Northumbrian Gunner: Op La Boisselle

A memorial to the Royal Naval Division (RND) is located at Beaucourt, where the division fought during the Battle of the Ancre in November 1916.

Royal Naval Division Memorial Beaucourt

The Royal Naval Division was formed in 1914 from a surplus of Naval and Royal Marine reservists and volunteers who were not needed for service at sea. They were embodied on 16th August 1914 and had no integral supporting arms (no Divisional Artillery) or logistics units.

The Divisions first action was in the Defence of Antwerp in October 1914. There they were forced to withdraw, together with the Belgian Field Army, into Begium. The RND units returned to England.

Royal Naval Division Antwerp

Their next deployment was to Gallipolli where they landed at the end of April 1915. They were engaged there until they withdrew in January 1916 when the Gallipolli Peninsula was evacuated.

Royal Naval Division Gallipoli

On the 29th April 1916, the RND transferred from the authority of the Admiralty to the War Office under Army control and designated 63rd (Royal Naval) Division.

The division landed in Marseilles in May 1916 and headed to the Somme. As part of the Army structure, the Division received support and logistics units, including Divisional Artillery.

The Divisional Artillery joined the 63rd (RN) Division on 5th July 1916 and included 315 Brigade Royal Field Artillery which was a redesignation of the second line 1st/2nd Northumbrian Brigade RFA raised in Newcastle.

On the 13th November 1916 the Royal Naval Division participated in the final battle of the Battles of the Somme, an attack by V Corps to eliminate a German salient in the River Ancre Valley. After three failed attempts to secure Beaucourt, the RND were able to capture the village on their fourth attempt.

Royal Naval Division Somme

A memorial dedicated to the men of Royal Naval Division Memorial who fought in the Battle of the Ancre was unveiled in Beaucourt on the 12th November 1922 by Lieutenant General Sir Hubert Gough. In attendance were over 150 veterans of the Battle of Ancre.

Royal Naval Division Memorial Beaucourt
Unveiling 12th November 1922

The Tyneside Scottish Branch RAA held a commemoration at the RND Memorial in Beaucourt to lay a wreath on behalf of the Royal Navy Association and to remember the Northumbrian Gunners of 315 Brigade Royal Field Artillery.