The importance of Artillery

Artillery is usually divided into two groups; light and heavy artillery. Light, or Field Artillery, was manoeuvrable, travelling in support of infantry. Manoevreability limited munitions' size and weight, resulting in lighter damage to enemy infantry or cavalry. Heavy artillery used much larger guns and munitions and were less mobile so used fixed positions for as long as possible.

Whereas Germany relied on mobility during the Franco-Prussian War (July 1870 - May 1871), this soon changed during World War 1 with advances in weaponry, such as machine guns and improvements in artillery. This created a defensive strategy, with artillery fire becoming the largest cause of troop mortality.

The trench warfare that ensued resulted in stalemate. The advantages and importance of heavy artillery became apparent.

In 1914, the British Army had very little heavy artillery. This changed throughout the war when heavy artillery became the predominant strategic offensive artillery force.

Large calibre guns such as the 60-pound gun (named because it fired a 60 lb shell) and 5-inch howitzers (so-called because of the diameter of the shell they fired) were positioned well behind the front lines. When coordinated, they wielded immense destructive power.

As British artillery tactics improved and evolved, heavy batteries were usually employed to destroy or neutralise enemy artillery and destroy stores, strongpoints, ammunition dumps, roads and railways carrying troops behind enemy lines.

During the withdrawal of allied forces to the Marne, the artillery would be positioned well behind the front line providing better protection from sudden attack. They targeted using map coordinates by the application of geometry and mathematics. Later, employing the triangulation of sound, gunfire flash spotting with aerial spotting from balloons and aircraft using the Royal Flying Corps, British heavy batteries were used for enemy counter-battery fire. Pilots aided the artillery by carrying a wireless set and map to identify enemy positions before transmitting messages in morse code providing enemy positions using map sector coordinates.

108 Heavy Battery were one of the first units to be sent to France, arriving on 17 August 1914 as part of the 5th Division between 20 August 1914 and April 1915, under the command of Major-General Sir Charles Fergusson. Lieutenant-Colonel C.F Romer was his General Staff Officer.

108 Heavy Battery fought during the Battles of Mons, The Marne, The Aisne and the First Battle of Ypres (19 October - 22 November 1914) using four 60-pounder guns, each pulled by twelve horses and operated by ten men. Two guns made up the left section, whilst the other two became the right section. Each section could move independently of the other when required to do so. On 3 September 1916, the battery was increased to six guns with the addition of two guns from 169 Heavy Battery, RGA.

On 9 April 1915, the battery joined 10 Heavy Artillery Group (HAG). Later changes were made:

17 April 1915 - transferred to 4 HAG,

27 April 1915 - 5 May 1915, joined 13 HAG,

6 - 14 May 1915, joined 28 Division,

15 May 1915, transferred to 11 HAG,

31 May 1915, transferred to 16 HAG,

6 June 1915, transferred to 2 Group HAG,

18 July 1915, transferred to 9 HAG,

27 July 1916, transferred to 2 HAG

4 December 1916, returned to 9 HAG,

24 March 1917, transferred to 65 HAG,

3 July 1917, finally transferred to 46 HAG where they remained.

Information about daily battery activities during WW1 can be found in the 108 Heavy Battery War Diary from the National Archive, Kew, under reference WO95/543 which covers the period between 17 August 1914 to 30 September 1915. All HAG diaries are stored in the WO95 series.