205th Battery, Royal Field Artillery

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.

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