1st Glamorganshire Artillery Volunteers

After the order to mobilise was received on 4 August 1914, the units of the Welsh Division assembled at their drill halls. The 1st Welsh Brigade mobilised at Swansea under the command of a regular officer, Major (Temporary Lt-Col, TF) J. Henry.[10][17][24]

By 11 August the Welsh units had completed their concentration and TF members were invited to volunteer for Overseas Service. Four days later the War Office (WO) issued instructions to separate those men who had signed up for Home Service only, and form these into reserve units. Then 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 batteries, brigades and divisions were created, mirroring those TF formations being sent overseas.[17][23][25]

4.5-inch howitzer preserved at the Royal Artillery Museum.

At the end of August the Welsh Division concentrated at Northampton to continue its training. On 18 November the division was warned for garrison duty in India, but this was cancelled and in December it moved to Cambridge, then to Bedford in May 1915. In July the infantry of the division (now renamed the 53rd (Welsh) Division) embarked for service at Gallipoli, but the divisional artillery remained at Bedford. In October the batteries were re-armed with modern 4.5-inch howitzers and on 8 November they handed over their obsolescent 5-inch howitzers to their 2nd Line unit, which had just arrived at Bedford.[17][23][24][26]

53rd (Welsh) Divisional Artillery was now ordered to France to join the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) on the Western Front. It embarked on 20 November and had concentrated at Pont-Remy by 25 November, from where parties were sent to various divisional artilleries for instruction in front line duties.[17][23][24][27]

Meanwhile, after suffering appalling casualties at Gallipoli, 53rd (Welsh) Division had been withdrawn to Egypt to refit. On 30 January 1916 the divisional artillery was ordered to rejoin the rest of the division. The batteries entrained at Pont-Remy, embarked at Marseilles on 3 February and disembarked at Alexandria on 11 February. By 22 February the artillery had rejoined the division at Beni Salama. For the rest of the year the recuperating division was stationed in the Suez Canal defences.[17][23][28][27]

In May 1916 the TF field brigades were numbered, the 1st Welsh being designated CCLXV (265) Brigade, RFA, and the batteries became A and B. Then on 25 December 1916 the divisional artillery was reorganised: A (1/1st Glamorgan) (H) Bty became C (H) Bty in CCLXVII (1/Cheshire) Bde, which took over the number CCLXV, while B (1/2nd Glamorgan) (H) Bty became C (H) Bty in CCLXVI (1/II Welsh) Bde; the Brigade Ammunition Column was absorbed into the Divisional Ammunition Column.[5][15][17][23][24][29]

Both batteries fought with their new brigades throughout the Sinai and Palestine Campaign of 1917–18, including the Battles of Gaza, the Fall of Jerusalem, and the final victory at Megiddo.[17][23][30]

De Bange 90 mm French field gun issued to 2nd Line batteries.

Although formation of the 2nd Line units began in September 1914, the 2nd Welsh Division (68th (2nd Welsh) Division from August 1915) did not concentrate at Northampton until April 1915, moving in the summer to replace the 53rd (Welsh) Division at Bedford. Training of the units was made difficult by the lack of arms and equipment, and the requirement to provide drafts to the 1st Line overseas. In June the first saddlery and horses began to arrive, but no guns until August, when the brigade received four French De Bange 90 mm guns. Some ammunition wagons arrived in September, and eight more 90 mm guns in October. Training began to speed up. In November the 90 mm guns were handed in, and the brigade moved to Bedford to take over the 5-inch howitzers from the 1st Line.[17]

68th (2nd Welsh) Division was now assigned a role in Home Defence and joined First Army (Home Forces) in Central Force, with its units quartered across Eastern England. In May 1916 the brigade was numbered CCCXL (340) Brigade and the batteries became A and B. However, like the 1st Line brigade, it was broken up before the end of 1916 to provide howitzer batteries to the field gun brigades: A (2/1 Glamorgan) (H) Bty went to CCCXLII (2/Cheshire) and B (2/2 Glamorgan) (H) Bty went to CCCXLIII (2/IV Welsh). They continued to serve with these brigades in Home Defence in Norfolk and Suffolk until the end of the war.[15][26]

The TA was doubled in size following the Munich Crisis of 1938, with existing units splitting to form duplicates before the outbreak of World War II. 81st Field Regiment reorganised as follows:[15][32]

81st (Welsh) Field Regiment, RA[33][34]

• RHQ at Port Talbot
• 323 (Glamorgan) Field Bty at Port Talbot
• 324 (Glamorgan Yeomanry) Field Bty at Bridgend

132nd (Welsh) Field Regiment, RA[34][35]

• RHQ at Neath
• 321 (Glamorgan) Field Bty at Swansea
• 322 (Glamorgan) Field Bty at Neath

81st Field Rgt remained part of 53rd (Welsh) Division, while 132nd was assigned to the duplicate 38th (Welsh) Infantry Division, which became active on 18 September 1939.[32][36][37]

Parts of 53rd (Welsh) Division were sent to Northern Ireland from October 1939, and the whole division was stationed there from 3 April 1940 to 30 April 1941 as part of VI Corps.[36][38][39][40] The establishment of a field regiment from 1941 onwards was three batteries, each of two four-gun troops of 25-pounders with Quad gun tractors, and 459 Bty was formed in 81st Fd Rgt.[41]

On returning to mainland Britain, the division served under III Corps and Western Command. On 8 April 1942 it was assigned to XII Corps District, then from 15 May 1943 in XII Corps it became part of 21st Army Group training for the Allied invasion of Normandy (Operation Overlord).[36][42]

25-pounders and Quad tractors advancing in Normandy August 1944.

53rd (Welsh) Division was among the follow-up troops landing after D-Day (6 June).[34][33] Its units were at sea from 21 June and completed landing on 27 June.[36] On 1 July it relieved 15th (Scottish) Division on the River Odon after the Battle of 'Scottish Corridor'.[43] 53rd Division was then involved in the Second Battle of the Odon from 15 July, capturing Cahier and holding on to it by hard fighting.[44][45] When the breakout from the Normandy beachhead began in early August, 53rd Division cleared the banks of the River Orne and then fought its way towards Falaise to help in closing the Falaise Pocket. By late August its units were across the Seine and driving over open country towards the River Somme.[46][47][48] On 4 September the division cleared St Pol and was working its way through the canal area west of Lille.[49][50]

There was a pause at the Meuse-Escaut Canal before Operation Market Garden was launched on 17 September. XII Corps had an important subsidiary role clearing the country west of XXX Corps' main thrust. 81st Field Rgt crossed the canal on 19 September and went into action supporting the advance of 71 Brigade. There was particularly at Wintelre, west of Eindhoven, which the Germans held for two days, with the regiment firing several barrages and taking some casualties from return fire. The divisional artillery's flank was open, and had to be protected by a company from the divisional reconnaissance regiment; around 50 Germans were taken prisoner within the regiment's gun lines. Afterwards the guns fired frequent Harassing Fire (HF) tasks as the enemy slowly withdrew in front of 53rd Division. On 7 October, the regiment moved into the Nijmegen bridgehead captured during Market Garden. While at Nijmegen one Forward Observation Officer (FOO) was killed, and the regiment's CO, Lt-Col Tyler, was wounded and evacuated.[51][52][53]

25-pounders in action during the advance on s'Hertogenbosch, 23 October 1944.

After the failure of Market Garden, XII Corps was ordered to advance westwards towards s'Hertogenbosch. 81st Field Rgt left Nijmegen on 18 October and took up its new gun positions by midnight on 20 October. The regiment had to provide its own patrols because there were no infantry between the guns and the enemy – the attacking infantry only moved up at the last moment. Lieutenant-Col R.V. Hills took over as CO on 20 October, and the next day Major R.J.H. Lloyd, who had been in temporary command, was wounded. The attack on s'Hertogenbosch (Operation Alan) began at 06.30 on 22 October, the infantry of 71 Bde advancing behind a timed programme fired by the guns. The regiment also fired at preselected targets on call, and fired coloured smoke to indicate targets for the Royal Air Force (RAF). The infantry made slow progress, but by the end of 23 October 71 Bde was nearing its objectives. Next day 81st Field Rgt fired in support of a fresh attack by 158 Brigade, which went well as the division fought its way into the outskirts of the town; it took two more days of house-to-house fighting to clear the old town, while the artillery fired HF tasks on the Germans' escape routes.[54][55][56][53]

Next XII Corps was switched to clearing the country between the Wessem and Zig Canals as 21st Army Group closed up to the River Maas.[57] 81st Field Rgt moved to Wessem with 71 Bde on 1 November to relieve the Independent Belgian Brigade on the canal line. On 9 November the FOO with 1st Battalion Highland Light Infantry and his signaller were captured by an enemy patrol as they went to their Observation Post (OP) before first light. When the regiment moved to south of Weert, there was no infantry protection in front, and enemy patrols set off tripwire flares close by. On 14 November the division crossed the canal (Operation Mallard) with support from the guns, and on 16 November the regiment struggled across the temporary bridges with 71 Bde, ending the day in front of the defended locality of Roermond. 71 Brigade attempted an assault crossing of the River Maas towards Roermond on the night of 21/22 November. Bridging operations were held up until the divisional artillery was able to suppress the German guns. 4th Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers, supported only by 81st Fd Rgt, made several abortive attempts to cross the anti-tank ditch, but 1st Battalion Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry succeeded, aided by a smokescreen fired by 81st Fd Rgt.[53]

Further operations were halted by winter weather. 71 Brigade Group including 81st Fd Rgt went for rest in Bocholt, Belgium. In December the regiment was required to transfer 25 of its men to the infantry to make up for losses in the campaign so far. On 20 January 1945 the division moved to the Eindhoven area to refit and train for a special operation. On the night of 4/5 February the regiment moved its guns into concealed positions near Groesbeek, while the rest of the men were confined to barracks in Nijmegen and the divisional signs on vehicles were painted over.[53]

The Battle of the Reichswald (Operation Veritable) opened at 05.00 on 8 February with the heaviest concentration of artillery employed by the British Army so far in the war. The bombardment hit enemy gun positions, HQs, and communications. After a pause and dummy attack at 07.40 to induce the Germans to man their guns, the Counter-battery fire was resumed and a barrage was laid down to protect the assaulting columns. At 10.30 the full barrage made its first lift and the advance began. 81st Field Rgt fired in support of 71 Bde as usual. 53rd Division's objectives were the Brandenburg and Stoppelberg features in the northern part of the Reichswald. Opposition was not strong but the terrain was difficult. By 02.00 on 9 February the leading units were through the Siegfried Line defences and closing on the Stoppelberg. That feature was taken during the morning and the division pushed on to the edge of the forest, but it was hard to get guns and vehicles along the muddy forest tracks. 81st Field Rgt reported that the second-in-command's OP tank had to be used to tow out bogged guns and tractors ('its only use; in all other respects it was an infernal nuisance'). It took several days for the division to push on through Pfalzdorf towards Goch, mopping up opposition and fending off counter-attacks. Goch fell on 21 February.[53][58]

53rd Division was not involved in the assault crossing of the Rhine (Operation Plunder) on 23/24 March, but crossed on 26 March and the next day attacked through Hamminkeln to Dingden. It then took part in the drive to the Elbe.[59] The German surrender at Lüneburg Heath, ending the fighting on 21st Army Group's front, came on 4 May.

81st (Welsh) Field Regiment was placed in suspended animation in 1946.[15]

38th (Welsh) Division underwent training through the winter of 1939–40 in South-East Wales as part of Western Command. Training was hindered by the lack of equipment. After the British Expeditionary Force was evacuated from Dunkirk, the divisions at home under training only had about six World War I-era guns apiece. On 15 July the division joined III Corps, part of the Mobile Force stationed in Wales and NW England.[37][60][61][62][63]

From April 1941 the division was in Southern England as IV Corps' Reserve, stationed behind 47th (London) and 55th (West Lancashire) Divisions along the Sussex Coast.[37][64] 38th Division's Commander, Royal Artillery (CRA), Brigadier H.J. Parham, developed techniques for concentrating large numbers of guns onto a single target in a very short time, and demonstrated them on the artillery ranges at Larkhill on Salisbury Plain.[65] When the three-battery establishment was introduced in 1941, 132nd Fd Rgt formed 496 Fd Bty.

132nd Field Rgt left 38th Division on 15 July 1942, when it joined 78th Division. This was a new formation being assembled from disparate units for First Army in preparation for the Allied invasion of North Africa (Operation Torch).[34][35][37][66]

78th 'Battleaxe' Division's insignia.

11 Infantry Brigade Group from 78th Division, including 132nd Fd Rgt, landed in the first wave of Operation Torch. Forward Observation Officers from the artillery accompanied the two assault battalions as they landed on 'Apples Green' and 'Apples White' beaches near Algiers. After landing and consolidating the beachhead, they were to capture Blida Airfield and secure the roads around Birtouta. The landings began exactly on time at 01.00 on 8 November 1942, met no opposition from the Vichy French, and the whole brigade group was ashore before 12.00. It was in position around Birtouta by nightfall.[67]

11 Brigade Group began the march towards Tunis (500 miles (800 km) distant) on 15 November as the first support troops began unloading at Algiers docks and the air forces began operating the airfields. The group's attack on Medjez el Bab on 25 November failed, but other forces bypassed it and the brigade occupied it the next day and pushed on for Tebourba, only about 20 miles (32 km) from Tunis. Early on 27 November, 1st Battalion East Surrey Regiment was widely extended in front of Tebourba when it was attacked by the hastily-formed German Kampfgruppe Lüder. The Surreys suffered heavy casualties and 322 Bty supporting them lost all eight of its guns. The division was involved in bitter defence for the Tebourba Gap against German attacks on 1–3 December, and another bitter battle round Longstop Hill on 22–24 December.[68]

A Camouflaged 25-pounder Gun in Action near Medjez-el-Bab, by Henry Carr.

The renewed Allied offensive in Tunisia began on 8 April 1943 with operations to open the Oued Zarga–Medjez road. For 78th Divisions' attack on Chaouach and Toukabeur the divisional artillery was joined by all the heavy artillery and the foothills were captured without much difficulty; both villages had been taken and an advance of 10 miles (16 km) made by the end of the following day. On 14 April the division attacked the hills overlooking Longstop Hill, in four days of hard fighting, but could not hold the final hill, Tanngoucha.[69] On 23 April it attacked Longstop and Tanngoucha again (the Second Battle of Longstop Hill), despite an army-wide shortage of 25-pounder ammunition. This time the positions were taken and held after several days of fighting.[70] 78th Division was then positioned for a direct drive on Tunis (Operation Vulcan). This was launched by IX Corps, supported by all the guns of V Corps including 78th Division. The operation was launched on the evening of 5 May and extended the following day. The weight of artillery fire was immense, with all the guns averaging 368 rounds per gun in the first 24 hours, and the infantry made steady progress. Tunis fell on 7 May and all remaining Axis forces in Tunisia surrendered by 13 May.[71]

78th Division had been selected for the Allied invasion of Sicily (Operation Husky) as early as January 1943,[72] and after the end of the Tunisian campaign went into training at Hammamet. It was assigned to Eighth Army as a reserve formation for the operation, which began with assault landings on 10 July. 78th Division embarked on 23 July and landed on the beaches near Cassibile between 25 and 28 July. It began moving into its concentration area south of Monte Scalpello on 26 July and completed its concentration on 30 July, just in time to participate in the Battle of Centuripe.[66][73]

Large amounts of 25-pounder ammunition had been gathered for this operation. 78th Division's task was first to relieve 3rd Canadian Infantry Brigade across the Dittaino river at Catenanuova and expand the bridgehead, then to capture the hill town of Centuripe. The division began the movement promptly, and began the attack on Centuripe a day early. The divisional artillery deployed wherever it could find positions along the road; as the Official Historian commented: 'In Sicily there grew up the art, further developed in Italy of placing field and medium guns in positions which would have been seen in earlier days, as freakish'. The initial advance across 'immensely difficult terrain' was accomplished, but then there was bitter fighting for the town itself. On the afternoon of 2 August the division's reserve, 38 (Irish) Bde was sent in, supported by 132nd Fd Rgt and the rest of the divisional and corps artillery. The town was cleared by first light the next day.[74]

78th Division was then sent round the west side of Mount Etna. 38 (Irish) Brigade crossed the Salso on 4 August and the Simeto on 5 August, with strong artillery support. German resistance then stiffened, and 78th Division had to put in a full-scale attack at Bronte and Maletto before capturing the key point of Randazzo on 13 August. By now the Germans were evacuating Sicily, and the division was ordered to stand fast.[75]

25-pounder and crew in a waterlogged position in Italy, October 1944.

The Allies landed on mainland Italy in early September 1943. 78th Division began to arrive on 22 September, and immediately began advancing towards Foggia and its important complex of airfields.[66][76] Next, it was sent to cross the Biferno and capture Termoli, with two brigades sent round the coast by landing craft and one wading across the river on 3 October. Unfortunately, heavy rain the next day made the river impassable, just when a counter-attack by Panzers was developing. The situation was dangerous on 5 October until Royal Engineers completed a bridge for tanks and guns to get across in support, after which the advance was resumed.[77]

At the end of October 78th Division was ordered to capture Vasto and the high ground beyond, but rain and mud bedevilled preparations. The division seized Vineyard Hill on 3 November and the enemy began to withdraw that night. By 9 November the division had reached the Sangro, which formed part of the Germans' Bernhardt Line. Patrols could cross the river, but a fullscale operation was needed to establish a bridgehead. Despite the weather the Royal Engineers repaired roads and built bridges. When the weather abated the 6th Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers of 38 Bde broke out of the bridgehead and captured Santa Maria on 29 November, supported by all the divisional artillery and a number of other regiments. Next day the brigade swept down the Li Colli ridge to Fossacesia, and took Rocca on 1 December. In the first three days of the Battle of the Sangro, the field regiments fired over 600 rounds per gun. Afterwards the division was sent to rest.[78]

Progress in the Italian campaign bogged down during the winter of 1943–4. The Allies' spring campaign in 1944 began with a renewed attempt to take Monte Cassino, and 78th Division had been moved across Italy to be in XIII Corps' reserve for this. All the field guns in the corps were involved in the preliminary bombardment and then the Creeping barrage laid on for the attacking divisions on 11/12 May. 78th Division was committed to the battle on 15 May in the Liri Valley. At first light on 19 May, 36 Bde was launched at Aquino, supported by all three regiments of field artillery and masked by mist. But when the mist cleared it became obvious that the German positions (part of the Hitler Line) were very strong and the attack had to be called off. However, the weight of artillery overwhelmed the German guns and by 25 May the leading troops of the division reached Roccasecca railway station. The Germans began to withdraw that night, and XIII Corps began a slow pursuit along Highway 6 against rearguards. 78th Division reached Alatri on 2 June and then went into reserve.[79][80]

78th Division returned to the line for the Battle of Lake Trasimene, working its way up the west bank of the Tiber against strong opposition, 10-24 June, securing Pescia and its river but suffering heavy casualties. The exhausted division was then sent to the Middle East for rest and refit, embarking for Egypt on 23 July.[66][81] Casualties in Eighth Army meant that the division had to return to the Italian front in the autumn, landing on 15 September. The division began assembling around Fano and then moved into the Santerno Valley, on appalling roads that even defeated the 'Quad'.[66][82]

The division held Monte Cappello and Monte Battaglia, but advancing was difficult, and the capture of Monte La Pieve and Monte Spadura took from 13 to 24 October at heavy cost.[83] Fighting on the Italian Front largely shut down for winter, but not before more abortive attacks by 78th Division in December.[84]

78th Division returned to V Corps for the Allied Spring 1945 offensive in Italy (Operation Grapeshot). Once the Senio was crossed, 78th Division was to push through towards the Bastia Bridge on the Reno and on to Argenta. The operation was launched on 9 April behind massed artillery and went according to plan, with 78th Division clearing Cotignola and then moving into the lead. On 13 April 38 Brigade provided the break-out force of battalion groups with field artillery regiments in support. Once the Reno had been bridged, 38 Bde fought its way through and broke out once more, heading for the critical 'Argenta Gap'. By now 25-pounder ammunition was running short, but on 18 April 38 Bde cut in behind Argenta and 78th Division was leap-frogging its brigades up the Via Adriatica. Then it headed for the River Po, arriving on 22 April. After more stiff fighting, the division crossed in pursuit of the disintegrating German forces.[85] Fighting on the Italian Front ended on 2 May after the Surrender of Caserta, and 78th Division entered Austria as part of the occupation force on 8 May 1945, advancing towards Villach and Klagenfurt.[66][86]

132nd (Welsh) Field Regiment was disbanded in 1947.[15][34][87]