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103 Brigade, Royal Field Artillery
CIII Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, made up of A, B, C and D Batteries RFA and the Brigade Ammunition Column, served with 23rd Division. The batteries were each armed with four 18-pounder field guns. 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 CIII and CIIII 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 CIIII 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. In mid May 1916 the Brigade Ammunition Column merged with the others of the brigade to become 23rd Divisional Ammunition Column.
On the 20th of May 1916 D Battery transferred out and was renamed B Battery, 105 Brigade. B (Howitzer) Battery, 105 Brigade joined and was renamed D (Howitzer) Battery, 103 Brigade. 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 the first week of September 1916 the field gun batteries were made up to six guns with B Battery, 105 Brigade joining to provide two guns to B Battery, 105 Brigade and two guns to C Battery, 103 Brigade. Two guns also joined A Battery, 103 Brigade from C Battery, 105 Brigade. On 18 January 1917 the howitzer battery was also made up to six guns when a section of two joined from C (Howitzer) Battery, 104 Brigade. 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
17th March 1916 Relocations 6th County of London Brigade RFA units were at the disposal of unit commanders.
A section of each of the 15th, 16th and 17th London Batteries went up to their new positions at Carency, taking over from 103rd Brigade.
20th March 1916 Relocations 6th London Brigade RFA took over from 103rd Brigade RFA (23rd Division) at 1000.
Brigade Headquarters is at Bois de la Hair (A.8.d.3.2.).
Attached to the 6th Lon Field Artillery Batteries is the 176th Battery RFA, which forms the Centre Group (Lt Col Lowe). The Northern Group is on the left (Lt Col Peel)and the Southern Group on right (Lt Col Massey).
During the day, chiefly between 0900 and 0930, also about 1730, the enemy shelled Ablain St Nagiare with 5.9’s(150mm guns).
Carency was also shelled about mid-day. The enemy were also active with aerial torpedoes and heavy trench mortars, but were silenced by our Howitzers.
Otherwise all was quiet on this front.
The OC. Brigade reconnoitred the front by aeroplane.
27th December 1916 Relief 236th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery report from
Ypres.
Slight trench mortar activity in the morning. This was silenced by our Trench Mortars and 4.5 inch Howitzers. The remainder of the day was quiet. Completion of relief - the remaining two sections of each Battery moved in. Relief was completed by 2100 when command of Observatory Ridge Sector Artillery Group was handed over to OC. 103 Brigade RFA, 23rd Division Artillery.
During the day the remaining section was moved to rest billets at Winnezeeze and Oudezeeze. Lt Col Lowe assumed command of the brigade. Lt G Lyon Smith returned to position of Adjutant after being Brigade Major of Lowe’s Group R.A.
15th Jun 1918 103rd Brigade, RFA in action 103rd Brigade, Royal Field Artillery are in action in Battle of Asiago, Italy
4th Oct 1918 Instructional Battery
4th Oct 1918 On the Move
6th Oct 1918 At Rest
14th Oct 1918 On the Move
21st Oct 1918 On the March
22nd Oct 1918 Positions Prepared
23rd Oct 1918 Guns moved up
26th Oct 1918 Guns Prepared
27th Oct 1918 Battery in Action First day of The Battle of Vittorio Veneto in the Lovadina - Maserada Section of the River Piave. The Brigade opened a creeping barrage in support of the infantry attack made by the Left Brigade, Left Division of the British Corps. The barrage ceased at 12-30 hours. D/103 fired a standing smoke barrage for 11 hours. At 13-00 hours, the FOO reported that the left flank of the British Corps which was in the air owing to the failure of the Corps on our left was being enfiladed by Machine Guns. The 18 pdr batteries searched the area North of the open flank for 2 hours 30 minutes, when the situation was reported as much improved. At 22-00 hours the Brigade fired 450 rounds searching an area on our left front to break up enemy troops assembling for a counter attack. Lt E M Thomas C/103 was wounded in action and struck off the strength of the Brigade. More info.
28th Oct 1918 Artillery in Action
29th Oct 1918 Artillery withdraw
If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.
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Want to know more about 103 Brigade, Royal Field Artillery? There are:5256 items tagged 103 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.
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Those known to have served with103 Brigade, Royal Field Artillery during the Great War 1914-1918. - Adams R.. Gnr. (d.4th Jun 1917)
- Ballard MC. Frederick Leslie. 2nd Lt.
- Barnsley William Charles. Dvr. (d.22nd June 1917)
- Bell DCM.. John Thomas. Cpl.
- Cook Edwin. Bmbdr. (d.15th Jun 1918)
- Daniels Charles Arthur. Dvr. (d.3rd Jun 1917)
- Devey Harold W.. Lance Corporal
- Eastwood Frederick Arthur Jervis. Capt. (d.6th Jun 1917)
- Goodier C. H.. Gnr. (d.2nd Jun 1917)
- Hill William Henry. Gnr. (d.14th Jun 1917)
- Hill William Henry.
- Howard Jesse. Dvr. (d.1st Aug 1918)
- Howlett . Cpl (d.7th June 1917)
- Huyton Harry. Gnr.
- Lees MM.. Ernest. Dvr. (d.2nd Jun 1917)
- Mandle William Lewis. Dvr. (d.14th Jun 1917)
- McClure MM.. Robert Calderwood. Gnr.
- Nolan William. Cpl. (d.9th Aug 1917)
- Rainer Thomas Francis. Dvr. (d.5th October 1917)
- Robson Frank Monroe. Tptr. (d.5th June 1917)
- Spires MM.. Charles Bertram. Bdr.
- Spires MM. Charles Bertram. Bombardier
All names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed,
please Add a Name to this List
Records of 103 Brigade, Royal Field Artillery from other sources.
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261291 Bmbdr. Edwin Cook D Bty. 103rd Brigade Royal Field Artillery (d.15th Jun 1918) Edwin Cook was raised within sight of the River Tamar, in the rolling farmland of southeast Cornwall. One of five children, he sang in the local Methodist chapel choir at Burraton, a small village close to Saltash. He was married to Linda (known as Lin), and the couple had one son.
Having served on the Western Front, Edwin and his comrades endured an exhausting march south, across the Alps, and onto the Asiago Plateau in northern Italy. He was killed at the second Battle of the Piave River, part of a small British contingent supporting Italian forces in their decisive defeat of the Austro-Hungarians.
Edwin lies buried amidst the pine forests in the tiny British military cemetery at Granezza.
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254797 Tptr. Frank Monroe Robson 103rd Brigade, D Bty. Royal Field Artillery (d.5th June 1917) Frank Robson, was my uncle. I have only just re-discovered my family having found my sister after 54 years. Frank was one of 9 children 7 of which emigrated to the USA.
I have visited Hop Store Cemetery, where he is buried, several times but did not know that is his last resting place.
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235044 2nd Lt. Frederick Leslie Ballard MC 103rd Bgde. Royal Field Artillery Frederick Ballard was my grandfather. He joined the Royal Marine Force in 1914 then was commissioned in January 1917 and moved to 103rd Brigade. He was an electrical engineer, and I have intelligence photos of Asiago plain dated March 1918 with the German front line marked on them.
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231799 Dvr. Jesse Howard 103rd Brigade Royal Field Artillery (d.1st Aug 1918) Driver Jesse Howard was based at Somerleyton, Lowestoft with D Battery, 310th Brigade in June 1916, signing a visitors book at the time. We have not found his service record but we know that in Jan 17 he was hospitalised at Arques with Scabies, serving with the 103rd. We also know that he died with the 103rd in Italy in 1918, buried at Dueville Communal Cemetery Extension, Italy. Reasonable to assume he was with 103rd at Messines.
He was Born in Churwell, Yorkshire 1898, living in Morley before signing up, learning to weave in a Cloth Mill (1911 Census) He is not a relative but part of our research project at www.peterboroughww1.co.uk.
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221119 Bombardier Charles Bertram "Bert" Spires MM B/103 Bde Royal Field Artillery Bdr Bert Spires won the Military Medal in Italy on the Asiago Plateau. The citation reads:-
"On the 15th of June 1918, this NCO was in charge of the Battery signallers. During an intense bombardment the telephone dugout had a direct hit and all wires were destroyed. He immediately ran out a new line to group headquarters under extremely heavy fire, and it was entirely due to his gallantry that communications with group headquarters was re-established."
Editor's Note:- Bert Spires enlisted on 30th November 1915. His service record survives but it is in a poor state. His home address was 28 Silver Hill Road, Derby where his wife and 2 children were living during his service.
He was an Acting Corporal for a while (which the photograph verifies) and the award of the Military Medal appears on page 12416, The Gazette (dated 21st October 1918).
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219583 Gnr. Harry Huyton 103rd Brigade Royal Field Artillery Harry Huyton was my grandfather. He served with the Royal Field Artillery 103rd Brigade. After he retired in the late sixties, he wrote up his memoirs.
I subsequently published them on the Web where you can find them at Memoirs of Harry Huyton
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218073 Gnr. Robert Calderwood McClure MM. 103rd Bde. A Bty. Royal Field Artillery Robert Calderwood McClure won the Military Medal in Italy (date of Gazette was 21st October 1918). He was part of "A" Battery.
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213059 Cpl Howlett 103rd Brigade Royal Field Artillery (d.7th June 1917) Cpl Howlett was killed on 7 June 1917 when an enemy shell entered his dug out. He is mentioned in Bdr Bert Spires war diary.
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213040 William Henry Hill 103rd Brigade Royal Field Artillery Harry Hill was my Great Uncle on my mother's side. He was in service as a footman between 1911 and 1915, place not known.
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212934 Cpl. William Nolan 103rd Brigade Royal Field Artillery (d.9th Aug 1917) William was my maternal Grandfather, he was born in Marylebone about 1886, his mother was Mary Nolan, father unknown. in 1901, according to the census, William aged 15 was living with his mother and his step father Thomas Edward Dwyer at 10 Linhope Street, Marylebone, London working as a Chemist Shop Boy. He married Frances Helen Larissey (my grandmother) on the 6th of Jun 1913 in London.
william enlisted for war service at Cockspur Street, London in Dec 1914.
At the time of enlistment was living at Henry Street, St Johns Wood, London and his profession was thought to be Greengrocer & Fruitier. He went to France on the 28th of August 1915 and served with 'D' Battery 103rd Brigade RFA. William lost his life on the 9th of August 1917 and is buried in Dickebush New Military extension, Belgium
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212652 Cpl. John Thomas Bell DCM. CIII Brigade, A Battery Royal Field Artillery John Bell's citation reads: On the 16th June 1918 this N.C.O. behaved with magnificent courage and devotion to duty. Throughout a four hour heavy bombardment, he continually visited each gun pit, supervised the fitting of new springs under heavy fire, examined the guns, and it was largely due to his untiring efforts that the guns of this Battery were all kept in action. Later in the day when ammunition was running short he took charge of a party and carried ammunition for two hours along a heavily shelled track through the wood. Awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for the above, signed;
E F Falkner Lieut-Colonel D.A.A. & Q.M.G.
He also was awarded a Medal Militaire for the same.
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1569 Dvr. Ernest Lees MM. 103rd Brigade Royal Field Artillery (d.2nd Jun 1917) I am currently researching Ernest Lees, he was gazetted for a Military Medal in September 1916 and was killed in action on the 2nd of June 1917 serving with the 103rd Brigade RFA, 23rd Division, at Messines.
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Recomended Reading.Available at discounted prices.
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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.
Hill 60: Ypres (Battleground Europe) Nigel Cave
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 '
Beneath Hill 60 [Paperback] Will Davies
'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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