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Remembered Today:

XV Corps Heavy Artillery Royal Naval Sieige Guns


ianjonesncl

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2020 visit to Ypres was the opportunity to follow the Battle of the Yser, explore the Belgian sector and visit Nieuport. Whilst researching the period the British were in control of the Nieuport Coastal Sector, in July 1917, it was interesting to read about the work of the Royal Naval Siege Guns (RNSG) and the Dover Patrol. This included targeting the battery at Raversyde (Aachen Battery) which I visited in 2019. 

 

Whilst reviewing the XV Corps Heavy Artillery war diary I came across the RNSG being manned by Siege Battery personnel of the Royal Garrison Artillery, when XV Corps operated in the sector. Intrigued I looked at the role of the RGA within the RNSG. A number of forum posts on the subject of the RNSG  (see below) and the knowledge of SiegeGunner (RNSG specialist) helped to provide information.

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In 1914, as the Race to the Sea developed, the Belgian Army fought the Battle of Yser, 16th to 31st October. The Belgians defended the sector from Dixsmude to Nieuport, and the battle would end with the area being flooded and the German advance checked. The French had  reinforced the Belgians, and occupied Nieuport and the beach area.

 

large.391074224_Situation1stNovember1914.png.71bf4a957346366deaf94997dc4dc54b.png

Situation 1st November 1914 [1]

 

Once the front lines stabilised, the Royal Navy established batteries of naval guns west of Nieuport and formed the Royal Naval Siege Guns (RNSG). Initially the batteries consisted of two 6 inch guns and one 9.2 inch gun on railway mounting. The main observation posts were located in Nieuport and Ramscapelle[2]. The RNSG was established  for 8 officers and 150 men. [3]

 

large.408333439_ObservationTowerNieuport.jpg.fa51bc8ff542c4d0c36caafc15df3512.jpg

Observation Tower Nieuport [4]

 

 In 1916 two batteries of 9.2 inch guns were installed in concrete casements,  and named Barington and Eastney.  An additional battery of 6 inch guns in concrete emplacements was completed in December 1916 and called Carnac Battery. [5] In summer 1917, eight 7.5 inch guns from the decommissioned HMS Swiftsure were added. [6]   The guns would become batteries Diana (2 guns), Swiftsure (4 guns) and Langleys, (2 guns). [7]

 

large.1563488746_CarnacBattery.jpg.a159f607da524f77b81aa6d509a974f5.jpg

Carnac Battery [8]

 

The French had no guns suitable to counter-battery the enemy's long-range naval guns, [9] so the Royal Navy guns were able to provide that capability.

 

Ref

Naval Gun

Calibre

Range (m)

Range (yds)

Shell (kg)

Shell (lbs)

A

7.5 inch  Mk III

190 mm

13,000 m

14,200 yds

91 kg

200 lbs

B

9.2 inch  Mk X

234 mm

26,700 m

29,200 yds

170 kg

380 lbs

 

large.984088442_GermanGunBatteriesonBelgianCoast.png.c7f33c37e9ff49e945bfba391651af37.png

German Gun Batteries on Belgian Coast [10]

 

large.1225368005_FlandersGermanArtilllery.jpg.a82470868ac007516fac5205dda735d7.jpg

 

large.196170021_ObservationFlandersCoast.jpg.0439796891efd8e2b1b25a1c0b37c980.jpg

 

In June 1917, the British XVth Corps took over the area from the French.  This was in preparation for the forthcoming Flanders Campaign with the intent of pushing along the Belgian Coast towards Ostend linking up with troops landed from the sea - OPERATION HUSH.

 

large.439070797_Situation19thJune1917.png.06b6b28ab50626fdeb47a2ac9b74c173.png

Situation  19th June 1917 [11]

 

XV Corps heavy Artillery Order no 16 records; [12]

"The XV Corps is relieving the French XXXVI Corps in the NIEUPORT Area. Corps will consist of 1st, 3rd, 32nd and 49th Divisions."

The Heavy Artillery initially allocated  were 1st HAG (Bombardment Group) and 19th HAG (Counter Battery Group). The Disposition Report for the 24th June records the locations of HAG constituent batteries. The XV Corps Heavy Artillery was reinforced at the beginning of July with seven additional Heavy Artillery Groups. [13].

 

 The disposition report for July records the Royal Naval Guns within the XV Corps Heavy Artillery. The Naval Siege Guns (Long Range Group) lists the three Royal Naval Batteries, Barrington, Eastney and Carnac with 9.2" inch guns. It also lists 7.5 inch guns manned by Royal Garrison Artillery personnel from 312 Siege Battery and 330 Siege Battery attached to the Royal Navy. [14]

 

Both RGA Siege Batteries were 'Personnel Only' and had deployed to the Western Front 24th May 1917. After employment in various units, the men were allocated to XV Corps and "on arrival attached to the Royal Naval Long Range Group, (with XV Corps) for the manning of 5 inch guns". [15] Personnel of 312 Siege Battery arrived 30th June, those of 330 Siege Battery on the 7th July. [16] The men from 330 Siege Battery left on 30th August [17] and replaced by extra sections of 267 Siege Battery and 325 Siege Battery [18]. The two batteries were from the 1st Heavy Artillery Group. [19].

 

The XV Corps disposition report of 23rd September details the Naval Siege Guns Long Range Group and the batteries manned by attached RGA personnel, as well as the addition of an additional battery, Terrible, equipped with a 9.2inch MkVIII gun. [20]

 

UNIT

WEAPONS

GUN

CALIBRE

MAP LOC

 

Barrington

1

9.2in gun

234 mm

23

 

Eastney

1

9.2in gun

234 mm

24

 

Carnac

2

9.2in gun

234 mm

26

 

Swiftsure

2

7.5in gun

190 mm

30

 

Langleys

2

7.5in gun

190 mm

25

Manned by RGA attached RN

Diana

2

7.5in gun

190 mm

27

Manned by RGA attached RN

Terrible

2

9.2in gun MkVIII

234 mm

29

Manned by RGA attached RN

 

Ref

Naval Gun

Calibre

Range (m)

Range (yds)

Shell (kg)

Shell (lbs)

A

7.5 inch  Mk III

190 mm

13,000 m

14,200 yds

91 kg

200 lbs

B

9.2 inch  Mk X

234 mm

26,700 m

29,200 yds

170 kg

380 lbs

C

9.2 inch Mk VIII

234 mm

11,300 m

12,400 yds

170 kg

380 lbs

 

large.525258157_RoyalNavalSiegeGroupLocations.png.0203eac2d7ba24959632196585cc4697.png

Royal Naval Siege Group Locations [21]

 

The XV Corps Heavy Artillery disposition report for 28th October 1917 [22] records that men from the 64th Siege Battery had replaced those of the 267th. The 64th Siege Battery were without guns at that point in time. Their two 12 inch Rail Mounted Howitzers had been condemned and both guns sent back to base on 19th October 1917. [23]  The men from 64 Siege Battery were put to work building shelters and gun positions in the Corps area until taking over two 7.5 inch guns on 6th November and two 9.2 inch guns 16th November, [24] in doing so they took over guns the 325 Siege Battery had been manning.

 

The XV Corps Heavy Artillery disposition report for  4th November 1917 [25] shows that two French Gun Boats, mounted with 105mm guns, located on the Furnes - Wuplen Canal were attached to the Royal Naval Siege Guns. Their assignment was short term, two weeks later the disposition report shows they had left.

 

large.1218236734_FrenchNavygunboatsontheAisne-MarneCanal..jpg.25a09fa72af3da6b24c8c2c868e02a77.jpg

French gunboats on Aisne-Marne Canal

 

The XV Corps Heavy Artillery disposition report for 18th November 1917 records; [26]

 

Terrible (2 x 9.2" guns Mk VIII) and Switfsure (4 x 7.5" guns) manned by 64 Siege Battery; Diana (2 x 7.5" guns) and Langleys (2 x 7.5" guns) manned by 312 Siege Battery: as well as the naval manned batteries, Barrington (2 x 9.2" guns), Eastney  (2 x 9.2" guns) and Carnac (2 x 9.2" guns).

 

In November 1917 the Nieuport Sector was handed back to the French. The handover from the British XV Corps to the French 6th Corps took place on 19th November 1917, however, not all the artillery left. The XV Heavy Artillery Corps War Diary for 19th November records; [27]

 

"NIEUPORT and NIEUPORT BAINS sector taken over by 36th French Corps with effect from 12 noon. General C.W. Collingwood (Commanding XV Corps Heavy Artillery) left with XV Corps en route to XI Corps Area. Lt. Col. P. Suther DSO assumed command of the XV Corps Heavy Artillery remaining in the NIEPORT Sector. Heavy Artillery remaining with the French known as XV Corps Heavy Artillery Detachment."

 

The men of 64 and 312 Siege Batteries would remain with the Royal Navy Siege Group until the 6th December when orders were issued for their relief by French gunners. [28]

 

"The personnel of 312 S.B. manning LANGLEYS and DIANA, and 64 S.B. manning SWIFTSURE and TERRIBLE, will be withdrawn with the last batch of batteries on Dec. 6th. They will be relieved by French detachments."

 

The attachment of Royal Garrison Artillery personnel to the Royal Naval Siege Guns lasted from June 1917 to the beginning of December, the 312th Siege Battery serving the RNSG throughout.

 

UNIT

WEAPONS

GUN

CALIBRE

MAP LOC

Jun-17

Jul-17

Aug-17

Sep-17

Oct-17

Nov-17

Barrington

1

9.2in gun

234 mm

23

RN

RN

RN

RN

RN

RN

Eastney

1

9.2in gun

234 mm

24

RN

RN

RN

RN

RN

RN

Carnac

2

9.2in gun

234 mm

26

RN

RN

RN

RN

RN

RN

Swiftsure

2

7.5in gun

190 mm

30

330 SB

330 SB

330 SB

267 SB

325 SB

64 SB

Langleys

2

7.5in gun

190 mm

25

312 SB

312 SB

312 SB

312 SB

312 SB

312 SB

Diana

2

7.5in gun

190 mm

27

312 SB

312 SB

312 SB

312 SB

312 SB

312 SB

Terrible

2

9.2in gun MkVIII

234 mm

29

330 SB

330 SB

330 SB

267 SB

325 SB

64 SB

 

 

large.200445126_312SiegeBatterypersonnel.jpg.8f98728177422d6531aa9f5bb0e7d3b7.jpg

312 Siege Battery personnel

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A | 7.5 inch Naval Gun Mk III     |     https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BL_7.5-inch_Mk_II_–_V_naval_gun#Mark_III 

B | 9.2 inch Naval Gun Mk X      |     https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BL_9.2-inch_Mk_IX_–_X_naval_gun 

C | 9.2 inch Naval Gun Mk VIII   |     https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BL_9.2-inch_Mk_VIII_naval_gun 

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REFERENCES

[1] http://www.carto1418.fr/target/19141101.html

[2]  World War 1 at Sea - Contemporary Accounts THE DOVER PATROL 1915-1917, Volume II, mainly Dover Straits Operations by Admiral Sir Reginald Bacon - section 458

[3] ibid - section 463

[4] ibid - plate LXXIV

[5] ibid - section 460

[6] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BL_7.5-inch_Mk_II_–_V_naval_gun#Mark_III

[7] XV Heavy Artillery Corps War Diary -  WO-95-927-1 - Page 138

[8] https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20090609062735/http://www.berr.gov.uk/aboutus/corporate/history/warmemorial/ww1/indexd/page29278.html

[9] World War 1 at Sea - Contemporary Accounts THE DOVER PATROL 1915-1917, Volume II, mainly Dover Straits Operations by Admiral Sir Reginald Bacon - section 461

[10]  http://www.naval-history.net/WW1Book-Adm_Bacon-Dover_Patrol-1-370.jpg

[11] http://www.carto1418.fr/target/19170619.html

[12] XV Corps heavy Artillery Order no 16 - XV Heavy Artillery Corps War Diary -  WO-95-926-6

[13] XV Heavy Artillery Corps War Diary -  WO-95-926-6 page 27

[14] XV Heavy Artillery Corps War Diary -  WO-95-926-6_2 - page 77 to 80

[15]  WO5494-Allocation of Units - 312 SB / 330 SB

[16] ibid - 312 SB / 330 SB

[17] ibid - 330 SB

[18] ibid - 267 SB / 325 SB

[19] XV Heavy Artillery Corps War Diary -  WO-95-927-1 - Page 136

[20] ibid page 138

[21] RMA Heavy Siege Train Belgium https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/270314-rma-heavy-siege-train-belgium/ - martin75

[22] XV Heavy Artillery Corps War Diary -  WO-95-927-2 - Page 147

[23]  WO5494-Allocation of Units - 64 SB

[24] War Diary 64th Siege Battery WO-95-545-3 - November 1917

[25] XV Heavy Artillery Corps War Diary - WO-95-927-3 - Page 135

[26] XV Heavy Artillery Corps War Diary - WO-95-927-3 - Page 128.

[27] XV Heavy Artillery Corps War Diary   WO-95-927-3 page 8 - 19-Nov-17

[28] XV Heavy Artillery Corps War Diary   WO-95-927-3 - page 111

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Great War Forum Topics

Royal Navy Siege Guns 1916-18 https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/110436-royal-navy-siege-guns-1916-18/

7.5" Naval Guns 1917 XV Corps https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/239544-75-naval-guns-1917-xv-corps/

Carnac Battery https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/49603-carnac-battery/

RMA Heavy Siege Train Belgium https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/270314-rma-heavy-siege-train-belgium/

The Zeebrugge and the two Ostend Raids https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/168346-the-zeebrugge-and-the-two-ostend-raids/

Junger refers to 10-inch shells in Storm of Steel. 9.2-inch ? https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/215226-junger-refers-to-10-inch-shells-in-storm-of-steel-92-inch/

British heavy howitzer, called 'Mother' https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/223238-british-heavy-houwitser-called-mother/?tab=comments#comment-2212517

 

 

 

 

Edited by ianjonesncl

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