armourersergeant Posted 19 May , 2005 Share Posted 19 May , 2005 (edited) I am in the market for a few memoirs and histories of the Artillery. I have seen a few on sale and wondered if anyone could recommend or discribe the basic content of any of the below. Some i have an idea of but would be glad to get other opinions of them. regards Arm. WITH A SIEGE BATTERY IN FRANCE. 303 SIEGE BATTERY, R.G.A 1916-1919 WAR DIARY and ROLL OF HONOUR 14TH HEAVY BATTERY R.G.A. IN FRANCE, BELGIUM, GERMANY - 1915-16-17-18-19 PUSHED AND THE RETURN PUSH HISTORY OF “A” BATTERY 84TH ARMY BRIGADE R.F.A. 1914-1919 £ SIEGE BATTERY 94 DURING THE WORLD WAR 1914-18 HANDBOOK OF ARTILLERY INSTRUMENTS 1914 WITH THE GUNS FIELD GUNS IN FRANCE Ps excuse the capitals i have copied and pasted. Edited 19 May , 2005 by armourersergeant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Reed Posted 19 May , 2005 Share Posted 19 May , 2005 The unit histories you list vary in detail, but some are quite readable (eg the 84th Bde RFA). I would start with some memoirs and then move on to unit histories? Fraser-Tyler's 'With The Field Guns in France' is excellent (his "score sheet" at the end is quite something!), and among others I would rate are: P J Campbell 'The Ebb & Flow of Battle' and 'Anger of the Guns' (both William Kimber 1970s, and a later pbk of Ebb & Flow in the 80s; author was RFA) ? author 'A Time to Leave The Ploughshares' (pub. c.1980s) - good memoirs, author was RFA Arthur Behrend 'As From Kemmel Hill' (William Kimber 1970s) - author was RGA, excellent account. Huntley Gordon 'The Unreturning Army' (Dent 1967); superb for the Salient; author was RFA. R.B.Talbot Kelly 'A Subalterns Odessy' (William Kimber 1980) - really good memoir of Loos, Somme, Arras & Third Ypres. Author was quite an artist, and some of his sketches are included. There are many others, but this should be enough to get you started! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CSMMo Posted 19 May , 2005 Share Posted 19 May , 2005 There's also 29th Divisional Artillery War Record & Honours Book 1915-1918. And the "History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery" various books on various areas. These are somewhat dry (and not entirely accurate I've found out). Naval & Miltary Press publishes a rather comprehensive booklist on a regular basis. And, if you'd care to wait a year or my, I'm sure my book on the 4th Highland Mountain Brigade will be terrific! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted 20 May , 2005 Share Posted 20 May , 2005 Currently reading an Australian artillery unit history. 'The 27th Battery in France'. There's also a good general history on the Australian artillery by David Horner called 'Gunners' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Nixon Posted 20 May , 2005 Share Posted 20 May , 2005 With a Siege Battery in France - 303 Siege Battery This is the only one on your list that I've got but it's readable enough and goes into some detail about the other ranks; ideal for me as my grandfather was a gunner who served with this battery and he gets a couple of mentions. It's quite a slender volume but even so, reasonably priced from N&MP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
armourersergeant Posted 20 May , 2005 Author Share Posted 20 May , 2005 Thanks chaps for the input. regards Arm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMG65 Posted 20 May , 2005 Share Posted 20 May , 2005 Arm 'The War Diary of the MASTER OF BELHAVEN' is a must if you want to know what it was like to be in an artillery battery during the Great War. A remarkable book. SEAN Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Hartley Posted 20 May , 2005 Share Posted 20 May , 2005 Arm Hopefully Forum member Dick Flory will spot this thread and be able to advise. When it comes to artillery books, he is The Man. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcerha Posted 17 June , 2005 Share Posted 17 June , 2005 General Sir Martin Farndale's "History of The Royal Artillery Vol 1 The Western front 1914 -1918 & Vol II The Forgotten Fronts and The Home Base" are both excellent and real "bibles" of the RA in the Great War. Incredibly detailed and well researched they are a must for any serious student. The can be bought from the Royal Artillery Institution . Contact is Mrs Sandra Carpenter on 020 8781 3733 Hope this helps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
armourersergeant Posted 17 June , 2005 Author Share Posted 17 June , 2005 Have bought and read Ebb and Flow and really enjoyed this account. trying to pick up some others on the cheap as you know who has put the thumb screws on me!!! regards Arm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Potter Posted 21 June , 2005 Share Posted 21 June , 2005 If you want the other side "With the German Guns": Herbert Sulzbach (originally published in 1935 as Zwei lebende Mauern - Two Living Walls) Sulzbach was with the 63rd (Frankfort) Artillery Regiment. He served mostly on the Western Front. He won the Iron Cross 1st and 2nd class. As a Jew, he fled Hitler's Germany and was commissioned in the British Army in WW2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 21 June , 2005 Share Posted 21 June , 2005 Although artillery isn't really my thing, I have "The War Diary of the 1st West Lancashire Bde, RFA", by Capt W W Wadsworth, MC, and I find it very interesting and informative Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bernardmcilwaine Posted 21 June , 2005 Share Posted 21 June , 2005 hiya arm,i have,"THE OLD LEEK BATTERY",thats a good book,tom morgan may still have copies,theres quite a lot on naval+military press,bernard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
armourersergeant Posted 22 June , 2005 Author Share Posted 22 June , 2005 thanks for the further info regards Arm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianw Posted 22 June , 2005 Share Posted 22 June , 2005 Certainly agree that With the Field Guns in France and The View from Kemmel Hill are both excellent, particularly the former. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Moretti Posted 25 June , 2005 Share Posted 25 June , 2005 Bidwell & Graham's "Fire Power" may be a little outside what you are looking for, but still excellent for a potted history of the development of the artillery arm as a whole. Just my 2 cents... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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