Gloucestershire Volunteer Artillery

On the outbreak of war, I SM Bde mobilised at Clifton and Gloucester and initially went to its war station in the defences of the Naval base at Plymouth. It then joined the concentration of the South Midland Division around Chelmsford, where it formed part of Central Force.[19][21] On the outbreak of war, units of the TF were 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 form these into reserve units. On 31 August, the formation of a reserve or 2nd Line unit was authorised for each 1st Line unit where 60 per cent or more of the men had volunteered for Overseas Service. The titles of these 2nd Line units would be the same as the original, but distinguished by a '2/' prefix. In this way duplicate battalions, brigades and divisions were created, mirroring those TF formations being sent overseas.[19][23]

18-pounder gun preserved at the Imperial War Museum.

The South Midland Division was ordered to France on 13 March 1915, and the artillery embarked at Southampton for Le Havre on 29 March, disembarkation being complete by 1 April. By 4 April the division had taken over a section of the front line near Neuve Eglise in Belgium. It was redesignated 48th (South Midland) Division on 12 May 1915. The batteries were re-equipped with modern 18-pounder guns on 21 July.[19][21][22][24]

The brigade was redesignated CCXL Brigade, RFA, (240 Bde) on 18 May 1916. At the same time, the batteries were redesignated A, B and C, a new D Bty having already been formed on 3 April. D Battery with its 18-pounders was then swapped for D (Howitzer) Bty of CCXLIII (IV South Midland) Bde. This battery had previously been 4th Warwickshire Bty, and was equipped with 4.5-inch howitzers. Brigade Ammunition Columns were also abolished at this time. On 18 October 1916, the 18-pounder batteries were brought up to six-gun strength when the brigade's former D Bty (now A/CCXLIII) returned and half of C/CCXLIII Bty joined. Similarly, D (H) Bty was brought up to a strength of six howitzers when half of C (H)/CCXLII (III South Midland) Bty joined on 16 January 1917.[8][10][18][21][22][19][25]

CCXL Bde supported 48th Division in the following actions:[21][22]

4.5-inch howitzer at the Royal Artillery Museum.

1916

• Battle of the Somme
  • Battle of Albert (1 July)
  • Battle of Bazentin Ridge (15–17 July)
  • Capture of Ovillers (17 July)
  • Battle of Pozieres Ridge (23–27 July, 13–28 August)
  • Battle of the Ancre Heights (3–11 November)
  • Battle of the Ancre (13–18 November)

1917

• German retreat to the Hindenburg Line (Operation Alberich) (14 March – 5 April)
  • Occupation of Peronne (18 March)
• Third Ypres Offensive[24]
  • Battle of Langemarck (16 August) Although this battle was disastrous overall, the artillery support for 48th Division was good and it captured some ground before being held up by a group of fortified farms. On 20 August 48th Division took advantage of a spell of dry weather to attack the troublesome strongpoints that had held them up: Hillock Farm, Maison du Hibou, Triangle Farm and the Cockcroft. Seven tanks moved up the firm St Julien–Poelcapelle road covered by a smoke and shrapnel barrage, with a High Explosive (HE) barrage ahead, and subdued the strongpoints that were then captured by infantry platoons. A repeat of this attack two days later was less successful.[26][27][28]
  • Battle of Polygon Wood (28 September–3 October)
  • Battle of Broodseinde (4 October)
  • Battle of Poelcappelle (9 October) This was the division's last attack on the Western Front. Its role was to advance up a ridge to the outskirts of the village of Passchendaele. Ground conditions were bad, and many batteries were bogged down, so the preparatory barrage was feeble, many of the HE shellbursts being deadened by the mud. Casualties among the gunners were also severe because they were exposed to German observers on the ridge.[29][30][31]

Camouflaged RFA 18-pounder in Italy, 1918

On 10 November, 48th Division was ordered to move to the Italian Front. Entrainment began on 21 November and by 1 December the division concentrated round Legnago in the Adige Sector. On 1 March 1918 the division relieved 7th Division in the front line of the Montello sector on the Piave Front, and held the line until 16 March. On 1 April it moved westward into reserve for the middle sector of the Asiago Plateau Front. It remained in Italy for the remainder of the war, taking part in the following operations:[21][22][32][33]

1918

• Battle of the Piave River:
  • Fighting on the Asiago Plateau, 15–16 June 1918
• Battle of Vittorio Veneto:
  • Fighting in the Val d'Assa, 1–4 November 1918

On 3 November 1918, at Osteria del Termine, the division surrounded and captured a large force of Austrian troops including the corps commander and three divisional commanders. By 15.00 on 4 November, when the Armistice with Austria came into force, the division had pushed forward into the Trentino. After the conclusion of hostilities, the division was withdrawn to Italy for the winter. Demobilisation began in 1919 and was complete by 31 March.[10][21]

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

The 2nd Line brigade was formed in the autumn of 1914, and in January 1915 it joined the 2nd South Midland Division (later 61st (2nd South Midland) Division) at Northampton. Equipment was scarce, and until the end of 1915 the only guns available for training were obsolete French De Bange 90 mm guns. In January 1916 the brigade received four of the obsolescent 15-pounders that had equipped 1st Line TF units. Finally, as the division prepared to go overseas, modern 18-pounders were issued.[34][35]

While stationed at Northampton, the division formed part of First Army of Central Force, but once the 48th Division had gone to France, the 61st replaced it around Chelmsford as part of Third Army, Central Force, responsible for coastal defence. In February 1916 the division moved to Salisbury Plain for final battle training. In May it concentrated in the Tidworth–Bulford area, and on 16/17 May 1916 2/I (SM) brigade was redesignated CCCV Brigade RFA (305 Bde).[8][10][18][19][25][34]

Entrainment for the embarkation ports began on 21 May and by 28 May the division was in France, concentrated in IX Corps' area behind the front line. The division's first major action was the Attack at Fromelles on 19 July 1916. The artillery preparation had begun the previous day, but the infantry attack was a disaster, the assaulting battalions taking very heavy casualties. 61st Division was only used for trench-holding for the rest of the year. On 16/17 September CCCV (2/I SM) Brigade was broken up among the other artillery brigades of 61st Division to bring them up to 6-gun batteries.[25][34][35][36][10]

During the 1930s the increasing need for anti-aircraft (AA) defence for Britain's cities was addressed by converting a number of existing TA units. The 66th (South Midland) Field Brigade was one of the units converted to the AA artillery role on 1 November 1938, becoming 76th (Gloucestershire) Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RA. 264 Battery at Reading was separated and expanded to form a new 80th (Berkshire) AA Rgt. The HQ and three remaining batteries (renumbered as 236, 237 and 238 (Bristol) AA Btys) were all based at the Artillery Grounds at Clifton. It formed part of 46th Anti-Aircraft Brigade in 5 AA Division, which provided the AA defence for Bristol, including Bristol Docks and the Bristol Aeroplane Company factory at Filton Aerodrome, a key target.[8][18][13][37][39][40][41][42]

The TA's AA units were mobilised on 23 September 1938 during the Munich Crisis, with units manning their emergency positions within 24 hours, even though many did not yet have their full complement of men or equipment. The emergency lasted three weeks, and they were stood down on 13 October.[43] In February 1939 the existing AA defences came under the control of a new Anti-Aircraft Command. In June a partial mobilisation of TA units was begun in a process known as 'couverture', whereby each AA unit did a month's tour of duty in rotation to man selected AA and searchlight positions. On 24 August, ahead of the declaration of war, AA Command was fully mobilised at its war stations, with the eight 3-inch guns of 76th AA Rgt deployed as planned in and around the Bristol Gun Defence Area (GDA) – four of them out of action.[44][45]

On 11 September 1939, all the available heavy AA (HAA) guns in 46 AA Bde (76th AA Rgt's eight guns) were concentrated to cover Avonmouth Docks. These guns were relocated to Filton Aerodrome in October. In the near-total absence of light AA (LAA) guns, detachments from other units armed with Light machine guns were deployed during October to cover Vulnerable Points (VPs) such as airfields and aircraft factories. 76th AA Regiment manned 16 Lewis guns at Parnall Aircraft, Yate, until they were relieved by 68th (Monmouthshire Regiment) Searchlight Rgt in November.[45]

From 1 June 1940 those AA units armed with 3-inch or the more modern 3.7-inch guns were termed 'Heavy AA' (HAA) to distinguish them for the Light AA units then being formed.[8][18][39][46]

8 AA Division formation sign.

By 11 July 1940, at the start of the Battle of Britain, 5 AA Division had 36 HAA guns deployed at Bristol.[47] Some of the greatest air battles of the Battle of Britain were fought on 15 August, from South Wales to the Yorkshire Coast, when 5 AA Division was hotly engaged, being credited with several 'kills'. Another peak day came on 24 August, when the Bristol gunners were in action again. From 6 September the Luftwaffe switched from bombing airfields to bombing cities, and there was a daylight raid on Bristol on 25 September 1940.[48][49]

As AA Command expanded, the regiment formed a new 349 HAA Bty formed on 17 September, and 46 AA Bde transferred to a new 8 AA Division in November.[39][40][50][51][52] Now the night attacks were stepped up against London and other cities, with Bristol receiving frequent raids, particularly heavy in March 1941 (the Bristol Blitz).[53][54][55][56]

The regiment sent a cadre to 207th Training Regiment at Devizes to provide the basis for a new 425 HAA Bty; this was formed on 24 April 1941 and later joined 126th HAA Rgt. The regiment sent another cadre to 207th HAA Training Regiment to provide the basis for a new 480 (Mixed) HAA Bty, in which women of the Auxiliary Territorial Service were integrated. This battery was formed on 18 September 1941 but was converted to men-only on 15 October before being regimented with 76th HAA Rgt on 9 December.[39] It replaced 238 HAA Bty, which left in October–November to join the field force under War Office control and later transferred to 83rd (Blythswood) AA Rgt.[39][57] In the autumn of 1941 the regiment (with 236, 237 and 349 HAA Btys) joined a new 69 AA Bde in 8 AA Division.[58]

The regiment was now prepared for overseas service. This required a war establishment of three batteries, and 480 HAA Bty was reduced back to a cadre on 9 April 1942 to return to Devizes and form a new 480 (Mixed) Bty; this battery eventually joined 162nd HAA Rgt[39] The rest of the regiment had left AA Command by May 1942.[59] By September 1942 it had come under War Office Control, with its own Royal Corps of Signals Section and Royal Army Ordnance Corps Workshop Section.[60] It was joined by a Royal Army Service Corps transport platoon in the autumn of 1942 and was now ready for overseas service as a mobile unit.[61]

In October 1942 the advance parties of the regiment sailed for North Africa as part of Operation Torch, and began unloading their equipment in Algiers harbour soon after it was secured on 9 November. However, the HAA units had not been 'combat loaded' and it took some time to assemble the 3.7-inch guns, vehicles and equipment and deploy to engage the Luftwaffe air attacks that quickly developed against the port and nearby airfields. It was not until the end of the year that the regiment was at full strength, but by mid-January 1943 it had a battery in action at Algiers port, and troops at Maison Blanche and Blida airfields, all under 62 AA Bde. These were regularly attacked by German bombers flying from Sicily and Sardinia. On one occasion, 13 Allied aircraft were destroyed and many damaged during a night raid on Maison Blanche. As the campaign developed and First Army advanced eastwards, the regiment had full batteries deployed in 'Inner Artillery Zones' (IAZs) at Algiers, Bougie and Djidjelli by mid-March. In these positions the gunners found that the performance of their gun-laying (GL) radar sets was degraded by nearby hills and it was difficult to engage 'unseen' targets.[46][62][63][64]

By late April, 62 AA Bde had been relieved round Algiers by US Army units, and was able to move up behind First Army. 76th HAA Regiment now joined 52 AA Bde, which consisted of a mobile AA force for the final push in Tunisia (Operation Vulcan). These units were ready to move into Tunis and Bizerta immediately behind the leading battle groups. Despite German counter-attacks, 'Vulcan' was launched on 6 May and in the afternoon of 7 May Allied troops entered the two cities and 52 AA Bde was called forward. In fact, enemy combat troops were still holding out, and at Bizerta the AA advance parties came under shellfire from outside the town. Once the last resistance had been flushed out, 76 HAA Rgt deployed in the Bizerta IAZ. Because of the port's vital importance for the assembly and despatch of forces for the Allied invasion of Sicily (Operation Husky) this became the largest British AA commitment in the theatre.[65][66]

The assault landings on Sicily began on 10 July 1943, Syracuse was entered that night, and 62 AA Bde HQ landed there on 17 July, bringing with it batteries from 76th HAA and other regiments, which were dispersed and deployed where required. The vital harbours at Syracuse and Augusta received constant raids from Luftwaffe bombers and fighters by day and night, with the AA gunners scoring several 'kills'. By D+28 (7 August), 76th HAA Rgt was deployed around Syracuse with 236 HAA Bty detached to Augusta.[46][67][68][69]

3.7-inch AA gun in action in the field artillery role in Italy

Messina fell on 17 August, completing the capture of Sicily, and the Allies moved quickly to the invasion of the Italian mainland, beginning with Eighth Army crossing the Straits of Messina on 3 September (Operation Baytown). 62 AA Brigade HQ followed on 29 September, taking 76 HAA Rgt with it. Travelling by road, it crossed Italy and reached Bari on 2 October, it relieved the AA units there to follow the advance and took over defence of Bari harbour, Barletta and Manfredonia on the coast, and a complex of inland airfields. The ports were important for Eighth Army's supplies, and were targeted by the Luftwaffe. On the night of 2/3 December there was an Air raid on Bari covered by clouds of 'Window' (known as Düppel to the Luftwaffe). Not only were the Royal Air Force and Royal Artillery radar stations blinded, but communications broke down between the two services and defensive fire only began as the first bombs fell. The guns claimed three bombers shot down. The bombers had been aided by the port working under full lighting, and the damage to shipping and stores was increased by the explosion of an ammunition vessel.[46][70][71][72]

Shortly after the Bari raid, 62 AA Bde HQ and 76 HAA Rgt were relieved and moved on up the eastern side of the Italian peninsula behind Eighth Army, crossing to join US Fifth Army in April 1944. Initially, it was involved in airfield defence, but after Fifth Army's capture of Rome in June 1944 it deployed to defend the bridges over the Tiber and the port of Piombino. Then when relieved it was able to follow close behind Fifth Army. Although the Luftwaffe's losses meant the air threat was lowered, HAA batteries of 62 AA Bde also employed their versatile long-range 3.7-inch guns in a medium artillery role against ground targets. This included counter-battery (CB), defensive fire (DF) and harassing fire (HF) shoots, but also air-burst shoots against entrenched positions, and destruction of hard targets such as buildings.[73]

Once Fifth Army had crossed the Arno, it faced the Serchio and the defences of the Gothic Line. On 26 December the German forces put in a major counterattack, Unternehmen Wintergewitter (Operation Winter Storm), between Lucca and Pistoia aimed at retaking the port of Livorno (Leghorn). 62 AA Brigade was well to the front in the resulting Battle of Garfagnana, with LAA regiments acting as infantry and anti-tank gunners, while the HAA regiments acted as divisional medium artillery. 76th HAA Regiment answered 181 calls for fire with 4995 rounds fired. Having beaten off the attack, IV US Corps advanced into the mountains. There was little activity by the Luftwaffe, so the ample stocks of 3.7-inch AA ammunition were used for all kinds of engagements. By the end of February 1945, 62 AA had been reduced to just two regiments – of which 76th was one – with only one battery on AA tasks.[74][75][76]

Fifteenth Army Group (British Eighth and US Fifth Armies) launched its final offensive (Operation Grapeshot) on 6 April 1945 and the Italian Campaign ended shortly afterwards. 76th (Gloucester) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment and its three batteries were placed in suspended animation on 24 November 1945.[18][39][75][77]