BC Archives MS-0392 Box 1 Volume 4 / FRANK SWANNELL PAPERS / Diary and enclosures, 1915

Sunday - October 24th/15

Yesterday afternoon the enemy bombarded the right section of 1st Div., commencing with a furious cannonade lasting 15 minutes, after which occasional shots or salvos were fired. Field batteries at [Belhleem?]-Warneton + vicinity sent over mostly four gun salvos, while guns of various calibres from Messines to La Basseville were firing singly or in pairs. Reduction in German Heavy Artillery. The strength of the Corps + Heavy Artillery for engaging heavy hostile artillery has been reduced. As further the heavy artillery is at present short of ammunition. I would like enquiry to be made as to whether the Field Artillery cannot take part in artillery actions to a greater extent and at longer ranges than heretofore. It would be sufficient to assign a part only of the Field Batteries for this work. The role of the Field Artillery in giving protection from