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- 52nd Battery, Royal Field Artillery during the Great War -


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World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar great 1914 1918 first battalion regiment

52nd Battery, Royal Field Artillery



   XV Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, comprised 11, 52 and 80 Batteries and served with 5th Division. They proceeded to France in August 1914. They were in action in The Battle of Mons and the subsequent retreat, The Battle of Le Cateau, The Battle of the Marne, The Battle of the Aisne, The Battles of La Bassee and Messines and The First Battle of Ypres. On the 9th of February 1915, 11 Battery transferred to I Brigade. In 1915 they were in action at The Second Battle of Ypres and the Capture of Hill 60. In autumn 1915, many units were exchanged with units from the newly arrived volunteer 32nd Division, to stiffen the inexperienced Division with regular army troops. In March 1916 5th Division took over a section of front line between St Laurent Blangy and the southern edge of Vimy Ridge, near Arras. On the 21st of May 1916 a section from 37 (Howitzer) Battery and one from 65 (Howitzer) Battery of VIII Brigade joined and became D Battery. They moved south in July to reinforce The Somme and were in action at, High Wood, The Battle of Guillemont, The Battle of Flers-Courcelette, The Battle of Morval and The Battle of Le Transloy. On 14 October 1916 526 (How) Battery joined (it was renamed C Battery XV brigade by the 11th of December). On the on 21st of January 1917 C Battery was broken up with sections transferring to D Battery and to XXVIII Brigade, in exchange for A Battery XXVII Brigade, which became A Battery XV Brigade. In October they moved to Festubertand remained there until March 1917 when they moved in preparation for the Battles of Arras. On 7 September 1917 the 5th Division moved out of the line for a period of rest before, being sent to Flanders where they were in action during the Third Battle of Ypres. 5th Division was sent to Italy and took up positions in the line along the River Piave in late January 1918. They were recalled to France to assist with the German Advance in late March 1918 and were in action during the Battles of the Lys. On the 14th of August 1918 the 5th Division was withdrawn for two weeks rest. Then moved to The Somme where they were more or less in continuous action over the old battlegrounds until late October 1918 and saw action in the Battles of the Hindenburg Line and the Final Advance in Picardy. At the Armistice they were in the area of Le Quesnoy and moved to Belgium to the area around Namur and Wavre in December and demobilization began.

   XV Brigade, Royal Field Artillery made up of 11, 52 and 80 Batteries served with 5th Division. They proceeded to France in August 1914, and fought on the Western Front throughout the war, taking part in most of the major actions. In 1914 they were involved in The Battle of Mons and the subsequent retreat, The Battle of the Marne, The Battle of the Aisne, the First Battle of Ypres and the Winter Operations of 1914-15. On the 9th of February 1915, 11 Battery left to join 1 Brigade. In 1915 they were in action during The 2nd Battle of Ypres. In May 1916, A sections of 37 and 65 (Howitzer) Batteries joined to form D Battery, 15 Brigade. In 1916 they were in action in the Battles of the Somme. On the 14th of October 1916, 526 (Howitzer) Battery joined and was renamed C Battery, 15 Brigade sometime before the 11th of December 1916. C Battery was broken up on the 21st of January 1917 with a section joining D Battery and the remainder transferred to 28 Brigade. On the 21st of January 1917, A Battery, 28 Brigade joined and was renamed A Battery, 15 Brigade. In 1917 they saw action on Vimy Ridge at Oppy Wood and in the Third Battle of Ypres. In 1918 they fought in the Defence of Nieppe Forest, they were withdrawn for reat in August but after two weeks were back in action in the Second Battles of The Somme, The Battle of the Selle.

16th Aug 1914 On the March

17th Aug 1914 On the Move

18th Aug 1914 On the Move

19th Aug 1914 On the Move

20th Aug 1914 In Rest Camp

21st Aug 1914 On the Move

23rd Aug 1914 Orders Recieved

24th Aug 1914 In Action

25th Aug 1914 Rear Guard

26th Aug 1914 In Action

23rd of March 1915  Quiet Day   location map

31st of March 1915 Staff

1st of April 1915 Situation Normal  location map

17th of April 1915  Mines Exploded  location map

16th May 1915 Snipers Active  location map

23rd of May 1915 Quiet Day  location map

24th of May 1915 Much Shelling at Night  location map

27th of May 1915  Earth Tremors Felt   location map

29th of May 1915  A Rumbling Explosion  location map

30th of May 1915 Work Party Casualties  location map

7th of August 1915 Hop-Pole Mystery  location map

8th of August 1915  Two Batteries Join Division  location map

9th of August 1915   Bridges Guarded  location map

10th of August 1915  Relief of French  location map

11th of August 1915 Patrol  location map

12th of August 1915 Quiet Time  location map

13th of August 1915 Instruction  location map

14th of August 1915 No Sausages  location map

15th of August 1915  3 Salvos Fired  location map

16th of August 1915  Enemy Active  location map

17th of August 1915  Our Patrols Out  location map

18th of August 1915  German Captured  location map

19th of August 1915 Hostile Patrol  location map

20th of August 1915 Quiet Night  location map

22nd of August 1915 Hostile Balloons  location map

23rd of August 1915  Normal Situation  location map

24th of August 1915 Relief Completed  location map

25th of August 1915 Hostile Marsh Patrol  location map

26th of August 1915  Reliefs  location map

27th of August 1915  Trenches Mortared  location map

29th of August 1915 Enemy Patrol Pursued  location map

30th of August 1915  Patrols  location map

31st of August 1915 Germans in Khaki  location map

1st of September 1915 Enemy Periscopes Hit   location map

4th of September 1915 Mine Exploded  location map

5th of September 1915  Damaged Aeroplane  location map

6th of September 1915 Retaliatory Firing  location map

7th of September 1915 No Incidents  location map

8th of September 1915  Observation Station Hit  location map

9th of September 1915  Quiet Time  location map

10th of September 1915  Enemy Hit Dummy Battery  location map

11th of September 1915 Changes of Command  location map

12th of September 1915  67th Brigade Under Instruction  location map

13th of September 1915  German Mine Exploded  location map

14th of September 1915  Both Sides Retaliate  location map

15th of September 1915 36th Division Instructed  location map

16th of September 1915 Reliefs  location map

17th of September 1915 German Post Hit  location map

18th of September 1915 Heavy Gunfire Heard  location map

19th of September 1915  A Quiet Night  location map

20th of September 1915 Catapults Effective  location map

21st of September 1915 Catapults Active  location map

22nd of September 1915  Bridges Guarded  location map

23rd of September 1915 Hostile Patrol Seen  location map

24th of September 1915 Wet Weather   location map

25th of September 1915  1st Army Success Cheered  location map

26th of September 1915  A Marsh Patrol  location map

27th of September 1915 Deserter Comes In  location map

29th of September 1915  Enemy Alert  location map

1st of October 1915 Snipers Active  location map

2nd of October 1915 `Shows' and Football  location map

3rd of October 1915 Battalion Dispositions  location map

4th of October 1915  New Biplane Spotted  location map

7th of October 1915 German Field Guns Active  location map

9th of October 1915 Quiet Time  location map

12th of October 1915 77th Brigade Arrives  location map

13th of October 1915 Reliefs  location map

14th of October 1915 Germans Explode Mine  location map

16th of October 1915  Bombs and Reliefs  location map

17th of October 1915 Reliefs  location map

18th of October 1915 Noisy Germans  location map

19th of October 1915  Transport Heard  location map

20th of October 1915 Gun Distribution  location map

21st of October 1915 Reliefs  location map

22nd of October 1915  Enemy Movement Noticed  location map

23rd of October 1915 Reliefs  location map

24th of October 1915 Reliefs  location map

27th of October 1915 German Work Destroyed  location map

28th of October 1915 Situation Normal  location map

30th of October 1915 Suzanne Shelled  location map

31st of October 1915  Unusual Activity  location map

2nd of November 1915 Heavy Transport  location map

4th of November 1915 Bugle Calls  location map

6th of November 1915  Heavies in Action  location map

7th of November 1915 Gun is Bulged  location map

8th of November 1915  A Newspaper Delivery  location map

9th of November 1915  Orders  location map

11th of November 1915 Persistent Shelling  location map

12th of November 1915   A Quiet Day  location map

13th of November 1915 Sausages Fired  location map

14th of November 1915 A Flag Removed  location map

15th of November 1915 Heavy Snow   location map

16th of November 1915 A Spy Killed  location map

17th of November 1915 Conference Held  location map

18th of November 1915 Transport Heard  location map

19th of November 1915 Another Flag Removed  location map

20th of November 1915 Enemy Guns Active  location map

21st of November 1915 Patrol  location map

22nd of November 1915 Three Enemy Killed  location map

23rd of November 1915 Heavy Traffic Heard  location map

24th of November 1915 Artillery Active  location map

25th of November 1915  Enemy Building Redoubts  location map

26th of November 1915  Air Raid  location map

27th of November 1915  Heavies Retaliate  location map

28th of November 1915 Working Party Dispersed  location map

29th of November 1915  Enemy Transport Shelled  location map

30th of November 1915  Grenade Attack Successful  location map

2nd of January 1916 Direct Hits  location map

24th of March 1916  Camouflet Exploded

16th of October 1916 Artillery Relief Complete  location map

26th of November 1917   HQ Closes and Re-opens

27th of November 1917 Entraining for Italy

17th of April 1918  A Relief and a Barrage  location map

28th of July 1918 Quiet   location map

21st of August 1918  Division Advances  location map

22nd of September 1918 Field Guns Active  location map

20th of October 1918   location map

11th of November 1918 Armistice and a Report  location map

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Want to know more about 52nd Battery, Royal Field Artillery?


There are:5359 items tagged 52nd Battery, Royal Field Artillery available in our Library

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Those known to have served with

52nd Battery, Royal Field Artillery

during the Great War 1914-1918.

  • O'Reilly Albert James. Gnr. (d.7th Sep 1916)

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Records of 52nd Battery, Royal Field Artillery from other sources.


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232053

Gnr. Albert James O'Reilly 52nd Battery, 15th Brigade Royal Field Artillery (d.7th Sep 1916)

Albert James O'Reilly was my mother's uncle and was born in Birkenhead, one of 12 children, to my great-grandparents James and Esther O'Reilly. Prior to being called up to fight in World War 1, he worked as a post office telegraph messenger. I never knew him and, in fact, neither did my mother, as she was born in 1920, four years after he was killed on the Somme aged just 19. All that the family knew about him was obtained from my grandmother, Albert's older sister - but it was very little, so the online records have been invaluable in tracing where exactly he was buried.

We knew he was a gunner and died in Battle on the Somme in 1916 - I still have his Great War Medal passed down to me by my mother and to her by my grandmother. I now hope, with my brother, to visit his grave in France in July 2016 to mark the centenary of his death - the first occasion anyone in the family (as far as I am aware) has made this visit. We should always remember all those killed in action so that others might live. God bless you Uncle Albert - rest in peace.

Ralph Quigley






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