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- 71 Brigade, Royal Field Artillery during the Great War -


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

71 Brigade, Royal Field Artillery



   LXXI Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, made up of 223, 224 and 225 Batteries RFA and the Brigade Ammunition Column served with 15th (Scottish) Division. 15th (Scottish) Division was formed in September 1914, as part of Kitchener's Second New Army. In February 1915 the three six-gun batteries were reorganised to become four four-gun batteries and were titled as A, B, C and D. 71 Brigade proceeded to France in the second week of July 1915. They were in action in the The Battle of Loos in 1915.

In spring 1916, they were involved in the German gas attacks near Hulluch and the defence of the Kink position. On the 22nd May 1916 the Brigade Ammunition Column merged with other columns of the divisional artillery to form the 15th Divisional Ammunition Column. On the 7th of June 1916 D Battery exchanged with C Battery, 73 (Howitzer) Brigade of the same division, each adopting the others name. 71 Brigade were in action during the Battles of the Somme, including The Battle of Pozieres, The Battle of Flers-Courcelette and the capture of Martinpuich, The Battle of Le Transloy and the attacks on the Butte de Warlencourt. The brigade was reorganised in early December 1916. C Battery was split between A and B Battery to bring them up to six guns each. B Battery, 73 (Howitzer) Brigade joined and was renamed C Battery, 71 Brigade. On the 22nd of January 1917 a section of two howitzers from 532 (Howitzer) Battery, 72 Brigade joined to make to D (Howitzer) Battery but to six guns.

In 1917 they were in action in The First and Second Battle of the Scarpe, including the capture of Guemappe during the Arras Offensive. They then moved north to Flanders and were in action during the The Battle of Pilckem and The Battle of Langemark. In 1918 they fought in The First Battle of Bapaume, The First Battle of Arras, The Battle of the Soissonnais and the Ourcq taking part in the attack on Buzancy, and The Final Advance in Artois.

28th July 1915 6th London Brigade RFA movements  6th County of London Brigade RFA report Major H.D. Sprague (2/6th London Battery RFA) and Captain E.J. Matcham (2/3rd East Anglian Brigade RFA) attached to the 16th and 17th London Batteries respectively. One section of the 15th London Battery was last night relieved by a section of A Battery ( 71st Brigade RFA, Kitchener’s Army) This section of the 15th London Battery proceeded forthwith to Gosnay. 16th London Battery fired 4 rounds on German Front Line trenches and 20 rounds on Loos, all in retaliation. A draft of 4 men received from Base Details.

29th July 1915 Daily Battery Activity 6th London Brigade RFA   6th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery record in their war diary: The remaining section of the 15th London Battery and one section of the 16th London Battery were relieved by sections of Batteries of the 71st Brigade, RFA last night. D Battery of the 70th Brigade, RFA was in position at Vermelles, should have relieved the 17th London Battery, but having lost its way, failed to put in an appearance until 0400. As it was then daylight the relief had to be postponed.

30th July 1915 On the Move

22nd Aug 1915  Artillery Duel  location map

25th Aug 1915  Heavy Shelling  location map

3rd September 1915 Enemy fired Rifle Grenades

21st Sep 1915 Artillery in Action

22nd Sep 1915 Bombardment

23rd Sep 1915 Bombardment  location map

24th Sep 1915 Bombardment

25th Sep 1915 In Action  location map

26th Sep 1915 Heavy Shelling  location map

10th Dec 1915 Relief Complete  location map

11th Dec 1915 Reliefs Complete  location map

15th December 1915 Action Stations  location map

23rd Dec 1915 Misty  location map

24th Dec 1915 Shells fired  location map

25th Dec 1915 Shelling  location map

26th Dec 1915 Quiet  location map

27th Dec 1915 Relief  location map

28th Dec 1915 Relief Complete  location map

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There are:5251 items tagged 71 Brigade, Royal Field Artillery available in our Library

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71 Brigade, Royal Field Artillery

during the Great War 1914-1918.

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Records of 71 Brigade, Royal Field Artillery from other sources.


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      World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar great battalion regiment artillery
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253311

Gnr. Henry Ablett A Battery, 71st Brigade Royal Field Artillery (d.7th Apr 1917)

Henry Ablett was the son of Charles Frank and Phoebe Ablett. One of two brothers serving in France, both keen horseman from a farming family.

Keith Walters




250214

Gnr, James Moffat "Moff" Beckwith 71st Brigade, 225th Battery Royal Field Artillery

My Grandfather, James Beckwith, went to France in July 1915 aged 33 years. He served in Northern France and Belgium and returned home in 1918.

Les Beckwith






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