O Battery (The Rocket Troop) Royal Horse Artillery is the Headquarters Battery of the British Army's 1st Regiment Royal Horse Artillery. It is currently based in Purvis Lines in Larkhill Garrison.
| O Battery (The Rocket Troop) Royal Horse Artillery | |
|---|---|
| Active | 7 June 1813 – present |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Branch | Army |
| Type | Headquarters |
| Part of | 1st Regiment Royal Horse Artillery |
| Garrison/HQ | Larkhill |
| Anniversaries | Leipzig Day 16 October |
| Engagements | War of the Sixth Coalition
Crimean War Second Anglo-Afghan War Second Boer War World War I World War II |
| Battle honours | Ubique |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Richard Bogue Edward Charles Whinyates |
History edit
Formation edit
The battery was formed on 1 January 1813.[1] In that year the battery fought as the only British Army unit present at the Battle of Leipzig as 'The Rocket Brigade' under Captain Richard Bogue.[2] It was attached to the bodyguard of Bernadotte, Crown Prince of Sweden.[2] During the battle Bogue was killed in action after a successful attack on five French and Saxon battalions at Paunsdorf, and Lieutenant Fox-Strangways assumed command.[3] In 1815, the battery fought with some of its rockets at the Battle of Waterloo, under Captain Edward Charles Whinyates.[4] It served in the Crimean War, Second Anglo-Afghan War and the Second Boer War.[1]
World War I edit
During World War I the battery supported the charge by the Royal Horse Guards at Villeselve in March 1918.[1]
World War II edit
During World War II the battery served with 6th Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery.[1]
Post war edit
The battery transferred to 2nd Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery in 1951 which re-roled to become 2nd Field Regiment Royal Artillery in 1958.[1] In the 1970s, the battery completed tours in Northern Ireland.[5] In 1993 it transferred to 1st Regiment Royal Horse Artillery[1] and, in 1996, the battery was deployed to Bosnia.[5] In 2004, B Battery deployed with 1 RHA to Basra in Iraq on Operation Telic 4 and in 2007 the battery deployed with 1st Regiment Royal Horse Artillery to Basra in Iraq on Operation Telic 10.[5]
See also edit
References edit
- ^ a b c d e f "Artillery Regiments That Served With The 7th Armoured Division". Desert Rats. Retrieved 30 August 2019.
- ^ a b "Captain Richard Bogue". British Empire. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
- ^ Latham, Captain H.B., "The Rocket Service and the award of the Swedish Decorations for Leipzig", The Royal Artillery Journal, LVI (4)
- ^ Lloyd, E. M. (2004). "Whinyates, Sir Edward Charles". In Matthew, H. C. G. (ed.). Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/29208. ISBN 978-0-19-861412-8. Retrieved 30 August 2019. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
- ^ a b c "1st Regiment Royal Horse Artillery". British Army Units 1945 on. Retrieved 30 August 2019.
Bibliography edit
- Clarke, W.G. (1993). Horse Gunners: The Royal Horse Artillery, 200 Years of Panache and Professionalism. Woolwich: The Royal Artillery Institution. ISBN 09520762-0-9.
External links edit
- "1st Regiment Royal Horse Artillery". Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom). Retrieved 18 November 2015.