The History of the
Royal Regiment of Artillery 1714-1759
Much had been happening in the making of history to prove continuous need of artillery on the battlefield .
Perhaps it was when King George I came to the throne of Great Britain with his close knowledge of continental armies that the advantages of forming a permanent artillery became obvious. The petty economy of temporarily raised trains was at last abandoned, and in may 1716 a bold step was taken to establish a permanent regiment of artillery, though if only of two companies. In 1717 the trains of artillery raised for Gibraltar and Port Mahon were organized into companies but did not become part of the Royal Regiment of Artillery until 1722. Now the regiment was entitled to a full colonel, and the first officer to be chosen for this post was Albert Borgard…eventually rising to the rank of lieutenant general.
In June 1719 a detachment of artillery…to Inverness to attack the Spaniards at the Pass of Glenshiel. These invaders, who had landed in April...were all taken prisoner. In July a train of artillery went to Vigo in Spain and after bombardment the castle surrendered in October. Many guns and much in the way of stores were captured. The expedition returned to England in November 1719.
Trouble with Spain broke out again in 1727 when 20,000 Spaniards with fifty-four cannon besieged Gibraltar. The original artillery company was re-formed by Lieutenant-Colonel Jonas Watson with 520 men from Woolwich. The extra guns and stores which later arrived from England and Mahon, and by a firm and successful defensive action by the newly formed Regiment of Artillery broke the siege which lasted for month, though their total losses were comparatively light.
The men of the Royal Artillery also served at sea. From 1729 to 1739 ten bomb-vessels were deployed to the Mediterranean Sea, Baltic Sea and the West Indies, each with fireworkers, eight bombardiers and two gunners. Each vessel carried a 13-inch mortar and 10-inch howitzer with 400 shells, as well as 40 carcasses for each mortar and howitzer. This sea service for what is normally a land force continued into the next century.
In 1740 a fifth permanent company was raised, and together with other companies…took part in the preparations for the expedition assembling that year at Portsmouth. Arriving at the South American port of Cartagena in March 1741, the landing forces included a battery of twenty twenty-four pounders. These guns went into action with a terrific cannonade, and eventually the castle of Bona Chica was carried by storm with the combined efforts of infantry and artillery. Many were killed as a result of the spirited resistance made by the Spaniards. Other forts nearby were attacked but without success. A withdrawal had to be made and the fortifications captured earlier had to be demolished. This disastrous campaign saw the death of some 20,000 men, many from illness.
In the War of the Austrian Succession British troops had their first major engagement at the Battle of Dettingen in 1743. It was on this occasion that King George II achieved fame as the last British monarch to fight on the battlefield. Twenty-four three-pounder British guns were present in the battle to support their Austrian allies in the victory over the French troops.
The Battle of Fontenoy in 1745 was not a British victory. When the Brigade of Foot Guards advanced in the late afternoon seven British cannon used grapeshot to good effect. There were also two three-pounder guns attached to each infantry battalion which the artillerymen manhandled to within thirty yards of the French infantry. In all, the British guns numbered 47 whereas the French had 266 pieces. A fact which may have influenced the civilian drivers hired by the British to run away so fast that they reached Brussels the same day, as harbingers of disaster.
When the Pretender, “Bonnie Prince Charlie” Prince Charles Edward Stuart, came to Scotland to assemble an army for the ‘1745 Rebellions’, two companies with a train of artillery were ordered to march north from Woolwich. But information that Scottish forces had retreated from Derby was received soon after, and the artillerymen returned to their base without seeing any action. Four companies in Flanders were ordered home, but it was seamen who handled the guns at the Battle of Prestonpans. Six eighteen-pounders did attack the walled city of Carlisle in December 1745 and force it to surrender.
At the Battle of Culloden in 1746 the Regiment of Artillery replied to the cannon of the Highlanders by using their ten guns to plough lanes through the ranks of closely packed Scotsmen. After half an hour’s cannonade Bonnie Prince Charlie gave the order to charge. The reply of grapeshot from the cannons did not allow the Scots force to approach closer than 100 yards. The artillery casualties in this action were 6 men.
The Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle brought an end to the War of the Austrian Succession in 1748. But it did not bring a long peace to Great Britain, for the French and Indian War and Seven Years War broke out in 1754 and 1756, respectively. New companies were formed at this time and they went to India and the surrounding countries. Also in May 1755 a detachment of a lieutenant and twenty-four men was sent from Woolwich to Ireland where they became the nucleus of the Royal Irish Artillery.
During the Seven Years War the Royal Regiment of Artillery distinguished itself at the Battle of Minden in 1759. When British and German armies advanced against the French, each flank was protected by the fire of thirty cannon. The Regiment of Artillery’s heavy twelve-pounders silenced the guns on the French left flank. Then moved up and at short range forced the retiring enemy to surrender forty-three guns and baggage. The descendants of the three companies present at this battle were later granted the honor title of “Minden”.
Across the Atlantic the Royal Artillery were also fighting the French, for the French army was in a strongly fortified position in Louisbourg. In 1758 an artillery company supported the troops under General Wolfe and brought down much of the walls of the Louisbourg fortifications. The successful action is noted today as the descendants of the company present at this battle were later granted the honor title of “Louisbourg”. (For more information on the Siege of Louisbourg -click here
The Battle of Quebec soon followed in September 1759. There were only fifty artillerymen present, and two guns from another company were employed. It is said that the navy did valiant work in helping to haul the guns up to the Heights of Abraham. This valuable support contributed to the decisive battle by which Wolfe won Canada for the British Empire. The descendant of this company bears the honor title of “Quebec 1759”.
Back to the other side of the Atlantic at the Battle of Warburg in July 1760 guns were brought up at the gallop, an unprecedented occurrence at the time. The subsequent cannonade forced the French to retire in disorder over the River Dymel. Two new companies came out that year and served at Wilhelmsthal. Peace was signed in November and early in 1763 the artillery marched through Holland and returned to England.
Motto
UBIQUE
(Everywhere)
QUO FAS ET GLORIA DUCUNT
(Whither right and glory lead)
Random Pics
