When the TF was created in 1908 as part of the Haldane Reforms, each of its infantry divisions included a heavy artillery battery in its establishment.

[1][2] The battery, consisting of four 4.7-inch guns, mobilised at the beginning of World War I, and was quartered at Bishop's Stortford with the rest of the North Midland Division.

The division concentrated around Luton in January 1915, where it was tasked with the defense of London; 2/1st Battery relocating to Gadebridge Camp, Hemel Hempstead on 5 February.

It joined VI Corps heavy artillery at Dainville near Arras and was assigned to 8th HAG on 3 June 1916[3] as part of Third Army.

[8] Here they took part in counter-battery work against German artillery in support of the attacks at Flers-Courcelette, Morval and Thiepval Ridge by Fourth and Reserve Armies.

By 7 June 1917, the battery had moved to Hemmel ready to participate in the Battle of Messines Ridge and were transferred to 51st HAG.

With the successful conclusion of the Battle of Messines Ridge, 2/1st North Midland Heavy Battery moved to Poperinghe outside Ypres on 9 June 1917, being reallocated to 85th HAG within VIII Corps.

[16][17][18][19] After training at Stone, Staffordshire, and Bradford-on-Avon, the regiment went to France with the new British Expeditionary Force in February 1940, forming part of III Corps.

[14][16][20][21] In late April, the regiment was detached from the BEF and went with 51st (Highland) Division to take over part of the French Maginot Line in the Saar sector.

At 04.00 on 13 May a heavy German barrage came down on 51st Division's positions and was answered by the British artillery firing its designated fire-tasks.

51st Division went into action with the French IX Corps on 4 June in a counter-attack at Mareuil-Caubert intended to recover the Abbeville bridgehead.

The attack went in behind an artillery barrage in early morning mist, but despite some successes and good infantry–artillery cooperation, the operation failed in its objectives.

By 9 June, 51st Medium Regiment (without its guns) was part of 'Arkforce' sent to form a defensive line outside Le Havre in an attempt to cover the retreat of 51st Division.

[14][26] In the autumn of 1942, 51 Medium Rgt embarked at Liverpool and arrived in Egypt in October to join Middle East Forces (MEF).

[14][16][26][27] After the end of the Tunisian Campaign, the regiment reverted to the MEF, but on 7 October 1943 it landed at Salerno as part of 2nd AGRA, where it came under the command of the US Fifth Army.

After a short spell in 1st AGRA with Eighth Army on the East coast of Italy for the opening of the Battle of the Sangro, the regiment reverted to Fifth Army command at Cassino, the River Garigliano, the final battle of Cassino, and the breaking of the Hitler Line and Gustav Line.

[14][16][28] After a short rest with MEF in Egypt and Palestine in May 1944,[14][16][27] the regiment returned to Italy to rejoin Eighth Army by July, and was in action again for the assaults at Forlimpopoli, Forlì and Faenza in November 1944.

[14][16][28] Early in 1945, 51 Medium Rgt left Italy to join 9th AGRA in 21st Army Group in North West Europe for the final weeks of the war.

British troops in these lines were not seriously attacked, but artillery ammunition was now so short that they could not disrupt enemy movements towards the Belgians.

[36] The following day the line was held by desperate fighting, of which the Official History says 'The artillery deserve a large share of the credit for holding the German attack.

[1] During the preparations for the Invasion of Normandy, 63rd Medium Rgt was assigned to 21st Army Group in May 1943, landing in France in June 1944 as part of 8th AGRA.