Mobilisation A warning order of the imminence of war was received at the Highland Division's HQ on 29 July 1914, and the order to mobilise was received at 17.35 on Tuesday, 4 August 1914. Mobilisation began the following day at unit drill halls. On 12 August, the division was ordered to concentrate at
Bedford and entrainment began on 15 August. Concentration was completed by 17 August and the division formed part of
First Army (Home Forces) in
Central Force.
1/I Highland Brigade . During the winter of 1914–15, the 1st Line units underwent war training, and a number left to join the
British Expeditionary Force (BEF) on the
Western Front. The division was warned for overseas service on 13 April and on 3 May it crossed to France, the artillery embarking at
Southampton for
Le Havre. The Highland Division completed its concentration at
Lillers,
Busnes and
Robecq by 6 May and on 12 May it was officially numbered as the 51st (Highland) Division. On 14 April 1916, 1/I Highland Bde formed an additional battery (D Bty). Then on 15 May the TF brigades of the RFA received numbers, the 1/I Highland becoming
CCLV (255) Brigade, and the old batteries were redesignated A, B and C. D Battery was then exchanged for 1/1st Renfrewshire (Howitzer) Bty from the
CCLVIII (III Highland) Howitzer Bde, which became D (H) Bty, equipped with
4.5-inch howitzers. The brigade ammunition columns were abolished at the same time, and absorbed within the divisional ammunition column.
Somme In July, 51st (Highland) Division joined in the
Somme Offensive. At 01.30 the following morning the division attacked, but by 03.00 they were back on their start line having suffered heavy casualties. British gunners had difficulty supporting attacks on High Wood, because they had to fire over Bazentin Ridge. The low elevation of the guns meant that shells skimmed the British trenches, the margin for error was small and numerous complaints were made that British infantry casualties were caused by
friendly fire. Worn guns, defective ammunition and inaccurate information about the location of British infantry positions were blamed for short-shooting. The setback seemed to confirm the division's nickname of 'Harper's Duds' (from their commander,
Major-General George Harper, and their 'HD' formation badge). The division was withdrawn from the front on 7 August for rest and reorganisation. On 23 August CCLV Bde was reorganised again: the former D Bty rejoined from CCLVIII Bde together with the Right Section of C/CCLVIII Bty, to bring A, B and C Btys up to six guns each. On 25 January 1917, the Right Section of C (H) Bty of CCLX (1/I Lowland) Bde joined to bring D Bty up to six howitzers C (H)/CCLX had originally been 535 (H) Bty, formed in the UK in 1916). CCLV Brigade then had the following organisation until the end of the war: 51st (H) Division attacked again at
Gavrelle on 23 April under a full barrage (the 2nd Battle of the Scarpe), with the chemical works and village of
Roeux as its objectives, but could not hold Roeux itself. The divisional artillery supported an attack by
34th Division on 28 April (the
Battle of Arleux). The fire was not as effective as had been hoped, failing to cut the
barbed wire or subdue all the enemy machine guns, although a German counter-attack was 'mown down by the 18-pounders firing
shrapnel'. 51st (H) Division distinguished itself in the eventual capture and defence of Roeux.
Ypres An even greater concentration of guns was massed for the
Third Ypres Offensive, but the circumstances were less favourable. Gun batteries were packed into the
Ypres Salient, where they were under observation and
counter-battery (CB) fire from the Germans on the higher ground. Casualties among guns and gunners were high even before Zero hour on 31 July (the
Battle of Pilckem Ridge). Two thirds of the field guns fired a creeping barrage, the other third and the 4.5-inch howitzers provided the standing barrage. 51st (H) Division reached the German second line and was consolidating when it was hit by a German counter-bombardment followed by a counter-attack. The British guns fired their pre-arranged protective barrages and destroyed the counterattack. Gains had been made, but now the rain came, and the guns had to move up through shell-churned mud to fresh positions before the attack could be renewed, and continued to suffer badly from German CB fire. 51st (H) Division was relieved on 8 August. The division was back in the line for the
Battle of the Menin Road Ridge starting at 05.40 on 20 September. This was a limited attack made with massive artillery support. 51st (H) Division attacked towards the
Poelcappelle Spur with one brigade (
154th (3rd Highland) Brigade), supported by 22 batteries of 18-pdrs and six of 4.5s. At first the going was heavy and there was strong German resistance at 'Pheasant Trench', but thereafter there were no problems and the brigade had occupied its final objective across the spur by 08.25. A heavy German bombardment in the afternoon was followed by a counter-attack, but this was completely destroyed by the British artillery.
Cambrai 51st (Highland) Division was then moved south to take part in
Third Army's surprise attack with tanks against the
Hindenburg Line at
Cambrai on 20 November. There was no preliminary bombardment, but for the attack the divisional artillery was reinforced, firing a lifting barrage of smoke,
high explosive (HE) and shrapnel shells. The initial attack was a brilliant success, but on 51st (H) Division's front the advance stalled once the tanks crossed the
Flesquières ridge, where many were knocked out by unsuppressed enemy guns. Artillery support could not be requested because of broken communications. The fight at Flesquières went on all afternoon, but the Highlanders made little ground. However, the defenders in the village were almost cut off, and withdrew during the night. By now the division's guns were moving up into the former No man's land. They began a bombardment at 07.05 the following morning and at 07.30 the Highlanders moved on across the
Graincourt road, but could not take the village of
Cantaing until tanks came up. Although 51st (H) Division took Fontaine by 23 November, German opposition was stiffening, and the troops had to consolidate a line. The infantry of 51st (H) Division had been relieved by the time the German counter-attack came on 30 November, but the divisional artillery remained in the line, supporting
59th (2nd North Midland) Division. The attack against the 59th was easily broken by the guns of 51st (H) and
Guards Division. But breakthroughs elsewhere meant a scrambled retirement to a line further back.
Spring Offensive In March 1918, it was clear that the Germans were planning a major offensive on the Western Front. Air photos revealed signs of these preparations on 51st (H) Division's front, including numerous rectangular mounds in the valley of the River Agache that the staff dubbed 'lice'. The divisional artillery probed these curious mounds by firing a 4.5-inch howitzer at one: it exploded, revealing the lice to be ammunition dumps. A divisional shoot was therefore carried out, exploding over a hundred of these dumps to explode. Probing fire revealed similar dumps in all the known German gun positions, whether or not they were occupied. To meet the anticipated attack, 51st (H) Division deployed its guns in depth. Each RFA brigade (CCLV was supporting
152nd (1st Highland) Bde in the division's centre) deployed nine 18-pdrs and four 4.5s forward, with the remainder of the guns in the main battery positions back. In addition, 51st Divisional Artillery deployed seven single 18-pdrs and two old 15-pdrs as anti-tank guns in the support and reserve line where they could cover the main approaches over open sights. On the afternoon of 20 March, a patrol observed large numbers of German troops in fighting order entering their trenches, obviously preparing for an attack. All the available divisional and corps guns opened fire on these assembly trenches and the Agache Valley. The
German spring offensive was launched on the misty morning of 21 March 1918 with a massive bombardment from 05.00. This was particularly severe on the left of 51st (H) Division and the neighbouring
6th Division. All the battery positions, whether they had been active or silent, and the HQs were shelled with HE and
Mustard gas. Within 15 minutes, almost all communications had been knocked out, and the mist prevented observation. Most of the forward and anti-tank guns were destroyed by shellfire. One gun of A/CCLV Bty fired over 100 rounds into the advancing enemy over open sights before the survivors of the detachment destroyed their gun and withdrew to
Doignies, which came under heavy attack. The German bombardment slackened off on 51st (H) Division's front after 07.00, but remained intense on 6th Division. The mist had cleared about midday and despite their heavy casualties the batteries could now fire at observed targets. On 51st (H) Division's front the attacking Germans described the British artillery fire as 'unbearable'. However, the division's flank had already been turned, Doignies was captured and the division had to swing back to a 'switch' line. All of B/CCLV Bty's guns had been destroyed, and attempts to withdraw A and C Btys were defeated by heavy machine gun fire. Only D Bty of the brigade got away, after a daring piece of work by Capt Manuel. By nightfall, 51st (H) Division was still manning a continuous line in the rear of the main battle zone. During the night reinforcements came up from
25th Division, and CCLV Bde was allocated two batteries of CXII Bde to make up its losses. The Germans maintained the pressure on the following day, attempting to widen the hole in the division's flank. large numbers of Germans were seen at range and the British guns did great execution among them. At dusk CCLV Bde slipped away to the new line being taken up by 51st (H) Division. That night 51st (H) Divisional Artillery received 17 new guns to replace those it had lost. Over the next two days, the division retired slowly, its units becoming increasingly tired and reduced in numbers. On 23 March the very weak 152nd Bde threw back three attacks with rifle and artillery fire. Next day, the division pulled back into the Red (fourth) Line behind other formations that took over holding the Green (third) Line, covered by 51st (D) Division's guns. On 24 March, all the artillery of the divisions in
IV Corps was pooled, CCLV Bde forming part of 'Right Group'. About 14.00 the infantry in front began to give way, and the artillery group had to withdraw, CCLV Bde going between
Irles and
Puisieux. 51st (H) continued to hold the Red Line all day, forming a defensive flank, before falling back during the night. On 25 March 51st (H) Division was presented with some remarkable targets of German masses at long range, which were prevented from closing, but the enemy continued to move round the flank. However, reserves came up, and the exhausted 51st (H) Division was finally withdrawn that evening for rest. 51st (H) Division was sent north to
First Army, absorbing drafts of reinforcements
en route. The divisional artillery arrived on the evening of 9 April, just after the second phase of the German offensive (Operation Georgette) had struck First Army (the
Battle of the Lys). The division's infantry had already been thrown into the gap left by the defeat of the
2nd Portuguese Division. The infantry and artillery together held the line through the next critical days. That evening, Germans were observed collecting for a new attack, and the artillery laid down harassing fire on their approach roads through the night. Soon after dawn the battery positions became untenable, so they opened rapid fire on the advancing enemy as each battery in turn withdrew to its new position and resumed covering fire for the others, CCLV Bde ending up near the eastern edge of Pacaut Wood. During 13 April, 51st (H) Division was able to patch up a defence line, which it held for the next 10 days. 51st (H) Division was sent back south in July to assist the French in the
Second Battle of the Marne. The divisional artillery covered in three days, crossing the
Marne near
Épernay at 02.00 on 20 July. After a short halt they pushed on, reaching their assembly position near
Nanteuil-la-Fosse, and CCLV Bde was in action by 10.00, although they were only engaged in harassing fire during the
Battle of Tardenois, while the division's infantry had attacked behind a barrage fired by French and Italian field guns. An enemy counter-attack was expected, so the batteries were withdrawn at dusk, leaving a few guns in close support of the infantry during the night. In fact, the Germans withdrew across the Marne and, when the division attacked again the following morning, the information on enemy positions was so poor that the barrage was fired too far ahead to be of use. On 23 and 27 July, the division put in better-organised attacks behind barrages fired by its own artillery supported by French guns, against the now-retreating Germans. On 28 July, in the closing stages of the battle, CCLV Bde moved up through the village of
Chaumuzy under shellfire, having been misinformed that it was already in friendly hands.
Hundred Days Offensive In August, all the Allied armies began attacking in the
Hundred Days Offensive. 51st (H) Division returned from the French sector and joined the
Canadian Corps in First Army in late August for the
Battle of the Scarpe on 26 August. 51st (H) divisional artillery supplemented by that of
16th (Irish) Division to provide a barrage for its own division's attack on the second objective against little opposition. The division attacked Greenland Hill the following day and failed to capture it, but succeeded two days later behind another barrage from 51st (H) and 16th (I) divisional artillery. After the
Battle of the Selle, the Allied armies began a pursuit. By 26 October, First Army was lagging behind the advance, and 51st (H) Division was among those given the task of pushing on. The divisional artillery was supplemented by that of
39th Division together with army brigades and heavies. The attack went well, even though in some places the infantry lost the barrage. The Germans were now badly shaken and exhausted, and the campaign developed into a pursuit, although one serious counter-attack was broken up by the guns on 1 November. From 29 October the infantry of 51st (H) Division began to be withdrawn from the line, but the divisional artillery remained in action. On 1 November it supported
49th (West Riding) Division's assault crossing of the Rhonelle (the
Battle of Valenciennes), and it remained in action until the
Armistice with Germany came into force on 11 November. After the Armistice, the division went into
billets and
demobilisation began. This was completed by mid-March 1919, and CCLV Bde passed into suspended animation. 2nd Highland Division formed in January 1915 (numbered as
64th (2nd Highland) Division in August) but the lack of equipment and need to supply drafts to 1st Line units delayed training. The division was not fully assembled around
Perth until August 1915, with 2/I Highland Bde at
Edzell, moving into Perth for winter quarters in November. In January 1916 the division was assigned to the 'Eighth New Army', and in March it division moved south to
Norfolk and joined
Northern Army (Home Forces). By May, the artillery brigades had received 18-pounders and that month they were numbered: 2/I Highland became
CCCXX (320) Brigade and the batteries became A, B and C. Later,
CCCXXIII (2/III Highland) (H) Bde was broken up, with one battery joining CCCXX as D (H) Bty. In Autumn 1916,
A/CCXCIII (2/III County of London) Bty from
58th (2/1st London) Division was temporarily attached to the brigade. In November a new CCCXXII Bde of 18-pdr batteries was raised by V Reserve Bde, RFA, and joined the division, but on 29 January 1917 this was broken up to bring the existing batteries up to six guns each. By the winter of 1917, the division had become solely a training organisation, with no Highland associations. The artillery were quartered around
Norwich,
Aylsham and
Haveringland, then in the summer of 1918 Westwick Park replaced Haveringland. In the winter of 1918, quarters at
Reepham replaced Westwick Park. The division remained in Norfolk until after the Armistice, and was demobilised by April 1919. ==Interwar==