2nd Cinque Ports Artillery Volunteers


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, 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. A large number of coastal artillery units were formed in the seaports along the Kent and Sussex coast, and in September 1862 these artillery volunteer corps were brought together to form the 1st Cinque Ports Artillery Volunteers at Dover:
In May 1890 the Sussex batteries were separated from the 1st Cinque Ports Artillery to form the 2nd Cinque Ports Artillery Volunteers with the following organisation:
In 1901 the unit was converted to 'position artillery' as part of the Royal Garrison Artillery and on 1 January 1902 became the 2nd Cinque Ports RGA

Territorial Force

When the Volunteers were subsumed into the new Territorial Force under the Haldane Reforms of 1908, the 2nd Cinque Ports RGA merged with the 2nd Sussex RGA and transferred to the Royal Field Artillery to form the II Home Counties Brigade with the following organisation:
II Home Counties Brigade, RFA
The three batteries were each equipped with four 15-pounder guns. The unit was assigned to the Home Counties Division of the TF.
Affiliated with the unit were the Imperial Service Cadet Corps, Eastbourne, and St Leonards Collegiate School Cadet Corps.

First World War

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 Brigades were formed.

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 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. 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.
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. In December 1916 the 1/4th Sussex Bty and the 1/5th Sussex Bty joined with the 1/1st and 1/3rd Sussex Btys to form the I Combined Home Counties Brigade.
In May 1917 the 3rd 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. 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.
Meanwhile, the division had been numbered as 67th 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 and the batteries were designated A, B and C. A howitzer battery equipped with 4.5-inch howitzers was added later in the year when CCCXXXVIII Howitzer Bde was broken up. In 1917 the 18-pounder batteries were brought up to a strength of six guns when CCCXXXV 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 Bty from England equipped with six 4.5-inch howitzers and a Volunteer Battery with four 18-pounders from 15th Indian Division. Meanwhile, CCCXXXVI Bde under the command of Lt-Col F.A. Buzzard moved up from Basra to join the newly formed 18th Indian Division. 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.
On 23 October the 17th and 18th Divisions were within a mile of the Fat-Ha trenches. Both 221st and 336th Bdes 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.
Having passed through the Fat-Ha gorge, 18th Division moved its artillery 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.
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.
The commander of 18th Indian Division, Maj-Gen Hew Fanshawe, was immediately sent on with a mobile column including C/336 Bty to destroy the remaining Turkish forces and capture Mosul. The column forded the Tigris, with artillery horses assisting the mule carts, and pushed on to the city which fell without a fight after news arrived of the signing of the Armistice of Mudros and the end of hostilities on 31 October.
At the end of the war 17th and 18th Indian Divisions were selected to form part of the occupation force in Iraq and served during the Iraq Rebellion of 1920. It is not clear when the TF units were demobilised and sent home; the 44th Division began to reform in 1920.

Interwar

With the expansion of the TA after the Munich Crisis, most units split to form duplicates. In the case of the 58th, 231 and 232 Batteries left in 1939 to form a new 114th Field Regiment, RA, at Bexhill, which gained the 'Sussex' subtitle in 1942. At this time batteries consisted of 12 guns each, which in TA regiments were still 18-pounders.

Second World War

84th (Sussex) Medium Regiment

Once back in the UK, stationed at Felixstowe, the regiment was converted into a medium artillery regiment on 6 January 1944, with the following organisation:
84th Medium Regiment, RA
During January 1944 it received its equipment of 16 x 5.5-inch guns and was officially mobilised on 1 February although AEC Matador gun tractors did not begin to arrive until the end of March. Firing training was held at the Sanctuary Ranges at Burnham Norton, Norfolk, in March and at Redesdale in Northumberland in April. The regiment also practised anti-tank shooting. In May it moved to Clacton-on-Sea for a XXX Corps training exercise and then in the first days of June it boarded transport ships bound for Normandy.

Normandy

The survey party of 84th Medium Regiment landed in the Normandy beachhead on D + 1, having sailed from Tilbury Docks on D-Day, the guns arriving on Gold Beach 9 June. The regiment again formed part of 5 AGRA, in 21st Army Group.
Regimental HQ was established at St Martin les Entrees east of Bayeux, where the regiment's gun positions were protected by 113 Bty of 27th Light Anti-Aircraft Rgt of XXX Corps. The regiment carried out its first fire missions on 11 June. That night, while supporting 69th Brigade of 50th Division the FOO called down fire on a group of Tiger tanks trying to penetrate the position, although he had already been wounded by them. 69th Brigade held their position, which became known as 'Tiger Hill'.
On 27 June, RHQ moved to Loucelles, where I Trp of 399 LAA Bty took over AA defence, and the regiment was assigned to support 15th Division during Operation Epsom. It then moved to Sainte-Honorine-de-Ducy to support 43rd Division on 1 July.
84th Medium Rgt carried out numerous fire missions over the coming weeks, RHQ moving frequently as 5 AGRA supported different formations during the campaign. During July and August the regiment had 284 Bty of 90th Heavy AA Rgt under its command. With the Luftwaffe making few appearances, the 3.7-inch guns of 90th HAA Rgt frequently took part in medium artillery fire programmes. At the end of August the regiment was involved in the Battle of Falaise.
Once the breakout from the Normandy beachhead was accomplished 84th Med Rgt moved to the area of Vernon and then while the rest of 5 AGRA remained behind the regiment was attached to Guards Armoured Division during the rapid advance that culminated in the liberation of Brussels. While with Guards Armoured the regiment received AA protection from the Bofors guns of E Trp, 326 Bty of 94th LAA Rgt. It also had two Sherman OP tanks, and the lorries of a Royal Army Service Corps platoon to help it move. Once the Irish Guards had established a bridgehead over the Bocholt–Herentals Canal on 10 September, 84th Med Rgt, with 275 Bty, 165th Heavy AA Rgt, under command, took up positions near Hechtel and provided fire support for the bridgehead.

Arnhem

On 16 September the regiment received its orders for Operation Market Garden, which began the following day. 84th Medium Rgt was assigned to support Guards Armoured which was spearheading the advance. The regiment spent the next three days attempting to advance behind the Guards up the road to Valkenswaard, suffering a number of casualties under shellfire and bombing. At 01.00 on 20 September 250 Bty deployed near Malden, and in the morning began shelling enemy gun positions. 251 Battery joined in that afternoon, and the regiment was given a fire plan to support the assault crossing of the Waal at Nijmegen. In the evening a section was ordered over the river to try to give long-range fire support to 1st Airborne Division at Arnhem, while the remainder of the regiment deploying at Nijmegen sports park, with a Troop of 275 HAA Bty under command with its 3.7-inch guns in a ground role. Target information was being supplied by telephone by members of the Dutch resistance.
Lieutenant B.R. Leach of 84th Med Rgt, having previously trained as a parachute FOO, flew back to England on 15 September and dropped with US 82nd Airborne Division on 17 September. He returned to the regiment on 21 September.
At 00.15 on 21 September the regiment's advanced section opened fire – the first such support the beleaguered paratroops at Arnhem had received; only the radios of 64th Medium Rgt in 5 AGRA could make contact with them. Shortly afterwards 251 Bty began shelling the presumed HQ of the German 6th Parachute Division, probably the first shots fired by British artillery into Germany. While the HAA troop left to take up an anti-shipping role on the river, the regiment was rejoined by 6 Bofors guns of E Trp, 326 LAA Bty for AA defence of the vital NIjmegen bridges.
During the next few days of the battle the regiment was called on for fire missions in several different directions, supporting 82nd Airborne, 50th and 43rd Divisions as well as Guards Armoured. Its RASC platoon bringing up ammunition found the main road cut by the enemy and had to take to side roads to get through to the gun positions. The regiment also suffered casualties from anti-personnel bombs dropped by German jet fighters.
On 5 October, 84th Med Rgt bolstered 59 AGRA supporting US 101st Airborne Division in repelling German attacks from the direction of Wageningen and Renkum. On 7 October the regiment moved to Ewijk, where it fired against German attacks simultaneously to the NE and NW, and then the following day to Ubbergen, near Groesbeek. From 15 October to 8 November, the regiment formed part of 59 AGRA.

Rhineland

When Lt-Gen Brian Horrocks, commander of XXX Corps, was given the newly arrived US 84th Division to carry out a difficult attack at Geilenkirchen on 18 November, 'I was determined that they should have every possible assistance... so... I gave them... above all the support of my superb corps artillery'. 84th Medium Rgt was directly attached to 84th Division, its FOOs up with the US infantry units. A major part of its role was counter-mortar fire against identified German positions codenamed GOOSE, DUCK, GOAT and FOX, while Air Observation Post aircraft flew overhead identifying firing hostile batteries to be engaged by a battery of 84 Med Rgt if required.
During December the regiment was at Brunssum, where it received three OP tanks. When the German attack in the Ardennes threatened to break through US forces, 84th Med Rgt was assigned to Guards Armoured Division on 15 December and moved south via Tilburg to take up blocking positions. It returned to 5 AGRA command on 29 December when the danger had passed. On 4 January 84th Med Rgt was assigned to support an attack on the northern side of the German 'bulge' by 53rd Division and generally to assist VII US Corps.
At the beginning of February, XXX Corps began preparing for a major offensive in the Reichswald, and the regiment moved back on bad roads to the Eindhoven and Malden area. A complex fire support programme was worked out for the attack on 8 February. 84th Medium Rgt was assigned to counter-battery fire and then in support of the assault by 15th Division, switching to support 3rd Canadian Division in the afternoon, and then back to 15th Division in the evening.
During this long battle the regiment supported 15th Division in Operation Spider on 18 February, II Canadian Corps on 19 February, 44th Bde of 15th Division during Operation Grenade on 23 February, and then 158th Bde of 53rd Division during Operation Leek to capture Weeze on 24 February.

Germany

XXX Corps provided massive artillery support for the Rhine Crossing on the night of 23/24 March. Around 150 German guns had been identified on the corps' frontage, and the medium regiments of 5 AGRA began firing CB tasks at 17.00, four hours before H-hour. Major Martin Lindsay of 1st Battalion, Gordon Highlanders, described the 'continuous ripple of slams and bangs as all our guns, stretching across so many fields behind, were firing', and the 'tremendous rumble of guns behind us, their shells whistling over us'. Then 30 minutes before H-hour 84th Med Rgt was switched to bombardment in support of the assault troops of 51st Division.
Once the Rhine was crossed, XX Corps advanced rapidly across Germany to Bremen. 84th Medium Rgt was detached from 5 AGRA during these operations and was variously attached to Guards Armoured and to 3rd Division when it crossed the Weser. At the beginning of May the regiment was still carrying out CB, CM and harassing fire tasks for 51st Division attacking towards Bremervörde, even though ammunition was running short as the RASC had to bring it long distances from across the Weser. At 17.30 on 4 May the regiment received the order that all shooting was to stop, and cease fire was ordered at 08.00 the following morning after the German surrender at Lüneburg Heath came into effect.
After VE Day the regiment went to Sandbostel, where 250 Bty became responsible for running a Displaced persons camp of Russians. On 30 May the regiment moved to Blankenburg, Braunlage and Hasselfelde in the Harz Mountains to carry out occupation duties. In the autumn of 1945 it moved to Lüneburg where it became responsible for law and order.
The regiment was placed in suspended animation in 1946.

114th (Sussex) Field Regiment

114th Field Regiment mobilised in 12th Division, the 2nd Line duplicate of 44th Division, but when the division moved to France in April 1940 it was only intended for labour duties and the RA units remained behind in the UK. After the Dunkirk evacuation the 12th Division was broken up, and on 6 July 114th Fd Rgt joined 2nd London Division. This formation was in Eastern Command, moving to South Wales by September 1940, but by May 1941 was defending the vital West Sussex sector of the anti-invasion defences.
The regiment left 47th Division on 28 November 1941 and became an Army Field Regiment in Southern Command, then in February 1942 it was assigned to the War Office Reserve preparatory to going overseas.

India and Ceylon

The regiment sailed to India, arriving at Bombay on 11 May and moving via Secunderabad to Bangalore where it joined 20th Indian Division. Field regiments were by now organised in three 8-gun batteries rather than two 12-gun batteries, so it arrived with 231, 232 and 479 Fd Btys. In July 1942 the division was sent to garrison Ceylon, where it remained for a year.
On 19 July 1943 the 20th Indian Division returned to India and proceeded to Ranchi, the base for the Central Front in the Burma Campaign, where 114th Fd Rgt was converted into a jungle field regiment. This was organised with 231 Bty equipped with 16 x 3-inch mortars and 232 and 479 Btys each with 8 x 3.7-inch howitzers. The conversion was complete by September.

Burma

In November, 144th Jungle Fd Rgt moved up to the Manipur road on the Burma–Assam border with the division, where it remained in reserve during the early part of the 1943–44 campaign. In January 1944 the regiment was temporarily converted to infantry, forming part of 100th Indian Brigade, but on 20 March, as the great battle of Kohima–Imphal began in March it was once more operating as a jungle field regiment. The division was defending the Kabaw Valley 50 miles to the south of the main fighting, later withdrawing to the Pelal–Shenam area.
On 12 April, 114th Jungle Fd Rgt and the rest of 20th Divisional artillery supported 80th Indian Brigade's successful attack on 'Nippon Hill' and then defeated the inevitable counter-attack. During the night of 16 April the Japanese regained Nippon Hill and made a major effort to get through the Shenam Pass, but the line held and the Japanese got no further towards Palel. In mid-May the division's 32nd Indian Brigade moved forward to block the Tiddim Road and destroy Japanese supply convoys. The Japanese counter-attacked vigorously, breaking through to attack 32nd Indian Bde's rear areas around Bishenpur and cut off 17th Indian Division's HQ. 32nd India Bde sent up a mixed force from Bishenpur including a battery of 114th Jungle Fd Rgt. This held off the attacks for four days, when Brigadier E.G Woods of 50th Indian Parachute Brigade took command and it became known as 'Woodforce'. After three more days of heavy fighting against Woodforce, the Japanese abandoned their guns and withdrew.
Once Imphal had been relieved, 20th Indian Division took part in the pursuit to the Chindwin River during July, through terrible conditions of rain, mud, and sickness. At the end of July the 20th Division was withdrawn to a rest area at Wangjing and the Kabaw Valley.
After some months' rest, the advance was renewed in December 1944. 114th Field Rgt had reverted to 24 x 25-pounder guns, with an additional troop of 7.2-inch howitzers. The division's task was to capture Monywa and be ready to cross the Irrawaddy River and attack Mandalay from the south. It reached Maukkadaw on 26 December and headed for Waunggyo and Paluzawa where it made contact with the enemy. The division then hit very bad country, recrossed the Chindwin and moved down the west bank to Kin where it crossed over again to begin its advance on Monywa, which it reached on 14 January 1945 and captured by 22 January. It then began to prepare for the Irrawaddy crossing. 114th Field Rgt took part in the corps artillery plan to support the crossing of both 2nd British and 20th Indian Divisions. 100th Indian Bde began crossing during the night of 12/13 February 1945, and then 32nd Indian Brigade followed. There was bitter fighting in the bridgehead, but 114th Field Rgt was able to cross on 21 February. In the following weeks of fighting, 20th Indian Division captured Kyaukse and cut off the retreat of the Japanese garrison of Mandalay. By 14 March it was up to the Panlaung River, and then was ordered to switch direction towards Meiktila where a major battle was developing.
As the division advanced towards Prome during May, the roads were infested with small enemy parties, which had to be winkled out using guns and infantry in close cooperation. On 1 June 1945, 20th Indian Division was transferred to Twelfth Army, which was being assembled for Operation Zipper. However, there was still some mopping up to do in the Irrawaddy Valley before the division could leave for retraining.

Indo-China

When the Japanese surrender came in August 1945, Operation Zipper was cancelled and the troops assembled for it were instead transported to different locations in South East Asia to receive the handover from Japanese occupying forces; 20th Indian Division was flown to Saigon in French Indochina, beginning on 9 September. The division's advanced guard moved into the city on 13 September, finding law and order breaking down, and the rest of the division was flown in, 114th Fd Rgt beginning to arrive on 6 October. The first officer of the regiment to arrive was given a Jeep with a Japanese driver, and an AOP aircraft with a Japanese pilot. The troops were distributed around the country to disarm those Japanese soldiers not required for internal security, and to maintain peace. On one occasion 321 Bty was ambushed at Biên Hòa near Saigon.
The regiment moved to Singapore on 14 January 1946 and was then stationed at Kangar Kahang in Malaya. 114th Field Regiment was disbanded in 1947.

Postwar

In 1947 the regiment was reformed in the reconstituted TA as 258 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RA, at Eastbourne, forming part of 99 AGRA, which became 99 Anti-Aircraft Brigade the following year. On 14 May 1950 the regiment was redesignated as 258 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RA.
On 10 March 1955, Anti-Aircraft Command was disbanded and there was a reduction in the number of anti-aircraft units. On that day 258 LAA Rgt merged with 313, 344 and 641 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiments to form 258 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RA. The former 258 LAA Rgt provided S Battery at Eastbourne to the new regiment. In 1961, the new regiment merged with 257 Fd Rgt.

Uniforms and Insignia

The full dress of the original artillery volunteers was based on that of the RA, but for ordinary parade the men wore a loose undress tunic and trousers of blue Baize. The 4th Battery of the 6th AVC, however, wore a naval uniform with sailors' caps until 1872. The badge of the Cinque Ports artillery volunteers was the Coat of arms of the Cinque Ports surrounded by a circlet. On officers' pouches the circlet carried the motto 'PRO ARIS ET FOCIS' ; on later tunic buttons and belt clasps shared with the rifle volunteers the circlet was inscribed 'CINQUE PORTS VOLUNTEERS'.

Honorary Colonels

The following served as Honorary Colonel of the unit:
There is a WWI memorial to the 2nd Home Counties Bde at Eastbourne Redoubt, and another to 4th Bty of the brigade at St Mary's Church, Eastbourne. Also in St Mary's is a WWII memorial to 58th and 114th Fd Rgts and 84th Med Rgt.

Footnotes

Citations