Whose Name We Share

16 1917 An eventual reprieve would arrive on the 11 th of January, the 24 th Field Artillery Brigade relieving the 3 rd Field Artillery Brigade, allowing them to push back into the reserve. 112 Battery would replace the 103 rd on the front lines. Upon returning to the wagon lines in the reserve, the 103 rd would march out on the 12 th January, headed to Buire to camp for the night. They would move on to Naours via villes Bocage and Flesselles. Here at Naours, they would begin their routine maintenance on their equipment beginning from the 14 th January. The Battery would continue to rest and recuperate in the Naours until the 19 th where another reorganisation of the 1 st Divisional Artillery. 103 Battery was not required to reorganise as the arrival of equipment ensured their security in remaining together, as opposed to being absorbed into other batteries. The reorganisation preluded the grim arrival of another move to the front lines again, once more into the fray. On the 26 th Battery were back in business as they marched back to Buire on the same route they took earlier that month before resting in the reserve wagon lines. The BC would move out with telephonists and Brigade commanders into the line so they could become ready to relieve the 14 th Field Artillery Brigade. The day after on 27 January the 18 pounder batteries belonging to the 3 rd Field Brigade were increased to six guns per battery. The 3 rd Field Brigade would now be redesignated as the 3 rd (Army) Brigade. On the 30 th of January the 14 th and 3 rd Brigades would rotate, however the 103 rd Battery would remain in reserve this time. Unfortunately for 115 Battery, they would not be relieved by the 103 rd Instead, the 103 rd Battery was then attached to the 2 nd Field Artillery Brigade, where they would remain until March. Unfortunately there are little writings available to determine why exactly the 103 rd was detached from the 3 rd Brigade or what tasks they performed during February. The next closest entry in war diaries picks up again in March, which saw the withdrawal of the German forces, however the entry is actually after the date the 103 rd returned to the 3 rd Field Artillery Brigade’s position. On the 16 th March the AIF had occupied Bapaume and, of course, the guns had to move up in order to cover the advance. It wouldn’t be until the 23 rd where the Germans would attempt a counterattack in order to regain lost ground, but this move was too little too late. On the 2 April, 103 battery absorbed a section of 15 howitzer battery, meaning they now possessed six 4.5 inch guns. Mid-April saw the destruction of the Regiment’s kite balloon – a kind of aero dynamic hot air balloon – taken out by German planes, setting it ablaze and destroying it. Kite balloons were designed to be able to fly in higher winds than ordinary round balloons and they were used primarily for observation. The loss of such an important piece of equipment – especially one so advanced for the era, was a hard hit to handle.