12th Field Artillery Brigade
From Our Contribution
 Preparing an 18 pounder battery site behind Vaulx, for registration on Lagnicourt. AWM E00430 | |
 Shoulder patch | |
Brief History
In size, a Field Artillery Brigade was equivalent to an Infantry Battalion. The 12th Field Artillery Brigade formed in Egypt in early 1916 to support the newly raised 4th Division. The 12th Field Artillery Brigade, from February 1916 – 20 January 1917 comprised:
45th Field Artillery Battery
46th Field Artillery Battery
- George Wales McGillivray 25 Jan 1917 - 8 May 1919
47th Field Artillery Battery
- Sydney Charles Welch 15 Mar 1917 - 26 Dec 1918
101st Field Artillery (Howitzer) Battery
119th Field Artillery (Howitzer) Battery Formed in England in 1916 and disbanded in April 1917.
112th Field Artillery (Howitzer) Battery Re-assigned to the 12th FAB from the 24th Howitzer Brigade on 6 Mar 1917.
- Reginald Thomas (Reg) Cockshott 7 Apr 1916 - 7 Oct 1918 - WIA
- William Grenfell
- Sydney Chadwick McDonald 13 Jun 1916 - 28 Jan 1918
12th Brigade Ammunition Column
- Roderick McCaskill 28 Jan 1917 - 23 Sep 1918
Each Brigade generally comprised three Batteries of four 18 Pounder Mk 1 or II guns. With a range of about 6,500 yards (almost 6km) they fired a range of ammuntion natures including High Explosive fragmentation, Shrapnel, Smoke, Gas, Star (illumination) and Armour Piercing projectiles. In March 1916 a fourth battery of four 18 pounder field guns was added. In January 1917, batteries were increased in size to 6 guns each in order to economise on headquarters structures and the number of Field Artillery Brigades in each division was reduced to two. After 20th January 1917, the 12th FAB was re-allocated under Army level command and control.
One hundred and twenty two men lost their life while posted to this unit.
Individual Honours
- 1 x Distinguished Service Order
- 15 x Military Cross
- 1 x Bar to Military Cross
- 9 x Distinguished Conduct Medal
- 28 x Military Medal
- 9 x Meritorious Service Medal
- 25 x Mentioned in Despatches
- 3 x Belgium Croix de Guerre
- 1 x French Croix de Guerre
Notes