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A Record of D245 Battery
1914-1919
by
Sergeant A. E. Gee, M.M.
and
Corporal A. E. Shaw
Illustrations by Bombardier Norman Tennant
D.C.M., A.R.C.A.
(London)
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This is
the scarce 1931 First Edition
An account of
the 11th West Riding Howitzer Battery,
from Ilkley. The Battery was on the Western Front from April 1915 and for most of the
year was between Boesinghe and Brielen near
the Yser canal, then the Somme 1916 (around Authuille Wood), and
Passchendaele in 1917.
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Front cover and spine
Further images of this book are
shown below
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Publisher and place of
publication
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Dimensions in inches (to
the nearest quarter-inch)
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London: Renwick of Otley, 1931
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5½ inches wide x 8¾ inches tall
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Edition
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1931 First Edition
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182 pages
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Condition of covers
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Internal condition
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Original blue pebble cloth gilt. The covers
are lightly rubbed, but still bright and fresh-looking; however, the front
and rear boards have bowed out, particularly at the top. The spine ends and
corners are bumped and there is a forward spine lean.
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There is a bookplate of Charles Edgar
Margerison (please see the final image below) on the front pastedown*. There
are no other internal markings and the text is clean throughout on tanned
paper. There is toning and foxing to those pages adjacent to the
photographic plates and some light scattered foxing elsewhere. The edge of
the text block is dust-stained and foxed. The end-papers are lightly
foxed, and the inner hinges are tender. A few corners are creased. The large
folding map at the end is in very good condition.
* This is probably No. 998868 Charles Edgar
Margerison, Serjeant, 7 Survey Regiment Royal Artillery, who was awarded the
Military Medal following service in North West Europe 1944-45
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Dust-jacket present?
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Other
comments
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No
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Generally quite clean internally despite the
foxing, and with
bright but bowed covers.
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Illustrations,
maps, etc
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Contents
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Please see below for details
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Please see below for details
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Post & shipping
information
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Payment options
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The packed weight is approximately
800 grams.
Full shipping/postage information is
provided in a panel
at the end of this listing.
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Payment options
:-
UK buyers: cheque (in
GBP), debit card, credit card (Visa, MasterCard but
not Amex), PayPal
-
International buyers: credit card
(Visa, MasterCard but not Amex), PayPal
Full payment information is provided in a
panel at the end of this listing.
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A Record of D245 Battery
1914-1919
Contents
Introduction
Chapter I.
August 1st, 1914, to April 15th, 1915
Chapter II.
April 16th, 1915, to January 4th,
1916
Chapter III.
January 5th, 1916, to December 27th,
1916
Chapter IV.
December 28th, 1916, to September
29th, 1917
Chapter V.
September 30th, 1917, to January 3rd,
1918
Chapter VI.
January 4th, 1918, to April, 1919
Nominal Roll, 11th W.R. Battery, R.F.A.
List of Casualties, 1915—1918
Decorations awarded to Officers and other Ranks
List of Places Visited by the Battery
Illustrations
Major P. C. Petrie, D.S.O. M.C.
File out to Water
11th W.R. Battery at Doncaster April 1915
The Officer
The First Shell
Captain Benn at the Telephone Dug-out at
Richebourg
"Telephonists—The Lazy Devils"
Map showing Battery Position, July to December,
1915
" Looters "
Colonel Dawson's Gramophone
Brielen—The Gas Attack of December 19th, 1915
" W. L. Mudlarks "
The Gunner
" Five Francs a Fortnight "
Major P. C. Petrie and Captain J. H. Eddison
The Battery Mascot—" Darky "
Map showing Battery Position during Somme
Offensive
" Fishing ! "
Mailiy-Maillet
Winter Fashions
The Driver
5 in. Howitzer in the First Gun Position,
Richebourg
After the " Strafe C " Sub-'s 4-5 in. Howitzer
at Berks
" Haystacks "
Observing a "Shoot" from the Front Line Saving
the R.H.A. Guns
The Telephonist
The "Pill-Box " at Gravenstafel
The Plank Road at Passchendaele
Angreau Bridge
The Last Shell
The Cook
Map showing the Positions and Moves, February to
August, 1918
Inset Map of Battery's Travels on Active Service
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A Record of D245 Battery
1914-1919
Foreword
After reading the opening remarks of this narrative it is only right
that I should state that any success, and the good luck that came to
the Battery, was due not so much to any effort of mine, as to that
of the wonderful body of Officers and N.C.O.'s—to their loyal
devotion to the Unit, and, above all, to the team spirit of all
ranks. The Battery was exceptionally fortunate in starting the War
with such Officers as the late Captain R. T. Benn, Lieut. {now
Captain) J. H. Eddison, Lieut. V. Whitaker, and Lieut. (now Captain)
F. B. Holmes. They were all men of vastly different outlook on life,
yet all alike possessed the sterling qualities of courage both moral
and physical With happy spontaneity an " esprit-de-corps " was thus
established, with the result that the Unit ran like a piece of
well-oiled machinery.
Much as we may have differed at times with others, we somehow never
fell out among ourselves.
I think, also, that the thanks of all the members of the Battery are
due to the authors and the artist for the able and painstaking way
in which they have compiled this history, which after the lapse of
so many years is no mean achievement, and they are heartily to be
congratulated.
When one reflects on those years of almost incredible hardships, and
of battle and sudden death, and then examines the Post-War period up
to 1931, one cannot help being struck most forcibly with the
deplorable fact that, whereas the war brought out in a man all that
was best in the way of self-sacrifice, loyalty, and that brotherly
good fellowship which dominated everything, now-a-days we find the
exact reverse obtains. All this magnificent team work seems to have
been cast aside and to have gone by the board.
Let us hope that the present phase is only temporary, and that
sanity, and religion, will return to us all, and so enable those who
fought in the War to feel once more that the sacrifices made were
not in vain.
[Major P. C. Petrie, D.S.O. M.C.]
Introduction
THIS brief record of the 11th W.R.
Howitzer Battery during the mobilized period, 1914-1919, must
necessarily be scrappy and incomplete in parts, with probably much
included that ought to have been omitted, and possibly a good deal
left out that should have found a place. An attempt has been made to
recall everything of general interest ; but memories and diaries are
not infallible.
This is a matter-of-fact history of events, not people. But one
cannot proceed further without a reference to Major P. C. Petrie,
D.S.O., M.C., the officer who helped to raise the Battery when it
was first formed in far-away peace days, spent much of his time in
bringing it to a fair pitch of efficiency before the War, and acted
as its Commanding Officer during the whole period of hostilities.
The story of the Battery demands that the part this Officer played
in its achievements should be properly emphasized. I pay this
tribute to him, even at the risk of incurring his grave displeasure.
Major Petrie must have been, without any shadow of doubt, one of the
most popular O.C.'s in the Royal Regiment. He knew every man and
horse in his Unit, and knew many of the men better than they knew
themselves. He very rarely lost his temper, but usually maintained
that calm, cool, and decisive manner which inspired confidence when
guiding and leading, and equally thoroughly " put the breeze up "
one on the rare occasions on which he found himself compelled to
criticize. He ruled the Battery with the strength of an autocrat :
not by means of the autocrat's usual weapons, but by the sheer
attraction of a rare personality. The whole Battery was proud of
him, and displayed its affection by an intense esprit de corps which
far surpassed that which is generally aroused by careful lectures,
or fostered by severe discipline. All he did was for the very best,
and was taken in that spirit, whether it was a compliment to the No.
1 of a gun on a piece of good shooting, or a sentence of 3 days' C.B.
on a driver for some breach of military discipline.
The high tone and the fighting audacity of the Battery were due
directly to his leadership and example. Whether the Unit was having
a "cushy " time around Armentieres, or going through a fiery ordeal
at Vimy Ridge or Passchendaele, he, and consequently his Unit, rose
to the occasion.
In short, Major Petrie was the ideal O.C.—keen and vigorous, alert
and watchful on behalf of his Battery. Together with the remainder
of his Officers, he always played the game ; and, in return, the
Battery played up to him for all it was worth.
Captain J. H. Eddison was an admirable Officer. He was a master of
detail, and nothing was too small for his attention. The whole
Battery had implicit confidence in, and affection for, him. By a few
quiet words, spoken in his pleasant drawling voice, he could command
attention and obedience, where biting remarks and blustering orders
might have failed. In action he was in his element, and he rightly
had the reputation of being a gunnery expert. It has been said of
him, and his old Nos. 1 of the Right Section stand by it,, that no
officer of any other artillery unit, whether Regular, Territorial,
or New Army, ever appeared to possess more of the qualities that
went to make a perfect Gunner Officer than he did. He, together with
the Section Commanders, made a perfect complement to Major Petrie,
and the Battery knew that it was fortunate in its Officers.
The Battery contained a mixed crowd. But they were splendid fellows
: earnest, keen and efficient. The mainspring of the Unit was, of
course, B.S.M. "Billy" Brown, a typical soldier—his military career
summarized in the South African " Queen's " and Territorial
Efficiency ribbons on his tunic—competent in everything his hand
found to do, liked by all, alert ever on behalf of the men, and
generally master of affairs. Major Petrie was indeed fortunate in
having so capable an A.D.C., and the two worked together in perfect
harmony for the good of the Unit. The senior N.C.O. too often
succeeds by using his rank and position; " Billy " Brown never did
this : he led his men, and never drove them. In the routine of our
Battery, " Junkerism " was conspicuous by its absence.
The careful and painstaking teaching and drill of our pre-war
Instructor, Sergeant, afterwards B.S.M., Loveridge (" Josey "), who
guided our feet when we were first learning to walk in the path of
soldiering, bore good fruit afterwards ; and his contribution to the
general efficiency was by no means a small one.
Most of this history was compiled from diaries. No private ones
could be kept officially, with the natural result that most men kept
one of a sort unofficially. These diaries suffered various
vicissitudes ; and, in February, 1917, they were given up as
irretrievably lost when they were buried deep under the debris of
the Sergeants' Mess after an O.K. on it by a " Boche "11 inch H.E. ;
it was due to a few good friends, who put in days of tremendously
hard work with pick and shovel, that they were ever recovered.
The casualties of the Unit were extremely light ; and admittedly the
Battery was fortunate, though very often the absence of casualties
is not so much a matter of luck as of careful foresight and
well-thought-out plans . . .
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A Record of D245 Battery
1914-1919
Excerpt:
. . . During December, to add to
all the difficulties caused by the evil weather, the enemy artillery
became increasingly active. Battery positions and billets were
regularly " strafed" but fortunately, so far as we were concerned,
everyone got clear each time, and so escaped without injury. These
activities were the prelude to a big attack on the 6th and 49th
Divisional fronts on the morning of December 19th, 1915. Rumours of
a Divisional move had been circulating for some time, and Jerry
probably thought to catch the utterly trench-weary infantry napping.
Never was a bigger mistake made. A heavy discharge of cloud gas,
which occurred in the very early hours, was the first warning. With
a favourable breeze to help it, it reached the British lines within
a very short time of its release, and on this account, a great many
casualties were caused before the old-type gas masks could be
fitted. Gunner T. Barwick was on guard at the gun position when the
poison cloud reached there, and gallantly warned the occupants of
the dug-outs before donning his own gas-mask, thereby becoming a gas
casualty himself. This took place in the wintry darkness of the
early morning, and the silent spread of the deadly vapour further
and further behind, with the horrible uncertainty as to what was
going to happen, might well have struck terror into the defenders.
Shortly after the first discharge of gas, a hurricane bombardment of
our trenches, battery positions, and the roads leading into this
part of the line was commenced by the German artillery, after which
the German troops stormed out of their front line trenches for the
assault. Though the gas, and the subsequent bombardment, had caused
many casualties to the Infantry, the survivors gave the enemy such a
hot reception that it was said that not one of the attacking troops
got more than fifteen yards from the German wire. The Artillery, at
the first warning of the attack, had opened out at gun-fire on their
S.O.S. lines, and pounded away amidst terrific noise until the
attack spent itself. The "Boche" had evidently assumed that his
heavy barrage on the battery positions would effectively silence the
guns, but judging by the whole-hearted way the gunners jumped to it,
it was just the bit of incentive they needed. The response of the
good old 5" Howitzer would have astonished those who lightly
dismissed it as an old-fashioned slow gun.
The first heavy barrage intended for the Battery fell crashing
nicely clear of the guns, due to some slight miscalculation, and
wasted itself in the cornfield in rear. In the afternoon, however,
there was a renewal of the shelling, and "D" Sub-Section gun-pit, of
which Sergeant C. E. Dove was in charge, received a direct hit, Bdr.
J. Waite being wounded. At the billet in rear, three gunners, W. N.
Frankland, A. Driver, and G. C. Watkinson, had been wounded shortly
before by splinters from a shell crashing near it. Sergeant Dove was
temporarily blinded due to the effects of the gas.
Another casualty completed the list; the hot-water boiler standing
in the yard was riddled with shrapnel, and placed hors-de-combat !
At the wagon lines of the Battery, an urgent call for ammunition was
received, and as the tumult of gun-fire on our front had long since
aroused the drivers, the teams were actually waiting the order to
move off. All the available wagons started at a rapid trot. Two of
them did not get far ; the wheels had become so dry and rotten with
standing for months that they collapsed as soon as they hit the hard
road. The remainder trotted up, the road being kept clear for them,
going through Elverdinghe, which was being heavily shelled. They
unloaded at the position, getting clear just before a further
"strafe" by the enemy commenced. Infantry was passed, lying in
reserve in the fields around Elverdinghe, and how they cheered as
the drivers clattered past!
It transpired that the 49th Division, which was at little more than
half-strength owing to few reinforcements having been received since
it landed, had held its own against vastly superior numbers. This
dash for Poperinghe, for that was the objective afterwards admitted
by the enemy, would have endangered the whole of the British line
had it proved successful.
The result of the attack was that nearly one-half of the Infantry of
the 49th Division that met the shock of the assault were put out of
action, and those of our own members who saw the gas casualties said
that the spectacle of these men, struggling to breathe, with livid
faces and froth-flecked lips, was terrible. Nothing could be done to
alleviate their sufferings, and they tore at their throats in
indescribable agony.
A very fine example of esprit de corps was reported this day. After
the gas alarm had been given, a Regular Battalion of the West
Yorkshire Regiment, which was out of the line at the time, was sent
up to Vlamertinghe, ready to give support if necessary to the 146th
Infantry Brigade. However, when the news was sent back that a
Territorial Battalion of the West Yorkshires was getting a severe
gruelling, they insisted on moving up to their help. All they said
was that " if there was a Battalion of their Regiment getting it in
the neck, they were going to help them," and this they did.
The first Christmas Day was spent with the Battery still in action,
and was celebrated both at gun and wagon lines. The shops in
Poperinghe wore quite a festive air, and all kinds of things were
purchased there. Masses of silk-worked postcards had been sent home,
bearing the flags of the Allies in colours, and seasonable
inscriptions on them. Parcels had been received, one for each man,
from the people of Ilkley, containing delicacies that were
unobtainable in Pop., and lots of lucky men had private ones from
home. Tinned plum-duff was the chief item at both places, and quite
a few bottles of champagne were broached. At the wagon lines,
Captain Watson organized a cheery sing-song in the evening, and he
was supported in this good work, so far and so long as he was
capable, by Old Henry. At midnight a party of serenaders went round
the lines from hut to hut, whereupon the flowing bowl flowed with
renewed vigour. The discomforts of the past faded, and the future
took on a bright hue, until the effect wore off. In the messes and
the billets, not to mention the gun position itself, those at the
gun lines had their Christmas cheer, and mightily enjoyed
themselves.
At last the war-weary 49th Division received orders to retire from
the Salient on rest, after a six months' unbroken spell in action,
and Unit by Unit the Division withdrew in favour of the 14th
Division. On December 30th, 1915, our Left Section was relieved by
"D" 49th Battery, and the following night the Right Section joined
them at the wagon lines. Here the re-united Battery saw the old year
out and the new year in.
A day or two of bewildering bustle and preparation and the
unearthing of equipment and harness which had been unused for months
followed. At dawn on January 4th, 1916, the whole brigade took the
road again. Proceeding via Poperinghe and Watou, we finally reached
our destination at Arneke, near Cassel, a small town in the centre
of a farming district. The day was fine, and the unaccustomed
exercise thoroughly tired all long before the journey's end. Passing
through Arneke on to the Rubrouck side, billets were found for the
Battery a little way out, in a small hamlet, each sub-section being
allotted a farm, in the buildings of which men and horses found
shelter.
Here commenced our first rest out of the line since June of the
previous year.
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Please note: to avoid opening the book out, with the
risk of damaging the spine, some of the pages were slightly raised on the
inner edge when being scanned, which has resulted in some blurring to the
text and a
shadow on the inside edge of the final images. Colour reproduction is shown
as accurately as possible but please be aware that some colours
are difficult to scan and may result in a slight variation from
the colour shown below to the actual colour.
In line with eBay guidelines on picture sizes, some of the illustrations may
be shown enlarged for greater detail and clarity.
There is a bookplate of Charles Edgar
Margerison on the front pastedown: this is probably No. 998868 Charles Edgar Margerison, Serjeant, 7 Survey Regiment Royal Artillery, who was awarded the
Military Medal following service in North West Europe 1944-45:
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U.K. buyers:
To estimate the
“packed
weight” each book is first weighed and then
an additional amount of 150 grams is added to allow for the packaging
material (all
books are securely wrapped and posted in a cardboard book-mailer).
The weight of the book and packaging is then rounded up to the
nearest hundred grams to arrive at the postage figure. I make no charge for packaging materials and
do not seek to profit
from postage and packaging. Postage can be combined for multiple purchases.
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Packed weight of this item : approximately 800 grams
Postage and payment options to U.K. addresses:
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Details of the various postage options can be obtained by selecting
the “Postage and payments ” option at the head of this
listing (above). -
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Please contact me with name,
address and payment details within seven days of the end of the auction;
otherwise I reserve the right to cancel the auction and re-list the item. -
Finally, this should be an
enjoyable experience for both the buyer and seller and I hope
you will find me very easy to deal with. If you have a question
or query about any aspect (postage, payment, delivery options
and so on), please do not hesitate to contact me.
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International
buyers:
To estimate the
“packed
weight” each book is first weighed and then
an additional amount of 150 grams is added to allow for the packaging
material (all
books are securely wrapped and posted in a cardboard book-mailer).
The weight of the book and packaging is then rounded up to the
nearest hundred grams to arrive at the shipping figure.
I make no charge for packaging materials and do not
seek to profit
from shipping and handling.
Shipping can
usually be combined for multiple purchases
(to a
maximum
of 5 kilograms in any one parcel with the exception of Canada, where
the limit is 2 kilograms).
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Packed weight of this item : approximately 800 grams
International Shipping options:
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Details of the postage options
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Payment can be made by: credit card (Visa
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Pounds Sterling] but only if drawn on a major British bank. -
Regretfully, due to extremely
high conversion charges, I CANNOT accept foreign currency : all payments
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using a credit card, which I am able to accept as I have a separate,
well-established business, or PayPal. -
Please contact me with your name and address and payment details within
seven days of the end of the auction; otherwise I reserve the right to
cancel the auction and re-list the item. -
Finally, this should be an enjoyable experience for
both the buyer and seller and I hope you will find me very easy to deal
with. If you have a question or query about any aspect (shipping,
payment, delivery options and so on), please do not hesitate to contact
me.
Prospective international
buyers should ensure that they are able to provide credit card details or
pay by PayPal within 7 days from the end of the auction (or inform me that
they will be sending a cheque in GBP drawn on a major British bank). Thank you.
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(please note that the
book shown is for illustrative purposes only and forms no part of this
auction)
Book dimensions are given in
inches, to the nearest quarter-inch, in the format width x height.
Please
note that, to differentiate them from soft-covers and paperbacks, modern
hardbacks are still invariably described as being ‘cloth’ when they are, in
fact, predominantly bound in paper-covered boards pressed to resemble cloth.
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Fine Books for Fine Minds
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I value your custom (and my
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However, I believe it is my responsibility to guarantee delivery.
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