44th (Howitzer) Brigade Royal Field Artillery
Encyclopedia
44th Brigade Royal Field Artillery was a brigade of the Royal Field Artillery
which served in the First World War.
It was originally formed with 47th, 56th and 60th (Howitzer) Batteries, each equipped with 4.5" howitzers
, and attached to 2nd Infantry Division. In August 1914 it mobilised, under the command of Sir Dalrymple Arbuthnot, 5th Baronet, and was sent to the Continent with the British Expeditionary Force, where it saw service with 2nd Division until broken up. 60th Battery was withdrawn in May 1915, and assigned to the divisional artillery of 3rd (Indian) Division.
In May 1916, the artillery brigades of infantry divisions were reorganised; the pure howitzer brigades were disbanded, and their batteries attached individually to field brigades, in order to produce mixed brigades of three field batteries and one howitzer battery. Accordingly, the brigade was broken up and the batteries dispersed; 47th to 41st Brigade
, and 56th to 34th Brigade
.
The Brigade was reformed as a standard field brigade in 1917, and attached to 74th Infantry Division, fighting in Palestine and then France.
Royal Field Artillery
The Royal Field Artillery of the British Army provided artillery support for the British Army. It came into being when the Royal Artillery was divided on 1 July 1899, it was reamalgamated back into the Royal Artillery in 1924....
which served in the First World War.
It was originally formed with 47th, 56th and 60th (Howitzer) Batteries, each equipped with 4.5" howitzers
QF 4.5 inch Howitzer
The Ordnance QF 4.5 inch Howitzer was the standard British Empire field howitzer of the First World War era. It replaced the BL 5 inch Howitzer and equipped some 25% of the field artillery. It entered service in 1910 and remained in service through the interwar period and was last used in...
, and attached to 2nd Infantry Division. In August 1914 it mobilised, under the command of Sir Dalrymple Arbuthnot, 5th Baronet, and was sent to the Continent with the British Expeditionary Force, where it saw service with 2nd Division until broken up. 60th Battery was withdrawn in May 1915, and assigned to the divisional artillery of 3rd (Indian) Division.
In May 1916, the artillery brigades of infantry divisions were reorganised; the pure howitzer brigades were disbanded, and their batteries attached individually to field brigades, in order to produce mixed brigades of three field batteries and one howitzer battery. Accordingly, the brigade was broken up and the batteries dispersed; 47th to 41st Brigade
41st Brigade Royal Field Artillery
41st Brigade Royal Field Artillery was a brigade of the Royal Field Artillery which served in the First World War.It was originally formed with 9th, 16th and 17th Batteries, and attached to 2nd Infantry Division. In August 1914 it mobilised and was sent to the Continent with the British...
, and 56th to 34th Brigade
34th Brigade Royal Field Artillery
34th Brigade Royal Field Artillery was a brigade of the Royal Field Artillery which served in the First World War.It was originally formed with 22nd, 50th and 70th Batteries, and attached to 2nd Infantry Division. In August 1914, it mobilised and was sent to the Continent with the British...
.
The Brigade was reformed as a standard field brigade in 1917, and attached to 74th Infantry Division, fighting in Palestine and then France.