LXXVI Brigade (76th Brigade) was a Royal Field Artillery (RFA) unit raised as part of 'Kitchener's Army' during World War I. Initially recruited in Ireland, it served on the Western Front as part of Guards Division and saw action at the Battle of Loos and on the Somme. At the beginning of 1917 it became an independent 'Army Field Artillery' brigade, supporting various formations at the battles of Vimy Ridge, Messines and Ypres. It served in Italy during the winter of 1917–18, then returned to the Western Front for the Allies' victorious Hundred Days Offensive, forming part of the advance guard in the pursuit. After the Armistice with Germany the brigade served in the Allied occupation of the Rhineland.

Mobilisation and training On 6 August 1914, less than 48 hours after Britain's declaration of war, Parliament sanctioned an increase of 500,000 men for the Regular British Army, and the newly appointed Secretary of State for War, Earl Kitchener of Khartoum issued his famous call to arms: 'Your King and Country Need You', urging the first 100,000 volunteers to come forward. This group of six divisions with supporting arms became known as Kitchener's First New Army, or 'K1'.Army Council Instructions No 32 (6 August) and No 37 (7 August).Becke, Pt 3a, pp. 2 & 8. Recruitment was rapid and the 'K2' units followed shortly after, including 16th (Irish) Division. The divisional artillery for this formation (16th (I) DA) was quickly raised at Cahir, Fermoy and Kilkenny in September 1914, though there was a shortage of Irish recruits and many of the gunners were from England. The divisional artillery comprised four Royal Field Artillery (RFA) brigades numbered LXXIV–LXXVII (74–77).Becke, Pt 3a, pp. 61–9.Denman, p. 52.

A Reserve officer, Colonel Russell Gubbins, was appointed to command LXXVI Brigade. On the outbreak of war Gubbins had been recalled from the reserve and promoted to Temporary Brigadier-General as a staff officer at the War Office.Russell Dunmore Gubbins (1862–1938) at Familysearch.Monthly Army List, August 1914.London Gazette, 20 August 1914.London Gazette, 25 August 1914. However, he reverted to the rank of colonel on 21 NovemberLondon Gazette, 8 December 1914. and took command of the new brigade in Ireland.Headlam, Vol II, Appendix II.

LXXVI Brigade was to have consisted of 238, 239, 240 Batteries, each equipped with six 18-pounder guns, and LXXVI Brigade Ammunition Column (BAC). But on 23 January 1915 the numbered batteries were reorganised as four four-gun batteries, lettered A, B, C, D. The training of 16th (I) Division progressed slowly, and to begin with the artillery 'had neither guns, dial sights, directors, nor harness for the horses'. It was some months before the batteries were able to obtain even 15 horses each, let alone guns. They began crossing from Ireland to England in July to complete their training at the Larkhill ranges on Salisbury Plain. However, the rest of the division was still delayed, and in late August it was decided to send most of 16th (I) DA to France to become the divisional artillery for a new Guards Division that was being assembled within the British Expeditionary Force (BEF). (Guards Divisional Artillery often referred to itself as the GDA.)Edmonds, 1915, Vol II, p. 140.Headlam, Vol I, p. 29.Headlam, Vol II, Appendix I.Guards DA HQ War Diary August–September 1915, The National Archives (TNA), Kew, file WO95/1198/1.16th DA at Long, Long Trail.

Western Front

LXXVI Brigade left Rollestone Camp on 2 September, and entrained at Amesbury railway station for Southampton Docks where it embarked and sailed that evening. It disembarked at Le Havre next morning and began entraining to join the divisional concentration around Lumbres (near Saint-Omer), where the men were billeted in Ouve-Wirquin. The whole brigade had arrived by 6 September.Becke, Pt 1, pp. 25–31.76th Bde War Diary September 1915–April 1917, TNA file WO 95/1204/1.

Most of the infantry units of Guards Division had been serving on the Western Front since the beginning of the war, but some battalions were newly arrived from England and the division was undergoing training to integrate these. None of the artillery units had any experience, and thus soon after arrival they were sent up in turn to First Army's area for a weeks's introduction to front line duties. LXXVI Brigade moved up on 9 September and its sections relieved alternate sections of XIII Bde (Meerut Division) and LXIV Bde (12th (Eastern) Division) in the line. Over the week they fired registration shots and other routine duties before being called back to Ouve-Wirquin on 15 September. On 19 September Guards Division received its orders to take over a sector of the front line south of Aire. While preparations were under way, LXXVI Bde carried out a field exercise at Wizernes with 3rd Guards Brigade on 21 September.Headlam, Vol I, pp. 33–4.

Loos Guards Division's first operation was to be in the BEF's forthcoming offensive (the Battle of Loos). Together with two newly arrived 'Kitchener' divisions, 21st and 24th, the division was assigned to the general reserve. It took up its positions, some behind the lines by series of secret night marches, ready to move up and continue the operation. The attack was launched on 25 September and the GDA began its approach march next day, taking over the infantry's bivouacs at Nœux-les-Mines. After struggling along roads choked by 21st and 24th Division's columns, Guards Division launched its own attack on 27 September. LXXVI Brigade supporting 3rd Guards Bde took up positions near 'Quality Street' and engaged targets between the 'Chalk Pits' and Hill 70. In the afternoon the battery commanders established their observation posts (OPs) in the prominent pit-head winding gear known as the 'Pylon'. The division's attack was a partial success, 3rd Gds Bde digging in on the nearer slope of Hill 70. The division renewed its attack on the pits on 28 September, the artillery putting down a hurricane bombardment on the objective just before zero, but without success. Next day LXXVI Bde came temporarily under 21st DA. Guards Division consolidated its position before being relieved on 30 September.Edmonds, 1915, Vol II, pp. 170, 177, 272–3, 284, 339–41, 354–60.

While Guards Division's infantry rested, the guns remained in position around Quality Street, digging in and registering various targets. The Guards infantry came back into the line for a proposed attack on 3–4 October, for which a 3-day preliminary bombardment was planned, but the enemy recaptured the Hohenzollern Redoubt and the infantry were rushed north to deal with this, while the GDA remained in place covering the troops of 12th (E) Division. LXXVI Brigade HQ moved to the village of Philosophe near Vermelles on 7 October. Next day the guns fired barrages on pre-arranged targets around the Puits and Hill 70 against enemy attacks developing against 12th (E) Division. C Battery's gunners had to wear their 'smoke helmets' because of the gas employed by the attackers.These attacks had been halted by nightfall. On 12 October the enemy shelled the brigade's positions, the gun pits of B and D Btys taking hits, with damage to guns and waggons; the two batteries shifted to new gun pits next day. LXXVI Brigade does not appear to have participated in the bombardment for the resumption of the offensive on 13 October, but it was back in action on the night of 14/15 October firing defensive barrages. On 17 October C Bty caught an enemy working party in the open and dispersed them. On 19 October the brigade began withdrawing by sections to new positions a little further north to support Guards Division, which was holding the line after the bitter Action of the Hohenzollern Redoubt. Brigade HQ moved to Annequin; A Bty was designated for counter-battery (CB) fire under the command of a Royal Garrison Artillery Siege Group; B Bty was placed in an enfilading position at Vermelles. By 21 October all the guns had repositioned and telephone lines had been laid to the forward observation officers (FOOs) with the infantry battalions in the front line, and next day they began registering the batteries onto new targets. Guards Division was relieved to rest billets at the end of the month, LXXVI Bde moving to Labourse and then Gosnay.Edmonds, 1915, Vol II, pp. 375, 378, 380, Sketch 40.Headlam, Vol I, pp. 70–3.Guards DA HQ War Diary October–December 1915, TNA file WO95/1198/2.

Guards Division's commander, the Earl of Cavan, was conscious of the inexperience of his artillery and wanted the best officers to command it. The division's Commander, Royal Artillery (CRA), had already been changed, and now Col Gubbins was replaced in command of LXXVI Bde. A Royal Horse Artillery (RHA) officer, Major G.R.V. Kinsman, DSO, took over on 3 November and was later promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel.Headlam, p. 29.Kinsman at IWM Lives of the First World War.

On 8 November Guards Division began relieving the Lahore Division north of the La Bassée Canal and LXXVI Bde moved to billets at Le Sart near Merville. On 11–12 November Brigade HQ was established at Pont-du-Hem south of Laventie and the batteries moved into position, with Maj Kinsman commanding the Right Group of the GDA. The guns began registering their assigned targets, and on 19 November D Bty engaged an enemy snipers' post with 20 rounds of the new high explosive (HE) shells, silencing it. The trenches in this area were flooded and the division had to repair crumbling breastworks and communications. The divisional defence scheme involved defended localities rather than continuous lines, backed by a strong counter-attack force. Guards DA was to support the counter-attacks with all available guns, but in case of German breakthrough the batteries were to withdraw to prepared positions in the rear, leaving four single guns for close support. In the event the Germans made no serious attack, and they confined themselves to intermittent artillery bombardments and mining. Lord Cavan ordered the DA to reserve its fire for prompt and heavy retaliation, or for special targets. For example, C/LXXVI Bty took part in bombarding an enemy-held mine crater on 23 November, and next day D/LXXVI Bty was involved in a bombardment that damaged a German blockhouse and blew a wide gap in the enemy breastworks and barbed wire at Sign Post Lane with HE. The gap was then sprayed with machine gun fire and occasional Shrapnel shells throughout the night to prevent repair. The artillery kept certain lanes clear through the enemy wire so that patrols and raiding parties could come and go, and provided supporting fire for these raids. Later in the month the GDA's groups were rearranged, Right Group under Maj Kinsman and LXXVI Bde HQ consisting of C/LXI (Howitzer) Bty, B/LXXIV Bty, A & B/LXXV Btys and C/LXXVI Bty; Bde HQ moved to Levantie. On 11 December B/LXXVI Bty in Left Group fired a 'circular' barrage to protect an infantry raid on Sign Post Lane. Enemy working parties and anti-aircraft batteries were also targeted. The routine of trench warfare and minor operations continued throughout the winter, the crews sometimes being flooded out of their gun pits.Headlam, Vol I, pp. 87, 91–4, 101–4, 108–9, 114.Guards DA HQ War Diary January–March 1916, TNA file WO 95/1198/3.

Ypres Salient