An officer of 31st Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery

This wonderful personal story and narrative of a little-known unit was provided to the Long, Long Trail by Clement's son Charles Brewin. My thanks to him for allowing us to see this splendid material.

Article on the Brewin brothers, 11 September 1915

Clement's military service history

Commissioned into the Royal Artillery 12 August 1914
Promoted Lieutenant 9 June 1916
Wounded 15 September 1916
Awarded the Military Cross in the New Year's Honours on 1st Jan 1917
Made Acting Captain, 25 May 1917
Promoted Captain 3 November 1917
Made Acting Major 7 May 1918
Relinquished Acting rank 5 December 1918
Mentioned in Despatches in London Gazette 23 December 1918
Made Acting Major once again on 7 February 1919
Relinquished Acting rank 1 March 1919.
1920 – 1922 Staff officer Royal Artillery N.W. Frontier India
Retired with gratuity, granted rank of Major, and appointed to Regular Army Reserve of officers 24 March 1922.

SHORT NARRATIVE OF MOVEMENTS OF 31 HEAVY BATTERY R.G.A.
AUGUST TO NOVEMBER 1918
NOTES MADE BY - Capt. (A/Major) C.N. Brewin M.C.

August 15th under 81st Bde (Lt Col le Pelley)
Battery located at M.2.D.7.5, 500 yds S.E. of ACHICOURT church (near ARRAS) with Left section detached at G.27.D.7.1. on ST. NICHOLAS - FAMPOUX road.
Composition (officers)
H.Q., Rt & Centre Sections (ACHICOURT)
Capt (a/Major) C.N. Brewin M.C. - Commanding
Lt W.A. Muller Rt. Section Comdr (attached Bde. Hqrs)
2nd Lt J.F. Rawsthorne M.C. Centre X cdr.
2nd Lt A.R. Mayer Obsn. Officer
2nd Lt. G.V. Cashel temp R.X. Cdr
Gun nos. 701, 1187, 1426, 399 (at workshops)

Left Section (BLANGY)
2nd Lt. J.L. Chew Ammn. Col. temp cmndg detachment
2nd Lt. H. Tallboys Left X cdr.
Gun nos 388 & 1182

Wagon Line (200 yds W. of ARRAS CITADEL)
Lt. (a/Capt) G.E. Linehan - 2nd in command

These positions had been occupied since the end of April & were strongly built with shell-proof cover for all ranks.

August 16th
Orders were received to hand over position intact with ammunition to 133 H.B. 48 Bde. R.G.A. (Lt Col Wakefield D.S.O). Rt & Centre sections to move to selected position at oil factory 600 yds W. of Left Section's position. Move completed 2.00 a.m. 17th. Guns in action 5.

August 19th
Gun no. 399 received from Workshop & placed in position with Left
Section : battery so disposed in half-batteries at 600 yds interval.
In accordance with orders from XVII Corps H.A. (Brig. Gen. N.G. Barron D.S.O.) Left Section & Headquarters pulled out for tactical exercise.
Came into action on WAGNONLIEU-LOUEZ road in darkness with intention of harassing DAINVILLE-ACHICOURT road.
Moved off to billets at HAUTE AVESNES whence a fresh start was made at 9.00 a.m. on 20th.

Guns and wagons parked at ST. NICHOLAS during daylight while B.C. with skeleton battery practised coming into action in TRAMWAY VALLEY N. of ARRAS-FAMPOUX road about 1500 yds E.N.E. of BLANGY locks. Left section brought up at dusk & 20 rounds each of Lyddite & Shrapnel fired into suspected enemy billeting area east of MONCHY-LE-PREUX. Section then withdrawn to position at BLANGY.
That evening a considerable number of batteries of Siege & Field artillery moved up to advanced positions N. & N.E. of BLANGY, as reports indicated that enemy had withdrawn from his forward positions in the area east of TILLOY-LES-MOFFLAINES. But patrols on 21st encountered enemy at FEUCHY-CHAPEL cross-roads 100 yds E. of TILLOY and his support line N. & S. of that point.

August 23rd
VI Corps of 3rd Army to our south advanced their line capturing HENIN & conforming to movement of IV & V Corps on their right.

August 25th
Forward position selected during night 25th/26th at TILLOY-LES-MOFFLAINES between TILLOY cross-roads & Estaminet corner of ARRAS-CAMBRAI road.

August 26th
At 3.30 am Canadian corps which had taken over the sector attacked between the River SCARPE and the village of NEUVILLE-VITASSE.
Attack was successful & 51st Divn. to the North advanced on either side of the SCARPE to a maximum depth of about 4000 yds. Canadians captured MONCHY-LES-PREUX, HENINEL & WANCOURT. 2nd Lt. Cashel at CYCLOPS O.P. observed enemy massing for counter-attack against 51st Divn. at JIGSAW WOOD. So Centre Section was brought into action after a delay of 3 hours (due to traffic congestion E. of TILLOY) on the western slope of CHAPEL hill & about 1200 yds S.E. of TILLOY.
In the afternoon of August 27th the tactical situation demanded a further advance & so Right & Left Sections were brought up about 3.0 pm to the Centre Section. Wagon line was established at ST. NICHOLAS-BLANGY.
A forward reconnaissance on this day by 2nd Lt. Muller revealed the enemy to be holding a trench line known as the VIS-EN-ARTOIS switch running along the east bank of the River SENSEE (dry) & joining the DROCOURT QUEANT line about HENDECOURT. To the north he apparently held the high ground about (sic) & his observation enfiladed the SENSEE valley which he harassed with 77 mm & a 10 cm gun all day. And to the south reports indicated that he still held FONTAINE-LES-CROISILLES & BULLECOURT.
With a view to a further move forward next day positions were reconnoitred E. of WANCOURT village & a suitable position found on the slope of the hill to the south of the ruins of WANCOURT tower on the WANCOURT-CHERISY road. As expected orders to move were received during the night 27th/28th & the whole battery moved off at 6.30 am & came into action in the selected position at 8.00 am on the

28th August
That day Wagon Line was moved to a position 1000 yds W. of WANCOURT on the TILLOY road & in expectation of a further move, firing-battery teams were brought to a position between WANCOURT village and the battery. They were however withdrawn in the afternoon owing to the enemy harassing fire from the N.E.
A reconnaissance was carried out to select positions in or about the SENSEE valley for the next advance. But the ground was too much cut up for heavy guns to cross the river-bed (mostly old shell-holes from the April-May fighting of 1917), & so selection was practically confined to the VIS-EN-ARTOIS - CHERISY road. As the enemy had direct observation from the VIS-EN-ARTOIS switch of this area & from the high ground to the North there was little choice & the position finally selected about 700 yds South of VIS-EN-ARTOIS was entirely in the open. But the role of counter-battery artillery made it imperative for 60 pdrs to be placed as far forward as possible so as to take full advantage of their range during the later stages of the infantry attack.

On August 29th a calibration carried out on DURY mill confirmed
the estimate of loss of muzzle velocity due to the wear of the guns which had averaged 250 rounds per piece since the 26th.
During the afternoon a more detailed reconnaissance of the SENSEE valley confirmed the impracticality of crossing it & the previously selected position was finally decided on.

During the night 29th/30th 2nd Lt. Muller brought his section up to their position with 250 rounds per gun leading them there with skill & coolness through a heavy enemy barrage of shell-fire & machine-guns which replied vigorously to the attack of the 2nd Canadian Division against a portion of the VIS-EN-ARTOIS switch. During the following night (30th/31st) a further 1000 rds of ammunition were taken forward & successfully unloaded although much delay was experienced on the road, due to a congestion of Field Artillery wagons supplying their batteries W. of CHERISY. On this occasion a team was put out of action by an enemy shell but the prompt action of No. 32130 Sgt. Day prevented further casualties. This N.C.O. was subsequently awarded the Military Medal for his action on this occasion.

On the night (31st/1st Sept.) one gun of the left section (the other had gone out of action with broken running-out spring) and a further 500 rounds of ammunition were taken to join the Right Section thus completing the ammunition dumped there to 400 rounds per gun in action.

On the night (1st/2nd Sept.) the Centre Section with headquarters joined the remainder of the battery & all preparations were made for opening fire on programme targets in support of the attack at dawn.

At 3.30 a.m. on September 2nd Canadian Corps attacked order of battle from South to North being, 1st Can. Divn., 4th Can. Divn., 4th Divn. The battery covered a portion of the area of the centre division and continued firing at long ranges to deny the enemy his lines of retreat over the CANAL DU NORD.

However, the infantry attack encountered strong opposition from M.G. & field guns on the line DURY-CAGNICORT.

These two villages & Villers-CAGNICOURT fell during the afternoon , but the armoured cars and cavalry of General Brutinel's column were unable to exploit the success gained towards CAMBRAI owing to the check at CAGNICOURT during the morning.

At 4.0 p.m. the battery moved by sections to a new position on the HENDECOURT-CAGNICOURT road about 1000yds E. of the former village and carried out a harassing programme on the CANAL DU NORD crossings astride the ARRAS-CAMBRAI road it having been established that he was withdrawing beyond the canal.

At this time the work of supplying ammunition was rendered very difficult as no water for horses was available in sufficient quantity E. of WANCOURT, & so wagon line had to be maintained there. On 3rd September the sixth gun of the battery was received from workshops. The withdrawl of the enemy behind the CANAL DU NORD necessitated a further move forward. And at dawn on the 4th a position was occupied at the junction of the QUEANT-BARALLE and INCHY-CAGNICOURT roads, & wagon line was moved to the position E. OF HENDECOURT vacated by the battery. Fire was opened on a harassing task to hinder the enemy withdrawl of guns & stores along the ARRAS-CAMBRAI road between SAINS-LEZ-MARQION and RAILLENCOURT and on the village & station of FONTAINE-NOTRE-DAME. This fire was continued for 48 hours continuously & in addition many zone calls on active batteries from the air besides neutralization & living targets with direct observation were engaged.

However the infantry were unable to push across the Canal and the battery remained in the same position for nearly 3 weeks.

The enemy with observation from OISY-LE-VERGER church and the high ground north of BOURLON methodically harassed the valley into which the other mobile batteries (1/1 Lowland H.B. & 163 & 179 S.B.) had been brought; & the first serious casualties of the advance were here encountered. Until shell-proof cover could be made a number of casualties were incurred from shell-fire and gas which the enemy made a free use of at night.

Casualties at the Gun Line included 4 killed & 11 wounded besides 19 gassed. In addition Wagon Line was shelled with 15 cm. guns & had to be withdrawn west of HENDECOURT.

In preparation for the proposed crossing of the Canal a battle position was chosen 2000 yds further east, immediately west of BUISSY village & occupied with 2400 rds of ammunition during the nights of 23rd/26th Sept.

At 5.15 a.m. on the 27th September the 1st, 3rd & 4th Canadian & 11th British divisions effected a crossing of the canal & captured the villages of INCHY, SAINS-LEZ-MARQION, MARQUION and BOURLON wood & the high ground north towards OISY-LE-VERGER and HAYNECOURT. Fire was kept up all day at long ranges on the enemy retreating through RAILLENCOURT & SAILLY along the ARRAS-CAMBRAI road & at dawn on the 28th the battery moved off through INCHY & SAINS-LEZ-MARQUION to a position in readiness immediately west of the FONTAINE-MALAKOFF railway where it crosses the SAINS-LEZ-MARQUION - CAMBRAI road.

Touch was lost with Brigade Headquarters owing to the failure of telephonic communication & so getting through by 37th K.B.S. which was alongside to the Counter battery & Staff Officer the battery was brought into action in the early afternoon on the spot. Targets were given in enfilade along the SANCOURT-BANTINGNY-ABANCOURT road & engaged with balloon observation during daylight. At dusk touch with Brigade was regained & a line laid into their new headquarters in BOURLON village.

The battery remained in occupation of this position for two days & moved at dusk on 30th to a position immediately S. of the ARRAS-CAMBRAI road in the eastern outskirts of SAILLY. Unfortunately as the leading section (centre) was unloading ammunition a burst of 77mm fire fell right in the position killing one man and wounding two more.

However, at 5.15 a.m. on the 1st October all was ready to support the infantry attack whose objective was the envelopment of CAMBRAI from the north. 2nd & 3rd Can. Divn. did not, however, manage to cross the Scheldt Canal & were also held up at ABANCOURT on the north.

Observation from ST. OLLE church enabled trains leaving CAMBRAI to be engaged during the day, but it proved impracticable to maintain as an O.P. owing to the difficulty of keeping a line uncut, the enemy firing heavily into the village all day. So a worse but safer O.P. was established in the railway cutting to the north of the village.

Enemy harassed the neighbourhood of the battery position intermittently during the next week but no further casualties were incurred.

On October 9th the action of the 3rd Army to the south forced the enemy to evacuate CAMBRAI which was occupied at dawn on October 10th. In the afternoon the battery was moved to a position in the FAUBOURG CANTIMPRE on the BAPAUME-CAMBRAI road & the following morning (11th) to ESCAUDOEUVRES.

Next morning an attack was launched towards IWUY & NAVES but met with only moderate success the enemy counter-attacking with Tanks. These villages were occupied during the night & a further advance made to the outskirts of VILLERS-EN-CAUCHIE and HASPRES. At 8.0 pm on the 13th orders were received for the battery to join 8th Brigade R.G.A. (Lt Col G.F.S. Tuk D.S.O.) at NAVES which was operating in close support of 49th Division. The sector had also been handed over to XXII Corps.

A position about 1000 yds N. of RIEUX was reconnoitred & occupied in darkness & various targets were engaged next morning when the 49th Divn. attacked at 9.0 a.m. The advance however failed to carry beyond the railway. But HASPRES was taken & the 51st (left) division made more ground to the north.

From this time on the enemy's activity in destroying bridges & blowing up cross-roads made a speedy advance difficult. On the 14th Major Brewin was evacuated to the base sick & Capt Linehan assumed command. The latter led the battery through SAULZOIR to VERCHAIN where the O.C. rejoined on 31st October.

At the end of the month news was received that the following decorations had been awarded for acts of gallantry under fire on Sept 15th - 2nd Lt G V Cashel - M.C.; Sergt A.H. Webb bar to M.M. & Ftr. S/Sgt Bourne the M.M. Gnr. Elliot (medical orderly) was also awarded the M.M. for devotion to duty in giving first aid to wounded at the same time.

On 1st November the advance was continued by 11th Division ARTRES being captured. Most valuable work was done by 2nd Lt Mayer this day in observing fire for 3 batteries of the Brigade from an exposed position in ARTRES chateau.

On the second a further advance was made & the enemy were found to be clear of PRESAUX. And so on the morning of November 3rd one section was moved up to a new ........

manuscript ends at this point.

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