page_title: 39th (Deptford) Divisional Artillery
section_title: Western Front
hierarchical_section_title: 39th (Deptford) Divisional Artillery / Western Front
caption_attribution_description: English: British 18-pounder mark II field gun at the Imperial War Museum, London. A stalwart of the British Army's artillery for forty years. The 18-pounder field gun was introduced into service in 1904 and, by the outbreak of the First World War in 1914, 1226 had been manufactured in Britain. Thereafter production soared and a further 9244 guns were produced by British and American factories by 1918. The 18-pounder saw action with the British Expeditionary Force in the opening weeks of the war and remained in constant use on the Western Front for the duration. The importance of the gun can be measured by the fact that over 86 million 18-pounder shells were fired during the war. The gun remained in service throughtout the inter-war years and into the Second World War. This 18-pounder Mark II field gun saw considerable action on the Western Front during the First World War. Between September 1916 and November 1917 it fired 16,513 rounds before being sent back to Britain to have its barrel relined. When it returned to France in March 1918 it was issued to 53rd Battery, Royal Field Artillery and took part in opposing the German spring offensive of 1918 and in the subsequent British advance in the autumn. Technical specifications: Calibre: 3,3 inch (8,4 cm) Weight in action: 2,820 lb (1,279 kg) Range: 6,525 yards (5,966 m) Ammunition: 18 lb 8oz (8,4 kg) - 10 lb 3oz (4,6 kg) shrapnel, high explosive, star Magyar: Egy brit 18-pounder mark II tábori ágyú a londoni Imperial War Museum-ban.
context_page_description: The 39th (Deptford) Divisional Artillery was a Royal Artillery force raised as part of 'Kitchener's Army' in early 1915. Recruited in Deptford, South London, the units served with the 'Pals battalions' of the 39th Division on the Western Front for two years. They saw action at the Somme, Ypres, and the German Spring Offensive, including the Battle of the Avre, described as 'one of the finest artillery stories of the whole war'. The units then operated as an independent artillery formation during the Allied Hundred Days Offensive.
context_section_description: After disembarking at Le Havre the units moved by train and road to the concentration area at Blaringhem. Almost immediately the brigades were sent up to the line to be attached to experienced units for instruction: CLXXIV and CLXXIX on 9 March and CLXXXVI (H) on 12 March, all to Estaires with 8th Divisional Artillery; CLXXXIV on 12 March to Steenwerck to join 34th Divisional Artillery. The brigades attached to 8th DA returned to their waggon lines on 23 March while CLXXXIV returned on 24 March. Next day they moved to the St Venant area, where they completed their equipment. The brigades went up for a second period of instruction 2–3 April to 14 April, three with 33rd (Camberwell) Divisional Artillery in the La Bassée area often used to train new arrivals, and CLXXXIV with 38th  (Welsh) DA. 39th Divisional Artillery was then deemed ready to take over its own section of the line, and it relieved 38th (W) DA in the Festubert–Givenchy area between 14 and 16 April.
caption: 18-Pounder field gun preserved at the Imperial War Museum.
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