When the Territorial Force (TF) was created in 1908 by the Haldane Reforms,[1][2][3] each infantry division was allocated a heavy battery of the Royal Garrison Artillery (RGA).

[5][6][8][9][10][11][12][13] The West Riding Division went to its annual training camps in late July 1914, but on 3 August the units were instructed to return to their headquarters.

Under the command of Major W. Graham (a retired captain in the Army Remount Service), it moved to its war station at Hedon on 16 August.

[11][18][19][20] II Group consisted of a variety of heavy and siege artillery and was tasked with Counter-battery fire for the Allies' forthcoming Artois Offensive.

The group was provided with Royal Flying Corps reconnaissance aircraft fitted with wireless to assist observation in the flat country.

Unfortunately the weight of the artillery support was inadequate for the task in hand: the obsolescent 4.7-inch guns were so worn that in many cases the driving bands were stripped off the shells at the muzzle, resulting in extreme inaccuracy.

In spite of the counter-battery fire, German guns were able to open up on the British trenches, which were soon packed with wounded men from the first attacking wave, and support troops waiting to follow up.

[11][18][20][23] The division's role in this operation was confined to localised trench warfare, one short advance by two companies on 24 May being supported by 96 guns.

[a] On 25 March 1917 the augmented 1/1st West Riding Bty joined 12th HAG, which was one of the groups assigned to support XVII Corps' successful attack on the first day of the Battle of Arras.

On 28 June 1918, 28th was one of the RGA brigades supporting an operation by XV Corps just east of the forest of Nieppe designed to improve the British line (the action of La Becque).

In March 1915 the division moved into billets around Derbyshire and Nottingham for training, then in May to camps in 'The Dukeries' area before concentrating round Retford in October.

[16][36] However, when the 62nd Division finally embarked for France in January 1917 the heavy battery did not accompany it, but was detached and remained in England.