moved to Baizieux on the 30th June and went into the reserve at Hencourt and Millencourt by mid morning on the 1st of July. They relieved the 8th Division at Ovillers-la-Boisselle that night and attacked at 3.15 the following morning with mixed success. On the 7th they attacked again and despite suffering heavy casualties in the area of Mash Valley, they succeeded in capturing and holding the first and second lines close to Ovillers. They were withdrawn to Contay on the 9th July. They were in action in The Battle of Pozieres on the 3rd of August with a successful attack capturing 4th Avenue Trench and were engaged in heavy fighting until they were withdrawn on the 9th. LXV (Howitzer) Brigade was broken up on the 30th of August 1916, HQ and one section of A Battery along with B & D Batteries joined 63rd Brigade, RFA. The guns of B were divided to bring all the brigade batteries up to six guns each. The remaining section of A Battery along with C Battery, moved to 62nd Brigade.

27th September 1915 Orders

27th September 1915 Orders

6th Dec 1915 Bombardment

7th Dec 1915 Artillery Active

1st Jan 1918 Training

2nd Jan 1918 Training

3rd Jan 1918 Training

4th Jan 1918 Training

5th Jan 1918 Moves

6th Jan 1918 Moves

7th Jan 1918 Training

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12th Divisional Ammunition Column, Royal Field Artillery
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Seales James Larkman. Sh.Sm. (d.3rd December 1918)
Singh Panna. Driver (d.21st August 1919)
Thomson A. Gnr. (d.3rd July 1917)

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246144

Gnr. A Thomson 12th Divisional Ammunition Column Royal Field Artillery (d.3rd July 1917)

Gunner A. Thomson, Son of Joseph K. and Isabella Thomson of Finsbury Park, London, served with the 12th Divisional Ammunition Column attached to the 3rd A.T.M. Royal Field Artillery (Service No.148379). As part of the Divisional Ammunition Column he would have been responsible for transporting the ammunition by horse drawn wagons to a re-filling point where it could then be collected by the individual batteries. He was killed in action on 3rd July 1917 age 21 years and is buried in Bunyans cemetery, Tilloy-les-Mofflaines, France.
Caroline Hunt

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236806

Driver Panna Singh Eastern Division Ammunition Column Royal Field Artillery (d.21st August 1919)

Panna Singh was the son of Ilekha from Punjarja, Jhajjar, Rohtak, Punjab. He was buried in the Bonn North Cemetery in Germany.
s flynn

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