102 Brigade, Royal Field Artillery

   CII Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, served with 23rd Division. The Division was established in September 1914 as part of Kitchener's Third New Army, and concentrated in Hampshire in September. The artillery units assembled at Mytchett Camp in November. As the winter set in, the Division moved to Aldershot, with CII and CIII Artillery Brigades moving to Ewshott. At the end of February 1915 they moved to Shorncliffe, Kent, and some of the infantry were engaged in constructing defences to the south of London in April and May, before the Division moved to Bordon, Hampshire at the end of the month. They proceeded to France in the third week of August, landing at Boulogne and concentrating near Tilques. On the 5th of September 23rd Division became attached to III Corps, moving to the Merris-Vieux Berquin area, for trench familiarisation under the guidance of the 20th (Light) and 27th Divisions. They took over front line sector between Ferme Grande Flamengrie to the Armentieres-Wez Macquart road in their own right on the 14th. During the Battle of Loos CIII and CV Brigades RFA were in action attached to 8th Division. With 23rd Division holding the front at Bois Grenier, they were relieved from that sector at the end of January 1916 and Divisional HQ was established at Blaringhem with the units concentrated around Bruay for a period of rest. On the 3rd of March they returned to the front line, taking over a sector between the Boyau de l'Ersatz and the Souchez River from the French 17th Division, with the Artillery taking over an exposed position between Carency and Bois de Bouvigny where it was subjected to heavy shelling. In early March a Tunnelling Company was established and men with a background in mining were transferred from the ranks to the Royal Engineers. In Mid April they returned to Bruay area for rest until mid May when they again took over the Souchez-Angres front, just before the German Attack on Vimy Ridge on the 21st. The brunt of the attack fell on 47th (London) Division, to the right of 23rd Division and the 23rd Divisional Artillery went into action in support of the 47th. On the 1st of June the Artillery supported 2nd Division as they undertook operations to recover lost ground. On the 11th of June the 23rd Division Infantry moved to Bomy and the artillery to Chamblain Chatelain and Therouanne to begin intensive training for the Battles of the Somme. They were in action in The Battle of Albert including the capture of Contalmaison, The Battles of Bazentin Ridge, Pozieres, Flers-Courcelette, Morval and The Battle of Le Transloy including the capture of Le Sars. In 1917 they fought in The Battle of Messines, The Battles of the Menin Road, Polygon Wood and the The First and Second Battles of Passchendaele. In November 1917 the Division moved to Italy concentrating between Mantua and Marcaria before taking over the front line at the Montello on the 4th of December. In 1918 they were in action during the fighting on the Asiago Plateau and the Battle of Vittorio Veneto, including the passage of the Piave and the Monticano. At the Italian Armistice at 3pm on the 4th of November, the 23rd were midway between the Rivers Livenza and Meduna, east of Sacile. They moved to billets west of Treviso and demobilisation took place in January and February 1919.

1st Feb 1916 Construction Work

2nd Feb 1916 Construction Work

3rd Feb 1916 Construction Work

4th Feb 1916 Construction Work

5th Feb 1916 Construction Work

7th Feb 1916 Construction Work

8th Feb 1916 Construction Work

9th Feb 1916 Construction Work

10th Feb 1916 Construction Work

11th Feb 1916 Shelling

12th Feb 1916 Heavy Shelling

16th June 1916 Batteries Register  236th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery report from Aix Noulette. OC. 236th Brigade took over command of Right Group from OC. 102 Brigade. Batteries commence registering. Except for a few 5.9 & 4.2 rounds into Souchez, all was quiet on our front. At 2230 a laye mine was exploded in the south followed by heavy artillery and machine gun fire.

11th April 1917 On the March

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There are:5243 items tagged 102 Brigade, Royal Field Artillery available in our Library

These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Great War.

Those known to have served with
102 Brigade, Royal Field Artillery
during the Great War 1914-1918.

Bacon Raymond. Bmbdr.
Bennett M.M.. Walter Henry. Sergeant (d.31st Oct 1918)
Blakeman MM. Robert. Gnr.
Boothroyd Sam. Gnr. (d.22nd Jun 1917)
Cairns J.. Bty Sjt Mjr. (d.28th May 1917)
Conlin MC.. John Francis. T/Mjr.
Cooper W.. Dvr. (d.24th May 1917)
Dickinson Arthur. Dvr. (d.23rd June 1917)
Foster George. 2nd Lt. (d.16th May 1917)
Garrod H. H.. Gnr. (d.16th May 1917)
Greenacre R. E.. Act. Bdr. (d.12th Jun 1917)
Hiley John Clifford. Bdr. (d.13th Jun 1917)
Jones Richard. Dvr.
Lapthorn Owen Heckford. 2nd Lt. (d.28th May 1917)
Mosley H.. Dvr. (d.3rd Jun 1917)
Moss Harold Wilfrid. Dvr.
Portwine Charles George. Dvr. (d.26th Jan 1918)
Regan Richard. Cpl. (d.28th May 1917)
Reid James. Drvr. (d.6th Oct 1916)
Rhys Ivor Towy. Dvr. (d.28th May 1917)
Scurlock Frederick John. Gnr. (d.18th June 1918)
Sewell James. Gnr. (d.24th Sep 1917)
Ward William. Dvr. (d.10th Mar 1919)

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253396

Dvr. Charles George Portwine D Bty, 102nd Brigade Royal Artillery (d.26th Jan 1918)

Charles Portwine was my Maternal Grandmother's brother. He was born in London in about 1889, married Lydia in 1910 and they had one child, Rosie born in 1914. Before joining the British Army he worked as a Market Porter at Covent Garden Market London. I believe Charles was a Driver in D Battery, 102nd Brigade, Royal Field Artillery. Charles died in action on the 26th of January 1918 and is buried at the Giavera British Cemetery, Arcade in Italy.
Marilyn Murray

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250923

Dvr. Harold Wilfrid Moss 102nd Brigade Royal Field Artillery

Harold Moss was my paternal grandfather. I don't know not much about him. His wife (my grandmother) died having my father. Grandad went off to war. He survived and went back to Kirkby in Ashfield. He married again and had no part in my father's life (that I know of).
Christopher Moss

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241337

Dvr. Richard Jones 102nd Brigade Royal Field Artillery

Richard Jones joined the Royal Field Artillery on 17th August 1915 and was assigned to the 102nd Brigade as a Driver in the RFA. He embarked to France in December 1915. The 102nd Brigade fought under 23rd Division war.
He went to Italy in December 1917 and fought at Montello and was injured during the time when the 23rd was rested and the 41st Division took over for eight days. the 102nd remained and fought alongside the 41st and it was about this time that he was injured kicked by a horse, deranged left knee. On the 22nd of February he was transferred to 70th Field Ambulance and then on the 25th February to No 18 Ambulance Train. He was discharged from the Army suffering from wounds.
Gregory counsell

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216519

Dvr. William Ward 102nd Brigade 'B' Battery Royal Field Artillery (d.10th Mar 1919)

William Ward died Pneumonia 10/3/19.

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212611

T/Mjr. John Francis Conlin MC. 102 Brigade, C Battery Royal Field Artillery

Maj. John Conlin was awarded the Military Cross for getting his battery across the Piave River 1918 under enemy fire.(London Gazette June 5th 1919) He returned to duty as an officer in the Royal Irish Constabulary in 1919. Later he served in India, eventually becoming head of the Indian Railway Police.
Brian Conlin

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1448

Sergeant Walter Henry Bennett M.M. 102nd Brigade Royal Field Artillery (d.31st Oct 1918)

Walter was born in the June quarter, 1888, in Sparrow Pitt, Peak Forest, Buxton, the second son of Joseph (Quarry labourer) and Annie (nÃ©e Vernon) Bennett. His older brother was Joseph F. and he had two younger brothers, Tom Albert and Leonard, and three younger sisters, Martha, Annie and Lily. (1891 Census RG 12/2780 and 1901 Census RG 13/4060) In 1901 Joseph (Snr.) was a surface coal labourer at the Normanton, Yorkshire, colliery and his two elder sons were both working underground. The family were lodging at 117 Wakefield Road, Normanton. (1901 Census RG 13/4280), The rest of the family (wife and four youngest children) were living at 7 Albert Street, Baildon, Yorkshire. The CWGC records show Walterâ€™s family living in Fernilee, nr. Whaley Bridge, Derbyshire after the War. The 1911 Census (RG 14.24333) shows Walter living at Hopkins Farm Stalybridge, working as a Farm Labourer. In the March quarter 1905 he had married Annie May Wood, at Barrow-in-Furness, Cumberland. By 1911 they had two daughters, Annie May and Grace Margaret, both born in Cowdale, Nr. Buxton.
Walter enlisted in Buxton and his Medal Index Card shows that he entered France with the Royal Field Artillery as Driver 44674 on 24th August 1915. The 102nd Brigade, R.F.A. were attached to 23rd Division between the 6th June 1916 and the 22nd August 1916 having previously served with 34th Divison. During the Battle of Messines, on the 7th June 1917 they were in the area near Hill 60 and The Caterpillar. They saw action at the Battle of the Somme in 1916, The Battle of Messines and the First the Second Battle of Passchendaele in 1917, before moving to Italy in October 1917 where they fought in the Battle of Asiago and the Battle of Vittorio Veneto.
Walter was 'Acting/Sgt' in October 1918 when he was Gazetted as one of whom "His Majesty The King has been graciously pleased to approve of the award of the Military Medal for bravery in the Field" (London Gazette 21st October 1918). He was killed in action on the 31st of October 1918.
Graham Conway

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BENEATH HILL 60 tells the extraordinary true story of Oliver Woodward, the legendary Australian metal scientist. In 1916, Woodward faced the most difficult decision, ultimately having to separate from his new young love for the deadly carnage of the Western Front. On treacherous territory, behind the German enemy lines, Woodward and his secret platoon of Australian tunnelers face a suicidal battle to defend a leaking, tunnel system. A tunnel packed with enough high explosives to change the course of the War.

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The shell-ravaged landscape of Hill 60, some three miles south east of Ypres, conceals a labyrinth of tu nnels and underground workings. This book offers a guide to the memorials, cemeteries and museums at the site '

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Beneath Hill 60 [Paperback]

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'Ten seconds, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one - fire! Down goes the firing switch. At first, nothing. Then from deep down there comes a low rumble, and it as if the world is spliting apart...' On 7th June 1917, nineteen massive mines exploded beneath Messines Ridge near Ypres. The largest man-made explosion in history up until that point shattered the landscape and smashed open the German lines. Ten thousand German soldiers died. Two of the mines - at Hill 60 and the Caterpillar - were fired by men of the 1st Australian Tunnelling Company, comprising miners and engineers rather than parade-ground soldiers. Drawing on the diaries of one of the key combatants, "Benealth Hill 60" tells the little-known, devastatingly brutal true story of this subterranean war waged beneath the Western Front - a stygian battle-ground where men drowned in viscous chalk, suffocated in the blue gray clay, choked on poisonous air or died in the darkness, caught up up in vicious hand-to-han

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102 Brigade, Royal Field Artillery

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Those known to have served with102 Brigade, Royal Field Artilleryduring the Great War 1914-1918.

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Those known to have served with
102 Brigade, Royal Field Artillery
during the Great War 1914-1918.