WITH A SIEGE BATTERY IN FRANCE. 303 SIEGE BATTERY, R.G.A 1916-1919

This is a record of the 303rd Siege Battery R.G.A. in England, Belgium, France and Germany, ending in December 1918 on the Rhine. The Battery was formed at Crown Hill, Plymouth, on 17th November 1916, to be equipped with six 6” Howitzers towed by four-wheel drive tractors. The first chapter discusses the employment of heavy artillery in the two basic roles: counter-bombardment and bombardment. It describes changes in tactics and techniques, support for surprise assaults (first used at Cambrai in 1917) involving secrecy and concealment.
The Battery left for France in April 1917 and fought on the Western front for the rest of the war – at Messines, Ypres, Cambrai, during the German 1918 offensive, at Amiens, Arras, Valenciennes and Mons and took part in the march to the Rhine; the last illustration in the book shows No 1 Gun in position beside the Rhine at Bonn. There is the Roll of all who served with the Battery which shows in each case final rank, date of joining, departing, why and where to. All casualties, dead, wounded, gassed, sick etc are also shown against the relevant name on the roll. At the end are two chapters, one on “O.P.s” and the other on Signals, wireless and Lewis guns. Finally there is a table summarising casualties; in all there were 222 and there is breakdown showing the nature of the casualty, i.e., killed, died of wounds, gassed etc.