Royal Artillery

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The coat of arms of the Royal Artillery shows the slogans "Ubique" and "Quo Fas et Gloria Ducunt" above and below the field cannon
The British 105 mm L118 howitzer (“light gun”) is the standard weapon of the Royal Artillery , here in 2013 in practice

The Royal Artillery ( Royal Artillery , precisely: Royal Regiment of Artillery ) is a branch of the British armed forces . It belongs to the combat support troops of the British Army . Colloquially known as the “Gunners” ( gunners ), the force consists of 18 regiments, five of which are reservist units , as well as the King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery and various training and command units .

history

The artillery force was established by decree of King George I in 1716 in Woolwich , South-East London. Initially, two companies with 100 soldiers each were armed with field cannons. The term Royal Artillery was first used in 1720. 1722 two more companies were set up and formed with existing artillery companies in Gibraltar and Menorca to the Royal Regiment of Artillery under the command of Colonel Albert Bogard. In 1741 a cadet unit was established and in 1757 the regiment already consisted of 24 companies, which were divided into two battalions . By the end of the 18th century, other regiments emerged, including the Royal Horse Artillery , with whose help quickly operating cavalry units could be supported. The Royal Irish Regiment of Artillery , founded in 1756, was incorporated into the Royal Artillery in 1801 . In 1862 the artillery batteries of the British East India Company were integrated, so that at the time the force consisted of 29 cavalry, 73 field and 88 heavy batteries .

At the end of the 19th century, the Royal Artillery was separated into three corps-like units: the cavalry and field units were combined, as well as the coastal , mountain, siege and heavy artillery. Members of these units wore cavalry uniforms. A third group concerned the supply units, which were equipped with infantry uniforms. During the First World War there was a considerable build-up: in 1917 548,000 soldiers were deployed in 1,769 batteries (spread over 400 brigades). In 1924 the three corps, which had previously operated separately, were merged into one unit. In 1938, brigades were again referred to as regiments. During the Second World War , around one million soldiers were deployed in the 960 artillery regiments, which means that the Royal Artillery had more troops than the Royal Navy . At the end of the war there were considerable reductions in manpower; the end of the Cold War led to a further reduction in the force to 18 regiments today, of which 13 are equipped with professional soldiers and five with reservists.

structure

Queen Elizabeth II , as Captain General, is Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Artillery . The Queen is traditionally advised on the tour by the Master Gunner, St James's Park (since 2017 the retired Lieutenant General Sir Andrew Gregory).

The high command of the force was moved in 2008 from Woolwich to Larkhill in the east of Salisbury Plain , around 16 kilometers north of Salisbury . The Royal School of Artillery, founded in 1915, and the 14th RA Regiment as a training regiment are also located here . In the future, the Royal Artillery Museum, which will be located in Woolwich until 2016 , will also be set up here.

The regiments are traditionally divided into Royal Artillery ( RA ) and Royal Horse Artillery ( RHA ) - a division that no longer has any relation to today's use or armament. The regiments with professional soldiers are numbered one or two digits; the five reservist regiments ( Army Reserve ) are numbered with three digits.

Regiments and equipment

The order is based on the respective standard main equipment.

Field howitzer 105 mm L118

  • 3rd Regiment RHA
  • 4th Regiment RA ("The North East Gunners")
  • 7th Parachute Regiment RHA ("The Airborne Gunners")
  • 29th Commando Regiment RA ("The Commando Gunners")
  • 103rd Regiment RA
  • 105th Regiment RA ("The Scottish and Ulster Gunners")

Self- propelled howitzer AS90

  • 1st Regiment RHA
  • 19th Regiment RA ("The Scottish Gunners")
  • 26th Regiment RA ("The West Midland Gunners")

Multiple rocket launcher GMLRS

  • 101st Regiment RA

Air defense system Starstreak HVM

  • 12th Regiment RA ("The Lancashire & Cumbrian Gunners")
  • 106th Regiment RA ("Yeomanry Regiment")

Rapier FSC air defense system

  • 16th Regiment RA ("The Invicta Gunners")

Unmanned aerial systems UAS

  • 32nd Regiment RA ("The Wessex Gunners")
  • 47th Regiment RA ("The Hampshire & Sussex Gunners")
  • 104th Regiment RA

Reconnaissance and target acquisition systems (Surveillance Target Acquisition)

  • 5th Regiment RA ("The Yorkshire Gunners")
Self- propelled howitzer AS90 of the 26th regiment in Germany during an exercise in Grafenwoehr , 2014

The Royal Artillery in Germany

As part of the stationing of British troops in Germany , the 26th RA Regiment (subordinate to the 1st Artillery Brigade at the Force Troops Command ) was barracked in the Sundern district of Gütersloh . It consisted of six batteries and was equipped with AS90 self-propelled howitzers. It was in the Mansergh Barracks (built in 1934/35 as an air intelligence barracks ) on Verler Strasse . The regiment was transferred to Larkhill in 2019 .

See also

Notes and individual references

  1. ↑ The slogans are used both separately and in combination. Ubique = everywhere. The motto refers to the battles in which the force was deployed. Used singly, it refers to the honor gained in battle. Quo Fas et Gloria Ducunt = Where (sacred) duty and fame lead.

Web links

Commons : Royal Artillery  - collection of images, videos and audio files