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1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers

April 13, 2024

The 1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers was a part-time unit of the British Army's Royal Artillery from 1859 to 1961. Raised as coastal defence artillery, the unit later served as field artillery in Mesopotamia during World War I, and in North Africa, Sicily, Italy and North West Europe during World War II. It carried out a number of roles in the postwar Territorial Army.

1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers
1st Home Counties Brigade, RFA
57th (Home Counties) Field Regiment, RA
113th (Home Counties) Field Regiment, RA
257 (County of Sussex) Field Regiment, RA
313 (Sussex) Heavy AA Regiment, RA
Letterhead of the 1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, c1900
Active19 November 1859 – 4 October 1961
Country United Kingdom
Branch Volunteer Force/Territorial Army
TypeArtillery Corps
RoleCoastal Artillery
Field Artillery
Anti-Aircraft Artillery
SizeArtillery Brigade/Regiment
Garrison/HQBrighton
EngagementsMesopotamian Campaign
Battle of France
Alamein
Tunisian Campaign
Sicily
Italy
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Sir Charles Gervaise Boxall, KCB, VD

Volunteer Force edit

Origin edit

The enthusiasm for the Volunteer Movement following an invasion scare in 1859 saw the creation of many units composed of part-time soldiers eager to supplement the Regular British Army in time of need.[1] The 1st Sussex Artillery Volunteer Corps (AVC) was formed at Brighton on 19 November 1859. This soon reached a strength of eight batteries. Other AVCs were formed along the Sussex Coast, and on 8 June 1860 the 1st Administrative Brigade, Sussex Artillery Volunteers was formed at Brighton with the following composition:[2][3][4][5][6]

  • 1st Sussex AVC at Brighton
  • 2nd Sussex AVC, formed at Fairlight, East Sussex on 13 March 1860
  • 3rd Sussex AVC formed at Hailsham on 15 May 1860; HQ moved to Eastbourne in 1878
  • 4th Sussex AVC, formed at Shoreham-by-Sea on 28 December 1860; absorbed into 1st Sussex AVC September 1864, regained independence 14 July 1875.

G.C. Dalbaic, formerly of the 4th Light Dragoons, was appointed lieutenant-colonel of the 1st Admin Brigade in 1864, with Lt-Col Thomas G. Johnston of the 1st Sussex AVC as his major. Major Charles S. Hannington of the 1st Sussex AVC, owner of Hanningtons department store in Brighton, became lt-col of both the AVC and the Admin Brigade in 1868, and honorary colonel in 1873.[5] In 1865 the 1st Sussex became the first unit to win the Queen's Prize at the annual National Artillery Association competition held at Shoeburyness. They subsequently won it again in 1867.[7]

In April 1880 the 1st Admin Brigade was consolidated as the 1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers with 12 batteries organised as follows:[3][4][6]

  • Nos 1 to 8 at Brighton
  • No 9 at Fairlight
  • Nos 10 and 11 at Eastbourne
  • No 12 at Shoreham

The 1st Sussex was assigned to the Cinque Ports Division of the Royal Artillery (RA) in 1882, transferring to the Eastern Division after the Cinque Ports Division was disbanded in 1889.[3][4][5][6]

In 1886 the unit was divided into the 1st and 2nd Sussex Artillery Volunteers based at Brighton and Eastbourne respectively.[3][4][5][6]

Position artillery edit

 
16 Pounder Rifled Muzzle Loading gun of one of 1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers position batteries

As well as manning fixed coast defence artillery, from the early days of the Artillery Volunteers Captain George Darby of the 3rd Sussex AVC, a former MP for Sussex, had promoted the idea of the Volunteers manning semi-mobile 'position batteries' of smooth-bore field guns pulled by agricultural horses. This concept was put into practice by a number of AVCs, but the War Office refused to pay for the upkeep of field guns and they had died out among the AVCs in the 1870s. In 1888 the concept was revived and some Volunteer batteries were reorganised as position artillery to work alongside the Volunteer infantry brigades. In 1892 the 1st Sussex was reorganised as follows:[6][8]

No 1 Position Battery at Brighton Nos 2–6 Garrison Companies at Brighton No 7 Garrison Company at Lewes[9] No 8 Garrison Company at High Street, Shoreham[10]

In 1899 the Artillery volunteers were transferred to the Royal Garrison Artillery (RGA), the Sussex units becoming the 1st Sussex RGA (V) at Brighton and 2nd Sussex RGA (V) at Eastbourne respectively, with the 2nd Sussex designated as position or 'heavy' artillery.[3][4][5][6]

Railway gun edit

 
40 Pounder gun on armoured train, 1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, 1896

Charles Gervaise Boxall (1852–1914), a Brighton-born London solicitor, was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 1st Sussex in 1873 and rose to become its commanding officer (CO) in 1893. In 1884 he published The Armoured Train for Coast Defence in Great Britain, outlining a new way to employ heavy artillery. No 6 Garrison Company of the 1st Sussex AVC was formed entirely from railway workers, and in 1894 they manned an Armoured train constructed in the workshops of the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway (of which the unit's Honorary Colonel, Sir Julian Goldsmid, was a director).[4][6][11]

Boxall was an enthusiastic member of the Volunteer Movement, and was awarded the Volunteer Decoration (VD) in 1894 and made a Companion of the Bath (CB) in 1897. He succeeded Goldsmid as Honorary Colonel in 1896. When the Second Boer War broke out, he suggested the creation of a combat unit drawn from the London volunteer units. This became the City of London Imperial Volunteers (CIV) to which he acted as secretary and depot commandant. Boxall was knighted (KCB) for his services during the war, and in 1906–7 he served on the committee that recommended the creation of the Territorial Force.[11][12]

Territorial Force edit

 
15-pounder gun.

When the Volunteers were subsumed into the new Territorial Force (TF) under the Haldane Reforms of 1908,[13][14] the bulk of the 1st and 2nd Sussex RGA (V) transferred to the Royal Field Artillery (RFA), forming the I Home Counties Brigade and two batteries of the II Home Counties Brigade respectively. Two companies of the 1st Sussex remained with the RGA to form part of the Kent and Sussex RGA.[4][15][16][17][18][19]

The I (or 1st) Home Counties Brigade had the following organisation:[5][17]

I Home Counties Brigade, RFA

  • HQ at Drill Hall, Church Street, Brighton[20][21]
  • 1st Sussex Battery at Brighton
  • 2nd Sussex Battery at Brighton
  • 3rd Sussex Battery at Drill Hall, Marmion Road, Hove;[22] C Subection at Shoreham [10]
  • 1st Home Counties Ammunition Column at Worthing[23]

The three batteries were each equipped with four 15-pounder guns. The unit was assigned to the Home Counties Division of the TF.[24][25][26][27]

Affiliated to the unit were the 1st Cadet Battalion, 1st Home Counties Bde, RFA, (Imperial Service Cadet Corps) at Brighton, the Steyne School Cadet Corps, and the Brighton Brigade, Sussex Cadets.[5]

World War I edit

Mobilisation edit

On the outbreak of war, the TF was mobilised for home defence and units were then invited to volunteer for overseas service. On 15 August 1914 the War Office issued instructions to separate those men who had signed up for Home Service only, and 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. Duplicate battalions, brigades and divisions were thereby created, mirroring those TF formations being sent overseas. The titles of these 2nd Line units would be the same as the original, but distinguished by a '2/' prefix. In this way the 1/I and 2/I Home Counties Brigades were formed.[28][29][30]

On the outbreak of war in August 1914 the unit was under the command of Lt-Col Sir Berry Cusack-Smith, 5th Bt, KCMG, former Consul-General to Valparaiso, and the officer commanding 1st Sussex Bty was Major A.P. Boxall (nephew of Sir Charles Boxall).[5]

1/I Home Counties Brigade edit

The bulk of the Home Counties Division, including the 1/I Home Counties Brigade without its Brigade Ammunition Column, embarked at Southampton and sailed on 30 October 1914 for India to relieve Regular Army units to fight on the Western Front. The Territorials disembarked at Bombay 1–3 December, and were allotted to various peacetime stations across India. Although the Home Counties Division remained in the order of battle and received a number (as the 44th (Home Counties) Division) in May 1915, it never served as a complete formation during the First World War.[24] On arrival in India 1/I Home Counties Bde was assigned to the 5th (Mhow) Division.[31]

The Territorials completed their training in India to prepare them for possible active service, and they supplied drafts to units serving in the Mesopotamian campaign. When there was an urgent request for reinforcements to lift the Turkish Army's Siege of Kut, the 1/I Home Counties Bde was part of the 'Emergency Force' sent from India. Still armed with obsolescent 15-pounders it landed at Basra between 7 and 12 December 1915 and in January 1916 it joined Tigris Corps (soon afterward retitled III Indian Corps).[24][32][33]

Mesopotamia 1916 edit

1/1st and 1/2nd Sussex Batteries moved up with the Emergency Force to reinforce Nasiriyah on the Euphrates, while 1/3rd Sussex Bty and Bde HQ followed later. During January, 12th Indian Division HQ at Nasiriyah pushed a force including 1/2nd Sussex Bty a few miles up the river to Butaniyah against some opposition, but there it halted.[34] Meanwhile, 1/1st Sussex Bty with 7th (Meerut) Division took part in the Battle of Sheikh Sa'ad, attempting to dislodge the main Turkish force blocking the way to Kut. The force advanced on both banks of the Euphrates, the 1/1st Sussex Bty accompanying the column on the left bank. The attack went in on 6 January, but morning mist followed by Mirage made accurate artillery fire difficult in the flat featureless terrain. Even with the support of 1/1st Sussex Bty, the 37th Dogras had only got to about 800 yards from the Turkish trenches by 15.30 and were digging in under heavy fire. The attack was called off to allow the troops to regroup. In a renewed attack the following day the battery suffered the same problems, and the column had no better success. The right bank column, however, succeeded in taking Sheikh Sa'ad, despite heavy casualties. The force was too exhausted to take immediate advantage of the position.[35][36]

An attempt to turn the enemy line on 13 January led to the Battle of the Wadi. 1/1st Sussex Bty again supported 7th (Meerut) Division. The infantry forded the River Wadi with ease, but it constituted a serious obstacle to artillery, so the guns were not across until the afternoon. Once they had come into action at 13.30, firing into the rear of the Turkish guns and trenches at a range of 3500 yards, 7th (Meerut) Division began its attack. Most of the Turkish artillery fire was directed at the British guns rather than the infantry, but the attack still made little progress. The divisional artillery had to be concentrated before the next attack, and bad weather on 14 January delayed this. Meanwhile, the Turks had slipped away to their next position of strength at Hanna, and pursuit was hampered by the weather.[37] On 7 February the detachment at Butaniyah was withdrawn, 1/2nd Sussex Bty covering the retirement.[38]

By the beginning of March the relief force had been reinforced, including 1/3rd Sussex Bty, and a new advance against the Hanna position was begun. 1/1st and 1/3rd Sussex Btys remained with the weak force left to contain the enemy and guard the British camp and bridges, so they played little part in the Battle of Dujaila, which was another failure.[39]

For the third relief attempt, on 5 April, 1/1st and 1/3rd Sussex Btys were with the concentrated corps artillery, which was organised into separate counter-battery, enfilading, breaching and barrage groups. However, the Turks had abandoned their trenches and the attack hit 'thin air'. The force pushed on and made a rushed attack on poorly-reconnoitred positions at dawn the following day. The artillery fire was misdirected in the poor light, and the attack was bloodily repulsed at Sannaiyat. A series of deliberate attacks on the Sannaiyat position failed to break through, though they got to Bait Isa. On 18 April the Turks put in a strong counter-offensive, against which the artillery caused terrible casualties, especially when the Turkish infantry retreated from the unbroken British line.[40] A renewed British attack on 22 April failed to break through, despite the concentration of artillery, and shortly afterwards the garrison of Kut surrendered.[41]

India edit

1/I Home Counties Bde was withdrawn to India in July 1916.[24][42] On return to India the 1/1st and 1/2nd Sussex Btys went to Lahore where they were attached to 1/I Wessex Bde RFA in 3rd Lahore Divisional Area,[43] while 1/3rd Sussex Bty went to Sialkot under II Mountain Brigade RGA in 2nd (Rawalpindi) Division.[44]

In December 1916 the 1/1st and 1/3rd Sussex Btys, now at Multan and Delhi respectively, joined with the 1/4th and 1/5th Sussex Btys (from 1/II Home Counties Brigade) to form the I Combined Home Counties Brigade in 3rd Lahore Divisional Area.[43]

During 1916 the brigade had been formally renumbered as CCXX Brigade (220th Bde) and the batteries designated A, B and C. In 1917 the batteries were finally re-equipped with 18-pounders and redesignated again as 1064, 1065 and 1066 Btys; 1065 Bty was then broken up between the other two to bring them up to six guns each.[17][24] From April to September 1917, Brigade HQ and 1066 Bty were at Meerut and 1064 Bty still at Multan, all under 7th Meerut Divisional Area.[45]

The brigade (with a reformed Brigade Ammunition Column) returned to Basra between 18 and 23 October 1917.[24]

Mesopotamia 1918 edit

 
18-pounder in action in Mesopotamia.

CCXX Brigade made its way from Basra to Baghdad where it joined the newly formed 17th Indian Division on 11 November. In May 1918 it was joined by 403rd (Howitzer) Bty (with six 4.5-inch howitzers) from England and an Anglo-Indian battery formed in India with four 18-pounders.[24][46][47][48][49][50][51] Other RFA brigades from 44th and 67th (HC) Divisions also served in 17th and 18th Indian Divisions, which constituted the bulk of I Indian Corps under Lt-Gen Sir Alexander Cobbe, VC, which concentrated at Tikrit on the Tigris in October 1918.[50]

By now the Turks were in retreat in Palestine and on the Euphrates Front in Mesopotamia, and it was time for the forces on the Tigris Front to exert pressure by advancing on Mosul. 17th Indian Division moved up the west bank and 18th Division up the east bank. The problem was the strong Turkish position on the Little Zab river and the Fat-Ha gorge, 35 miles further on. Rather than make a direct assault with the untried 17th and 18th Indian Divisions, Cobbe chose to outflank the gorge with a mobile column.[52][53]

On 23 October the 17th and 18th Divisions were within a mile of the Fat-Ha trenches; 220th Bde was on the west bank with 17th Division. The division advanced as the moon rose at 21.30, with the divisional artillery following close behind the leading infantry brigades to get as close as possible to the Turkish defences. But it found the Turkish positions empty; the flanking column had done its job. By 11.15 the following morning the division was astride Jabal Makhul and shortly afterwards patrols crossed the Little Zab.[54]

On 26 October the division closed up to Mushak. This time the Turks stood and fought, catching 403rd (H) Bty in the open and putting it temporarily out of action with 25 casualties. Lieutenant-Colonel R.K. Lynch-Staunton, CO of 220th Bde, was mortally wounded in this action.[55]

17th Division was ordered to assault along the crest of Jabal Makhul at dawn on 27 October and once again found the enemy trenches empty. It set off in pursuit, the advance guard comprising 220th Bde (403rd (H) Bty and one section each from 1064th and 1066th Btys, with 404th (H) and 25 Mountain Btys attached) with the 32nd Lancers and some infantry. The going was however appalling and progress was slow.[56]

The main Turkish position was discovered at Sharqat. At dawn on 28 October the Turks counter-attacked and were engaged by guns from the other bank of the river. This attack having been stopped, 17th Division then deployed to attack, with 1066th and 404th (H) Btys coming into action some 3000 yards from Sharquat. By last light the Turks were trapped against the river by 17th Division and the cavalry with 220th Bde (403rd (H) Bty less a section, 404th (H) Bty and a section each from 1064th and 1066th Btys) in action. To make sure that the Turks surrendered, 17th Division was ordered to attack with the rising moon at 01.45 on 29 October. The advance was very slow over broken ground, but at 11.30 all the guns of both divisions were turned on the Turks. A final attack went in at 15.30 on 29 October, and at first light the following morning the Turks in Sharquat surrendered. At noon on 31 October the Armistice of Mudros ended hostilities with Turkey.[57][58]

At the end of the war the 17th Indian Division was selected to form part of the occupation force in Iraq and served during the Iraq Rebellion of 1920.[46] It is not clear when the TF units were demobilised and sent home; the 44th (Home Counties) Division began to reform in 1920.[24]

2/I Home Counties Brigade edit

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

Because the 1st Home Counties Division had gone to India, the 2nd Home Counties Division was among the earliest 2nd Line formations to be formed. By 27 November 1914 the division was settled in billets round Windsor, Berkshire, and was reported ready to receive its weapons. However, the only guns available for the RFA brigades were obsolete French 90 mm guns, and even then there were only 4 guns per brigade. It was not until January 1916 that the division's gunners received their modern 18-pounders, and even then some time elapsed before sights arrived.[29][30][59]

Meanwhile, the division had been numbered as 67th (2nd Home Counties) Division and given a dual role of training drafts for units serving overseas and at the same time being part of the mobile force responsible for home defence. From November 1915 it formed part of Second Army, Central Force, quartered in Kent. Twice the division was warned to prepare for moves to Ireland, but these moves never happened and the division remained in England for the whole war.[29][30]

In May 1916 the field brigades were numbered, with 2/II Home Counties becoming CCCXXXV Brigade (335th Bde) and the batteries were designated A, B and C. A howitzer battery (D (H)) equipped with 5-inch howitzers was added later in the year when CCCXXXVIII (2/IV Home Counties) Howitzer Bde was broken up. However, in 1917 the whole brigade was broken up to bring the batteries of the other RFA brigades of 67th Division up to a strength of six guns each before they went overseas to serve in Mesopotamia.[17] [29]

Interwar edit

The 1st Home Counties Brigade re-formed in the renamed Territorial Army in 1920 and was designated the 57th (Home Counties) Brigade, RFA, the following year. In 1924 the RFA was subsumed into the Royal Artillery. During the interwar years the unit had the following organisation:[5][18][60][61]

57th (Home Counties) Field Brigade, RA

  • HQ at Drill Hall, Church Street, Brighton
  • 225th (Sussex) Bty at Brighton
  • 226th (Sussex) Bty at Brighton
  • 227th (Sussex) Bty at Marmion Road, Hove
  • 228th (Sussex) Bty (Howitzer) at Ivy Arch Lane, Worthing

The brigade was once again assigned as divisional artillery to 44th (Home Counties) Division,[61][62] and was initially under the command of Lt-Col A.P. Boxall until 1924.[5][63] In 1924 the RFA was subsumed into the Royal Artillery (RA), and the word 'Field' was inserted into the titles of its brigades and batteries.[18][60][61] The establishment of a TA divisional artillery brigade was four 6-gun batteries, three equipped with 18-pounders and one with 4.5-inch howitzers, all of World War I patterns. However, the batteries only held four guns in peacetime. The guns and their first-line ammunition wagons were still horsedrawn and the battery staffs were mounted. Partial mechanisation was carried out from 1927, but the guns retained iron-tyred wheels until pneumatic tyres began to be introduced just before World War II.[64]

In August 1938 the brigade's batteries replaced the 'Sussex' subtitle with the name of their home town. In 1938 the RA modernised its nomenclature and a lieutenant-colonel's command was designated a 'regiment' rather than a 'brigade'; this applied to TA field brigades from 1 November 1938. The TA was doubled in size after the Munich Crisis, and most regiments split to form duplicates. Part of the reorganisation was that field regiments changed from four six-gun batteries to an establishment of two batteries, each of three four-gun troops. For the Home Counties brigade this resulted in the following organisation from 1 May 1939:[18][60][65][66][67]

 
Emplacing an 18-pounder with wooden wheels at the start of World War II

57th (Home Counties) Field Regiment

  • Regimental Headquarters (RHQ) at Brighton
  • 225 (Brighton) Field Bty
  • 226 (Brighton) Field Bty

110th Field Regiment

  • RHQ at Shoreham
  • 227 (Hove) Field Bty
  • 228 (Worthing) Field Bty

World War II edit

57th (Home Counties) Field Regiment edit

Battle of France edit

Orders to mobilise were received on 1 September ahead of the outbreak of war on 3 September 1939. Mobilisation went smoothly and on 14 September 57th Fd Rgt moved to Forest Row for intensive training. On 24 October the division concentrated in Somerset and the regiment moved to Stoke under Ham. However, the shortage of tools and equipment hampered training. The regiment carried out live firing exercises at Larkhill with 18-pounders and 18/25-pounders. 44th (HC) Division began moving to France to join the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) on 1 April 1940, and 57th Fd Rgt moved up to the St Pol area.[68][69][70][71][72]

When the German offensive in the west opened on 10 May, the BEF advanced into Belgium in accordance with 'Plan D', with 44th (HC) Division moving up to the Escaut, where it was in reserve.[73] However, the German Army broke through the Ardennes to the east, forcing the BEF to withdraw again, and by 19 May the whole force was back across the Escaut, with 57th Fd Rgt deployed at Jammel Hoek covering the canal line.[74][75]

This was the most threatened part of the British line, and there was severe fighting after the enemy established bridgeheads across the Escaut at dawn on 20 May.[76][77][78] However, it was the deep German penetration further east that forced the BEF to withdraw to the next canal line on the Belgian frontier by 23 May. 44th (HC) Division withdrew into GHQ Reserve, and then took up positions immediately south of Hazebrouck.[79][80][81]

On the morning of 27 May this line came under attack. By now the decision had been made to withdraw the BEF to Dunkirk for evacuation (Operation Dynamo). 44th Divisional artillery covered the division's retreat until close to Dunkirk, where all routes were completely blocked by abandoned French vehicles. The gunners destroyed their guns and vehicles before marching to the evacuation beaches on foot.[82][83] 44th (HC) Division got away in pretty good order aboard boats on 30–31 May, but 57th Fd Rgt lost a number of officers and men in the process.[84]

Home Defence edit

After evacuation the artillery of 44th (HC) Division re-formed in the Oxford area before moving to Northern England to be re-equipped. 57th Field Rgt moved to Pontefract in July and some 25-pounder guns began to arrive later in the month.[84][85] 44th (HC) Division then moved to Sussex to man a key part of the anti-invasion defences in South East England under I Corps.[69][86][87][88]

One of the lessons learned from the Battle of France was that the two-battery organisation did not work: field regiments were intended to support an infantry brigade of three battalions. As a result, they were reorganised into three 8-gun batteries, but it was not until late 1940 that the RA had enough trained battery staffs to carry out the reorganisation.[67][89] 57th Field Rgt accordingly formed 440 Fd Bty on 28 February 1941 while the regiment was stationed at Sittingbourne.[60]

44th (HC) Division remained in Sussex and Kent until the end of May 1942, when it embarked for the Middle East. It landed in Egypt on 24 July, with 57th Fd Rgt equipped with 24 x 25-pounder guns.[69][90]

North Africa edit

 
25-pounder and Quad tractor moving up to the front in the Western Desert, 29 October 1942.

At the time of its arrival the British forces in Egypt were facing a crisis against Rommel's Panzerarmee Afrika, and the division was lucky not to be thrown straight into action without any desert experience.[91] Instead it got a bare month to train and was positioned on the key south-facing Alam el Halfa ridge when Rommel resumed his offensive with a right hook round the British Eighth Army's defences at El Alamein. During the resulting Battle of Alam el Halfa on 31 August the German Afrika Korps was drawn into attacking dug-in British tanks, supported by 44th Divisional artillery.[92][93][94]

During the Second Battle of El Alamein, 44th (HC) Division supported 7th Armoured Division, which itself was tasked with carrying out a subsidiary attack on the first day (23 October). Much of this support was with artillery fire. 57th Field Rgt contributed to the famous '1000 gun' barrage that opened the battle. In the later stages of the battle elements of the division were switched north to assist the main breakthrough.[69][95][96][97][98]

44th (HC) Division was broken up after Alamein and 57th Fd Rgt became an Army Field Regiment under Eighth Army.[69][99] In January 1943 it joined 5th Army Group Royal Artillery (5 AGRA) forming at Medenine in Tunisia. 5 AGRA usually supported XXX Corps. The regiment participated in the battles of Medenine, Mareth, Wadi Akarit, and the capture of Tunis.[100][71]

440 Bty joined 74th (Northumbrian) Fd Rgt on 10 May 1943, and was replaced on 10 June by 160 Independent Fd Bty originally from 174th Fd Rgt.[60]

Italy edit

57th Field Rgt took part in the Allied invasion of Sicily (Operation Husky) as part of 5 AGRA supporting XXX Corps' campaign in the east of the island. On 2 August the regiment supported the successful attack by 38th (Irish) Brigade on Centuripe.[101] 5 AGRA and the rest of XXX Corps artillery then provided crushing support for XIII Corps in its assault crossing of the Straits of Messina (Operation Baytown) on 3 September 1943. Against this force, the landings were not seriously disputed, and Eighth Army began advancing up the Calabria coast.[70][100][71][102][103]

In November, XXX Corps including HQ 5 AGRA were withdrawn to the UK to prepare for the Allied invasion of Europe (Operation Overlord), and 57th Fd Rgt transferred to 6 AGRA, which remained under Eighth Army in Italy.[70][71][104]

6 AGRA supported V Corps at the crossing on the Sangro in November 1943, when 57th Fd Rgt was detached to work directly under 78th Division. The field regiments fired over 600 rounds per gun in the three days of this engagement.[105] 6 AGRA was involved in other operations by Eighth Army and US Fifth Army, including the Battle of Monte Cassino in April 1944, the fighting on the Gothic Line (August) and at Castel del Rio (December 1944), and the crossing of the River Po (April 1945) that effectively ended the Italian Campaign.[106]

57th (Home Counties) Field Regiment was placed in suspended animation on 15 February 1946.[18][60]

113th (Home Counties) Field Regiment edit

Home Defence edit

113th Field Regiment mobilised in 12th (Eastern) Infantry Division, the 2nd Line duplicate of 44th (HC) Division, but when the division moved to France in April 1940 it was only intended for labour duties and the RA units remained behind in the UK. After the Dunkirk evacuation the 12th Division was broken up, and on 6 July 113th Fd Rgt joined 1st London Division (shortly afterwards designated 56th (London) Division).[71][107][108][109] Post-Dunkirk, this formation was part of XII Corps in the south-east corner of England, the most-threatened area in the country, moving to XI Corps in November.[88][86][108] 113th Field Rgt formed its third battery, 478 Fd Bty, on 27 February 1941. On 17 February 1942 113th Fd Rgt was authorised to use its parent unit's 'Home Counties' subtitle.[18][66]

Iraq and North Africa edit

In August 1942 the division embarked for the Middle East, arriving in Iraq to reinforce Persia and Iraq Command (PAIC) in November. By the time it arrived, the threats to the Persian oilfields had diminished with the British victory at El Alamein and the lack of German progress at the Battle of Stalingrad. The troops in PAIC were therefore free to undergo intensive training, and 56th Division was selected for the planned Allied invasion of Sicily (Operation Husky).[71][108][110][111][112]

This involved a move from Kirkuk via Palestine and Egypt to join X Corps of Eighth Army in Tunisia, covering approximately 3200 miles between 19 March and 19 April 1943. As soon as it arrived it was thrown into the last stages of the Tunisian Campaign, because Gen Montgomery did not want an untried division in Husky. Given the task of capturing Tarhuna during the night of 28/29 April, it succeeded but was driven off the position the following morning. Montgomery realised that the division needed time to learn battlecraft. It went into action again during the final advance on Tunis (Operation Vulcan), moving north to meet 6th Armoured Division of First Army coming south, whose leading troops were able to spot for X Corps' guns via 56th Division's wireless net.[71][108][113][114]

Salerno to Anzio edit

Because of Montgomery's doubts, 56th Division was not in fact used in Operation Husky. Instead it moved back to Tripoli in Libya for further training, and then put to sea on 1 September for the invasion of mainland Italy, landing at Salerno on 9 September (Operation Avalanche). H-Hour was at 03.30, the division's leading infantry landing craft touched down at 03.35 covered by naval gunfire, and 113rd Fd Rgt's guns began landing at 05.35. The whole regiment was ashore and ready for action at 16.15.[71][108][115]

Over the next few days the division fought its way forward to extend the beachhead against strong German counter-attacks, and the divisional artillery was heavily engaged in defensive fire (DF) tasks.[116] X Corps began its advance out of the beachhead on the night of 22/23 September with massive artillery support and reached Naples on 30 September.[108][117]

By 11 October, the division was on the Volturno Line but failed to cross the river the following day and had to wait until 16 October before it could cross and begin the pursuit through rough country beyond.[108][118] This brought the division to the Bernhardt Line, where 113th Fd Rgt lent support to the attack of 201st Guards Brigade up 'Bare Arse Ridge' on 6 November during the during the Battle of Monte Camino.[108][119] Attacks at Monte Camino continued in early December, with large numbers of guns in support, until the division seized the heights on 6 December.[120]

56th Division was next tasked with capturing a bridgehead across the Garigliano using strong artillery support (400 rounds per gun were supplied for the division's 25-pounders). The attack on the night of 17/18 January 1944 was successful and by morning the leading battalions were across and attacking with plenty of artillery support.[108][121] The division began its breakout from the bridgehead on 23 January, but at the end of the month was ordered to pull out and go by sea to reinforce the Anzio beachhead. By 15 February the whole division had arrived and taken over part of the line under US VI Corps, in time to beat off the German counter-attack (Operation Fischfang or 'Catching Fish').[71][108][122]

Trench warfare in the Anzio bridgehead continued for months. On 28 February the German I Parachute Corps began an offensive against 56th Division that produced no change in the line. When the attack was widened to the front of 3rd US Division the following day, accompanied by unusually heavy support from field artillery, the whole artillery in VI Corps brought down a pre-emptive counter-preparation programme. Although this was too late to catch the German troops as they formed up, the attack made no real impression on the Allied defences.[123] 56th Division was by now so weak that it was relieved and on 28 March went by sea to Egypt for recuperation.[108][124][125]

Italy again edit

56th Division returned to Italy on 17 July 1944 and was assigned to V Corps for the attack on the Gothic Line (Operation Olive). When the offensive opened on 25 August 1944, V Corps was still moving up, and 56th Division was its reserve, but its artillery was sent on ahead to strengthen the Corps artillery. Once the Corps had broken into the German positions, 56th Division was used to widen the breach on 1 September, and then on 3 September to lead the pursuit, taking Monte Maggiore before opposition increased at the Gemmano–Coriano high ground. There followed hard methodical fighting to clear the Germans off successive ridge lines (the Battle of San Marino).[108][126]

 
25-pounder and crew in a waterlogged position across the Rubicon, October 1944.

On the night of 27/28 September the 56th Division attacked Savignano sul Rubicone on the Fiumicino river, supported by a 90-minute barrage fired by the heavily reinforced divisional artillery. Nevertheless, the attack failed, as did attempts to renew it on 29/30 September and 1 October. Later in October, the badly weakened 56th Division was relieved in the line.[127] While the infantry were recuperating, 56th Division's artillery was brought up to reinforce V Corps' fire-plan for the capture of Forlì and the attempted crossings of the Montone on 8 November.[128]

56th Division returned to the fighting in December to cover the Lamone crossing (2–13 December) and then to clear the ground between the Lamone and the Senio, forcing its way into Sant'Andrea on 31 December. However, ammunition shortages limited the use of the artillery.[108][129]

For Eighth Army's Spring offensive in 1945 (Operation Grapeshot), 56th Division was responsible for the operations on Lake Comacchio to outflank the Senio line (5/6, 10/11 and 13 April) allowing it to breach the Argenta Gap (15–19 April) despite the shortage of artillery ammunition.[108][130] Once through the gap, 56th Division drove on through German rearguards to the Po, arriving on 25 April and crossing immediately. The division reached Venice on 29 April. Here it was halted due to shortage of fuel. The Surrender of Caserta came into force on 2 May, ending hostilities in the Italian theatre.[131]

56th Division was made responsible for protecting lines of communication to the disputed city of Trieste in the immediate aftermath of the fighting.[132] 113th (Home Counties) Field Regiment was placed in suspended animation on 10 November 1945.[18][66]

Postwar edit

When the TA was reconstituted in 1947, 57th Fd Rgt was reformed as 257 (Home Counties) Fd Rgt. Once again it was part of 44th (HC) Division. In 1955 the unit's title was changed to 257 (County of Sussex) Fd Rgt.[18][71][133][134][135][136][137]

Meanwhile, 113th Field Rgt changed role and was reformed in 1947 as 313 (Sussex) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Rgt at Worthing. It was assigned to 99 (AA) AGRA, which became 99 AA Brigade the following year.[18][71][133][136][137] [138] [139]

When Anti-Aircraft Command was disbanded in 1955, 313 (Sussex) HAA Rgt merged with 258 (Sussex) Light AA Rgt, 344 (Sussex Yeomanry) HAA Rgt and 641 (Sussex) HAA Rgt to form 258 (Sussex Yeomanry) LAA Rgt, with R Battery at Worthing formed by 313 and 641 HAA Rgts. When 257 (County of Sussex) Field Rgt joined this amalgamation on 4 October 1961 it became 257 (Sussex Yeomanry) Fd Rgt with RHQ at Brighton.[18][134][135][138][139]

Uniforms and insignia edit

The original uniform of the Brighton AVC was of mixed grey Oxford cloth. The tunic had black Braid on the cuffs and collars and it is believed that a black stripe was worn down the trousers. A peaked Forage cap was worn with a white medal grenade badge and similar grenade badges were worn on the shoulder straps. When the guns were hauled by hired horses, the civilian carters wore a form of straw Boater with a ribbon bearing the corps title, similar to a naval Cap tally.[4]

The 3rd Sussex AVC wore a forage cap badge consisting of an oval surmounted by a crown and inscribed 'S A III V C' at the top and 'H I C' at the bottom in Old English letters, with an oak tree in the centre. From 1878 a standard RA helmet with ball Finial was worn with 'FIRST ('2nd', 'THIRD', 'FOURTH') SUSSEX ARTILLERY VOLUNTEERS' on the scrolls of the helmet plate. The band wore a scarlet plume in place of the ball finial, and a helmet plate of crowned star pattern with sheet music and musical instruments superimposed.[4]

The Other Ranks' waist belt clasp ca 1890–1908 was a rectangular plate surrounded by a scroll inscribed '1st SUSSEX VOLUNTEER ARTILLERY' worn with a brown leather belt, pouch and pouch belt.[4]

The two men of No 6 (Railwaymen's) Garrison Company responsible for driving the armoured train wore silver arm badges bearing a locomotive and the word 'DRIVER' and 'FIREMAN'[4]

From 1908 to 1919 the men of the TF Sussex batteries wore a brass shoulder title 'T/RFA/SUSSEX' on their service dress, while the men of the Brigade Ammunition Column wore 'T/RFA/HOME COUNTIES'.[18]

From 1955 to 1961, 257 Fd Rgt wore a supplementary shoulder title 'COUNTY OF SUSSEX' embroidered in yellow on a navy background, immediately below the 'ROYAL ARTILLERY' title in red on navy blue.[18]

Honorary Colonels edit

The following served as Honorary Colonel of the unit:[5]

Prominent members edit

  • Sir Reginald Blaker, 2nd Bt, MP, served in 57th Field Brigade (commissioned 2nd lieutenant 11 December 1923, lieutenant 11 December 1925, captain 1 August 1930, major 8 March 1935) and fought in the Second World War.[5]

See also edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ Beckett.
  2. ^ Beckett, Appendix VIII.
  3. ^ a b c d e Frederick, p. 670.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Litchfield & Westlake, pp. 160–4.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Army List.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g 1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers at Shoreham Fort.
  7. ^ Litchfield & Westlake, p.189.
  8. ^ Beckett, p. 178.
  9. ^ Lewes at Drill Hall Project.
  10. ^ a b Shoreham at Drill Hall Project.
  11. ^ a b c Boxall at Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
  12. ^ Beckett, p. 212.
  13. ^ Dunlop, Chapter 14.
  14. ^ Spiers, Chapter 10.
  15. ^ "No. 28121". The London Gazette (Supplement). 20 March 1908. p. 2153.
  16. ^ . Archived from the original on 27 December 2005. Retrieved 27 December 2005.
  17. ^ a b c d Frederick, pp. 676, 688.
  18. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Litchfield, pp. 229–30.
  19. ^ Litchfield, pp. 110 & 234.
  20. ^ Sussex at Great War Centenary Drill Halls.
  21. ^ Brighton at Drill Hall Project.
  22. ^ Hove at Drill Hall Project.
  23. ^ Worthing at Drill Hall Project.
  24. ^ a b c d e f g h Becke, Pt 2a, pp. 49–54.
  25. ^ 44 Div at Long, Long Trail.
  26. ^ . Archived from the original on 15 November 2009. Retrieved 15 November 2009.
  27. ^
  28. ^ Becke, Pt 2b, p. 6.
  29. ^ a b c d Becke, Pt 2b, pp. 75–82.
  30. ^ a b c 67 Div at Long, Long Trail.
  31. ^ Perry, pp. 68–9.
  32. ^ Moberly, Vol II, p. 126.
  33. ^ Farndale, Forgotten Fronts, p. 219.
  34. ^ Moberly, Vol II, pp. 191, 208–11.
  35. ^ Moberly, Vol II, pp. 212–38.
  36. ^ Farndale, Forgotten Fronts, pp. 223–4.
  37. ^ Moberly, Vol II, pp. 243–59.
  38. ^ Moberly, Vol II, p. 296.
  39. ^ Moberly, Vol II, pp. 314.
  40. ^ Moberly, Vol II, pp. 374–93, 406–21.
  41. ^ Moberly, Vol II, pp. 425–37.
  42. ^ Farndale, Forgotten Fronts, p. 241.
  43. ^ a b Perry, pp. 55–8.
  44. ^ Perry, pp. 42–4.
  45. ^ Perry, pp. 94–5.
  46. ^ a b Perry, pp. 141–6.
  47. ^ Perry, p. 135.
  48. ^ Moberly, Vol IV, Appendix XLIII, p. 357.
  49. ^ Moberly, Vol IV, Appendix XLV, p. 368.
  50. ^ a b Moberly, Vol IV, Appendix XLVI, p. 384.
  51. ^ Farndale, Forgotten Fronts, p. 287.
  52. ^ Farndale Forgotten Fronts, pp. 280–1.
  53. ^ Wilson-Johnston, pp. 18–24.
  54. ^ Farndale Forgotten Fronts, p. 281.
  55. ^ Farndale Forgotten Fronts, p. 282.
  56. ^ Farndale Forgotten Fronts, p. 283.
  57. ^ Farndale Forgotten Fronts, pp. 283–5.
  58. ^ Wolson-Johnston, pp. 33–4.
  59. ^ Becke, Pt 2b, Appendix 3, p. 136.
  60. ^ a b c d e f Frederick, pp. 489, 516.
  61. ^ a b c Titles & Designations, 1927.
  62. ^ Litchfield, Appendix IV.
  63. ^ Burke's Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage, 1924 Edn.
  64. ^ Sainsbury, pp. 15–7.
  65. ^ Farndale, Years of Defeat, p. 9.
  66. ^ a b c Frederick, p. 528.
  67. ^ a b Sainsbury, pp. 17–20; Appendix 2.
  68. ^ Farndale, Years of Defeat, p. 21.
  69. ^ a b c d e Joslen, pp. 71–2.
  70. ^ a b c "57 Fd Rgt at Royal Artillery 1939–45".
  71. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k British Artillery in World War 2.
  72. ^ Ellis, France & Flanders, Chapter 2.
  73. ^ Ellis, France & Flanders, Chapter 3.
  74. ^ Ellis, France & Flanders, Chapter 4.
  75. ^ Farndale, Years of Defeat, p. 40.
  76. ^ Ellis, France & Flanders, Chapter 5.
  77. ^ Ellis, France & Flanders, Chapter 6.
  78. ^ Ellis, France & Flanders, Chapter 7.
  79. ^ Ellis, France & Flanders, Chapter 8.
  80. ^ Ellis, France & Flanders, Chapter 9.
  81. ^ Ellis, France & Flanders, Chapter 11.
  82. ^ Farndale, Years of Defeat, p. 67.
  83. ^ Ellis, France & Flanders, Chapter 14.
  84. ^ a b Farndale, Years of Defeat, p. 83.
  85. ^ Farndale, Years of Defeat, p.102.
  86. ^ a b Collier, Maps 17 & 20.
  87. ^ Horrocks, p. 97.
  88. ^ a b Farndale, Years of Defeat, Annex D.
  89. ^ Farndale, pp. 99–100.
  90. ^ Joslen, p. 570
  91. ^ Horrocks, p. 112.
  92. ^ Horrocks, pp. 115–25.
  93. ^ Montgomery, pp. 108–10.
  94. ^ Playfair, Vol III, pp. 384–.
  95. ^ Joslen, p. 570.
  96. ^ Horrocks, p. 136.
  97. ^ Montgomery, pp. 126, 135
  98. ^ Playfair & Molony, Vol IV, pp. 42–3, 56–7.
  99. ^ Joslen, p. 486.
  100. ^ a b 5 AGRA at Royal Artillery 1939–45.
  101. ^ Molony, Vol V, p. 160.
  102. ^ Sicily 1943 at British and Commonwealth Orders of Battle.
  103. ^ Molony, Vol V, pp. 234–40.
  104. ^ Joslen, p. 467.
  105. ^ Molony, Vol V, p. 490.
  106. ^ "6 AGRA at Royal Artillery 1939–45".
  107. ^ Joslen, p. 56.
  108. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Joslen, pp. 37–8
  109. ^ 113 Fd Rgt at Royal Artillery 1939–45.
  110. ^ Jackson, Empire, pp. 162–4.
  111. ^ Playfair, Vol III, pp. 365, 425.
  112. ^ Playfair, Vol IV, p. 264.
  113. ^ Playfair, Vol IV, pp. 441–2, 453–4.
  114. ^ Montgomery, p. 172.
  115. ^ Molony, Vol V, pp. 259, 276–7.
  116. ^ Molony, Vol V, pp. 283–4, 291–2, 296, 310, 321.
  117. ^ Molony, Vol V, pp. 337–8, 340–1, 343.
  118. ^ Molony, Vol V, pp. 438, 444–5, 450.
  119. ^ Molony, Vol V, p. 451.
  120. ^ Molony, Vol V, pp. 517–8.
  121. ^ Molony, Vol V, pp. 606–12.
  122. ^ Molony, Vol V, pp. 635–6, 744–5.
  123. ^ Molony, Vol V, p. 755.
  124. ^ Molony, Vol V, p. 757.
  125. ^ Molony, Vol VI, Pt I, pp. 10, 13.
  126. ^ Jackson, Vol VI, Pt II, pp. 130, 226, 231, 241, 249–52, 260–1, 267–8, 277.
  127. ^ Jackson, Vol VI, Pt II, pp. 353–4, 371–2, 402.
  128. ^ Jackson, Vol VI, Pt III, pp. 39–40.
  129. ^ Jackson, Vol VI, Pt III, pp. 120–24, 158.
  130. ^ Jackson, Vol VI, Pt III, pp. 215–6, 222, 259–60, 267–8, 271–2, 281–2.
  131. ^ Jackson, Vol VI, Pt III, pp. 289–91, 293, 319, 326–8.
  132. ^ Jackson, Vol VI, Pt III, p. 340.
  133. ^ a b Farndale, Years of Defeat, Annex M.
  134. ^ a b Frederick, p. 998.
  135. ^ a b 235–265 Rgts RA at British Army 1945 on.
  136. ^ a b Litchfield Appendix 5.
  137. ^ a b Watson, TA 1947.
  138. ^ a b Frederick, p. 1004.
  139. ^ a b 289–322 Rgts RA at British Army 1945 on.
  140. ^ Burke's Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage, 1931 Edn.

References edit

  • Army List, various dates.
  • Maj A.F. Becke,History of the Great War: Order of Battle of Divisions, Part 2a: The Territorial Force Mounted Divisions and the 1st-Line Territorial Force Divisions (42–56), London: HM Stationery Office, 1935/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2007, ISBN 1-847347-39-8.
  • Maj A.F. Becke,History of the Great War: Order of Battle of Divisions, Part 2b: The 2nd-Line Territorial Force Divisions (57th–69th), with the Home-Service Divisions (71st–73rd) and 74th and 75th Divisions, London: HM Stationery Office, 1937/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2007, ISBN 1-847347-39-8.
  • Ian F.W. Beckett, Riflemen Form: A Study of the Rifle Volunteer Movement 1859–1908, Aldershot: Ogilby Trusts, 1982, ISBN 0-85936-271-X.
  • Burke's Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage, 100th Edn, London, 1953.
  • Basil Collier, History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series: The Defence of the United Kingdom, London: HM Stationery Office, 1957.
  • Col John K. Dunlop, The Development of the British Army 1899–1914, London: Methuen, 1938.
  • Major L.F. Ellis, History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series: The War in France and Flanders 1939–1940, London: HM Stationery Office, 1954/Uckfield, Naval & Military Press, 2004.
  • Gen Sir Martin Farndale, History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery: The Forgotten Fronts and the Home Base 1914–18, Woolwich: Royal Artillery Institution, 1988, ISBN 1-870114-05-1.
  • Gen Sir Martin Farndale, History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery: The Years of Defeat: Europe and North Africa, 1939–1941, Woolwich: Royal Artillery Institution, 1988/London: Brasseys, 1996, ISBN 1-85753-080-2.
  • J.B.M. Frederick, Lineage Book of British Land Forces 1660–1978, Vol I, Wakefield: Microform Academic, 1984, ISBN 1-85117-007-3.
  • J.B.M. Frederick, Lineage Book of British Land Forces 1660–1978, Vol II, Wakefield: Microform Academic, 1984, ISBN 1-85117-009-X.
  • Lt-Gen Sir Brian Horrocks, A Full Life, London: Collins, 1960.
  • Ashley Jackson, The British Empire and the Second World War, London: Hambledon Continuum, 2006, ISBN 1-85285-417-0.
  • Gen William Jackson, History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series: The Mediterranean and Middle East, Vol VI: Victory in the Mediterranean, Part I|: June to October 1944, London: HMSO, 1987/Uckfield, Naval & Military Press, 2004, ISBN 1-845740-71-8.
  • Gen Sir William Jackson, History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series: The Mediterranean and Middle East, Vol VI: Victory in the Mediterranean, Part I|I: November 1944 to May 1945, London: HMSO, 1988/Uckfield, Naval & Military Press, 2004, ISBN 1-845740-72-6.
  • Joslen, H. F. (2003) [1960]. Orders of Battle: Second World War, 1939–1945. Uckfield, East Sussex: Naval and Military Press. ISBN 978-1-84342-474-1.
  • Norman E.H. Litchfield, The Territorial Artillery 1908–1988 (Their Lineage, Uniforms and Badges), Nottingham: Sherwood Press, 1992, ISBN 0-9508205-2-0.
  • Norman Litchfield & Ray Westlake, The Volunteer Artillery 1859–1908 (Their Lineage, Uniforms and Badges), Nottingham: Sherwood Press, 1982, ISBN 0-9508205-0-4.
  • Brig-Gen F.J. Moberly, History of the Great War: The Campaign in Mesopotamia, Vol I!, London: HM Stationery Office, 1924/Imperial War Museum and Battery Press, 1997.
  • Brig-Gen F.J. Moberly, History of the Great War: The Campaign in Mesopotamia, Vol IV, London: HM Stationery Office, 1927/Imperial War Museum and Battery Press, 1997, ISBN 1-901623-06-8.
  • Brig C.J.C. Molony, History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series: The Mediterranean and Middle East, Vol V: The Campaign in Sicily 1943 and the Campaign in Italy 3rd September 1943 to 31st March 1944, London: HMSO, 1973/Uckfield, Naval & Military Press, 2004, ISBN 1-845740-69-6.
  • Brig C.J.C. Molony, History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series: The Mediterranean and Middle East, Vol VI: Victory in the Mediterranean, Part I: 1 April to 4 June 1944, London: HMSO, 1987/Uckfield, Naval & Military Press, 2004, ISBN 1-845740-70-X.
  • The Memoirs of Field Marshal Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, London: Collins, 1958.
  • F.W. Perry, History of the Great War: Order of Battle of Divisions, Part 5b: Indian Army Divisions, Newport: Ray Westlake, 1993, ISBN 1-871167-23-X.
  • Maj-Gen I.S.O. Playfair, History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series: The Mediterranean and Middle East, Vol III: (September 1941 to September 1942) British Fortunes reach their Lowest Ebb, London: HMSO, 1960 /Uckfield, Naval & Military Press, 2004, ISBN 1-845740-67-X
  • Maj-Gen I.S.O. Playfair & Brig C.J.C. Molony, History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series: The Mediterranean and Middle East, Vol IV: The Destruction of the Axis forces in Africa, London: HMSO, 1966/Uckfield, Naval & Military Press, 2004, ISBN 1-845740-68-8.
  • Lt-Col J.D. Sainsbury, The Hertfordshire Yeomanry Regiments, Royal Artillery, Part 1: The Field Regiments 1920-1946, Welwyn: Hertfordshire Yeomanry and Artillery Trust/Hart Books, 1999, ISBN 0-948527-05-6.
  • Edward M. Spiers, The Army and Society 1815–1914, London: Longmans, 1980, ISBN 0-582-48565-7.
  • War Office,Titles and Designations of Formations and Units of the Territorial Army, London: War Office, 7 November 1927 (RA sections also summarised in Litchfield, Appendix IV).
  • Lt-Col W.E. Wilson-Johnston, An Account of the Operations of the 18th (Indian) Division in Mesopotamia, December, 1917, to December, 1918, London: St Martin's Press, 1920/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2006, ISBN 978-1-845743-23-9.

External sources edit

  • British Army units from 1945 on
  • British Artillery in World War 2
  • The Drill Hall Project
  • Great War Centenary Drill Halls
  • The Long, Long Trail
  • Royal Artillery 1939–1945
  • Shoreham Fort
  • Graham Watson, The Territorial Army 1947

April 13, 2024
sussex, artillery, volunteers, part, time, unit, british, army, royal, artillery, from, 1859, 1961, raised, coastal, defence, artillery, unit, later, served, field, artillery, mesopotamia, during, world, north, africa, sicily, italy, north, west, europe, durin. The 1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers was a part time unit of the British Army s Royal Artillery from 1859 to 1961 Raised as coastal defence artillery the unit later served as field artillery in Mesopotamia during World War I and in North Africa Sicily Italy and North West Europe during World War II It carried out a number of roles in the postwar Territorial Army 1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers1st Home Counties Brigade RFA57th Home Counties Field Regiment RA113th Home Counties Field Regiment RA257 County of Sussex Field Regiment RA313 Sussex Heavy AA Regiment RALetterhead of the 1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers c1900Active19 November 1859 4 October 1961Country United KingdomBranchVolunteer Force Territorial ArmyTypeArtillery CorpsRoleCoastal ArtilleryField ArtilleryAnti Aircraft ArtillerySizeArtillery Brigade RegimentGarrison HQBrightonEngagementsMesopotamian CampaignBattle of FranceAlameinTunisian CampaignSicilyItalyCommandersNotablecommandersSir Charles Gervaise Boxall KCB VD Contents 1 Volunteer Force 1 1 Origin 1 2 Position artillery 1 3 Railway gun 2 Territorial Force 3 World War I 3 1 Mobilisation 3 2 1 I Home Counties Brigade 3 2 1 Mesopotamia 1916 3 2 2 India 3 2 3 Mesopotamia 1918 3 3 2 I Home Counties Brigade 4 Interwar 5 World War II 5 1 57th Home Counties Field Regiment 5 1 1 Battle of France 5 1 2 Home Defence 5 1 3 North Africa 5 1 4 Italy 5 2 113th Home Counties Field Regiment 5 2 1 Home Defence 5 2 2 Iraq and North Africa 5 2 3 Salerno to Anzio 5 2 4 Italy again 6 Postwar 7 Uniforms and insignia 8 Honorary Colonels 9 Prominent members 10 See also 11 Notes 12 References 12 1 External sourcesVolunteer Force editOrigin edit The enthusiasm for the Volunteer Movement following an invasion scare in 1859 saw the creation of many units composed of part time soldiers eager to supplement the Regular British Army in time of need 1 The 1st Sussex Artillery Volunteer Corps AVC was formed at Brighton on 19 November 1859 This soon reached a strength of eight batteries Other AVCs were formed along the Sussex Coast and on 8 June 1860 the 1st Administrative Brigade Sussex Artillery Volunteers was formed at Brighton with the following composition 2 3 4 5 6 1st Sussex AVC at Brighton 2nd Sussex AVC formed at Fairlight East Sussex on 13 March 1860 3rd Sussex AVC formed at Hailsham on 15 May 1860 HQ moved to Eastbourne in 1878 4th Sussex AVC formed at Shoreham by Sea on 28 December 1860 absorbed into 1st Sussex AVC September 1864 regained independence 14 July 1875 G C Dalbaic formerly of the 4th Light Dragoons was appointed lieutenant colonel of the 1st Admin Brigade in 1864 with Lt Col Thomas G Johnston of the 1st Sussex AVC as his major Major Charles S Hannington of the 1st Sussex AVC owner of Hanningtons department store in Brighton became lt col of both the AVC and the Admin Brigade in 1868 and honorary colonel in 1873 5 In 1865 the 1st Sussex became the first unit to win the Queen s Prize at the annual National Artillery Association competition held at Shoeburyness They subsequently won it again in 1867 7 In April 1880 the 1st Admin Brigade was consolidated as the 1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers with 12 batteries organised as follows 3 4 6 Nos 1 to 8 at Brighton No 9 at Fairlight Nos 10 and 11 at Eastbourne No 12 at ShorehamThe 1st Sussex was assigned to the Cinque Ports Division of the Royal Artillery RA in 1882 transferring to the Eastern Division after the Cinque Ports Division was disbanded in 1889 3 4 5 6 In 1886 the unit was divided into the 1st and 2nd Sussex Artillery Volunteers based at Brighton and Eastbourne respectively 3 4 5 6 Position artillery edit nbsp 16 Pounder Rifled Muzzle Loading gun of one of 1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers position batteriesAs well as manning fixed coast defence artillery from the early days of the Artillery Volunteers Captain George Darby of the 3rd Sussex AVC a former MP for Sussex had promoted the idea of the Volunteers manning semi mobile position batteries of smooth bore field guns pulled by agricultural horses This concept was put into practice by a number of AVCs but the War Office refused to pay for the upkeep of field guns and they had died out among the AVCs in the 1870s In 1888 the concept was revived and some Volunteer batteries were reorganised as position artillery to work alongside the Volunteer infantry brigades In 1892 the 1st Sussex was reorganised as follows 6 8 No 1 Position Battery at Brighton Nos 2 6 Garrison Companies at Brighton No 7 Garrison Company at Lewes 9 No 8 Garrison Company at High Street Shoreham 10 In 1899 the Artillery volunteers were transferred to the Royal Garrison Artillery RGA the Sussex units becoming the 1st Sussex RGA V at Brighton and 2nd Sussex RGA V at Eastbourne respectively with the 2nd Sussex designated as position or heavy artillery 3 4 5 6 Railway gun edit nbsp 40 Pounder gun on armoured train 1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers 1896Charles Gervaise Boxall 1852 1914 a Brighton born London solicitor was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 1st Sussex in 1873 and rose to become its commanding officer CO in 1893 In 1884 he published The Armoured Train for Coast Defence in Great Britain outlining a new way to employ heavy artillery No 6 Garrison Company of the 1st Sussex AVC was formed entirely from railway workers and in 1894 they manned an Armoured train constructed in the workshops of the London Brighton and South Coast Railway of which the unit s Honorary Colonel Sir Julian Goldsmid was a director 4 6 11 Boxall was an enthusiastic member of the Volunteer Movement and was awarded the Volunteer Decoration VD in 1894 and made a Companion of the Bath CB in 1897 He succeeded Goldsmid as Honorary Colonel in 1896 When the Second Boer War broke out he suggested the creation of a combat unit drawn from the London volunteer units This became the City of London Imperial Volunteers CIV to which he acted as secretary and depot commandant Boxall was knighted KCB for his services during the war and in 1906 7 he served on the committee that recommended the creation of the Territorial Force 11 12 Territorial Force edit nbsp 15 pounder gun When the Volunteers were subsumed into the new Territorial Force TF under the Haldane Reforms of 1908 13 14 the bulk of the 1st and 2nd Sussex RGA V transferred to the Royal Field Artillery RFA forming the I Home Counties Brigade and two batteries of the II Home Counties Brigade respectively Two companies of the 1st Sussex remained with the RGA to form part of the Kent and Sussex RGA 4 15 16 17 18 19 The I or 1st Home Counties Brigade had the following organisation 5 17 I Home Counties Brigade RFA HQ at Drill Hall Church Street Brighton 20 21 1st Sussex Battery at Brighton 2nd Sussex Battery at Brighton 3rd Sussex Battery at Drill Hall Marmion Road Hove 22 C Subection at Shoreham 10 1st Home Counties Ammunition Column at Worthing 23 The three batteries were each equipped with four 15 pounder guns The unit was assigned to the Home Counties Division of the TF 24 25 26 27 Affiliated to the unit were the 1st Cadet Battalion 1st Home Counties Bde RFA Imperial Service Cadet Corps at Brighton the Steyne School Cadet Corps and the Brighton Brigade Sussex Cadets 5 World War I editMobilisation edit On the outbreak of war the TF was mobilised for home defence and units were then invited to volunteer for overseas service On 15 August 1914 the War Office issued instructions to separate those men who had signed up for Home Service only and 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 Duplicate battalions brigades and divisions were thereby created mirroring those TF formations being sent overseas The titles of these 2nd Line units would be the same as the original but distinguished by a 2 prefix In this way the 1 I and 2 I Home Counties Brigades were formed 28 29 30 On the outbreak of war in August 1914 the unit was under the command of Lt Col Sir Berry Cusack Smith 5th Bt KCMG former Consul General to Valparaiso and the officer commanding 1st Sussex Bty was Major A P Boxall nephew of Sir Charles Boxall 5 1 I Home Counties Brigade edit The bulk of the Home Counties Division including the 1 I Home Counties Brigade without its Brigade Ammunition Column embarked at Southampton and sailed on 30 October 1914 for India to relieve Regular Army units to fight on the Western Front The Territorials disembarked at Bombay 1 3 December and were allotted to various peacetime stations across India Although the Home Counties Division remained in the order of battle and received a number as the 44th Home Counties Division in May 1915 it never served as a complete formation during the First World War 24 On arrival in India 1 I Home Counties Bde was assigned to the 5th Mhow Division 31 The Territorials completed their training in India to prepare them for possible active service and they supplied drafts to units serving in the Mesopotamian campaign When there was an urgent request for reinforcements to lift the Turkish Army s Siege of Kut the 1 I Home Counties Bde was part of the Emergency Force sent from India Still armed with obsolescent 15 pounders it landed at Basra between 7 and 12 December 1915 and in January 1916 it joined Tigris Corps soon afterward retitled III Indian Corps 24 32 33 Mesopotamia 1916 edit 1 1st and 1 2nd Sussex Batteries moved up with the Emergency Force to reinforce Nasiriyah on the Euphrates while 1 3rd Sussex Bty and Bde HQ followed later During January 12th Indian Division HQ at Nasiriyah pushed a force including 1 2nd Sussex Bty a few miles up the river to Butaniyah against some opposition but there it halted 34 Meanwhile 1 1st Sussex Bty with 7th Meerut Division took part in the Battle of Sheikh Sa ad attempting to dislodge the main Turkish force blocking the way to Kut The force advanced on both banks of the Euphrates the 1 1st Sussex Bty accompanying the column on the left bank The attack went in on 6 January but morning mist followed by Mirage made accurate artillery fire difficult in the flat featureless terrain Even with the support of 1 1st Sussex Bty the 37th Dogras had only got to about 800 yards from the Turkish trenches by 15 30 and were digging in under heavy fire The attack was called off to allow the troops to regroup In a renewed attack the following day the battery suffered the same problems and the column had no better success The right bank column however succeeded in taking Sheikh Sa ad despite heavy casualties The force was too exhausted to take immediate advantage of the position 35 36 An attempt to turn the enemy line on 13 January led to the Battle of the Wadi 1 1st Sussex Bty again supported 7th Meerut Division The infantry forded the River Wadi with ease but it constituted a serious obstacle to artillery so the guns were not across until the afternoon Once they had come into action at 13 30 firing into the rear of the Turkish guns and trenches at a range of 3500 yards 7th Meerut Division began its attack Most of the Turkish artillery fire was directed at the British guns rather than the infantry but the attack still made little progress The divisional artillery had to be concentrated before the next attack and bad weather on 14 January delayed this Meanwhile the Turks had slipped away to their next position of strength at Hanna and pursuit was hampered by the weather 37 On 7 February the detachment at Butaniyah was withdrawn 1 2nd Sussex Bty covering the retirement 38 By the beginning of March the relief force had been reinforced including 1 3rd Sussex Bty and a new advance against the Hanna position was begun 1 1st and 1 3rd Sussex Btys remained with the weak force left to contain the enemy and guard the British camp and bridges so they played little part in the Battle of Dujaila which was another failure 39 For the third relief attempt on 5 April 1 1st and 1 3rd Sussex Btys were with the concentrated corps artillery which was organised into separate counter battery enfilading breaching and barrage groups However the Turks had abandoned their trenches and the attack hit thin air The force pushed on and made a rushed attack on poorly reconnoitred positions at dawn the following day The artillery fire was misdirected in the poor light and the attack was bloodily repulsed at Sannaiyat A series of deliberate attacks on the Sannaiyat position failed to break through though they got to Bait Isa On 18 April the Turks put in a strong counter offensive against which the artillery caused terrible casualties especially when the Turkish infantry retreated from the unbroken British line 40 A renewed British attack on 22 April failed to break through despite the concentration of artillery and shortly afterwards the garrison of Kut surrendered 41 India edit 1 I Home Counties Bde was withdrawn to India in July 1916 24 42 On return to India the 1 1st and 1 2nd Sussex Btys went to Lahore where they were attached to 1 I Wessex Bde RFA in 3rd Lahore Divisional Area 43 while 1 3rd Sussex Bty went to Sialkot under II Mountain Brigade RGA in 2nd Rawalpindi Division 44 In December 1916 the 1 1st and 1 3rd Sussex Btys now at Multan and Delhi respectively joined with the 1 4th and 1 5th Sussex Btys from 1 II Home Counties Brigade to form the I Combined Home Counties Brigade in 3rd Lahore Divisional Area 43 During 1916 the brigade had been formally renumbered as CCXX Brigade 220th Bde and the batteries designated A B and C In 1917 the batteries were finally re equipped with 18 pounders and redesignated again as 1064 1065 and 1066 Btys 1065 Bty was then broken up between the other two to bring them up to six guns each 17 24 From April to September 1917 Brigade HQ and 1066 Bty were at Meerut and 1064 Bty still at Multan all under 7th Meerut Divisional Area 45 The brigade with a reformed Brigade Ammunition Column returned to Basra between 18 and 23 October 1917 24 Mesopotamia 1918 edit nbsp 18 pounder in action in Mesopotamia CCXX Brigade made its way from Basra to Baghdad where it joined the newly formed 17th Indian Division on 11 November In May 1918 it was joined by 403rd Howitzer Bty with six 4 5 inch howitzers from England and an Anglo Indian battery formed in India with four 18 pounders 24 46 47 48 49 50 51 Other RFA brigades from 44th and 67th HC Divisions also served in 17th and 18th Indian Divisions which constituted the bulk of I Indian Corps under Lt Gen Sir Alexander Cobbe VC which concentrated at Tikrit on the Tigris in October 1918 50 By now the Turks were in retreat in Palestine and on the Euphrates Front in Mesopotamia and it was time for the forces on the Tigris Front to exert pressure by advancing on Mosul 17th Indian Division moved up the west bank and 18th Division up the east bank The problem was the strong Turkish position on the Little Zab river and the Fat Ha gorge 35 miles further on Rather than make a direct assault with the untried 17th and 18th Indian Divisions Cobbe chose to outflank the gorge with a mobile column 52 53 On 23 October the 17th and 18th Divisions were within a mile of the Fat Ha trenches 220th Bde was on the west bank with 17th Division The division advanced as the moon rose at 21 30 with the divisional artillery following close behind the leading infantry brigades to get as close as possible to the Turkish defences But it found the Turkish positions empty the flanking column had done its job By 11 15 the following morning the division was astride Jabal Makhul and shortly afterwards patrols crossed the Little Zab 54 On 26 October the division closed up to Mushak This time the Turks stood and fought catching 403rd H Bty in the open and putting it temporarily out of action with 25 casualties Lieutenant Colonel R K Lynch Staunton CO of 220th Bde was mortally wounded in this action 55 17th Division was ordered to assault along the crest of Jabal Makhul at dawn on 27 October and once again found the enemy trenches empty It set off in pursuit the advance guard comprising 220th Bde 403rd H Bty and one section each from 1064th and 1066th Btys with 404th H and 25 Mountain Btys attached with the 32nd Lancers and some infantry The going was however appalling and progress was slow 56 The main Turkish position was discovered at Sharqat At dawn on 28 October the Turks counter attacked and were engaged by guns from the other bank of the river This attack having been stopped 17th Division then deployed to attack with 1066th and 404th H Btys coming into action some 3000 yards from Sharquat By last light the Turks were trapped against the river by 17th Division and the cavalry with 220th Bde 403rd H Bty less a section 404th H Bty and a section each from 1064th and 1066th Btys in action To make sure that the Turks surrendered 17th Division was ordered to attack with the rising moon at 01 45 on 29 October The advance was very slow over broken ground but at 11 30 all the guns of both divisions were turned on the Turks A final attack went in at 15 30 on 29 October and at first light the following morning the Turks in Sharquat surrendered At noon on 31 October the Armistice of Mudros ended hostilities with Turkey 57 58 At the end of the war the 17th Indian Division was selected to form part of the occupation force in Iraq and served during the Iraq Rebellion of 1920 46 It is not clear when the TF units were demobilised and sent home the 44th Home Counties Division began to reform in 1920 24 2 I Home Counties Brigade edit nbsp De Bange 90 mm French field gun issued to 2nd Line batteries Because the 1st Home Counties Division had gone to India the 2nd Home Counties Division was among the earliest 2nd Line formations to be formed By 27 November 1914 the division was settled in billets round Windsor Berkshire and was reported ready to receive its weapons However the only guns available for the RFA brigades were obsolete French 90 mm guns and even then there were only 4 guns per brigade It was not until January 1916 that the division s gunners received their modern 18 pounders and even then some time elapsed before sights arrived 29 30 59 Meanwhile the division had been numbered as 67th 2nd Home Counties Division and given a dual role of training drafts for units serving overseas and at the same time being part of the mobile force responsible for home defence From November 1915 it formed part of Second Army Central Force quartered in Kent Twice the division was warned to prepare for moves to Ireland but these moves never happened and the division remained in England for the whole war 29 30 In May 1916 the field brigades were numbered with 2 II Home Counties becoming CCCXXXV Brigade 335th Bde and the batteries were designated A B and C A howitzer battery D H equipped with 5 inch howitzers was added later in the year when CCCXXXVIII 2 IV Home Counties Howitzer Bde was broken up However in 1917 the whole brigade was broken up to bring the batteries of the other RFA brigades of 67th Division up to a strength of six guns each before they went overseas to serve in Mesopotamia 17 29 Interwar editThe 1st Home Counties Brigade re formed in the renamed Territorial Army in 1920 and was designated the 57th Home Counties Brigade RFA the following year In 1924 the RFA was subsumed into the Royal Artillery During the interwar years the unit had the following organisation 5 18 60 61 57th Home Counties Field Brigade RA HQ at Drill Hall Church Street Brighton 225th Sussex Bty at Brighton 226th Sussex Bty at Brighton 227th Sussex Bty at Marmion Road Hove 228th Sussex Bty Howitzer at Ivy Arch Lane WorthingThe brigade was once again assigned as divisional artillery to 44th Home Counties Division 61 62 and was initially under the command of Lt Col A P Boxall until 1924 5 63 In 1924 the RFA was subsumed into the Royal Artillery RA and the word Field was inserted into the titles of its brigades and batteries 18 60 61 The establishment of a TA divisional artillery brigade was four 6 gun batteries three equipped with 18 pounders and one with 4 5 inch howitzers all of World War I patterns However the batteries only held four guns in peacetime The guns and their first line ammunition wagons were still horsedrawn and the battery staffs were mounted Partial mechanisation was carried out from 1927 but the guns retained iron tyred wheels until pneumatic tyres began to be introduced just before World War II 64 In August 1938 the brigade s batteries replaced the Sussex subtitle with the name of their home town In 1938 the RA modernised its nomenclature and a lieutenant colonel s command was designated a regiment rather than a brigade this applied to TA field brigades from 1 November 1938 The TA was doubled in size after the Munich Crisis and most regiments split to form duplicates Part of the reorganisation was that field regiments changed from four six gun batteries to an establishment of two batteries each of three four gun troops For the Home Counties brigade this resulted in the following organisation from 1 May 1939 18 60 65 66 67 nbsp Emplacing an 18 pounder with wooden wheels at the start of World War II57th Home Counties Field Regiment Regimental Headquarters RHQ at Brighton 225 Brighton Field Bty 226 Brighton Field Bty110th Field Regiment RHQ at Shoreham 227 Hove Field Bty 228 Worthing Field BtyWorld War II edit57th Home Counties Field Regiment edit Battle of France edit Orders to mobilise were received on 1 September ahead of the outbreak of war on 3 September 1939 Mobilisation went smoothly and on 14 September 57th Fd Rgt moved to Forest Row for intensive training On 24 October the division concentrated in Somerset and the regiment moved to Stoke under Ham However the shortage of tools and equipment hampered training The regiment carried out live firing exercises at Larkhill with 18 pounders and 18 25 pounders 44th HC Division began moving to France to join the British Expeditionary Force BEF on 1 April 1940 and 57th Fd Rgt moved up to the St Pol area 68 69 70 71 72 When the German offensive in the west opened on 10 May the BEF advanced into Belgium in accordance with Plan D with 44th HC Division moving up to the Escaut where it was in reserve 73 However the German Army broke through the Ardennes to the east forcing the BEF to withdraw again and by 19 May the whole force was back across the Escaut with 57th Fd Rgt deployed at Jammel Hoek covering the canal line 74 75 This was the most threatened part of the British line and there was severe fighting after the enemy established bridgeheads across the Escaut at dawn on 20 May 76 77 78 However it was the deep German penetration further east that forced the BEF to withdraw to the next canal line on the Belgian frontier by 23 May 44th HC Division withdrew into GHQ Reserve and then took up positions immediately south of Hazebrouck 79 80 81 On the morning of 27 May this line came under attack By now the decision had been made to withdraw the BEF to Dunkirk for evacuation Operation Dynamo 44th Divisional artillery covered the division s retreat until close to Dunkirk where all routes were completely blocked by abandoned French vehicles The gunners destroyed their guns and vehicles before marching to the evacuation beaches on foot 82 83 44th HC Division got away in pretty good order aboard boats on 30 31 May but 57th Fd Rgt lost a number of officers and men in the process 84 Home Defence edit After evacuation the artillery of 44th HC Division re formed in the Oxford area before moving to Northern England to be re equipped 57th Field Rgt moved to Pontefract in July and some 25 pounder guns began to arrive later in the month 84 85 44th HC Division then moved to Sussex to man a key part of the anti invasion defences in South East England under I Corps 69 86 87 88 One of the lessons learned from the Battle of France was that the two battery organisation did not work field regiments were intended to support an infantry brigade of three battalions As a result they were reorganised into three 8 gun batteries but it was not until late 1940 that the RA had enough trained battery staffs to carry out the reorganisation 67 89 57th Field Rgt accordingly formed 440 Fd Bty on 28 February 1941 while the regiment was stationed at Sittingbourne 60 44th HC Division remained in Sussex and Kent until the end of May 1942 when it embarked for the Middle East It landed in Egypt on 24 July with 57th Fd Rgt equipped with 24 x 25 pounder guns 69 90 North Africa edit nbsp 25 pounder and Quad tractor moving up to the front in the Western Desert 29 October 1942 At the time of its arrival the British forces in Egypt were facing a crisis against Rommel s Panzerarmee Afrika and the division was lucky not to be thrown straight into action without any desert experience 91 Instead it got a bare month to train and was positioned on the key south facing Alam el Halfa ridge when Rommel resumed his offensive with a right hook round the British Eighth Army s defences at El Alamein During the resulting Battle of Alam el Halfa on 31 August the German Afrika Korps was drawn into attacking dug in British tanks supported by 44th Divisional artillery 92 93 94 During the Second Battle of El Alamein 44th HC Division supported 7th Armoured Division which itself was tasked with carrying out a subsidiary attack on the first day 23 October Much of this support was with artillery fire 57th Field Rgt contributed to the famous 1000 gun barrage that opened the battle In the later stages of the battle elements of the division were switched north to assist the main breakthrough 69 95 96 97 98 44th HC Division was broken up after Alamein and 57th Fd Rgt became an Army Field Regiment under Eighth Army 69 99 In January 1943 it joined 5th Army Group Royal Artillery 5 AGRA forming at Medenine in Tunisia 5 AGRA usually supported XXX Corps The regiment participated in the battles of Medenine Mareth Wadi Akarit and the capture of Tunis 100 71 440 Bty joined 74th Northumbrian Fd Rgt on 10 May 1943 and was replaced on 10 June by 160 Independent Fd Bty originally from 174th Fd Rgt 60 Italy edit 57th Field Rgt took part in the Allied invasion of Sicily Operation Husky as part of 5 AGRA supporting XXX Corps campaign in the east of the island On 2 August the regiment supported the successful attack by 38th Irish Brigade on Centuripe 101 5 AGRA and the rest of XXX Corps artillery then provided crushing support for XIII Corps in its assault crossing of the Straits of Messina Operation Baytown on 3 September 1943 Against this force the landings were not seriously disputed and Eighth Army began advancing up the Calabria coast 70 100 71 102 103 In November XXX Corps including HQ 5 AGRA were withdrawn to the UK to prepare for the Allied invasion of Europe Operation Overlord and 57th Fd Rgt transferred to 6 AGRA which remained under Eighth Army in Italy 70 71 104 6 AGRA supported V Corps at the crossing on the Sangro in November 1943 when 57th Fd Rgt was detached to work directly under 78th Division The field regiments fired over 600 rounds per gun in the three days of this engagement 105 6 AGRA was involved in other operations by Eighth Army and US Fifth Army including the Battle of Monte Cassino in April 1944 the fighting on the Gothic Line August and at Castel del Rio December 1944 and the crossing of the River Po April 1945 that effectively ended the Italian Campaign 106 57th Home Counties Field Regiment was placed in suspended animation on 15 February 1946 18 60 113th Home Counties Field Regiment edit Home Defence edit 113th Field Regiment mobilised in 12th Eastern Infantry Division the 2nd Line duplicate of 44th HC Division but when the division moved to France in April 1940 it was only intended for labour duties and the RA units remained behind in the UK After the Dunkirk evacuation the 12th Division was broken up and on 6 July 113th Fd Rgt joined 1st London Division shortly afterwards designated 56th London Division 71 107 108 109 Post Dunkirk this formation was part of XII Corps in the south east corner of England the most threatened area in the country moving to XI Corps in November 88 86 108 113th Field Rgt formed its third battery 478 Fd Bty on 27 February 1941 On 17 February 1942 113th Fd Rgt was authorised to use its parent unit s Home Counties subtitle 18 66 Iraq and North Africa edit In August 1942 the division embarked for the Middle East arriving in Iraq to reinforce Persia and Iraq Command PAIC in November By the time it arrived the threats to the Persian oilfields had diminished with the British victory at El Alamein and the lack of German progress at the Battle of Stalingrad The troops in PAIC were therefore free to undergo intensive training and 56th Division was selected for the planned Allied invasion of Sicily Operation Husky 71 108 110 111 112 This involved a move from Kirkuk via Palestine and Egypt to join X Corps of Eighth Army in Tunisia covering approximately 3200 miles between 19 March and 19 April 1943 As soon as it arrived it was thrown into the last stages of the Tunisian Campaign because Gen Montgomery did not want an untried division in Husky Given the task of capturing Tarhuna during the night of 28 29 April it succeeded but was driven off the position the following morning Montgomery realised that the division needed time to learn battlecraft It went into action again during the final advance on Tunis Operation Vulcan moving north to meet 6th Armoured Division of First Army coming south whose leading troops were able to spot for X Corps guns via 56th Division s wireless net 71 108 113 114 Salerno to Anzio edit Because of Montgomery s doubts 56th Division was not in fact used in Operation Husky Instead it moved back to Tripoli in Libya for further training and then put to sea on 1 September for the invasion of mainland Italy landing at Salerno on 9 September Operation Avalanche H Hour was at 03 30 the division s leading infantry landing craft touched down at 03 35 covered by naval gunfire and 113rd Fd Rgt s guns began landing at 05 35 The whole regiment was ashore and ready for action at 16 15 71 108 115 Over the next few days the division fought its way forward to extend the beachhead against strong German counter attacks and the divisional artillery was heavily engaged in defensive fire DF tasks 116 X Corps began its advance out of the beachhead on the night of 22 23 September with massive artillery support and reached Naples on 30 September 108 117 By 11 October the division was on the Volturno Line but failed to cross the river the following day and had to wait until 16 October before it could cross and begin the pursuit through rough country beyond 108 118 This brought the division to the Bernhardt Line where 113th Fd Rgt lent support to the attack of 201st Guards Brigade up Bare Arse Ridge on 6 November during the during the Battle of Monte Camino 108 119 Attacks at Monte Camino continued in early December with large numbers of guns in support until the division seized the heights on 6 December 120 56th Division was next tasked with capturing a bridgehead across the Garigliano using strong artillery support 400 rounds per gun were supplied for the division s 25 pounders The attack on the night of 17 18 January 1944 was successful and by morning the leading battalions were across and attacking with plenty of artillery support 108 121 The division began its breakout from the bridgehead on 23 January but at the end of the month was ordered to pull out and go by sea to reinforce the Anzio beachhead By 15 February the whole division had arrived and taken over part of the line under US VI Corps in time to beat off the German counter attack Operation Fischfang or Catching Fish 71 108 122 Trench warfare in the Anzio bridgehead continued for months On 28 February the German I Parachute Corps began an offensive against 56th Division that produced no change in the line When the attack was widened to the front of 3rd US Division the following day accompanied by unusually heavy support from field artillery the whole artillery in VI Corps brought down a pre emptive counter preparation programme Although this was too late to catch the German troops as they formed up the attack made no real impression on the Allied defences 123 56th Division was by now so weak that it was relieved and on 28 March went by sea to Egypt for recuperation 108 124 125 Italy again edit 56th Division returned to Italy on 17 July 1944 and was assigned to V Corps for the attack on the Gothic Line Operation Olive When the offensive opened on 25 August 1944 V Corps was still moving up and 56th Division was its reserve but its artillery was sent on ahead to strengthen the Corps artillery Once the Corps had broken into the German positions 56th Division was used to widen the breach on 1 September and then on 3 September to lead the pursuit taking Monte Maggiore before opposition increased at the Gemmano Coriano high ground There followed hard methodical fighting to clear the Germans off successive ridge lines the Battle of San Marino 108 126 nbsp 25 pounder and crew in a waterlogged position across the Rubicon October 1944 On the night of 27 28 September the 56th Division attacked Savignano sul Rubicone on the Fiumicino river supported by a 90 minute barrage fired by the heavily reinforced divisional artillery Nevertheless the attack failed as did attempts to renew it on 29 30 September and 1 October Later in October the badly weakened 56th Division was relieved in the line 127 While the infantry were recuperating 56th Division s artillery was brought up to reinforce V Corps fire plan for the capture of Forli and the attempted crossings of the Montone on 8 November 128 56th Division returned to the fighting in December to cover the Lamone crossing 2 13 December and then to clear the ground between the Lamone and the Senio forcing its way into Sant Andrea on 31 December However ammunition shortages limited the use of the artillery 108 129 For Eighth Army s Spring offensive in 1945 Operation Grapeshot 56th Division was responsible for the operations on Lake Comacchio to outflank the Senio line 5 6 10 11 and 13 April allowing it to breach the Argenta Gap 15 19 April despite the shortage of artillery ammunition 108 130 Once through the gap 56th Division drove on through German rearguards to the Po arriving on 25 April and crossing immediately The division reached Venice on 29 April Here it was halted due to shortage of fuel The Surrender of Caserta came into force on 2 May ending hostilities in the Italian theatre 131 56th Division was made responsible for protecting lines of communication to the disputed city of Trieste in the immediate aftermath of the fighting 132 113th Home Counties Field Regiment was placed in suspended animation on 10 November 1945 18 66 Postwar editWhen the TA was reconstituted in 1947 57th Fd Rgt was reformed as 257 Home Counties Fd Rgt Once again it was part of 44th HC Division In 1955 the unit s title was changed to 257 County of Sussex Fd Rgt 18 71 133 134 135 136 137 Meanwhile 113th Field Rgt changed role and was reformed in 1947 as 313 Sussex Heavy Anti Aircraft Rgt at Worthing It was assigned to 99 AA AGRA which became 99 AA Brigade the following year 18 71 133 136 137 138 139 When Anti Aircraft Command was disbanded in 1955 313 Sussex HAA Rgt merged with 258 Sussex Light AA Rgt 344 Sussex Yeomanry HAA Rgt and 641 Sussex HAA Rgt to form 258 Sussex Yeomanry LAA Rgt with R Battery at Worthing formed by 313 and 641 HAA Rgts When 257 County of Sussex Field Rgt joined this amalgamation on 4 October 1961 it became 257 Sussex Yeomanry Fd Rgt with RHQ at Brighton 18 134 135 138 139 Uniforms and insignia editThe original uniform of the Brighton AVC was of mixed grey Oxford cloth The tunic had black Braid on the cuffs and collars and it is believed that a black stripe was worn down the trousers A peaked Forage cap was worn with a white medal grenade badge and similar grenade badges were worn on the shoulder straps When the guns were hauled by hired horses the civilian carters wore a form of straw Boater with a ribbon bearing the corps title similar to a naval Cap tally 4 The 3rd Sussex AVC wore a forage cap badge consisting of an oval surmounted by a crown and inscribed S A III V C at the top and H I C at the bottom in Old English letters with an oak tree in the centre From 1878 a standard RA helmet with ball Finial was worn with FIRST 2nd THIRD FOURTH SUSSEX ARTILLERY VOLUNTEERS on the scrolls of the helmet plate The band wore a scarlet plume in place of the ball finial and a helmet plate of crowned star pattern with sheet music and musical instruments superimposed 4 The Other Ranks waist belt clasp ca 1890 1908 was a rectangular plate surrounded by a scroll inscribed 1st SUSSEX VOLUNTEER ARTILLERY worn with a brown leather belt pouch and pouch belt 4 The two men of No 6 Railwaymen s Garrison Company responsible for driving the armoured train wore silver arm badges bearing a locomotive and the word DRIVER and FIREMAN 4 From 1908 to 1919 the men of the TF Sussex batteries wore a brass shoulder title T RFA SUSSEX on their service dress while the men of the Brigade Ammunition Column wore T RFA HOME COUNTIES 18 From 1955 to 1961 257 Fd Rgt wore a supplementary shoulder title COUNTY OF SUSSEX embroidered in yellow on a navy background immediately below the ROYAL ARTILLERY title in red on navy blue 18 Honorary Colonels editThe following served as Honorary Colonel of the unit 5 Charles Smith Hannington former CO appointed 9 January 1878 Sir Julian Goldsmid 3rd Bt MP appointed 17 August 1881 Spencer Cavendish 8th Duke of Devonshire appointed to 2nd Sussex 5 March 1887 Sir Charles Boxall KCB VD former CO appointed to 1st Sussex 17 June 1896 11 Sir Berry Cusack Smith 5th Bt KCMG appointed 20 May 1917 Sir Alleyne Percival Boxall 2nd Bt OBE TD former CO appointed 8 July 1929 140 Prominent members editSir Reginald Blaker 2nd Bt MP served in 57th Field Brigade commissioned 2nd lieutenant 11 December 1923 lieutenant 11 December 1925 captain 1 August 1930 major 8 March 1935 and fought in the Second World War 5 See also editShoreham RedoubtNotes edit Beckett Beckett Appendix VIII a b c d e Frederick p 670 a b c d e f g h i j k Litchfield amp Westlake pp 160 4 a b c d e f g h i j k l Army List a b c d e f g 1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers at Shoreham Fort Litchfield amp Westlake p 189 Beckett p 178 Lewes at Drill Hall Project a b Shoreham at Drill Hall Project a b c Boxall at Oxford Dictionary of National Biography Beckett p 212 Dunlop Chapter 14 Spiers Chapter 10 No 28121 The London Gazette Supplement 20 March 1908 p 2153 2nd Cinque Ports Artillery at Regiments org Archived from the original on 27 December 2005 Retrieved 27 December 2005 a b c d Frederick pp 676 688 a b c d e f g h i j k l Litchfield pp 229 30 Litchfield pp 110 amp 234 Sussex at Great War Centenary Drill Halls Brighton at Drill Hall Project Hove at Drill Hall Project Worthing at Drill Hall Project a b c d e f g h Becke Pt 2a pp 49 54 44 Div at Long Long Trail 44 Div at Regimental Warpath Archived from the original on 15 November 2009 Retrieved 15 November 2009 Conrad 1914 Becke Pt 2b p 6 a b c d Becke Pt 2b pp 75 82 a b c 67 Div at Long Long Trail Perry pp 68 9 Moberly Vol II p 126 Farndale Forgotten Fronts p 219 Moberly Vol II pp 191 208 11 Moberly Vol II pp 212 38 Farndale Forgotten Fronts pp 223 4 Moberly Vol II pp 243 59 Moberly Vol II p 296 Moberly Vol II pp 314 Moberly Vol II pp 374 93 406 21 Moberly Vol II pp 425 37 Farndale Forgotten Fronts p 241 a b Perry pp 55 8 Perry pp 42 4 Perry pp 94 5 a b Perry pp 141 6 Perry p 135 Moberly Vol IV Appendix XLIII p 357 Moberly Vol IV Appendix XLV p 368 a b Moberly Vol IV Appendix XLVI p 384 Farndale Forgotten Fronts p 287 Farndale Forgotten Fronts pp 280 1 Wilson Johnston pp 18 24 Farndale Forgotten Fronts p 281 Farndale Forgotten Fronts p 282 Farndale Forgotten Fronts p 283 Farndale Forgotten Fronts pp 283 5 Wolson Johnston pp 33 4 Becke Pt 2b Appendix 3 p 136 a b c d e f Frederick pp 489 516 a b c Titles amp Designations 1927 Litchfield Appendix IV Burke s Peerage Baronetage and Knightage 1924 Edn Sainsbury pp 15 7 Farndale Years of Defeat p 9 a b c Frederick p 528 a b Sainsbury pp 17 20 Appendix 2 Farndale Years of Defeat p 21 a b c d e Joslen pp 71 2 a b c 57 Fd Rgt at Royal Artillery 1939 45 a b c d e f g h i j k British Artillery in World War 2 Ellis France amp Flanders Chapter 2 Ellis France amp Flanders Chapter 3 Ellis France amp Flanders Chapter 4 Farndale Years of Defeat p 40 Ellis France amp Flanders Chapter 5 Ellis France amp Flanders Chapter 6 Ellis France amp Flanders Chapter 7 Ellis France amp Flanders Chapter 8 Ellis France amp Flanders Chapter 9 Ellis France amp Flanders Chapter 11 Farndale Years of Defeat p 67 Ellis France amp Flanders Chapter 14 a b Farndale Years of Defeat p 83 Farndale Years of Defeat p 102 a b Collier Maps 17 amp 20 Horrocks p 97 a b Farndale Years of Defeat Annex D Farndale pp 99 100 Joslen p 570 Horrocks p 112 Horrocks pp 115 25 Montgomery pp 108 10 Playfair Vol III pp 384 Joslen p 570 Horrocks p 136 Montgomery pp 126 135 Playfair amp Molony Vol IV pp 42 3 56 7 Joslen p 486 a b 5 AGRA at Royal Artillery 1939 45 Molony Vol V p 160 Sicily 1943 at British and Commonwealth Orders of Battle Molony Vol V pp 234 40 Joslen p 467 Molony Vol V p 490 6 AGRA at Royal Artillery 1939 45 Joslen p 56 a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Joslen pp 37 8 113 Fd Rgt at Royal Artillery 1939 45 Jackson Empire pp 162 4 Playfair Vol III pp 365 425 Playfair Vol IV p 264 Playfair Vol IV pp 441 2 453 4 Montgomery p 172 Molony Vol V pp 259 276 7 Molony Vol V pp 283 4 291 2 296 310 321 Molony Vol V pp 337 8 340 1 343 Molony Vol V pp 438 444 5 450 Molony Vol V p 451 Molony Vol V pp 517 8 Molony Vol V pp 606 12 Molony Vol V pp 635 6 744 5 Molony Vol V p 755 Molony Vol V p 757 Molony Vol VI Pt I pp 10 13 Jackson Vol VI Pt II pp 130 226 231 241 249 52 260 1 267 8 277 Jackson Vol VI Pt II pp 353 4 371 2 402 Jackson Vol VI Pt III pp 39 40 Jackson Vol VI Pt III pp 120 24 158 Jackson Vol VI Pt III pp 215 6 222 259 60 267 8 271 2 281 2 Jackson Vol VI Pt III pp 289 91 293 319 326 8 Jackson Vol VI Pt III p 340 a b Farndale Years of Defeat Annex M a b Frederick p 998 a b 235 265 Rgts RA at British Army 1945 on a b Litchfield Appendix 5 a b Watson TA 1947 a b Frederick p 1004 a b 289 322 Rgts RA at British Army 1945 on Burke s Peerage Baronetage and Knightage 1931 Edn References editArmy List various dates Maj A F Becke History of the Great War Order of Battle of Divisions Part 2a The Territorial Force Mounted Divisions and the 1st Line Territorial Force Divisions 42 56 London HM Stationery Office 1935 Uckfield Naval amp Military Press 2007 ISBN 1 847347 39 8 Maj A F Becke History of the Great War Order of Battle of Divisions Part 2b The 2nd Line Territorial Force Divisions 57th 69th with the Home Service Divisions 71st 73rd and 74th and 75th Divisions London HM Stationery Office 1937 Uckfield Naval amp Military Press 2007 ISBN 1 847347 39 8 Ian F W Beckett Riflemen Form A Study of the Rifle Volunteer Movement 1859 1908 Aldershot Ogilby Trusts 1982 ISBN 0 85936 271 X Burke s Peerage Baronetage and Knightage 100th Edn London 1953 Basil Collier History of the Second World War United Kingdom Military Series The Defence of the United Kingdom London HM Stationery Office 1957 Col John K Dunlop The Development of the British Army 1899 1914 London Methuen 1938 Major L F Ellis History of the Second World War United Kingdom Military Series The War in France and Flanders 1939 1940 London HM Stationery Office 1954 Uckfield Naval amp Military Press 2004 Gen Sir Martin Farndale History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery The Forgotten Fronts and the Home Base 1914 18 Woolwich Royal Artillery Institution 1988 ISBN 1 870114 05 1 Gen Sir Martin Farndale History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery The Years of Defeat Europe and North Africa 1939 1941 Woolwich Royal Artillery Institution 1988 London Brasseys 1996 ISBN 1 85753 080 2 J B M Frederick Lineage Book of British Land Forces 1660 1978 Vol I Wakefield Microform Academic 1984 ISBN 1 85117 007 3 J B M Frederick Lineage Book of British Land Forces 1660 1978 Vol II Wakefield Microform Academic 1984 ISBN 1 85117 009 X Lt Gen Sir Brian Horrocks A Full Life London Collins 1960 Ashley Jackson The British Empire and the Second World War London Hambledon Continuum 2006 ISBN 1 85285 417 0 Gen William Jackson History of the Second World War United Kingdom Military Series The Mediterranean and Middle East Vol VI Victory in the Mediterranean Part I June to October 1944 London HMSO 1987 Uckfield Naval amp Military Press 2004 ISBN 1 845740 71 8 Gen Sir William Jackson History of the Second World War United Kingdom Military Series The Mediterranean and Middle East Vol VI Victory in the Mediterranean Part I I November 1944 to May 1945 London HMSO 1988 Uckfield Naval amp Military Press 2004 ISBN 1 845740 72 6 Joslen H F 2003 1960 Orders of Battle Second World War 1939 1945 Uckfield East Sussex Naval and Military Press ISBN 978 1 84342 474 1 Norman E H Litchfield The Territorial Artillery 1908 1988 Their Lineage Uniforms and Badges Nottingham Sherwood Press 1992 ISBN 0 9508205 2 0 Norman Litchfield amp Ray Westlake The Volunteer Artillery 1859 1908 Their Lineage Uniforms and Badges Nottingham Sherwood Press 1982 ISBN 0 9508205 0 4 Brig Gen F J Moberly History of the Great War The Campaign in Mesopotamia Vol I London HM Stationery Office 1924 Imperial War Museum and Battery Press 1997 Brig Gen F J Moberly History of the Great War The Campaign in Mesopotamia Vol IV London HM Stationery Office 1927 Imperial War Museum and Battery Press 1997 ISBN 1 901623 06 8 Brig C J C Molony History of the Second World War United Kingdom Military Series The Mediterranean and Middle East Vol V The Campaign in Sicily 1943 and the Campaign in Italy 3rd September 1943 to 31st March 1944 London HMSO 1973 Uckfield Naval amp Military Press 2004 ISBN 1 845740 69 6 Brig C J C Molony History of the Second World War United Kingdom Military Series The Mediterranean and Middle East Vol VI Victory in the Mediterranean Part I 1 April to 4 June 1944 London HMSO 1987 Uckfield Naval amp Military Press 2004 ISBN 1 845740 70 X The Memoirs of Field Marshal Viscount Montgomery of Alamein London Collins 1958 F W Perry History of the Great War Order of Battle of Divisions Part 5b Indian Army Divisions Newport Ray Westlake 1993 ISBN 1 871167 23 X Maj Gen I S O Playfair History of the Second World War United Kingdom Military Series The Mediterranean and Middle East Vol III September 1941 to September 1942 British Fortunes reach their Lowest Ebb London HMSO 1960 Uckfield Naval amp Military Press 2004 ISBN 1 845740 67 X Maj Gen I S O Playfair amp Brig C J C Molony History of the Second World War United Kingdom Military Series The Mediterranean and Middle East Vol IV The Destruction of the Axis forces in Africa London HMSO 1966 Uckfield Naval amp Military Press 2004 ISBN 1 845740 68 8 Lt Col J D Sainsbury The Hertfordshire Yeomanry Regiments Royal Artillery Part 1 The Field Regiments 1920 1946 Welwyn Hertfordshire Yeomanry and Artillery Trust Hart Books 1999 ISBN 0 948527 05 6 Edward M Spiers The Army and Society 1815 1914 London Longmans 1980 ISBN 0 582 48565 7 War Office Titles and Designations of Formations and Units of the Territorial Army London War Office 7 November 1927 RA sections also summarised in Litchfield Appendix IV Lt Col W E Wilson Johnston An Account of the Operations of the 18th Indian Division in Mesopotamia December 1917 to December 1918 London St Martin s Press 1920 Uckfield Naval amp Military Press 2006 ISBN 978 1 845743 23 9 External sources edit Mark Conrad The British Army 1914 archive site British Army units from 1945 on British Artillery in World War 2 The Drill Hall Project Great War Centenary Drill Halls The Long Long Trail Oxford Dictionary of National Biography The Regimental Warpath 1914 1918 archive site Royal Artillery 1939 1945 Shoreham Fort Graham Watson The Territorial Army 1947 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers amp oldid 1207184258, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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