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

180 Battery, Royal Field Artillery



15th November 1916 Daily Battery Activity  236th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery. formerly 6th County of London Brigade RFA. Territorial Force.

All Batteries tested timing switches by actually firing and carried on registering of Division Zone. Day was generally quiet. Bombardment of Snout provoked a little retaliation. At 1430 hostile aeroplanes were unusually daring and nonplussed observers which let one machine fly almost unmolested 1500 feet over I.26, 27 and Valley Cottages. New enemy work at I.19.c.1.4 and I.30.b.8.0 has progressed. Activity round a camouflet near hilly place suggests offensive Sapping operations, ultimate intention probably being to jump our front line and command reverse slope of ridge. (Note: sapping is constructing trenches forward from the front line towards enemy positions,usually as listening posts or, as suggested here, jumping off points for attacking troops, getting them nearer to enemy lines under cover). (Further note: a camouflet is a chamber created by explosives underground without breaking the surface (which would be a crater)).

25th October 1916 Minewerfen Activity   236th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery report Very little activity. C180 Battery is added to Right Brigade. This Battery commanded Major Digby. Left Brigade of 23rd RA consists of remainder of 180 Brigade RFA under the command of Major Stebbing. Right Brigade HQ shifted to Lille Gate. Considerable minewerfen (mortar) activity by the enemy from about 1200 to 1500. Batteries fired in retaliation. Nothing else of much importance.

4th November 1916 Trench Mortars Silenced  236th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery report that at about 1620 the enemy fired some trench mortars on Crab Crawl but was stopped by the retaliation of C180 Battery.

5th November 1916 Retaliation Fire  236th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery report Fairly quiet day. Some minenwerfers (mortars) were fired and the Batteries only fired in retaliation.

6th November 1916 Reorganisation  236th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery report Nothing much in the morning. B236 spotted German's minenwerfer (mortars) in the afternoon. It was decided that 236th Brigade should be reorganised into two six gun batteries and two four gun Howitzer Batteries.

7th November 1916 Quiet Day  236th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery report Practically nothing happened all day.

8th November 1916 Slight Shelling  236th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery report A little shelling took place on the German side but very little happened otherwise.

9th November 1916 Battery Visit  236th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery report Major General Gorringe came round the Batteries in the afternoon. Very quiet day and only about five minenwerfers (mortars) were fired by the enemy, all of them coming from Clonmel Copse.

10th November 1916 Reorganisation Scheme

11th November 1916 Firing at Intervals  236th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery report Morning quiet. At 1500 the enemy opened fire of Crab Crawl with Trench Mortars and rifle grenades. We retaliated but the enemy continued firing at intervals until 1730.

12th November 1916 Engineers Advise  236th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery report OC. 128 Field Company went round all positions in the morning to advise on drainage and points in construction. Current Observation Point was also visited re continuation of Observation Point on the roof. The situation was normal until 1500 when Trench Mortar activity spread from the right onto our lines, but as before enemy did not give up until 1725 in spite of sharp retaliation.

13th November 1916 Visibility Good  236th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery report from Ypres. Visibility good resulting as usual in comparative inactivity of hostile Trench Mortars. A236 Battery fired on and dispersed several working parties. A236 Battery carried out a registration of the zone sub group. Our aeroplanes were active and one hostile machine came over at 1400 but soon veered off. Major P F Clifton went to B235 Battery on order of Commander RA.

14th November 1916 Intermittent Shelling  236th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery report: During the morning intermittent shelling took place at Sanctuary Wood, Maple Copse, Lille Gate and Ypres with 77 mm and 4.2 inch guns. Batteries fired back at Clonmel and continued registration. At 1400 hostile Trench Mortars were active on the Right. Activity spread to our zone at 1605. We retaliated with fifty 4.5 inch and eighty 18 pounder guns in sharp bursts, until the enemy was silenced at 1700. Six men seen J.20.d.7.4 dressed in blue uniform dispersed. Six men in sap Jige 10.55 were Stokes Mortared and strafed with 18 pounders. They ran back along the sap. Considerable movement of men and vehicles on road J.21.a.1.7 to J.27.a.0.5. A squad of men were seen at Tower Hamlets, but disappeared quickly.

16th November 1916 Visibility Excellent  236th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery report: Visibility excellent bringing unusual district shelling. Hostile aeroplanes were again active and more daring. During the afternoon level crossing I.21.d 4.5, Shrapnel Corner, Hell Fire Corner and Zillebeke were shelled with 77 mm and 4.2 inch guns. Enemy artillery generally unusually active. Proposed bombardment of I.30.b.8.0 fell through owing to a failure of communication.

17th November 1916 A Very Satisfactory Shoot  236th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery report Several Trench Mortar emplacements were registered. At 1130 bombardment of I.30.b.8.0 trench was carried out by D236 Battery, our infantry being cleared. There were no duds and it was a very satisfactory shoot. Several hits were obtained with trench boards, pieces of wood and revetment being blown through the air. The enemy's work was wrecked. Fifty eight rounds were fired all being observed from the front line. (Note: Revetment is the general lining of trench floors and walls including fire stepping and duckboards).

18th November 1916 Poor Visibility  236th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery report Visibility was poor generally. 4.2 inch guns were active in the morning on usual spots. Some activity with Trench Mortars on both sides near Hill 60 and The Dump. Bombardment of the Snout at 1630 by 18 pounders provoked no retaliation. 40% of Heavy Artillery shells were duds.

19th November 1916 Battery Registration  236th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery. report from Ypres. Registration for a special operation was carried out in the morning. Our Trench Mortars and artillery were active all day. At 2210 enemy Trench Mortars retaliated but stopped at once on our firing salvoes into Clonmel Copse. At 1550 Trench Mortars were active again. Our retaliation at first was ineffective because it was too dispersed. A second retaliation of well grouped Howitzers and 18 pounders effectively silenced the enemy. Enemy Trench Mortars fired from about J.19.c.2.4 and I.30.b.6.0.

20th November 1916 New Works  236th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery report B236 and D236 Batteries carried out a registration on new works. D236 reported new work at two points. Enemy shelled I.27.a.9.8 for first time for about three weeks but except for slight Trench Mortar activity at 1500, the enemy was quiet. D236 Battery report 3/29 blind.

21st November 1916 Reorganisation  236th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery report Visibility bad all day which was quiet. A raid attempted at 1130 from Cross Trench against J.19.c.45.55, failed owing to wire not being completely cut by the Bangalore Tube. Contradictory reports led Battalion Commander to stop Artillery Barrage and almost immediately to start it again. This was done very quickly in each case communications being excellent. A full programme was carried out by Artillery after abandonment of raid owing to call wire from Crab Crawl being broken. The semi circular barrage appeared to be very effective. Enemy retaliated with Trench Mortars only on trenches and 77 mm guns behind. Batteries engaged were A180, B236, D236, C188 and A236. Reorganisation of 18 pounder Batteries took place at noon 21st inst. Right Section C236 to B236. Left Section C236 to A236. BQMS continued to draw rations for C/236 men. GOC 47th Division made formal inspection of Wagon Lines. (Bangalore Torpedo-an explosive tube used to clear a path through a wire entanglement)

22nd November 1916 Visibility Bad  236th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery. report from Ypres. Visibility bad and day quiet. At 0530 a party of twelve Germans crawled over opposite Cross Trench and attempted to throw bombs. These all fell short and they retired hastily.

23rd November 1916 Exchange of Fire  236th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery report Enemy broke his custom and began Trench Mortar strafe in the morning. From 9am to 10.30am about thirty bombs were fired on our trenches I.21.d.5.3 and I.24.d.5.4. Group were informed and scheme two for bombardment of Trench Mortars was ordered at 1050. Left Brigade and Heavies did not fire but C180 Battery carried out the programme. Enemy became annoyed and at 1120 opened a heavy Trench Mortar fire on our trenches. Retaliation scheme two as ordered again at 1210. This time all batteries fired and at 1230 the enemy was silenced for the day. On Right of Group Zone the enemy's Trench Mortars were very active from 1345 to 1415 from Snout to Dump. This repeated from 1535 to 1615 with the addition of 4.2 inch and 77 mm guns. Reorganisation officially ordered but S.O. ASC still insists that C236 Battery should draw its own rations.

24th November 1916 Daily Battery Activity 236th London Brigade  236th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery at Ypres. Hostile Trench Mortars became active at 1450. Scheme two was ordered and enemy silenced. He appeared to retaliate for scheme two further to the right. At 1550 scheme six was ordered and was effective, but almost immediately a heavy bombardment broke out from Knoll Road to the Dump with the enemy using Trench Mortars, 4.2 inch and 77 mm guns. The Division on our Right retaliated and all was quiet by 1645.

25th November 1916 Infantry Officers Instructed  236th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery report Infantry officers attached to A236 and B236 Batteries for instruction. Batteries did not fire with observation being bad.

26th November 1916 Fire on Sound Bearings  236th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery record Morning very quiet until 1100 when five 5.9 inch shells fell near Blaupoort Farm. This was fired repeated at 1030. The Heavy Artillery were given Sound Bearings and fired on the suspected Battery and the Howitzer ceased fire. Visibility sketch was made from I.28.d.5.8, a proposed Observation Point on the back of Verbrandenmolen Hill to the corner of Armagh Wood site and Yeomanry Port and Observatory Ridge. From 1000 to 1300 the Dump was shelled with single 5.9 inch shell at one round per minute.

29th November 1916 Low Cloud  236th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery report C180 Battery dispersed a working party at J.19.b.7.1. between 1126 and 1215. D236 Battery registered by aeroplane. Usual trench mortar, 5.9 and 4.2 inch shelling. A fine day, but low cloud interfered with aeroplane observation.

1st December 1916 Covering 23rd Division  236th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery at Ypres record: All map references on Zillebeeke Bund.3.E 1/10,000 and sheet 28 1/40,000 236th Brigade RFA still covering the 23rd Division. A236 and B236 Batteries registered for special operations. Heavy mist made general observation impossible enemy artillery and trench mortars were very quiet. At 1230 a raid was attempted by the 11th Sherwood Foresters on sap at I.30.b.15.20, which was not successful.

2nd December 1916 Daily Battery Activity  236th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery. formerly 6th County of London Brigade RFA. Territorial Force.

No firing due to thick mist.

3rd December 1916 Visibility Bad  236th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery Batteries did not fire as visibility was bad. Our Trench Mortars were active, both heavy and medium. The enemy did not retaliate. At 0300 in the morning the observing officer reported Trench Mortars were active. At 0230 a successful raid was carried out at J.19.c.15.55. Our barrage silenced the enemy's fire.

4th December 1916 Visibility Good   236th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery report Visibility was good and all batteries carefully checked map and gun ranges. Considerable enemy movement was seen behind their lines and working parties were dispersed by A236 Battery with two salvoes falling amongst them, after which no further movement was observed. Barrage Z to help 47th Division was ordered at 1501 which was successful.

5th December 1916 Batteries in Action  236th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery report from Ypres. Visibility was good in the morning. D236 Battery registered a single gun at I.20.b.95.95. Working party in J.19.b fired on and dispersed. A direct hit was obtained on a wheelbarrow they were using. Trench Mortars were active against our trenches from 1315 to 1330 and 1500 to 1555. Scheme four was ordered and silenced the enemy fire at 1540. There was increased hostile artillery activity behind our lines. L’Ecole, Zillebeke Village and Station were shelled with 4.2 inch guns. Ypres Square, Station Crossing and Menem Road were shelled with 4.2 inch guns at 1700. Direct hits by 5.9 inch guns were obtained on Zillebeke Lake duck boards, Hellblast Corner and the Bund.

6th December 1916 Hostile Trench Mortars  236th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery report Visibility was good and the morning was quiet. Hostile Trench Mortars opened moderate fire on Crab Crawl and Winnipeg Street at 1300. Scheme two fire successfully silenced them.

7th December 1916 Hostile Trench Mortars  236th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery report the morning was quiet. At 1400 Trench Mortars were active on I.30.a and a scheme four was effective in silencing them. Visibility bad owing to the mist. At 1530 a stationary engine was heard working near Stirling Castle. A bugle was heard at 1600 behind Bodmin Copse.

8th December 1916 Visibility again Bad  236th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery report from Ypres. Visibility was again bad. At 1320 hostile medium Trench Mortarss opened fire on Winnifred Street and a scheme two was ordered. Enemy ceased fire before the scheme (with Heavy Artillery) was put into force, but the enemy did not retaliate. Enemy artillery remained inactive.

9th December 1916 Considerable Enemy Movement   236th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery report during the morning considerable enemy movement was seen near Stirling Castle at J.13.d.4.5 and at Tower Hamlets. These parties were fired on and dispersed. Engine noise again heard on bearing 134 degrees from I.24.d.7.4.

10th December 1916 Battery Registration  236th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery A236 Battery carried out careful registration of all guns. Flashes of a 5.9 inch Howitzer battery firing on Dickerbusch seen on bearing 140 degrees 5 minutes (true) from I.24.d.7.3. with time from flash to sound 13.5 seconds. 2/Lt Edds observed large Tower like edifice about forty feet high with construction of seven poles with three hooped bands round them. True bearing 39 degrees from I.24.d.70.35. It has no platform.

11th December 1916 Enemy Working Parties  236th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery report Working parties at I.13.d.30.15, were dispersed three times by A236 Battery, with casualties. Hostile balloon up from dawn to 0800. At 0900 a hostile aeroplane came over Blauwe Poort farm. A236 Battery fired but this drew attention and battery was shelled.

12th December 1916 Army Commader Visits  236th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery report Visibility as very poor and none of the batteries fired. Enemy was also very quiet. During the morning the 2nd Army Commander visited all batteries and was pleased with what he saw.

13th December 1916 Unusual Enemy Activity  236th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery report There was some unusual enemy activity. At 0900 the enemy's Trench Mortars opened fire and a Scheme two was commenced and continued intermittently until 1200. An enemy 77 mm Battery covered the fire. At 1340pm the enemy made a special bombardment of C Sap. At about 1400 hostile Trench Mortars were again active and spread down towards Hedge Street. A Scheme four was at once put into operation after which there was no further activity.

14th December 1916 Heavy Trench Mortar Silenced  236th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery report the morning was normal. At 1500 the Division on our right bombarded Hill 60 and the Snout. We cooperated on our front. The enemy retaliated at 1525. D236 Battery silenced a Heavy Trench Mortar. A Scheme five was ordered twice and the second time was effective. Much movement was seen on Tower Hamlets Road.

15th December 1916 An eventful day  236th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery record an eventful day. From 0700 to 0940 the enemy bombardment the whole of our trench system, paying especial attention to the part from Hedge Street to Canada Trench. We retaliated vigorously. Considerable damage was done to our trenches. At 1600 the enemy commenced another bombardment this time accompanied by an artillery barrage. All batteries stood to (action stations). About forty Germans advanced against Sap B. An SOS flare was fired and our barrage opened whilst the rocket was still in the air. This barrage come down on the enemy in No Mans Land and inflicted casualties. The enemy at once left our trenches and returned to his own. No more Germans attempted to penetrate the barrage. Several dead Germans were left in our trench and on the parapets. Our casualties were very slight.

16th December 1916 Enemy Artillery Active  236th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery report the enemy artillery was fairly active on our back area. Snipers were busy on both sides. D236 Battery fired one hundred and six rounds at 1530 in cooperation with Scheme of Division on our right (47th). Aeroplanes were active on both sides.

17th December 1916 Poor visibility.  236th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery record a very quiet day and poor visibility.

18th December 1916 Batteries Calibrated  236th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery report: Again a very quiet day and the Batteries calibrated.

19th December 1916 Much Work in Progress  236th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery report at 0950 A236 Battery fired on and dispersed a working party. At 1515 A236 fired on a new machine gun emplacement near Observation Point at I.19.c.10.65, but without effect. A lot of work is being done here.

20th December 1916 Considerable Damage  236th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery report From 1000 to 1130 the enemy bombarded our trenches with Trench Mortars and 4.2 inch guns, we retaliated with D236 Battery firing one hundred and forty rounds. Heavy and counter artillery Groups cooperated. GOC. 23rd Division asked for a further bombardment at 1530. This was carried out on the enemy support line opposite Stewart Street and considerable damage was done to the enemy's works.

21st December 1916 Slight Activity  236th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery report: Day was normal. Slight artillery activity on usual places. B236 Battery dispersed a working party.

22nd December 1916 Hostile Battery in Action  236th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery report front was very quiet all day. Considerable activity took place on our right. At 1430 a hostile 77 mm battery was seen in action from St Peters Street, 176.5 (true) from I.24.d.6.1. The battery shelled Yeomanry Port and Observatory Ridge.

23rd December 1916 Slight Activity  236th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery report Day was quiet except for slight activity from enemy 77 mm battery on roads. Working parties were seen and dispersed by our fire.

24th December 1916 Enemy Artillery Active  236th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery. report Enemy artillery activity on Railway Dugouts and Duckboards. Counter batteries engaged the battery shelling these places and the enemy ceased fire at 1700.

25th December 1916 Christmas in ypres  236th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery are at Ypres on Xmas Day. All very quiet during the morning. A236 Battery fired at intervals throughout the day on working parties at J.20.d.7.7 firing eighty six rounds. After firing on two occasions stretcher parties were seen and finally a large horse ambulance drove up. In the afternoon the lines at Zillebeke and Ypres Square were shelled by enemy 77 mm and 4.2 inch batteries respectively.

26th December 1916 Misty  236th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery report Very quiet all day and observation was bad owing to mist. Battery Commanders of relieving Brigade - 103 Brigade RFA - came up early. At 1000 a German fighting aeroplane came over our lines and shot down one of our planes near Gordon House. The first sections of the 103 Brigade will relieve our sections as soon as it will be dark enough.

27th December 1916 Relief  236th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery report from Ypres. Slight trench mortar activity in the morning. This was silenced by our Trench Mortars and 4.5 inch Howitzers. The remainder of the day was quiet. Completion of relief - the remaining two sections of each Battery moved in. Relief was completed by 2100 when command of Observatory Ridge Sector Artillery Group was handed over to OC. 103 Brigade RFA, 23rd Division Artillery. During the day the remaining section was moved to rest billets at Winnezeeze and Oudezeeze. Lt Col Lowe assumed command of the brigade. Lt G Lyon Smith returned to position of Adjutant after being Brigade Major of Lowe’s Group R.A.

28th December 1916 In Billets  236th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery now in billets at Winnezeeze and Oudezeeze. All horses were put under cover.

29th December 1916 Xmas Festivities   236th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery report from Friday 29th December to 31st December 1916 Refitting and Section Commander's inspections Xmas festivities are held late, owing to the fact that relief was taking place on the 25th and the day after.

1st January 1917 Training and recreation  236th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery. formerly 6th County of London Brigade RFA. Territorial Force are at Winnezeele. Batteries, with exception of C236 Battery in action with Left Group 47th Divisional Artillery, continued training in Reserve Area. 2/Lt A Morton Cole posted to B236 Battery.

2nd January 1917 Training  236th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery from Tuesday 2nd January 1917 to Sunday 21st January Training continued.

11th January 1917 Movements

15th January 1917 Movements

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