BY Colonel A. T. ANDERSON, C.M.G. ( C.R.H. 62nd Division, 1916-1919 ), Author of "The Field Gunner's Catechism," "A Short History of Lucknow," With a Preface by Lieut.-General Sir W. P. BRAITHWAITE, K.C.B. W. HEFFER & SONS LTD. CAMBRIDGE 1920...

Colonel Anderson has commenced his interesting record of the war services of the 62nd Divisional Artillery in January, 1917. He has, therefore, no word to say as to how the instrument he commanded so ably and with such distinction during two strenuous years of war came to attain the standard of excellence which the following pages attest. It was in February, 1916, that Brig.-General Anderson and Capt. Lindsell, then serving at the Front, were selected to take over the Command and Brigade-Majorsh

On the 23rd December, 1916, the 62nd Division received orders to embark for France. The artillery, which was billeted in Northampton, was conveyed from Southampton to Havre on the 6th and 7th January, 1917, and thence railed to the concentration area at and around Wavans, near Auxi-le-Chateau. The weather was of the worst type that January can give, alternate frost and thaw and bitterly cold, and we began to experience at once the distressing conditions of mud and slush, which were to be so norm

In the next few weeks trench warfare pursued its monotonous course—long periods, as it has been aptly said, of unutterable boredom varied by moments of inexpressible terror—but June was, on the whole, the quietest month the Division had in France. On the 15th the Divisional Headquarters at Achiet-le-Grand was shelled by a 15-inch gun firing from a range of about 20 miles. Two or three shells burst within 50 yards of our mess, but the only casualties were one of my clerks and my Reconnaissance Of

Our infantry withdrew from the line for a rest on the 12th October. The artillery, however, merely changed the scene of their labours, and about ten days later marched straight up from their former positions into action in the neighbourhood of Wancourt, to cover the 51st Division; the trench mortar batteries in the meantime were temporarily distributed between the 3rd and the 16th Divisions. On the 29th we had the misfortune to lose a valuable officer in Lieut. H. Sutherland, signalling officer

On the 9th January Divisional Headquarters moved to Victory Camp, near Roclincourt, and I assumed command of the artillery in the line, the 56th Divisional Artillery. Our own artillery relieved the 56th on the 15th. The front we now covered ran roughly from Gavrelle to Oppy. The 310th Brigade, which formed the right group, occupied positions on or about the southern end of the Vimy Ridge, with one advanced battery, B/310, close to Arleux, and only about a thousand yards from the Boche front line

Comfortable billets and beautiful summer weather, with sports, entertainments given by the excellent "Pelican Troupe," and other distractions, contributed to make the rest a very pleasant one, but it was not to last long. On about the 12th July the Division was ordered to prepare for a move to an unknown destination, and on the 15th the artillery entrained and was taken south through Paris. That all units had made good use of their time in a peaceful area is proved by this letter, which the G.O.

" The Right Hand of the Lord hath the pre-eminence. The Right Hand of the Lord bringeth mighty things to pass. "— Psalm cxviii. On the 8th August the 4th Army launched a completely successful attack west of Amiens, and an offensive on a large scale was then decided on in which our Army, the third, was to participate. The 62nd Division was in reserve, but its artillery was temporarily placed under the 37th Division, and took up positions between Essarts and Bucquoy. The attack began on the 21st w

On the 12th November we went into comfortable billets in Sous le Bois and Neuf Mesnil, while preparations were being made to march into Germany. The 62nd Division was to form part of the 9th Corps, under our former Commander, Lieut.-General Sir Walter Braithwaite, the other divisions being the 1st and the 6th; the trench mortars were to be left behind, but were to join us subsequently in Germany. While in Sous le Bois Lieut. E. S. Lloyd, M.C., Signalling Officer of the 312th Brigade, was taken i

I should like to have been able to bring the records of the 311th Brigade within the scope of this work, but the difficulties have proved too great, and I must content myself with giving a brief digest of its services after leaving the 62nd Division, for which I am indebted to the kindness of Lieut.-Colonel A. Gadie. The brigade was first attached to the 34th Division, and took part in the battle of Arras on Easter Monday, 1917; after this it occupied positions in the Arras sector, opposite Gavr

(An asterisk denotes that the officer has been more than once wounded while with the Division.) Abrahams , F., Lieut., M.C. Alderton , B., Lieut., M.C. Aldrich , E. C., Capt. Anderson , A. T., Brig.-Gen., C.M.G. Anderson , R. A. T., Lieut. Archer , H. de B., Capt., M.C. Armitage , H. G., Lieut. w Arnold-Forster , F. A., Major, D.S.O. w Ashby , H. C., Lieut. Aspinwall , R. H. S., Lieut. Astley , N. T., Lieut. Badham-Jackson , C. O., Lieut. * w Baillie-Reynolds , P. K., Lieut. Baker , W., Capt. w