8th Field Artillery Brigade

29 Mar 1918. The 29th Battery (8th Field Artillery Brigade) in action in the open near Vaux-sur-Somme. AWM EO1874

4.5 inch howitzer of 108th Howitzer Battery of the 8th Field Artillery Brigade. AWM EO3115

Brief History

The 8th Field Artillery Brigade formed in Egypt as part of the 'doubling' of the AIF to create the 4th and 5th Divisions. However unlike its counterpart, the 8th Infantry Brigade, the 8th FAB was allocated to the Third Division.

The 8th Field Artillery Brigade comprised:

• 29th Field Artillery Battery
• Albert Hughes Michel 14 Nov 1916 - 27 Aug 1918
• 30th Field Artillery Battery
• 31st Field Artillery Battery
• 108th Field Artillery (Howitzer) Battery
• 8th Brigade Ammunition Column

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 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

One hundred and thirty four men died while posted to this unit.

Unit Personnel

• William George Tait 24 Apr 1915 - 17 Jan 1916

Individual Honours

• 3 x Distinguished Service Order
• 2 x Military Cross
• 28 X Military Medal
• 1 x Cross to Military Medal
• 7 x Meritorious Service Medal
• 16 x Mentioned in Despatches
• 2 x Belgium Croix de Guerre
• 1 x French Medaille Militaire