These units of the Territorial Force were raised in 1914 as “second line” or reserve brigades of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th East Lancashire Brigades RFA. The latter comprised the artillery of the 42nd (East Lancashire) Division, while the “second line” came under orders of the 66th (2nd East Lancashire) Division. All suffered from a lack of even the most basic equipment and the field gun batteries were not armed until late 1915.
The original titles were the 2/1st, 2/2nd, 2/3rd and 2/4th (Howitzer) East Lancashire Brigades. They remained as such until May 1916, when the brigades were given numbers. By then, the 2/4th (Howitzer) East Lancashire Brigade had been broken up. The 2/1st became CCCXXX or 330 Brigade; 2/2nd became CCCXXXI or 331 Brigade; and 2/3rd became CCCXXXII or 332 Brigade. At the same time, the batteries were given letters, so for example, the 2/4th, 2/5th and 2/6th Lancashire Batteries of 330 Brigade became A, B and C Batteries respectively.
The history of the 66th (2nd Lancashire) Division and the battles and engagements in which it participated can be found via the link at the foot of this page. The artillery remained with it except for the period of some months in 1918 when the division was reconstituted. It remained in action, seeing service in the following actions:
- The Battle of the Avre (4 April 1918, under 18th (Eastern) Division)
- The Battles of the Lys (330 Brigade only, from 20 April 1918, under 36th (Ulster) Division)
- The Battle of Ypres 1918 (330 Brigade only, 28 September to 2 October, under 31st Division)
- The Battle of the Sambre (4 November 1918, under 25th Division)
The artillery rejoined the reconstituted 66th Division on 8 November 1918.
CCCXXX (2/1st East Lancashire) Brigade
- The 1st East Lancashire Brigade RFA TF was based at 50 King Street in Blackburn. It comprised a headquarters, the 4th, 5th and 6th Lancashire Batteries and the Brigade Ammunition Column. The 5th Battery was based at Church and the 6th at Burnley. The depots of these units at these locations raised the 2/1st East Lancashire Brigade and its constituent 2/4th, 2/5th and 2/6th Lancashire Batteries and the Brigade Ammunition Column. The batteries were initially each armed with four field guns.
- Before leaving England, the batteries were expanded to six field guns each.
- Also before leaving England, 550 (Howitzer) Battery joined and became this brigade’s D (Howitzer) Battery.
- On 20 April 1918 the brigade came under orders of 36th (Ulster) Division, returning afte about a week.
- Between 12 September and 1 October 1918 the brigade came under 31st Division.
CCCXXXI (2/2nd East Lancashire) Brigade (The Manchester Artillery)
- The 2nd East Lancashire Brigade RFA TF was based at Hyde Road in Manchester. It comprised a headquarters, the 15th, 16th and 17th Lancashire Batteries and the Brigade Ammunition Column. The depots of these units at these locations raised the 2/2nd East Lancashire Brigade and its constitutent 2/15th, 2/16th and 2/17th Lancashire Batteries and the Brigade Ammunition Column. The batteries were initially each armed with four field guns.
- Before leaving England, the batteries were expanded to six field guns each.
- In May 1916 on the break up of 2/4th East Lancashire (Howitzer) Brigade, the 2/1st Cumberland (Howitzer) Battery joined and became this brigade’s D (Howitzer) Battery.
- On 17 March 1917, D (Howitzer) Battery was brought up to six by the addition of two howitzers from D (Howitzer) Battery of 332 Brigade.
CCXXXII (2/3rd East Lancashire) Brigade (The Bolton Artillery)
- The 3rd East Lancashire Brigade RFA TF was based at the drill hall on Silverton Street in Bolton. It comprised a headquarters, the 18th, 19th and 20th Lancashire Batteries and the Brigade Ammunition Column. The depots of these units at these locations raised the 2/3rd East Lancashire Brigade and its constitutent 2/18th, 2/19th and 2/20th Lancashire Batteries and the Brigade Ammunition Column. The batteries were initially each armed with four field guns.
- In May 1916 on the break up of 2/4th East Lancashire (Howitzer) Brigade, the 2/2nd Cumberland (Howitzer) Battery joined and became this brigade’s D (Howitzer) Battery.
- Before leaving England, C Battery was broken up and two-gun sections wnet to A and B Batteries to being them up to six field guns each.
- Also before leaving England, a new C (Howitzer) Battery (four howitzers) joined.
- On 17 March 1917, D (Howitzer) Battery was broken up, with sections of two howitzers going to the D (Howitzer) Batteries of 331 Brigade and C (Howitzer) Battery of this brigade respectively.
- In April 1917 the brigade was broken up and ceased to exist. A Battery transferred to 298 Brigade (outside the 66th Division); B Battery went to the 1st Canadian Division; C (Howitzer) Battery went to First Army Artillery School and subsequently to 49th (West Riding) Division.
2/4th East Lancashire (Howitzer) Brigade (The Cumberland Artillery)
- The 4th East Lancashire Brigade RFA TF was based at Workington. It comprised a headquarters, the 1st and 2nd Cumberland (Howitzer) Batteries and the Brigade Ammunition Column. The 1st Battery was based at Carlisle. The depots of these units at these locations raised the 2/4th East Lancashire (Howitzer) Brigade and its constitutent 2/1st and 2/2nd Cumberland (Howitzer) Batteries and the Brigade Ammunition Column.
- Moved to Crown Hill Fort near Plymouth on 10 October 1914. Moved to Southport in February 1915, East Grinstead in May 1915 (where in early June it finally received obsolescent 5-inch howitzers), and Plow Hatch at Forest Row on 5 August 1915.
- On 1 September 1915 the brigade was reduced to one battery and an amunition column but it was restored to original establishment in the December. At the same time, it received modern 4.5-inch howitzers.
- In May 1916 the brigade was broken up and ceased to exist. 2/1st went to 331 and 2/2nd Cumberland (Howitzer) Battery to 332 Brigades respectively. The fate of the Brigade Ammunition Column is unknown but it is likely that it transferred to the Divisional Ammunition Column.
2nd East Lancashire Division Ammunition Column
- The column was internally reorganised on 15 May 1917.
- The Small Arms Ammunition Section of the column did not exist between late April and early October 1918.
Also under divisional command
- 1/2nd Lancashire Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery. Left division on 5 January 1916.
- 2/1st Lancashire Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery. Brifely under division in 1916, left June.
- 2/2nd Lancashire Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery. Remained in England when division went to France.
Links
66th (2nd East Lancashire) Division
Other Royal Field Artillery units