HISTORY OF THE 71st SIEGE BATTERY SOUTH AFRICAN HEAVY ARTILLERY From July 1915 to The 11th November 1918

“From July 1915, The Date Of Its Formation At Cape Town, To The 11th November 1918, when “Cease Fire!” Sounded At Lesdain, On The Escault Canal, Near Turnai, Belgium”
The 71st Transvaal Siege Battery had served in the German South West Africa campaign as No3 Battery of the SA Heavy Artillery (one of five Btys of that Regt). In 1915 the title was changed to 71st (South African) Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery and the unit moved to England and then to the Western Front. Although it was during that period an element of the British Army, The Battery kept its South African identity and the men continued to wear South African gunner cap badges. This history chronicles in commendable details its activities from April 1916 onwards in the major actions of the following two years.- Ypres, the Somme, the Ancre, Bullecourt, Menin Road, Lens, Cambrai, La Bassee, the Lys, and the final Allied advance to the Armistice in the autumn of 1918.
Appendices, Roll of Honour (incomplete), Honours and Awards, list of officers and senior NCOs,unit nominal roll, diary of movements and locations complete this very scarce (in its original printing) regimental history.