276 Brigade

276 Brigade formed part of the Dvisional artillery for 55th (West Lancashire) Division.  They landed in France on 30 September 1915.

55th (West Lancashire) Division fought at Guillemont and Ginchy (on the Somme) in September 1916, suffering severe losses especially at Guillemont.

1340 Gnr Ezra Yates, 5 August 1916

16 Gnr William Graham, 8 August 1916

1151 Bdr Robert Room, 8 August 1916

1115 Gnr Joseph Matthews, 4 October 1916

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They also fought at Flers-Courcelette and Morval later that month, and then in October 1916 they were moved to the Ypres Salient, at the time a relatively quieter part of the front.  Although there were no major engagements in early 1917, there was constant harassment, shelling and raids. 

680964 Gnr James Roskell, 7 February 1917

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In January 1917, 55th Division were first in reserve at Houtkerque, on the French/Belgian border, and then, on 25 January, they were moved up to support the defence of Ypres.  In March 1917, 276 Brigade were engaged in the bombardment of St. Julien (Sint Juliaan) in retaliation for German shelling of St Jean.  5 men from 276 Brigade were killed during the period 3-9 March.

680074 Sjt John Henry Edmondson, 3 March 1917

680020 Cpl Frederick Martin, 4 March 1917

696740 Gnr Thomas Bamber, 5 March 1917

680410 Dvr Walter Battle, 7 March 1917

680082 Bdr Ernest Kay, MM, 9 March 1917

656298 A/Bdr Alexander Brash Reid, 15 March 1917

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In May 1917, they were still at Ypres and the War Diary relates that from 2-10 May, “the group engaged various targets in enemy’s lines and vigorously retaliated for enemy firing on our trenches etc.” 

680142 Gnr William Corless, 6 May 1917

681837 Dvr Arthur Lund, 11 May 1917

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In June 1917, 276 Bde were still at Ypres.  The War Diary records that in the early days of the month they were engaged in wire-cutting and general harassing fire, and on 6 June they supported an infantry raid carried out by 1/8th Liverpool Irish Regiment. 

55th Division was not actively engaged in the operation which resulted in the capture of Messines Ridge (7-14 June) but the Divisional artillery (inc 276Bde) did cooperate in the attack and was subsequently complimented by the Army Commander on its efficient work.

681194 Gnr Thomas Eaves, 8 June 1917

On 9 June they supported a raid by 1/4 Royal Lancaster Regiment and in the following few days engaged in retaliatory fire for shelling of their positions.

680398 Gnr Charles Hawes, 10 June 1917

680573 Dvr Ernest Guy Fox, 11 June 1917

And on 10-12 June they “vigorously engaged in retaliation for hostile fire on our trenches.  D/276Bty carried out special neutralising fire on various enemy batteries”. 

681838 Bdr Arthur Reginald Rodgers, 11 June 1917

680775 Gnr David Cranshaw, 12 June 1917

680177 Gnr William Livesey, 12 June 1917

They were engaged in shelling St Julien (Sint Juliaan) in retaliation for the shelling of St Jean.

681785 Gnr Martin Milne, 16 June 1917

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681930 Gnr Albert Blundell, 21 June 1917

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War Diary entries for July-October 1917 are missing from the file in the National Archives so information relating to that period is taken from the 55th Division history.

680892 Gnr James Isherwood, 3 July 1917

680516 Gnr Thomas Sawyer Marshall, 5 July 1917

680295 Gnr Joseph Harvey, 12 July 1917

895049 Gnr Robert George Bunn, 24 July 1917

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Third Battle of Ypres

From 55th Divisional History:  "The objective of what was called the Third Battle of Ypres was the capture of the enemy's Gheluvelt-Langemark system...  The weather during the whole of June and during the greater part of July had been ideal for campaigning purposes.  Unfortunately, on Sunday 29 July a particularly heavy thunderstorm filled up the shell holes and turned roads and tracks into a morass.  The succeeding days were dull and hazy, making the completion of the artillery preparation peculiarly difficult and typical Flanders weather conditions prevailed on the morning of the 31st - the moment chosen for the attack.  Low lying clouds which made aerial observation and cooperation as difficult as could be imagined; a dampness of atmosphere, threatening rain at any moment; a half sodden ground, greasy and depressing; such was the luck of the weather at 3.50am on 31 July 1917, when the barrage opened.  Not since the war began had so intense a barrage been put down, and of its wonderful effectiveness all ranks in the line bore eloquent testimony."

680668 Gnr William Fisher, 31 July 1917

680071 Sgt. Ernest Garland, 31 July 1917

680360 Gnr Frank Peter Hockey, 31 July 1917

681768 Bdr Harry Jessop, 31 July 1917

680380 Gnr Albert Edward Smith, 31 July 1917

681869 Gnr Hugh Stanley Thomas, 5 August 1917

681752 Gnr Percy Gainham Jones, 8 August 1917

55th Division was withdrawn from the line on 7 August and was not called forward again until 12 September.  This was a period of recreation, re-equipping and training, but there were also several casualties. 

681128 Gnr Joseph Doran, 22 August 1917

687305 Dvr William A C Rothwell, 24 August 1917

681920 Gnr William Thomas Hall, 25 August 1917

681157 Dvr Joseph Thomas Jones, 3 September 1917

680581 Dvr Percy Cleminson Whalley, 5 September 1917

681915 Gnr Alfred Ernest Craven, 9 September 1917

On 12 September, 55th Division began to make preparations to return to the line, between Frezenberg and St Julien.  When they returned to action on 15 September, the location was exactly the same as where they had left 6 weeks earlier. 

681830 Gnr Alfred Edward Dixon, 13 September 1917

681813 Bdr John Thomas Godwin, 14 September 1917

680319 Dvr John Kellett, 16 September 1917

680133 Cpl John Edward Gardner, 16 September 1917

After the heavy rain in August, the first few days of September had been warm and dry.  On the night of 19/20 September, as they prepared their assault on the Schuler and Pond Farms, the rain began to fall once again.  The assault was nevertheless successful and after this operation, the Division was withdrawn and moved to the south of Cambrai.

656231 Gnr Thomas Ferguson, 18 September 1917

681402 Gnr Reginald George Wood, 18 September 1917

681708 Gnr John Pattinson, 22 September 1917

680767 Gnr Joseph Fairclough, 4 October 1917

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680126 Dvr James Brennan, 20 October 1917

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680163 Cpl George Henry Pennington, 3 November 1917

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55th Division occupied a length of the front of about 8,000 yards, to the east of Épehy.  On 20 November, when the main tank attack was launched at Cambrai, the Division launched its own diversionary attack to the south and this was costly but successful.  However, when the Germans launched their counter-attack on 30 November, the Division was routed, the front line defence apparently crumbling and allowing the enemy to have a “rapid and almost bewildering” advance. The Divisional history remarks that “only two of our men passed through the straggler posts”; this may be so. But hundreds of troops had fallen into enemy captivity. “Not a man returned” from the 1/5th Bn, the South Lancashire. The Division’s reputation fell sharply in the eyes of the higher command. With the exception of the artillery, the Division was withdrawn from the area and sent to Bomy near Fruges for intensive training.  Although the infantry suffered massive losses, casualties among the artillery were lighter.  The artillery remained in the line for the first couple of weeks in December, after which they were withdrawn to billets, first at Allaines and by the end of the month at Orville.

681810 Gnr William Ashton, 28 November 1917

680054 Sgt Herbert Clough Jamieson, 30 November 1917

681909 Dvr/S/S/ John Herbert Taylor, 30 November 1917

681886 Sgt Cyril Edward Gourley was awarded the Victoria Cross for gallantry during the action on 30 November,

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680061 Sgt Evan Calderbank, 11 December 1917

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