The 2nd Cinque Ports Artillery Volunteers was a part-time unit of the British Army's Royal Artillery from 1890 to 1955. Raised as coastal defence artillery, it later served as field artillery in Mesopotamia during the First World War and in the Battle of France and Second Battle of El Alamein during the Second World War. Its successor units later operated as medium artillery in North West Europe, and as jungle artillery in Burma. Postwar, it became an anti-aircraft unit.
Volunteer Force The enthusiasm for the Volunteer Movement following an invasion scare in 1859 saw the creation of many units composed of part-time soldiers eager to supplement the Regular British Army in time of need.Beckett. A large number of coastal artillery units were formed in the seaports along the Kent and Sussex coast (the ancient Cinque Ports), and in September 1862 these artillery volunteer corps (AVCs) were brought together to form the 1st Cinque Ports Artillery Volunteers at Dover:Beckett, Appendix VIII.1st Cinque Ports Artillery at Regiments.org.Litchfield & Westlake, pp. 41–5.Army List.Frederick, pp. 652–3.
On 1 April 1890, the Sussex batteries were separated from the 1st Cinque Ports Artillery to form the 2nd Cinque Ports Artillery Volunteers in the Eastern Division of the Royal Artillery (RA). As well as manning fixed coast defence artillery, some of the Volunteer companies were now being reorganised with semi-mobile field guns as 'position batteries' to work alongside the Volunteer infantry brigades. On 14 July 1892 the 2nd Cinque Ports AV were reorganised with one position battery and by 30 September 1894 had two, together with three companies:2nd Cinque Ports Artillery at Regiments.org.Beckett, p. 178.Litchfield & Westlake, p. 6. HQ at St Leonards-on-Sea No 1 Battery at St Leonards – originally 7th Cinque Ports AVC, raised on 23 November 1867 No 2 Battery at Hastings – originally 6th Cinque Ports AVC, raised on 20 February 1860 No 3 Company at Ninfield – originally 2nd Bty, 9th Cinque Ports AVC, raised in 1874 No 4 Company at Pevensey – originally 1st Bty 9th Cinque Ports AVC, raised on 9 April 1866 No 5 Company at Bexhill-on-Sea
In 1899, all artillery volunteers became part of the Royal Garrison Artillery (RGA). In 1901, the whole unit was converted to position artillery, later 'heavy artillery', with No 4 and 5 Companies amalgamating as 3rd Heavy Battery at Bexhill. When the divisional structure was abolished on 1 January 1902, the unit was designated the 2nd Cinque Ports RGA (Volunteers).
Territorial Force
When the Volunteers were subsumed into the new Territorial Force (TF) under the Haldane Reforms of 1908,Dunlop, Chapter 14.Spiers, Chapter 10. the 2nd Cinque Ports RGA merged with the 2nd Sussex RGA and transferred to the Royal Field Artillery (RFA) to form the II (or 2nd) Home Counties Brigade in October 1908 with the following organisation:Frederick, pp. 676, 688.Litchfield & Westlake, pp. 160–4.Litchfield, pp. 230–2.Sussex at Great War Centenary Drill Halls.
II Home Counties Brigade, RFA HQ at The Goffs, Eastbourne, – from 2nd Cinque Ports 4th Sussex Battery at Eastbourne – from 2nd Sussex 5th Sussex Battery at Hatherley Road, St Leonards – from 2nd Cinque Ports 6th Sussex Battery at The Downs, Bexhill – from 2nd Sussex 2nd Home Counties Ammunition Column at Hailsham – from 2nd Cinque Ports
The three batteries were each equipped with four 15-pounder guns. The unit was assigned to the Home Counties Division of the TF.Becke, Pt 2a, pp. 49–54.44 Div at Long, Long Trail.44 Div at Regimental Warpath
Affiliated with the unit were the Imperial Service Cadet Corps, Eastbourne, and St Leonards Collegiate School Cadet Corps.
World War I Mobilisation On the outbreak of war, the Territorial Force was mobilised for home defence and units were then invited to volunteer for overseas service. On 15 August 1914 the War Office issued instructions to separate those men who had signed up for Home Service only, and form these into reserve units. On 31 August, the formation of a reserve or 2nd Line unit was authorised for each 1st Line unit where 60 per cent or more of the men had volunteered for Overseas Service. Duplicate battalions, brigades and divisions were thereby created, mirroring those TF formations being sent overseas. The titles of these 2nd Line units would be the same as the original, but distinguished by a '2/' prefix. In this way the 1/II and 2/II Home Counties (Cinque Ports) Brigades were formed.<ref name = Frederick676/Becke, Pt 2b, p. 6.Becke, Pt 2b, pp. 75–82.67 Div at Long, Long Trail.
1/II Home Counties Brigade The bulk of the Home Counties Division, including the 1/II Home Counties Brigade without its Brigade Ammunition Column, embarked at Southampton and sailed on 30 October 1914 for India to relieve Regular Army units to fight on the Western Front. The Territorials disembarked at Bombay 1–3 December, and were allotted to various peacetime stations across India. Although the Home Counties Division remained in the order of battle and received a number (as the 44th (Home Counties) Division) in May 1915, it never served as a complete formation during the First World War. The 1/II Home Counties Bde was assigned to the 3rd Lahore Divisional Area in the Punjab (the fighting units of the 3rd (Lahore) Division having gone to the Western Front in September). 1/4th Sussex Bty went to Ambala, then to Rawalpindi in June 1915, the 1/5th Sussex went to Multan and 1/6th Sussex to Ferozepore.Perry, pp. 55–8.
The Territorials completed their training in India to prepare them for possible active service, and supplied drafts to units serving in the Mesopotamian campaign. In 1916 the brigade was formally renumbered as CCXXI Brigade (221st Bde). In December 1916, the 1/4th Sussex Bty (now at Ferozepore) and the 1/5th Sussex Bty (now at Ambala) joined with the 1/1st and 1/3rd Sussex Btys (from 1/I Home Counties Brigade) to form the I Combined Home Counties Brigade.
In May 1917, the 3rd (Lahore) Divisional Area was dissolved and its responsibilities passed to 16th Indian Division. CCXXI Bde was under the command of this division from April to September 1917.Perry, pp. 137–40. The brigade was finally re-equipped with the modern 18-pounder gun during 1917 and the batteries redesignated 1067, 1068 and 1069; 1069 Bty was then broken up between 1067 and 1068 to bring them up to a six-gun establishment. It also reformed a Brigade Ammunition Column ready for active service. It sailed to Basra, where it landed between 18 and 25 October 1917, to reinforce the forces fighting in Mesopotamia.
2/II Home Counties Brigade
Because the 1st Home Counties Division had gone to India, the 2nd Home Counties Division was among the earliest 2nd Line formations to be formed. By 27 November 1914 the division was settled in billets round Windsor, Berkshire and was reported ready to receive its weapons. However, the only guns available for the RFA brigades were obsolete French 90 mm guns, and even then there were only 4 guns per brigade. It was not until January 1916 that the division's gunners received their modern 18-pounders, and even then some time elapsed before sights were received.Becke, Pt 2b, Appendix 3, p. 136.
Meanwhile, the division had been numbered as 67th (2nd Home Counties) Division and given a dual role of training drafts for units serving overseas and at the same time being part of the mobile force responsible for home defence. From November 1915 it formed part of Second Army, Central Force, quartered in Kent. Twice the division was warned to prepare for moves to Ireland, and in April 1917 to deploy to France, but these moves never happened and the division remained in England for the whole war.
In May 1916, the field brigades were numbered, with 2/II Home Counties becoming CCCXXXVI Brigade (336 Bde) and the batteries were designated A, B and C. A howitzer battery (D (H)) equipped with 4.5-inch howitzers was added later in the year when CCCXXXVIII (2/IV Home Counties) Howitzer Bde was broken up. In 1917, the 18-pounder batteries were brought up to a strength of six guns when CCCXXXV (formerly 2/I Home Counties) Bde was broken up. The brigade left 67th Division on 9 November 1917 and sailed to Mesopotamia where it fought alongside its 1st Line Brigade.
Mesopotamia
CCXXI Brigade made its way from Basra to Baghdad where it joined the newly formed 17th Indian Division. In April 1918, it was joined by 404th (Howitzer) Bty from England equipped with six 4.5-inch howitzers and a Volunteer Battery with four 18-pounders from 15th Indian Division.Perry, pp. 141–6.Perry, p. 135.Moberley, Vol IV, Appendix XLIII, p. 357.Moberley, Vol IV, Appendix XLV, p. 368.Moberley, Vol IV, Appendix XLVI, p. 384.Farndale, Forgotten Fronts, p. 287. Meanwhile, CCCXXXVI Bde under the command of Lt-Col F.A. Buzzard moved up from Basra to join the newly formed 18th Indian Division.Perry, pp. 147–50.Wilson-Johnston, p. 1; 'Part II: Roll of Officers', pp. 50–1. The two new divisions constituted the bulk of I Indian Corps Lt-Gen Sir Alexander Cobbe, VC, which concentrated at Tikrit on the Tigris Front in October 1918.
By now, the Turks were in retreat in Palestine and on the Euphrates Front in Mesopotamia, and it was time for the forces on the Tigris Front to exert pressure by advancing on Mosul. 17th Indian Division moved up the west bank and 18th Division up the east bank. The problem was the strong Turkish position on the Little Zab river and the Fat-Ha gorge, 35 miles further on. Rather than make a direct assault with the untried 17th and 18th Indian Divisions, Cobbe chose to outflank the gorge with a mobile column.Farndale Forgotten Fronts, pp. 280–1.Wilson-Johnston, pp. 18–24.
On 23 October, the 17th and 18th Divisions were within a mile of the Fat-Ha trenches. Both 221st and 336th Bdes (less D/336) were on the west bank with 17th Division. A section of D/336 Bty was with 7th Indian Cavalry Brigade on the right flank. 18th Division advanced as the moon rose at 21.30, with D/336 in the plain north of the pass and all the guns with 17th Division ready to give support from across the river. However, the leading waves found the Turkish trenches empty. When 17th Division advanced, covered by its reinforced artillery, it also found the Turkish positions empty; the flanking column had done its job.Farndale Forgotten Fronts, p. 281.Wilson-Johnston, pp. 24–5.
Having passed through the Fat-Ha gorge, 18th Division moved its artillery (including D/336) across appalling going and successfully attacked the Little Zab on 25 October. The following day, 336th Bde crossed back to 18th Division's command and B/336 moved up-river while A/336 was at the Little Zab bridgehead. On 27 October, the 17th Division advanced with support from 18th Division's artillery from across the river and once again found the enemy trenches empty. It set off in pursuit to the main Turkish position at Sharqat. At dawn, on 28 October, the Turks counter-attacked from Sharqat and were engaged by D/336, which had been pushed ahead of 18th Division along the other bank of the river. Having stopped this attack, the 17th Division then drove the Turks out of their position and continued the pursuit.Farndale Forgotten Fronts, pp. 283–4.Wilson-Johnston, pp. 27–32.
With the cavalry blocking their retreat to Mosul, the Turks at Sharqat were now cut off, and 17th and 18th Divisions turned all their guns on them. 17th Division attacked at 16.00 on 29 October, supported by the guns of 18th Division, then at 19.00 the 18th advanced with 54th Indian Brigade and two batteries of 336th Bde. On the morning of 30 October, the cavalry were deployed to attack Sharqat with the leading elements of 18th Division, including B/336, C/336 and D/336 Btys, when the Turks in the town surrendered.Farndale Forgotten Fronts, pp. 284–5.Wilson-Johnston, pp. 33–34.