Then on 21 July CCXLI Bde was attached to 49th (West Riding) Division during the Battle of Pozières Ridge, mainly carrying out harassing fire (HF) tasks on enemy communications at night.

49th (WR) Divisional Artillery loaned its Right Group (including HQ, A and C Btys of CCXLI Bde) to 25th Division for an attempt on 28 August to clear the new German frontline trench behind the Leipzig salient, but this was an expensive failure.

Thereafter CCXLI Bde had the following organisation:[18][19][26] The divisional sector continued quiet, apart from a heavy German bombardment early on the morning of 22 October, when they attempted to raid the British lines at Hébuterne.

CCXLI Brigade began moving up next day, a section of C Bty being ferried across the Somme river and canal on pontoons, followed by the rest of the battery.

The division followed the retiring enemy with a mobile column while the engineers replaced destroyed bridges and railways, the batteries taking up successive positions.

From 30 March CCXLI Bde fired barrages in support of 48th (SM) Division's operations against the Hindenburg Line outposts round Épehy, which continued until 4 April.

It was in reserve when the offensive opened on 31 July, but took part in the Battle of Langemarck (16 August) Although this attack was disastrous overall, the artillery support for 48th (SM) Division was good and it captured some ground before being held up by a group of fortified farms.

The division was wakened by the effects of the Spanish flu epidemic, but the artillery began their counter-preparation barrage at 03.30 in response to the wild Austrian bombardment, and shortened the range at 05.00 after their own infantry outposts had withdrawn.

By the summer of 1915 2/II South Midland Bde was stationed at Northampton and at camps across Essex, at Ingatestone, Epping and Writtle (Brigade HQ), with gun drill carried out at Hylands Park.

In January 1916 the brigade received four of the obsolescent 15-pounders that had equipped 1st Line TF units and in February the division moved to Salisbury Plain for final battle training.

[6][7][16][28][50][51][52][53] CCCVI Brigade under the command of Lt-Col F.G. Willock left Bulford on 23 May and entrained at Amesbury for Southampton Docks, where it boarded the SS Hunscraft, except C Bty aboard the transport Black Prince.

At first 51st (H) Division's attack went well, crossing the Hindenburg Line, and by 11.00 CCCVI Bde's guns were moving forward to new positions in the former No Man's land near Trescault to support the Highlanders' advance on the Flesquières Ridge.

However, German guns hidden on the reverse slope destroyed most of the tanks as they crossed the ridge and held up the infantry, who got no requests back for artillery support.

By 7 December the German advance had been held, and two days later CCCVI Bde moved from the Grand Ravine back to Havrincourt Wood, commanding Right Group of 36th (Ulster) DA.

When the German spring offensive opened on 21 March, 61st (2nd SM) Division was mostly disposed on the reverse slopes of a spur running north from St Quentin.

183rd Brigade was ordered up from reserve to make a counter-attack at noon, which CCVI Bde supported, but at 13.15 the batteries had to evacuate the positions at Mesnil and retire to Herly, moving back to Billancourt at 21.00.

During 25 March 61st (2nd SM) DA fired to cover the French withdrawal, and was almost cut off and captured at Gruny at the end of the day, A, B and D Btys of CCCVI Bde pulling out at 20.30, C Bty not until 22.00.

Allied counter-attacks began on 29 March, and at 09.00 CCCVI Bde recrossed the Avre, coming into action near the outskirts of Moreuil, but was forced to withdraw across the river once more that evening.

The brigade carried out intermittent fire on German positions until 19.30 on 6 April, when it was pulled out and marched 42 miles (68 km) north to rejoin the British forces in front of Villers-Bretonneux.

[52][66] 61st (2nd SM) Division's exhausted infantry had been relieved and sent north (where they were engaged in the Battle of the Lys from 11 to 18 April), but the divisional artillery remained in position at Villers-Bretonneux, supporting British, Australian and French units.

The Allied Hundred Days Offensive was now under way, and by 18 August Fifth Army's infantry was edging forward as the enemy gave up ground, with CCCVI Bde following up in support.

The advance was now turning into a pursuit, and CCCVI Bde moved forward almost daily; planned barrages were sometime cancelled when it was found that the opposing Germans had already retreated.

[91][92][93][94] On 1 June, 1st Division thinned out its line and began evacuating its troops: 67th (SM) Fd Rgt was still in action, albeit with many of its less essential men having already embarked, and having destroyed much of its equipment.

The combined Allied force then advanced on Rome, though 1st Division was held up by German rearguards and did not reach the River Tiber until 5 June, after the city had fallen.

En route it provided artillery support for the neighbouring 85th US Division, firing 4–500 rounds per gun on 12 and 13 September, the re-supply of which caused severe transport problems.

By 15 September 1st Battalion Hertfordshire Regiment of 1st Division, supported by 116 guns, secured the heights commanding the western approaches to the pass, but failed to clear the east side.

The division took Palazzuolo in the valley of the River Senio, but was then confronted by strong defensive positions based on Monte Gameraldi: 2nd Bde made five unsuccessful attempts to secure the summit on 25–26 September.

[84][109] By mid-October the offensive in the Apennine Mountains had begun to lose impetus as the Allied supply lines were stretched – artillery ammunition had to be rationed – and the difficulty of finding suitable gun positions increased.

[73] 61st Division did appear in 21st Army Group's proposed order of battle in the summer of 1943, but it was later replaced by veteran formations brought back from the Mediterranean theatre before Operation Overlord was launched.

When first formed the unit's headgear was the usual artillery busby; for the officers the ball of the 'grenade' plume holder bore a tower within a garter inscribed 'WORCESTERSHIRE', surmounted by a field gun, the whole surrounded by a wreath, an identical design appearing on the waistbelt clasp.