Place not known. 92 Battery Royal Field Artillery. 27 July 1917.
In 1916, Royal Field Artillery batteries were issued with 18 pounder field guns. A field gun fired its shells on a low trajectory – generally the target was in sight. Shells were usually high explosive or shrapnel. An artillery brigade consisted of four batteries each of six guns. The first three, A, B and C, were field guns and the fourth D battery had 4.5″ howitzers. The howitzer lobbed its shell high into the air so that it dropped more directly down onto its target. This meant that the target could be behind obstacles, perhaps a wood or a hill.
The War Dairy for 92 Battery for July 1917 is missing and so it is not possible to determine where or what the battery was doing. Most probably they were engaged in the bombardment in preparation for Third Ypres which would begin on 31 July. The 29 Division was in action during the Battle of Langemark, the opening action of Third Ypres. Artillery batteries were very difficult to conceal within the Ypres Salient, the Germans had excellent observation from the surrounding high ground and gun flashes and smoke were easy to spot and on which to direct counter bombardments.
References and Sources WAR DIARY 92Btry 17Bde pages for July 1917 missing
B&O 1917. Ypres. Third Ypres. PLACE. 92 Battery Royal Field Artillery. 27 July 1917.
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