142nd (Durham) Heavy Battery (142nd Hvy Bty) was a unit of Britain's Royal Garrison Artillery (RGA) formed during World War I from coast defence gunners of the Durham Royal Garrison Artillery. It served on the Western Front, including the Battles of Vimy Ridge, Passchendaele, the Lys, and the Allied Hundred Days Offensive in 1918. After service with the Occupation forces in the Rhineland, the battery was disbanded in 1919.
Mobilisation and trainin
In the years before World War I, the Royal Garrison Artillery (RGA) had been responsible for the coast defence artillery of the United Kingdom, with Regular Army units supplemented by the 'defended port units' of the part-time Territorial Force. These included the Durham RGA at West Hartlepool, manning the Tees and Hartlepool coastal guns with a mobile heavy battery at Sunderland.Frederick, pp. 697–701.Litchfield, p. 3.Col C.W.P. Barker, 'Early History of the Battery', in Marr (ed).Maurice-Jones, p. 186. The Durham RGA was the only British coast defence unit to engage the enemy during the war, when the Imperial German Navy bombarded Hartlepool and Scarborough on 16 December 1914.Farndale, Forgotten Fronts, pp. 368–9.Litchfield, Appendix I.Maurice-Jones, pp. 197–9.
On the outbreak of war, TF units had been invited to volunteer for Overseas Service and on 15 August 1914, the War Office (WO) 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 brigades, companies and batteries were created. The Durham Heavy Battery began recruiting its 2nd Line unit in October 1914, and had filled its ranks with volunteers within a week.Becke, Pt 2b, p. 6.WO Instructions Nos 108 & 310 of August 1914.'August 1914 to June 1917', in Marr (ed). By the autumn of 1914, the campaign on the Western Front was bogging down into Trench warfare and there was an urgent need for batteries of heavy and siege artillery to be sent to France. The WO authorised 1st line TF RGA companies that had volunteered for overseas service to increase their strength by 50 per cent.WO Instructions No 41 of September 1914 and No 248 of October 1914.
Over the following months and years large numbers of the new RGA units were formed from cadres of TF gunnersMaurice-Jones, pp. 200–1. 142nd (Durham) Heavy Battery, RGA, was authorised on 31 October 1915 and formed from 1/1st and 2/1st Heavy Batteries of the Durham RGA at Sunderland. It was one of only two all-TF heavy field batteries raised from defended ports units.
The new 4-gun was commanded by Major John Lynn Marr, son of Sir John Marr, 1st Baronet, a prominent Sunderland shipbuilder. Major Marr had been in command of the Durham RGA's heavy battery since 11 September 1912.Marr at The Thompson Shipbuilding Dynasty.Monthly Army List, August 1914. 142nd Heavy Bty was sent to Woolwich for training on the new 60-pounder gun, the first TF unit to be so equipped. At Woolwich the battery joined 41st Heavy Brigade, RGA, which formed at Woolwich on 25 February 1916 and mobilised four days later. 142nd Heavy Bty and 41st Bde then marched to Bordon Camp for two weeks' final training before embarking at Southampton Docks for the Western Front on 21 March 1916.Frederick, p. 712.'Allocation of Heavy Batteries RGA', The National Archives (TNA), Kew, file WO 95/5494/C.41st HAG War Diary March 1916–February 1917, TNA file WO 95/472/1.
Service
On arrival at Le Havre on 22 March the battery entrained its guns and heavy draught horses for Bailleul to join Second Army in the Ypres sector. The battery was immediately ordered to hand over its guns to another unit, and to take over a battery of guns already emplaced at the foot of Mont Kemmel. This meant that the personnel received their introduction to frontline service from the battery they were relieving. Mont Kemmel itself was used as the observation post (OP), and from this Maj Marr watched the opening of the Actions of the St Eloi Craters early on 26 March, when the Royal Engineers fired six mines under the enemy's positions at 04.15. The heavy batteries of V Corps, reinforced by Belgian and Canadian guns, had opened fire 10 seconds before so that their shells would land simultaneously with the explosions. Marr watched the 1st Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers dash across No man's land and capture the craters and objectives in front with hardly a casualty (though bloody fighting over the craters continued until 16 April). For the next four months 142nd Hvy Bty remained with 41st Bde at Kemmel, where the front line saw constant low-level trench warfare. The battery carried out its first 'long shoot' of 12 hours 40 minutes on 6 April. Thereafter there were daily shoots at various targets with Shrapnel and Lyddite shells, sometimes with aircraft observation, and received occasional hostile shelling in retaliation, suffering some damage. The batteries of V Corps carried out considerable defensive firing in early June in support of the Canadian Corps in the Battle of Mont Sorrel.Edmonds, 1916, Vol I, pp. 180–91. RGA brigades became 'Heavy Artillery Groups' (HAGs) from 2 April 1916, thus 41st Bde became 41st HAG within Second Army.Farndale, Western Front, Annex E.Frederick, p. 718.'Headquarters Heavy Artillery Groups', TNA file WO 95/5494/1.
On 31 July the battery was transferred to 55th HAG, which had just arrived from Southampton to join 'Reserve Army' (shortly to become Fifth Army) fighting in the Somme offensive.Becke, Pt 4, pp. 111–20.Frederick, p. 713. The battery went south by train and road to join the new group at Albert, where it formed part of I ANZAC Corps' Heavy Artillery (HA). 142nd Heavy Bty was ordered to construct gun positions in 'Sausage Valley' behind Pozières, and its guns were in action on 5 August. These positions were close to the front line and in front of some of the field batteries. The 60-pdr guns of the heavy batteries were called upon for road barrages and counter-battery (CB) fire. From then on the battery took part in all the battles of the Somme offensive, furst supporting the Australian divisions, and later the Canadians, particularly the capture of Courcelette and Thiepval Ridge. As the front progressed the battery's position was increasingly further from the front and less affected by enemy fire. It moved up to Le Sars beyond Courcelette. As winter came on the battery constructed brick standings and corrugated iron shelters for the horses in the wagon lines.55th HAG War Diary July 1916–December 1917, TNA file WO 95/545/1.Becke, Pt 4, pp. 111–20.Farndale, Western Front, pp. 150–6.
Earlier in the year the War Office had decided that four-gun heavy batteries should be increased to six guns. This was done for 142nd Hvy Bty on 5 October 1916 when it was joined by a section from 176th Hvy Bty.
Fifth Army kept hammering away on the Somme front until November, and continued with Operations on the Ancre, January–March 1917.
Vimy Ridge
142nd Heavy Bty was sent on 21 March to join 76th HAG in the north with First Army, arriving at St Pol on 25 March.76th HAG War Diary December 1916–May 1919, TNA file WO 95/477/1. First Army was preparing for the forthcoming Arras Offensive,Becke, Pt 4, pp. 71–8. starting with an effective CB programme in early April. 76th HAG was positioned north of Bois de Berthonval, supporting Canadian Corps, which was to carry out the opening attack on Vimy Ridge. Maximum use was made of observation balloons and aircraft, when weather permitted, to pinpoint opposing batteries for the heavies. The ruling principle was that isolated enemy batteries should be dealt with first, since those that were closely grouped could be more easily and economically neutralised with high explosive and gas shell just before the assault. Huge amounts of ammunition were stockpiled before the operation, including 10,000 rounds for the nine 60-pdr batteries with Canadian Corps Heavy Artillery (HA) specifically to meet possible counter-attacks. After the preparatory fire, the bombardment began on 7 April, ending with a 'hurricane' bombardment at 05.30 on 9 April simultaneously with the attack.Falls,1917, Vol I, pp. 306–7, 311–20.Farndale, Western Front, pp. 164–6, 174–5; Map 23. 'The artillery attack was a brilliant success. The German artillery was largely destroyed, and what was not was effectively neutralised'.Farndale, Western Front, p. 176. Canadian Corps succeeded in taking almost all its objectives on the first day, and Vimy Ridge with its magnificent observation over enemy territory was in Allied hands.Falls, 1917, Vol I, pp. 321–39.
Summer 1917 The Arras offensive continued for several weeks. All the 60-pdr batteries moved into forward positions to keep the retreating enemy within range, but they were unable to advance across the old battle zone because of the state of the roads. On 22 April, 142nd Hvy Bty moved out on 16 April and moved into Third Army's secor. It transferred to 44th (South African) HAG on 22 April at Vélu, beyond Bapaume, with the wagon lines at Frémicourt. The battery position in Vélu Wood was regularly shelled by a 5.9-inch (15 cm) howitzer bit without casualties. Early in June half the battery moved up to a position beside a large waste dump on the Canal du Nord, which was hidden from enemy observation, but provided a good OP for spotting enemy gun flashes.Maj S. W. Boulton, 'June 1917 to Conclusion of War', in Marr (ed). In June Maj Marr was recalled to London to take up a post in the Merchant Shipping Department of the Admiralty. Captain S.W. Boulton, a prewar officer of the Durham Heavy Bty, was promoted to succeed him in command of 142nd Hvy Bty.
On the night of 15/16 June the battery exchanged guns and positions with 26th Hvy Bty, carrying out the relief by half batteries and completing it by 02.00. The new position was next to the sugar factory at Vaulx-Vraucourt, with an OP overlooking the Bullecourt sector. On 29 June, the battery moved again to the north of Saint-Léger, near Hénin, with the wagon lines at Hendecourt, a long way back from the battery position, but with comfortable billets for the drivers. It remained in position here through the summer, but went through a rapid succession of chnages in command. On arrival it was under 14th HAG, but command was immediately transferred to 4th HAG under V Corps, and then on 7 July to 59th HAG with VII Corps. On 7 August VII Corps left and on 9 August 39th HAG supporting XVII Corps took over 142nd Hvy Bty. The battery continued the routine trench warfare shoots, particularly night harassing fire (HF) tasks.14th Bde, RGA, War Diary, January 1916–December 1917, TNA file WO 95/468/3.4th HAG War Diary, July–December 1917, TNA file WO 95/298/5.56th Bde War Diary, August 1916–March 1918, TNA file WO 95/392/2.39th HAG War Diary April 1916–December 1917, TNA file WO 95/391/1.
On 23 July Capt Boulton's temporary promotion to major came through, but on 26 July Maj Cave arrived to supersede him, and he reverted to captain. However, Maj Cave was sent home on medical grounds at the end of August and Capt Boulton once again took over as officer commanding the battery, becoming Acting Major again from 27 September.65th HAG War Diary, October 1916–December 1917, TNA file WO 95/322/6.
Ypres