The 8th London (Howitzer) Brigade, Royal Field Artillery was a new unit formed when Britain's Territorial Force was created in 1908. Its origin lay in Artillery Volunteer Corps formed in the 1860s in Plumstead, Kent, later incorporated into London. Together with its wartime duplicate the brigade served during the First World War on the Western Front, at Salonika and in Palestine where it was the first British unit to enter Jerusalem. It again formed two units for service in the Second World War, one of which saw extensive action in France, North Africa, and Italy, while its duplicate was captured at the Fall of Singapore. Its successor unit continues in the Army Reserve today.

Origin When the Volunteer Force was subsumed into the new Territorial Force (TF) on 1 May 1908 under the Haldane Reforms,Spiers, Chapter 10. the 2nd Kent Royal Garrison Artillery (Volunteers) split to form two brigades in the Royal Field Artillery: the headquarters and four companies at Lewisham provided the IV County of London (Howitzer) Brigade while the four companies at Plumstead formed the VIII County of London (Howitzer) Brigade from 7 July 1908 with the following organisation:Anon, Lewisham Gunners, pp. 10–11.Army List, various dates.Barnes, Appendix IV.Becke, Pt 2a, pp. 72–75.Frederick, pp. 661, 678.Litchfield, pp. 158–161.London Gazette 20 March 1908.London Gazette 14 October 1910.Maude, pp. 1–2; Appendix C.Maude, Appendix F.8th Londons at Regiments.org.County of London Artillery at Stepping Forward London.

VIII County of London (Howitzer) Brigade, RFA 21st County of London (Howitzer) Battery 22nd County of London (Howitzer) Battery VIII London (Howitzer) Brigade Ammunition Column (added 26 May 1909)

The new headquarters (HQ) was established at 'Oaklands', St Margaret's Road (later St Margaret's Grove), Plumstead, soon after the units split. VIII Brigade also had a presence at the old 2nd Kent RGA drill hall at Bloomfield Road, Greenwich. The first commanding officer (CO) was Major P.O. Thomas of the 2nd Kent, who was promoted to lieutenant-colonel.Royal Borough of Greenwich, Drill Hall Register at Stepping Forward London.

Armed with four horsedrawn Breech-loading 5-inch howitzers each, the batteries of IV and VIII Brigades were intended to provide indirect fire support for the TF's 1st London and 2nd London Divisions respectively.

First World War Mobilisation On the outbreak of war the brigade was commanded by a Regular officer, Maj W.E. Emery, who was a Temporary Lt-Col in the TF.Maude, Appendix D. When war was declared in August 1914, VIII London Bde had only just arrived at Perham Down on Salisbury Plain for its annual training camp, and it was immediately recalled to London to mobilise. After completing their mobilisation the 2nd London Division's artillery brigades moved to the country round Hemel Hempstead, Berkhamsted and Kings Langley in Hertfordshire to begin war training.47th (2nd London) Division at Long, Long Trail.Maude, pp. 2–3, 11.

After mobilisation TF units were invited to volunteer for Overseas Service. On 15 August 1914, the War Office issued instructions to separate those men who had signed up for Home Service only, and form these into reserve units. On 31 August, the formation of a reserve or 2nd Line unit was authorised for each 1st Line unit where 60 per cent or more of the men had volunteered for Overseas Service. The titles of these 2nd Line units would be the same as the original, but distinguished by a '2/' prefix. In this way duplicate batteries, brigades and divisions were created, mirroring those TF formations being sent overseas. Eventually these too were prepared for overseas service and 3rd Line reserve units were formed to produce reinforcement drafts to the others.Becke, Pt 2b, p. 6. The duplicate 2/VIII London Brigade was formed at Plumstead in October 1914.Becke, Pt 2b, pp. 25–32.Dalbaic, pp. 17–18.Frederick, p. 691.

I/VIII London Brigade At the end of October 1914 the 2nd London Division was chosen to reinforce the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) fighting on the Western Front and training was stepped up, despite bad weather and equipment shortages. Brigade and divisional training began in February 1915 and it received its orders for the move to France on 2 March. By 22 March all the batteries had reached the divisional concentration area around Béthune.Farndale, Western Front, p. 94.Maude, pp. 3, 11–12.

Aubers Ridge While the division's infantry were introduced to trench routine by being attached in groups to the 1st and 2nd Divisions holding the line, the TF field batteries with their obsolescent guns were interspersed with those of the two Regular divisions equipped with modern 18-pounder guns and 4.5-inch howitzers. However, ammunition was very scarce, and they were restricted to three rounds per gun per day during April. Ammunition was being saved for the Battle of Aubers Ridge on 9 May, when the 5-inch howitzers of 1/VIII London Bde joined with those of IV West Riding Bde, the 4.5s of XLIV Bde and the heavy howitzers of the Royal Garrison Artillery (RGA) to break down the German breastworks for the assault by 1st Division. The bombardment became intense at 5:30, then at 5:40 the guns lifted to targets further back and the infantry moved to the attack. The attackers ran into devastating machine gun fire (there was no artillery barrage to suppress the defenders) and they found that the barbed wire was inadequately cut and the breastworks barely touched. The inexperienced artillery had failed in all its tasks. A renewed bombardment was ordered from 6:15 to 7:00, but the artillery's forward observation officers (FOOs) were unable to locate the hidden German machine gun positions, which required a direct hit from an HE shell to be put out of action. The second attack failed as badly as the first, as did two others launched during the afternoon, and the survivors were pinned down in No man's land until nightfall, despite a further bombardment being laid on to allow them to withdraw.Edmonds, 1915, Vol II, pp. 6, 17–29, 39.Farndale, Western Front, pp. 103–107.Maude, pp. 12–13.

Festubert Although 2nd London Division suffered few casualties at Aubers Ridge, its gunners had learned a sobering lesson about the impossibility of suppressing strong defences with inadequate guns and shells. On 11 May the division was redesignated 47th (1/2nd London) Division, and on the night of 14/15 May it took its place in the line for the Battle of Festubert. The guns were already in place, with 47th Divisional Artillery operating under the control of 7th Division. Despite the continuing shortage of ammunition, the plan this time was for a long methodical bombardment. On 13 and 14 May the field artillery carried out three two-hour deliberate bombardments each day, with the howitzers registering the enemy support and communication trenches with observed fire, and then firing to destroy them, along with certain important salients in the front line. Intermittent bombardments were continued during the night to stop supplies being brought up and to prevent repairs being carried out. The guns fired about 100 rounds per day. Unfortunately, the FOOs reported that many of the howitzer shells failed to explode due to faulty manufacture of the fuzes. During 15 May feint bombardments mimicking the moment of assault were carried out, but the actual attack was made after dark with some success. The fighting went on for several days, and between 18 and 20 May the Canadian and 51st (Highland) Divisions took over the line under the command of Lt-Gen Edwin Alderson as 'Alderson's Force', with 1/VIII London Bde among its supporting artillery. 47th (2nd L) Division made its own first attack on the night of 25 May. The leading brigade captured the German front and support trenches, but was then pinned down by accurate German artillery fire and could advance no further. This effectively ended the battle.Edmonds, 1915, Vol II, pp. 44–76.Farndale, Western Front, pp. 107–110.Maude, pp. 12–13, 18–20.

Loos In June 47th (2nd L) Division took over trenches in front of Loos-en-Gohelle from the French. In August the divisional artillery was rested for the first time since March, and the brigade began training on the 4.5-inch howitzer for when these became available. The Loos sector had been selected for the next major British attack (the Battle of Loos), to which part of 47th (2nd L) Division would provide the southern 'hinge'. The batteries moved into position in the weeks beforehand, Maj E.H. Eley of 1/22nd London Bty finding a concealed position in a railway cutting. He placed each 5-inch howitzer between some abandoned railway trucks and covered them with tarpaulins so they could not be seen from the air. German maps captured in the subsequent fighting showed that this was one of only two British battery positions that had not been identified. 1/VIII London Bde, with the eight remaining 5-inch howitzers on the front, were allotted 4800 HE rounds for the coming battle. 1/21st London Bty was attached to XL Bde as part of the 'MacNaghten Group' supporting the attack by 140th (4th London) and 141st (5th London) infantry brigades, while the rest of the division stood firm while firing continuously on the German trenches opposite. Supported by poison gas clouds, the attacking portion of 47th (2nd L) Division made good progress towards its limited objective on the first day (25 September). However, events had not played out so well further north at the Hohenzollern Redoubt, and the battle raged on after 47th (2nd L) Division had been relieved between 28 September and 1 October. On 13 October 47th (2nd L) Division was in support for the final attack on the Hohenzollern Redoubt, and was practising on dummy trenches for a follow-up attack on Hulluch next day, but the results at the Hohenzollern were so disappointing that the operation was cancelled. The division took over the line and the artillery was in constant action over the following weeks.Cherry, pp. 41, 109–122.Edmonds, 1915, Vol II, pp. 174–176, 182–191.Farndale, Western Front, pp. 116–123.Maude, pp. 14–15, 25–41.

The division returned to the Loos sector in January 1916, with most of the artillery round Grenay, with Observation Posts (OPs) in the cottages of Maroc, which had become known as 'Artillery Row' during the earlier battle. The guns carried out a great deal of counter-battery (CB) work against battery positions in and around Lens, ammunition supply having improved.Maude, pp. 45–46.

Spring 1916

On 19 January 1916 the batteries of 1/VIII London Bde were re-equipped with modern 4.5-inch howitzers, for which they had been training since August. On 4 February it was joined by B (H) Bty and a subsection of the Brigade Ammunition Column (BAC) from CLXXVI (Leicestershire) Howitzer Bde, a newly arrived 'Kitchener's Army' unit, followed by R (H) Bty of CLXXVI Bde on 4 April.

The field artillery of the BEF was reorganised in May 1916, with the brigades being numbered and the batteries lettered. 1/VIII London Bde became CCXXXVIII Brigade (238 Bde) on 14 May, exchanging R (H) Bty for the Regular 34th Bty from CCXXXV Bde (formerly V London Bde), and transferring 1/22nd London Bty to CCXXXVI (formerly VI London) Bde in exchange for R Bty from CCXXXVII (formerly VII London) Bde. The BAC was also absorbed into the Divisional Ammunition Column. This gave the brigade the following organisation:Becke, Pt 3b, pp. 44–45.Frederick, p. 552. 34th Bty (originally with XXXVIII Bde in 6th Division)– 4 × 18-pdr B Bty (formerly B/CLXXVI Bde in 34th Division) – 4 × 18-pdr C Bty (formerly R/VII London Bty) – 4 × 18-pdr D (H) Bty (formerly 1/21st London Bty) – 4 × 4.5-inch

By now the brigade was commanded by Lt-Col E.H. Eley, who had commanded 22nd London Bty from its formation in 1908.