Major Julius Kennedy DSO and World War One - Part One

Early Years

Arthur Julius Rann Kennedy was born at 24 Clanricarde Gardens, Bayswater in London on 26th February 1883, thirteen years after the French army's defeat by new Prussian field guns at Sedan. Julius, as he preferred to be known, was the youngest son of Lord Justice Sir William Rann Kennedy, of the Court of Appeal of the Privy Council. Sir William was a left-leaning Liberal who had stood three times for Parliament and was a strong advocate for international peace during his lifetime. His area of the law was shipping law and as such he was involved in various international legal conferences in the years before the war.Obituaries for Lord Justice Kennedy

Julius joined the Royal Field Artillery direct from Eton. He came from a very academic family, but unlike his grandfather, father, uncles and brothers he did not seem to be interested in academia, not attending university unlike all his immediate male relations. He was literate and highly intelligent but left no writing behind about his experiences of war and peace.

He joined the army at the time of the Boer War, a time when there was widespread concern that the Empire was crumbling, because the Boers inflicted substantial defeats on the British forces early on.

Perhaps he felt he wished to do his bit to support the Empire. The Royal Field Artillery had high social status in Britain at the time and the army made sense as a career for an aspiring young man like Julius who didn't fancy University. He had passed examinations in Russian and French.

The system at Woolwich Military Academy where he attended would have been familiar to him from his time in public school. The young cadets were subjected to continuous chaffing from their seniors. Julius was a fine horseman so he would have excelled at riding, an essential part of the training at that time - the artillery was entirely reliant on horses for transportation. He was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant in 29th Battery, the Royal Field Artillery 31st July 1902.  On September 20th 1904 he was posted to Kildare in Ireland for 18 months. Two years later he was promoted to full Lieutenant.


Sometime in the early 1900s he met his wife to be, Dora Emilie Tatham, known as Emilie, his distant cousin from South Africa (they shared a great grandfather, the renowned Georgian architect Charles Heathcote Tatham). Her parents were in Ladysmith during the famous Boer War siege and her father served in the Natal Carbineers during the siege. Emilie luckily seems to have been elsewhere at the time, judging by a letter from her mother. You can read about her father George and his part in the Siege here.

Her father had been a distinguished officer in that campaign and her mother had nursed the wounded. How did she meet Julius ? One story is that she was in England to be presented at Court, a society custom in Britain up to the late 1950s. Another is that Julius was visiting his relatives in Natal and met Emilie there. At any rate we know the couple married in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa on April 20th 1904, while en route to Karachi to join his Battery.

At the time of their wedding Julius was being posted to Karachi, then part of India. 

Julius with polo trophies in India

In January 1909 he was posted to Cahir, County Tipperary in Southern Ireland. By the start of World War 1 Julius and Emilie had two sons and a daughter, Patrick, George and Joan. They had lost an infant daughter Frances Mary (twin of George) whilst in Cahir. Their family was to grow further over the years - all of Sir William Rann Kennedy's living descendants come from Julius and Emilie.

Patrick would become a Church of England Vicar like his Uncle Horace and George would follow in the footsteps of his Grandfather and Great Uncle Robert, becoming a military lawyer in India.

In September 1913 he was appointed Adjutant of 1st West Lancs Brigade RFA (Territorials) based in Liverpool.

Outbreak Of War

On the outbreak of War he was seconded to the Deputy Assistant Quartermaster General's Office at the War Office. The head of the War Office was Lord Kitchener. Kitchener who was greatly loved by the ordinary British soldier, was a robust, formidable soldier who did not like to be contradicted. As Minister of War he was in the invidious position of being a military man in a political role. 

The British Expeditionary Force in 1914 was dwarfed by the huge French forces in the field and the British needed to quickly show that they were ready to shoulder their share of the land war. He was trying to form massive new units for the army made up of civilian volunteers. He was trying to pull together all the different manufacturing agencies necessary to make the guns and the shells that were needed - companies that until then had been manufacturing civilian goods. Both of these things meant that the army in the front line faced big battles against the most formidable land army in world history without sufficient guns or ammunition.

On 30th October 1914 Julius was promoted to Captain. He would have been working hard on the nightmarish preparations for the massive artillery war that was developing as siege warfare raged in an unbroken line from the Flanders coast to the Swiss border. Production of guns and shells needed to be increased in astronomical proportions whilst maintaining quality control. Given that many new munitions workers would have to be trained this was a tall order, especially when many skilled workers had joined the new Kitchener battalions. Further confusion was caused when men from other vital war-related sectors of industry left to go to the suddenly glamorous munitions sector. This situation led eventually to the munitions scandal in 1915 that ultimately brought down Herbert Asquith’s government and saw David Lloyd George, who had been minister of Munitions and had launched several attacks on the government on the subject, propelled to the Prime Ministership.  

The Kennedy family home was at Neston in The Wirral, Cheshire, at this time.

In January 1915 his father Lord Justice Sir William Rann Kennedy died suddenly while working on a key judgement in the Court of Appeal regarding the Government’s seizure of enemy shipping. He was widely mourned by the legal community, particularly by the more dovish judges as a man who had strenuously tried to prevent the War. Julius meanwhile landed in France and was posted to BEF HQ in St Omer. Shortly he was to be father of a third son, John, who would grow up to join the Indian Army and would fight in Burma during World War Two.

In The Field 1915-1916

After some time as a staff officer at HQ, Julius joined 126 Brigade, 37th Division which at the time was a howitzer battery. They went into the line for the first time on 5th September 1915. The 37th Division were a ‘green’ untried Kitchener Division. The High Command had strong reservations about the Kitchener Divisions.The war diary of 126 Brigade 37th Division clearly shows the infancy of the new technology of radio communication, especially with the Royal Flying Corps artillery co-operation aircraft. Artillery co-operation, not dogfighting with the German Air Force, was the most important role of the RFC in the whole War. In the war diary a comment is made to the effect that the aircraft needed to have the ability to communicate with the artillery as well as the reverse. This area was to be the subject of much experimentation over the next few years.

At this time the British were really struggling to transport shells to the front - even the insufficient number of shells that could be manufactured in Britain at that time. The civilian North French railways were not geared up for the huge flow of ammunition and replacement guns. The railway lines in most cases did not lead anywhere near the locations near the front line where they could be dumped, ready to be collected by the ammunition columns. There were often no storage for shells in these locations. The front line did not follow a convenient route for communications and transport - even without considering weather conditions and the fact that the enemy were starting to shell the Allies’ rear areas.

The brigade remained in the same trenches at Henu, near Arras for much of the next year. They were neighbours of the French army. The war diary shows them struggling with rain and floods during November and December of 1915 - but the Germans opposite seem to have been suffering more from flooding. It seems that Henu was at this time a relatively quiet sector of the Western Front and the enemy’s artillery apparently caused them little trouble apart from a ‘minenwerfer’ or trench mortar, known to the British troops as “Moaning Minnie”. The minenwerfer was mobile and it proved difficult to pin down. It was finally reported in the war diary as destroyed on New Years Eve 1915. The minenwerfer fired a huge projectile nicknamed “the flying pig” by British troops. It could be seen approaching from a distance and those in the target area would flee either to left or right down the trench. The flying pig caused death and devastation in its wake.

Much of this period is spent getting to grips with the new technology of war.

(The vicinity of Henu)

Reading the War Diary for the period in the trenches at Henu, in general there seemed to be an ongoing ‘tit for tat’ situation in 1915 where the artillery of each side would intermittently ‘retaliate’ against each other for firing at opposing targets in the front line or rear areas. This contrasts starkly with the artillery war Julius would see in subsequent years.

(Julius (centre on bench) in the trenches, probably Henu)

These excerpts are taken from the War Diary of 126 Brigade, RFA

6.9 126 Brigade fire in anger for 1st time

13.9 Wireless stations erected at Brigade HQ and 
working with air support “with great success”

22-26.9 Slow bombardment of German trenches
27.9 German artillery active

2.10 Aircraft liaison practice. War diary noted that aircraft would be even 

more useful if they could receive, as well as transmit wireless

3.10 Artillery exchanges

8.10 Trouble with lyddite (HE) shells, 50% are ‘blind’. Could be the soft ground

13.10 Gunner injured by shrapnel

17.10 Infantry being troubled by a mobile minenwerfer (mortar - known as “moaning 

minnie”)

18.10 French front being heavily bombarded

20.10 German working parties have been active

21.10 Fired at working parties and dispersed them

22.10 Germans strengthening their positions and digging a new trench

23.10 Fired at working parties and dispersed them

24.10 Not seen working parties today

25.10 Working parties working at night. Minenwerfer proving hard to locate

26.10 Lyddite shells (HE) proving to be poorly balanced- one seen landing on its side

28.10 A large black box containing several ‘dummy’ rifles seen over the German 

trenches

30.10 Enemy artillery and minenwerfer active today

31.10 Missed opportunity when howitzers were firing on German wagons but not 18 

pounders

1.11 Enemy artillery active

2.11 Enemy minenwerfer active. Carried out strong bombardment in the afternoon.  

3.11 Heavy rains over past two days have damaged communication trench

4.11 Minenwerfer causing extensive damage to trenches

5.11 Heavy rain damaging the gun pits.  The system of positioning howitzers is not 

suitable for winter.

6.11 Minenwerfer active today

7.11 Heavy fog prevented a bombardment due to infantry being out and unable 

to get back due to fog.

8.11 French artillery active on the left. Howitzers and 18 pdrs caused much damage 

to German trenches.

10.11 Battery gun positions in bad way due to heavy rains

11.11 Increased activity from enemy 15 cm guns (Schwere FeldHaubitze, nicknamed 

“Jack Johnson” by the British due to the black shell - Jack Johnson was a famous 

black boxer)

12.11 Very wet day

13.11 Enemy having trouble with their buried telephone wires due to rain. 2nd Lt 

Gordon Wilson left brigade with a broken leg.

15.11 Enemy mainly busy pumping water out of their trenches

17.11 Enemy shelled our trenches a great deal. Lt Vigors took over command of the 

Brigade ammunition column.

18.11 Misty

19.11 Successful combined bombardment of German trenches

21.11 Shelled Germans and caused damage to their trenches. Germans retaliated 

feebly with 77mm shell (FeldKanone 96)

22.11 Very misty. For the next few days the guns registered targets.

27.11 Bombardment of the Germans with good results. 18 pdrs enfiladed the German 

communications trench

1.12 No shooting by either side due to heavy rain

2.12 Guns moved to positions above the ground,  thereby avoiding flooding by the 

heavy rain

3.12 Enemy visibly troubled by flooded trenches,  walking above the parapet

4.12 Bombardment of the German lines resulting in a lot of damage. Feeble response.

5.12 Enemy bombarded the position but stopped when the brigade retaliated

6.12 Enemy seen walking around in numbers behind their trenches

9.12 Enemy seen walking around in numbers behind their trenches in the French zone

10.12 Bombardment of the Germans with good results.

15.12 Shelled working parties

16.12 Germans shelled villages but stopped when brigade retaliated

18.12 Bombardment of the German lines resulting in a lot of damage. Feeble response.

21.12 Enemy seen walking around in numbers behind their support trenches and the brigade shelled them.

22.12 Small bombardment of the German lines resulting in some damage. Feeble response.

24.12 Fired on German villages in retaliation for firing on ours

25.12 Quiet day, a few howitzer rounds fired

26.12 German howitzer fired 25 rounds. Brigade retaliated,  dispersing a working party

28.12 Fine day,  enemy aircraft active

29.12 Small bombardment of the German lines resulting in some damage. Feeble response.

31.12.15 Dispersed working parties and silenced minenwerfer

1916 

According to Captain J C Dunn’s ‘The War The Infantry Knew’ the German artillery became 

much more active than ever before in January of 1916, shelling tracks and crossroads. 

Captain Dunn's book contains the memoirs of many officers of the Royal Welch Fusiliers 

(including the famous War poets Siegfried Sassoon and Robert Graves) who shared the 

same rough area as 126 Brigade at this time.

On 22nd March 1916 (confirmed 9th April) Julius was promoted to Major.  The Brigade 

remained in the trenches at Henu whilst the Battle of The Somme broke out in July.

1.1.16 Silenced a minenwerfer

2.1 Minenwerfer active at dusk. Trying to get battery flashes for registration

4.1.16 Mange breaks out in B/126. 30 horses sent to mobile section.

(Horses were the mainstay of the RFA and maintaining their health was always a challenge)

5.1 Small bombardment by A and D on enemy trenches causing great deal of damage. 

Feeble response

6.1 Minenwerfers more active than usual

7.1 Retaliatory firing on enemy trenches

9.1 Hostile artillery relatively inactive apart from some heavy shells on the trenches in the 

left flank in the morning

10.1 Heavy bombardment heard from the direction of Arras

11.1 A battery fired on minenwerfer in conjunction with an 18pdr battery with good results.  

D Battery fired on German infantry HQ with good results

12.1 Minenwerfers very active but little damage apart from one section of trench. D Battery 

retaliated.

13.1 C Battery cooperated with 48th Division in a bombardment but little result due to small 

charge used. Bombardier Norfolk (telephonist) of A Battery wounded while laying a telephone line

14.1 Successfully registered all batteries in co-operation with an aircraft, but enemy fire kept it back behind the lines and the pilot was wounded.

15.1 B Battery had all their horses evacuated due to mange along with mobile Vet section.  

Wagon lines moved to another village and horse accommodation erected there.

17.1 Slight shelling of enemy communication trenches

18.1 Bombardment of the enemy’s trenches and works,  and a good deal of damage done

19.1 D Battery shelled enemy communication trenches

20.1 D Battery shelled enemy dugout and smashed in the metal roof.  B Battery fired at the 

enemy trenches. 1 HE shell with a no. 100 fuse exploded early killing two and wounding one of the gunners.

21.1 Enemy artillery inactive due to bad weather and poor observation

22.1 2nd Lieut Tufnel of D Battery invalided to England. One of the gunners mentioned on 20th died in hospital.

23.1 A, B and D carried out 20 min bombardment on the enemy dugouts in a sunken road. 

Enfilade and direct fire used. A French 90mm gun on the left also cooperated. Much damage 

caused.

25.1 C shelled the enemy trenches

26.1 B shelled the enemy causing a lot of damage. The enemy heavily shelled a dummy battery erected by C Battery.

27.1 Enemy artillery less active. Gas alarms rung but false alarm.

28.1 C “stood to” (all guns in position of readiness) at 2:30 AM while 48 Division carried out a bombardment

29.1 Gas alarm - turned out to be a false alarm

31.1 Capt A. R. Burden killed by a 5.9 howitzer (nicknamed a “coal box”) hitting his OP

1.2 Enemy artillery less active

3.2 Enemy shelling,  followed by A,B,C,D in cooperation with 18 pounders and heavy batteries bombarding the enemy.

4.2 B,C,D shelled Essarts in response to enemy shelling on the right sector

5.2 Seven enemy balloons in the air. Shelled the German front line

6.2 A,B,C Batteries in action against Essarts in conjunction with a 4.7 battery retaliating for their shelling the British sector

7.2 D Battery and a portion of the ammunition column joined 48th Division on the right

8.2 A Battery carried out a small bombardment of the enemy’s barriers and did a great deal of damage

9.2  C Battery shelled enemy trenches. Germans retaliated with the aid of a balloon and shelled the alternative 18 pdr positions,  destroying one gun emplacement.

10.2 Organised bombardment of the enemy trenches,  who retaliated by shelling a dummy gun emplacement.

11.2 Fuzes picked up at the dummy emplacement are from French 75mm gun

12.2 Enemy quiet

13.2 C moved from right to left flank and Brigade HQ moved to a central position

14.2 Enemy quiet

15.2 Howitzers registered new zones

16.2 Registering

17.2 Quiet

18.2 Hostile artillery dormant

19.2 Working parties dispersed, a lot of aerial activity, bombing by either aircraft or zeppelins but no damage reported

20.2 Working parties dispersed

21.2 Working parties dispersed, firing by both sides

24.2 German aeroplane dropped 2 bombs 500 yards from Brigade HQ, killed some horses

25.2 Heavy fall of snow. Frost severe

25.2 Minenwerfer shelled our trenches,A Battery retaliated. Snow falling

26.2 OP shelled with 105mm shells (FeldHaubitze 98/09). Snow still falling

27.2 Light fall of snow overnight

29.2 A and B shelled enemy trenches

Lieut Langford joined B and 2nd Lieut Threlfall joined A on the 25th.

1.3 C shelled a Mill and destroyed dugouts while other battery shelled enemy trenches 

2.3 The ridge on our left rear was shelled by 105mm (FeldHaubitze 98/09) so retaliated with firing on enemy dugouts and other battery fired on enemy strongpoints and enemy shelling ended abruptly

3.3  The ridge on our left rear was again shelled by 105mm so retaliated with firing on enemy dugouts and other battery fired on enemy strongpoints and enemy shelling ended abruptly

4.3 4 inches of snow prevented any activity

5.3 A battery shelled Hameau (? means hamlet) and several Germans were seen to bolt

8.3 A German aeroplane dropped 2 bombs on our position,  no damage done. The brigade in cooperation with 18pdr and Heavy Artillery bombarded the enemy dugouts and did much damage

10.3 Hostile artillery more active than usual. Howitzers replied.

11.3 Several working parties dispersed

12.3 In the afternoon enemy artillery firing on right flank,  brigade retaliated

13.3 Lieut Byrne transferred to RFC. Hostile artillery more active

14.3 Hostile artillery more active, chiefly 77mm and 105mm (FeldHaubitze 98/09)

15.3 Very antiquated 90mm (possibly FeldKanone M75/96) guns used against British-held villages

16.3 Two aeroplane bombs dropped near HQ. Brigade shelled enemy trenches and villages. 

In evening German aeroplane flew over batteries.  Anti-aircraft gun opened fire. A 77mm (FeldKanone 96) battery opened fire, damaging A battery,  billets and wounding Gunner P. Newman.

17.3 Capt Inchbald took over B battery.

18.3 50 105mm shells fired on 18pdr battery. Accurate fire, directed by aircraft. Batteries shelled enemy trenches

19.3 5.9 shelled the road and destroyed some transport. B battery did counter battery fire, accurate, directed by aircraft

20.3 B battery did counter battery fire, accurate, directed by aircraft

21.3 Hostile artillery more active over past 24 hours

23.3 C battery shelled enemy transport on the Blairville - Ransart road (about 7 miles south west of Arras)

24.3 Enemy quiet

25.3 Mutual shelling

27.3 Very quiet on whole front

28.3 ABC batteries shelled enemy in conjunction with 18 pdr and heavy batteries. Damage done and dugout on fire. 2nd Lieut Threlfall evacuated with a sore throat

30.3 C Battery shelled enemy trenches after the shelling of French positions at Castiveau (?)

31.3 Mutual shelling

1.4 British trench shelled by 105mm, howitzers retaliated. B battery destroyed troublesome enemy battery with aeroplane cooperation. Congratulated by GOC Heavy Artillery

2.4 Organised bombardment of enemy trenches with very good results. Enemy response feeble

4.4 In the evening one section of each battery was relieved by 4th Division Artillery. In the morning 4 77mm shells fell in the Berks unfortunately with very effective results

5.4 Remaining guns relieved by the 4th Division.

6.4 All Brigade went into Camp at Pas De Calais for a rest period and general clean up. 

Heavy rain for 1st 10 days then fine till end of the month.

1-4.5 Training at rest camp

5.5 Back in Henu

6-9.5 Registering and strengthening positions. Major A.M. Dustin took over A/126. Lieut A. Cutbush joined and took over Ammunition Column. 

14.5 Organised Bombardment of enemy dugouts, damaging strong defences that really required heavy artillery.

15.5 Heavy firing in the night to the north of Arras

16-19.5 Hostile artillery and minenwerfers firing on sector trenches at night,  with the Brigade retaliating in kind

20.5 Brigade fired on enemy trenches at Monchy causing great deal of damage

21.5 Brigade establishment reduced to 3 batteries, ammunition column sent off to join divisional ammunition column. Lieuts Houghton and Threlfall oversaw the dispersal.

22-24.5 Enemy registering on sector trenches. Brigade registering with aircraft cooperation. 

2nd Lieut White evacuated to casualty clearing station on 23rd.

25-27.5 Enemy artillery more active plus saps and minenwerfers. Howitzers retaliating.

29.5  Enemy artillery active. About 9:30 am enemy fired 170 150mm shells on C Battery dugouts and gun emplacements but no penetration.

30-31.5 Desultory enemy fire on C Battery, no damage.

1-2.6 Enemy artillery inactive. Brigade slowly and steadily shelling enemy communication trenches. 

3.6 A raid carried out on enemy trenches and artillery cooperation with good results. 

Artillery extensively damaged dugouts and trenches and infantry bombed several dugouts.

Batteries heavily shelled but no casualties. The howitzers were complimented for their part in the raid.

4.6 Unsuccessful raid took place.

Reorganisation of the Brigade - swapped howitzers for 18 pdrs. Brigade HQ moved from La Cauchie to Pommier.

5-10.6 Enemy artillery inactive

2nd Lieut White sent to England with fever 1st June. 

11-23.6 Little firing on either side. Strengthening positions and laying in supplies: 

1500 rounds of shrapnel, 1000 HE per battery. 3 days reserves of water and 200 reserve rations per battery. 

2nd Lieut H. W. Wright posted to battery as Orderly Officer.

24.6 Harassed enemy crossroads and communications all night. 

25.6 A quick bombardment of the enemy’s trenches was carried out in the morning and the enemy’s crossroads harassed at night. A road near HQ was shelled by a 150mm howitzer.

26.6 Bombardment in cooperation with Corps Smoke carried out. X37 Trench Mortar Battery was attached to B/126 for tactical purposes. Enemy bombarded our front line and support trenches.

27.6 Bombardment carried out in the morning. Heavy artillery shelled our trenches, roads and Pommier. Gas was used in the evening. 

1.7 Attack on trenches N and S of Monchy continued, the Brigade at 7:25 am shelled enemy front line and communication trenches. Smoke was also used. From information 

46th Division has been held up at Gommecourt.

2.7 The Brigade assisted with a raid by infantry on enemy trenches

4.7 Artillery exchanges

5.7 Exchanged guns with 46th Division,  but poor exchange as their guns in bad condition. 

Brigade went into the reserve at Gaincourt.

8.7 126 Brigade transferred to 55th Division and marched to Monchiet (8 miles west of Arras) and Beaumetz (34 miles west of Arras, on the road to Abbeville) and prepared gun position.

13-14.7 Bombarded enemy trenches,  batteries firing 800 rounds in 45 minutes.

15.7 Marched to Berlencourt (18 miles east of Arras) and rejoined the 37th Division

16.7 Marched to Gauchin-Legal, a farming village 10 miles south of Bethune.

18.7 Took over gun positions from the 2nd Division 

19.7 Strengthening gun positions and building OPs.

1-11.8 Batteries registering with the aid of aircraft. 2nd Lieuts Latham and Symington joined the Brigade on the 3rd. Gunner Atkinson of C Battery killed by enemy fire in Bethune during the Brigade’s bombardment of that town.

15.8 Handed over gun positions to 9th Division and went out of the line to Gauchin-Legal

17.8 Marched to Gouy

18.8 Marched to Arras and took up positions in the line to reinforce the 11th Division Artillery

23.8 Took over H Group HQ from 59th Brigade 11th Division. Came under the command of 12th Division

H Group consisted of 4 batteries of 65th Brigade and 3 of 126 Brigade

28.8 Very little firing. Carried out bombardment of the enemy in support of an infantry raid. Cut two lanes in the enemy’s wire which was successfully carried out. Pommier shelled and the Church knocked about. 

29.8 In the morning a raid was carried out on the enemy’s trenches consisting of 2 parties. Gas was first used. Batteries then shelled hostile communication trenches afterwards turning on the front line trenches and then lifted back to communication trenches until raiding party was back. Both parties were successful in the raid causing considerable casualties and damage. The infantry reported that the wire was well cut by the Brigade. 

30.8 Our batteries carried out bombardment, in cooperation with Corps Smoke, of the enemy’s front line trenches and support trenches and a great deal of damage appeared to have been done. In the evening our batteries assisted Northern Group in attack on enemy trenches. Wagon Lines engaged in training horses to cross trench bridges. GOC 

37th Division complimented the Brigade on wire cutting.

30.8 Brigade reorganised into two 18 pdr batteries and one four gun howitzer battery. B Battery was disbanded and its guns shared between A and C Batteries. Right Section going to A and left section going to C. D/125 Howitzer which was formerly C/126 was transferred from 125 Brigade to become D/126.

4.9 Raid by 126 Brigade and the Essex Regiment on German trenches on the right of 4/5.  The wire though cut was almost 36 yards deep and tossed about in all directions making progress slow. Owing to the darkness the saphead was missed and when the party got within eight yards only five minutes remained before the bombardment would be shortened and the signal to return had to be given. Points to be remarked : intensity of rifle fire showing the trenches are strongly held. No machine gun fire in the vicinity of the trenches. Very little hostile artillery fire. No trench mortar action on the part of the enemy.

19.9 126 and 35th Infantry Brigade carried out a successful raid on the German trenches and a large number of enemy killed and identification made.

14.9 Brigade was relieved from Arras sector by 166 Brigade RFA.

15.9 Marched to Magnicourt-en-Compte 17 miles north of Arras.

20.9 Brigade relieved 3 Brigade at Bully Grenay 12 miles north of Arras, near Lens.

30.9 Hostile artillery has been inactive for 10 days.

The 30th September page of the Brigade War Diary is signed by Julius for the first time.

In November 1916, 126 Brigade took part in the the final part of The Somme Battle - 

The Battle of The Ancre, including the capture of Beaumont Hamel and major fortifications around. Beaumont Hamel had been a  target for capture on the first day of the Somme but the deep reinforced bunkers and extensive fortifications of the Germans meant that the attack failed. 

The massed British artillery involved in this battle had to fire from an open hillside in full view of the enemy and in atrocious weather conditions. Their billets were tents, not even lice-ridden barns. There was a fair amount of mist which protected the British gunners to a degree but also made accurate firing difficult.

From the war diary entries following it is clear that the Artillery were seriously focusing on coordinating closely with the infantry. Bombardments were becoming very complex affairs now that the ammunition was in better supply and lessons had been learned during the offensive.

1.9.10 502 Battery (Monmouth Territorial) Howitzers joined the Brigade. The following officers were in the battery - Major Lord Llangattock (of the Rolls family, of Rolls Royce fame), Capt Wade, Lieut Evans, Johnson and 2nd Lieut Benson.

10.10 D/126 took part in bombardment of enemy trenches, during the past ten days the enemy artillery has been inactive

14.10 The Brigade took part in a 6 minute bombardment of the enemy trenches

17.10 The Division handed over the line to the Canadian Division. This Brigade was relieved by 18 Brigade RFA.

18.10 Marched to Camblain Chatelaine (10 miles west of Bethune) and billeted there until 20th.

20.10 Marched and billeted at Houveline about 10 miles south west of Bethune, 17 miles north west of Arras.

21.10 Marched and billeted at Ribernath 

22.10 Marched and billeted at Orville 20 miles south west of Arras

23.10 Brigade Commander and OC Batteries visited 2nd Division Artillery HQ, 5th Reserve Army and selected Battery Positions. Meanwhile the Batteries marched to Auchel about ten miles south west of Bethune. All the batteries went into action that night in the open. Howitzer Batteries being attached to Counter Battery Group. A and B Batteries attached to Parry and Goschen Groups respectively. Brigade HQ attached to Goschen Group. The 502 Battery is designated C/126. The Brigade now comprised of 2 18pdr batteries and two howitzer batteries. A section DAC was attached to th Brigade for ammunition supply. 

24-25.10 Batteries built temporary gun positions and registering. Major Lord Llangattock wounded with a fractured jaw (he would die of his wounds on the 31st October in hospital in Boulogne, his family line extinct). Two other ranks Bond and Pallant also wounded from C/126.

26.10 2nd Lieut Symington left the Brigade and ordered to report to the commandant at Etaples to work with the Portuguese.

27-30.10 Improving gun positions, forming ammunition dumps and taking part in small bombardments. The period 23-31.10 very bad, raining every day, the men at the guns and wagon lines are in bivouac.  Their health however is very good.

Attached to the Heavy Group and allocated Counter Battery work. 

Zero Hour is 5:45

At 0 - A and B Batteries opened with a barrage on hostile front with intense rate of fire 4 rounds per gun per minute while the infantry were moving

At 0-6 The Barrage is lifted 100 yards and continued to lift 100 yards every 7 minutes until the whole barrage was on a line 150 yards beyond what was called the Violet Line, rate of fire 2 rounds per gun minute

-0-43 Continued to lift at same rate until whole was on a line 150 yards beyond the Green Line

-1-18 Consolidating barrage 150 yards beyond the Green Line

-2-13 Pause

-2:20 Reopened with intense fire 150 yards beyond the Green Line

-2-28 Lifted 150 yards every 7 minutes until the whole was 150 yards beyond the Yellow Line

-3-46 Consolidating barrage 150 yards beyond the Yellow Line 1 round per gun every 2 minutes. 

1-12.11 Very wet period. A and B taking part in bombardment and practising barrage. 

Howitzers being used for counter battery work. Gunner D.G. Howells C/126 was injured whilst on sentry duty on the night of 8/9th. Battery positions shelled about 2am with gas shells. The sentry despite being injured aroused the battery. C Battery has been considerably shelled and had to change its position. During this period experiments have  been carried out transporting ammunition with pack horses using canvas saddle bags with 4 rounds on either side, each round in a separate packet and resting on a piece of wood. Also tried out ammunition boxes one on each side supported by the stirrup leathers and secured with lashings. 

13.11 Battle of the Ancre commenced. Brigade attached to 2nd Division Artillery and supported by the 2nd Div Inf. throughout the attack. A Battery was attached to Parry Group (34th Brigade) B Battery to the Goschen Group (later changed to Dooner Group), 41st Brigade and C and D Batteries attached to …

During the afternoon B Battery was called on to form a bombardment. Misty all day and observation impossible. 2000 prisoners were captured along with Beaumont Hamel, Beaucourt, St Pierre Divion, and Hansa Trench. During the day A and B batteries fired 7500 shells, C and D 2000 rounds and the howitzers fired gas shells. 

Supply of ammunition was difficult due to the poor state of tracks, great assistance came from an ammunition train that came up in the night. A number of gas shells were fired by the enemy during the night,  so the gun crews had to wear gas helmets. 

14.11 The attack continues, A and B took part in barrage from

-2:45-3:30pm intense rate of fire 4 rounds per gun per minute

-3:30 to 4pm medium rate of fire 2 rounds per gun per minute

-4pm to 9am on the 15.11 slow rate of fire 1 round per gun every two minutes

15.11 

-9am to 9:35am intense rate of fire 

-9:35 to 10:50 medium rate of fire

-10:50 to 3pm slow rate of fire

16.11 Heavy fighting has continued all day. Attack made on Frankfort Trench which was entered. 18 pdr batteries carried out slow rate of fire all day

17.11 A and B took part in barrage from

3-3:7pm intense rate of fire 4 rounds per gun per minute

3:7 to 6:7am slow rate of fire 1 round per gun per 2 minutes

18.11 C/126 howitzers taken off counter battery work and attached to Dooner group. 

2nd Div infantry relieved by 32 Div infantry. 

6:10am the 32nd Division infantry attacked Munich and Frankfort Trenches. A,B,C Batteries took part in the barrage. 

Zero to 6 on Munich Trench intense fire 5 rounds per gun per minute

At 6 lift 150 yards for 4 minutes then creep 50 yards per 2 minutes to consolidating barrage fire 200 yards beyond Frankfort Trench 2 rounds a gun per minute 

Plus 60 consolidating barrage 1 round a gun every 2 minutes

7:30 to 11:30am Batteries carried out a slow rate of fire 

20.11 Batteries were given zones and ordinary trench warfare resumed. During the period 

13:00 to 20:00 1 officer and 3 telephonists were detached from HQ and Batteries in turn to maintain communications with 2nd Div Intelligence officer in the forward area. Whilst thus employed Corporal Cobble HQ was killed on the 18th and Bdr Lowry B/126 wounded on the 19th. Lieut Webb, Bdr Turner and Gunner Layland, all HQ Staff, were reported as doing good work on this detail.

From the 13th to the 20th 24720 rounds 18 pdr and 7000 rounds of 4.5 ammunition was fired by the Brigade. 

21-22.11 Quiet days. An SOS was received on the evening of the 22nd, fire was opened at a rapid rate for about 15 minutes. D Battery was relieved from Counter Battery work and joined the Ironer Group. 

23.11 An attempt was made to rescue a party of infantry that had become isolated in Frankfort Trench. For the purpose our batteries put up a barrage on Munich trench at an intense rate of fire 24 rounds a minute per gun for 10 minutes then lift 150 yards for five minutes with a second lift to Frankfort trench until party returned. 

24-25.11 Two quiet days, batteries changed position with the 2nd Division Artillery Batteries. 2nd, 34th and 126 amalgamated into Elwes Group. 126, 161 and 155 Brigades with the 34th and 36th as reinforcing brigades. Group Zone extends from K35a 60 40 to K36c 15 70 to Q6a 40 70. 126 Brigade take up K36c 20 45 to Q6a 45 65

27-28.11 Bombardment and feint barrage on Munich Trench 2-30pm on 27th and repeated on the 28th. During the morning of the 27th and the evening  of the 28th and 29th Enemy Artillery became more active, hostile artillery was got under on each occasion after about thirty minutes by Elwes Group. 

30.11 Hostile artillery more active

1.12 Brigade took part in shelling of the enemy’s trenches

2-14.12 Engaged in shelling the enemy’s back areas, roads, railways and chief tracks. 

Lieut Colonel Elwes was invalided back to England on the 5th. Captain Butler transferred to A/126. Major J. A. Ballard transferred from A/124 to D/126 and commands the Brigade from the 6th. 

15.12 Handed over Brigade Zone to 14th Brigade RHA and 126 return to wagon lines preparatory to marching to a new area.

16.12 Marched to and billeted at Autheulie 

18.12 Marched to Frohen Le Grande, 20 miles north east of Abbeville, and inspected by GOC 37th Division en route

19.12 Marched to Conchy Sur Canche 23 miles west north west of Arras.

20.12 Marched to Monche Cayeaux 29 miles north west of Arras

21.12 Marched to Amettes

22.12 Marched to St Vennant where they remained until ...

31.12 Marched to and took over Neuve Chappelle section of the line. 8 miles north east of Bethune

This battle, despite the losses and the bad conditions, was however marked by excellent communications between the RFC and the artillery, which pinned down the enemy and cut off their supplies. The excellent counter battery fire of the British artillery silenced the German field guns. As soon as a British flyer came under attack from a trench, the attacking area would  come under fierce artillery attack.


 The action at Munich and Frankfort was especially tragic. The 16th Highland Light Infantry were left isolated and increasingly besieged. Despite heroic and doomed efforts they could not be reinforced, eventually having to surrender having held out for over a week. The Germans were astonished at how such a small number of troops could hold out for so long. Long distance attacks over broken ground were a futile and costly stratagem. Sadly this was not the last such long distance attack.



Julius was mentioned in Sir Douglas Haig's despatches (in 2nd January 1917 issue of London Gazette). 

(Continued in Part Two)
Bibliography
126 Brigade War Diary 1915-1917
The Royal Field Artillery Western Front 1914-1918, General Sir Martin Farndale KCB, Henry Ling Ltd