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75-860: The Royal Horse Artillery ( RHA ) was formed in 1793 as a distinct arm of the Royal Regiment of Artillery (commonly termed Royal Artillery ) to provide horse artillery support to the cavalry units of the British Army . Although the cavalry link remained part of its defining character, as early as the Battle of Waterloo the RHA was sometimes deployed more along the lines of conventional field artillery , fighting from comparatively fixed positions. The Royal Horse Artillery, currently consists of three regiments, ( 1 RHA , 3 RHA and 7 RHA ) and one ceremonial unit ( King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery ). Almost all

150-588: A distinct identity within the regiment. Before World War II, Royal Artillery recruits were required to be at least 5 feet 4 inches (1.63 m) tall. Men in mechanised units had to be at least 5 feet 8 inches (1.73 m) tall. They initially enlisted for six years with the colours and a further six years with the reserve or four years and eight years. They trained at the Royal Artillery Depot in Woolwich. From its beginnings,

225-446: A far smaller scale in confined areas where the enemy's firepower cannot be brought to bear. Bayonet charges are still seen in the early 20th century, but are often limited to use against adversaries with inferior firepowers, when ammunition supply is scarce, or simply as a form of suicide attack to inflict fear on the enemy . In modern times, melee charges are practically extinct outside of riot control and street fighting , with

300-442: A few exceptions such as the bayonet charge at the Battle of Danny Boy , but military charging tactics mainly take place with armored fighting vehicles such as tanks , infantry fighting vehicles , and armored cars . These ground combat vehicles can either advance directly with marching fire , or transport infantry attackers quickly into proximity with the target position in order to assault and capture it. Air assaults are also

375-627: A knight would have to be cautious in a cavalry charge. Men wielding either pike or halberd in formation, with high morale, could stave off all but the best cavalry charges, whilst English archers with the longbow could unleash a torrent of arrows capable of wreaking havoc, though not necessarily a massacre, upon the heads of heavy infantry and cavalry in unsuitable terrain. It became increasingly common for knights to dismount and fight as elite heavy infantry, although some continued to stay mounted throughout combat. The use of cavalry for flanking manoeuvres became more useful, although some interpretations of

450-490: A reserve tasked with home defence, embodied for annual training, and for the duration of wars or emergencies. The Militia had been principally an infantry force to this date, but Militia Artillery units were added from this point, and some existing Militia Infantry regiments were converted to coastal artillery. The role of the Militia Artillery was to man coastal defences and fortifications in wartime, relieving

525-410: A spray of laurel. Grenade badges, whether worn as a collar badge or elsewhere, lacked the scroll inscribed "Ubique" that was part of the regular Royal Artillery version. Militia Artillery units were made up of Militia officers and other ranks, with a Permanent Staff made up of seconded Royal Artillery officers and senior other ranks, including a single officer acting as both Commandant and Adjutant (where

600-814: A suitably qualified Militia officer was unavailable to serve as Commandant), or only as Adjutant where the Commandant was a Militia officer. Units from the Royal Engineers and Royal Artillery were in Australia, even after Federation. On 1 July 1899, the Royal Artillery was divided into three groups: the Royal Horse Artillery of 21 batteries and the Royal Field Artillery of 95 batteries composed one group, while

675-691: A tactic used by the Imperial Japanese Army during the Pacific War . The development of the bayonet in the late 17th century led to the bayonet charge becoming the main infantry charge tactic through the 18th and 19th centuries and well into the first half of the 20th century. As early as the 19th century, tactical scholars were already noting that most bayonet charges did not result in close combat. Instead, one side usually fled before actual bayonet fighting ensued. The act of fixing bayonets has been held to be primarily connected to morale,

750-426: A viable danger to heavy infantry. Parthian lancers were noted to require significantly dense formations of Roman legionaries to stop, and Frankish knights were reported to be even harder to stop, if the writing of Anna Komnene is to be believed. However, only highly trained horses would voluntarily charge dense, unbroken enemy formations directly, and in order to be effective, a strong formation had to be kept – being

825-592: Is equipped with a variety of equipment and performs a wide range of roles, including: The Captain General of the regiment is King Charles III . The post was previously known as Colonel-in-Chief until King George VI expressed the desire to be known as Captain General. The head of the regiment is the Master Gunner, St. James's Park . The Royal Regiment of Artillery comprises both Regular (full-time) and Reserve (part-time) units. The Royal Regiment of Artillery

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900-507: Is unusual in that it has sub-units that often move between regiments, or are placed into suspended animation. See List of Royal Artillery Batteries . The Royal Regiment of Artillery comprises one ceremonial troop and 13 Regular Army regiments , and are designated by a number and the name Royal Artillery (RA) or Royal Horse Artillery (RHA): Regular regiments of the Royal Horse Artillery Regular regiments of

975-627: The 3rd Duke of Richmond , to provide fire support for the cavalry . They were joined by two more troops in November 1793. Each troop had six 6-pounder guns. Another development was the formation of a headquarters staff providing a channel between the regiment and the Board of Ordnance . Captain John Macleod was the first brigade major and became the first deputy-adjutant-general in 1795. By 1806, eleven troops had been formed, with ten companies of

1050-636: The Battle of Moscow , the Soviet 44th Cavalry Division charged the German lines near Musino, west of the capital. The mounted Soviets were ravaged by German artillery, then by machine guns. The charge failed, and the Germans said they killed 2,000 cavalrymen without a single loss to themselves. On 24 August 1942, the defensive charge of the Savoia Cavalleria at Izbushensky against Russian lines near

1125-676: The British East India Company was dissolved in 1862, its artillery function was absorbed by the Royal Artillery, giving it a total strength of 29 horse batteries, 73 field batteries and 88 heavy batteries. Military expenditure estimates for 1872 list the regimental strength as a total of 34,943 men and officers, including those in India. Although the Militia and the Volunteer Force remained separate forces, during

1200-468: The Don River was successful. British and American cavalry units also made similar cavalry charges during World War II . (See 26th Cavalry Regiment ). The last successful cavalry charge of World War II was executed during the Battle of Schoenfeld on March 1, 1945. The Polish cavalry, fighting on the Soviet side, overwhelmed the German artillery position and allowed for infantry and tanks to charge into

1275-641: The Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment goes away for summer training. When on parade with its guns, the Royal Horse Artillery takes precedence over all. Without its guns, the Household Cavalry alone precedes the RHA. Royal Artillery The Royal Regiment of Artillery , commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery ( RA ) and colloquially known as " The Gunners ", is one of two regiments that make up

1350-601: The Invasion of Poland . The majority of the charges were successful and none were meant as a charge against armored vehicles. Some battles featured mutual charges by the Polish and German cavalry such as the Battle of Krasnobród (1939) . The German cavalry scouts from 4th Light Division (Germany) charged the Polish infantry from 10th Motorized Cavalry Brigade (Poland) and were countered by Polish tankettes moving from concealed positions at Zakliczyn . On November 17, 1941, during

1425-813: The Napoleonic Wars , the War of 1812 , the Indian Mutiny , the Crimean War , the Peninsular War , the Anglo-Zulu War , the Boer War , World War I and World War II . In 1859, the term "battalion" was replaced by "brigade". which was in turn was replaced by "regiment" in 1939. The five Horse Artillery brigades consisted of two batteries each. Between 1899 and 1924, the Royal Artillery

1500-668: The Napoleonic Wars ; in 1804, naval artillery was transferred to the Royal Marine Artillery , while the Royal Irish Artillery lost its separate status in 1810 after the 1800 Union . This period also saw development of the Congreve rocket ; based on an existing Indian design, these were the first solid-fuel projectiles used by the British army and two rocket troops were established in 1814. Their use in

1575-638: The Restoration . When Marlborough was restored as Master-General of the Ordnance in 1714, he initiated a series of reforms, which included splitting the existing Ordnance Service into artillery and sappers or engineers . The artillery were formed into two marching companies , each of 100 men, in 1716. These marching companies were renamed the "Royal Artillery" in 1720. These were increased to four companies and on 1 April 1722 grouped with independent artillery units at Gibraltar and Menorca to form

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1650-637: The Rhine delta and Antwerp , precipitating the Flanders Campaign . Britain remained in conflict with France for almost 22 years, during which time significant progress was achieved in artillery development. The first two troops of Horse Artillery (A – later entitled "The Chestnut Troop" – and B) were raised in January 1793 at Goodwood , West Sussex , by the Master-General of the Ordnance ,

1725-792: The Royal Artillery Band , with a total strength of 5,241 men and officers. Originally based in the Royal Arsenal, beginning in 1770 the regiment was rehoused in the Royal Artillery Barracks on Woolwich Common. A major innovation in 1793 was the establishment of the Royal Horse Artillery , designed to provide mobile fire support for cavalry units. The same year saw the foundation of the Corps of Royal Artillery Drivers to provide transport for

1800-786: The Royal Irish Artillery incorporated, as the Seventh Battalion, after the union with Ireland in 1801 . The Royal Regiment of Artillery was not part of the British Army at this time, but part of the establishment of the Board of Ordnance , with the Master-General its commanding officer; only after the Board's abolition in 1855 did the Artillery become part of the British Army under the Commander-in-Chief of

1875-1073: The Third Anglo-Afghan War , the 1st King's Dragoon Guards made the last recorded charge by a British horsed cavalry regiment at Dakka, a village in Afghan territory, north west of the Khyber Pass . During the Spanish Civil War , there was a massive cavalry charge by a Francoist division during the Battle of Alfambra on 5 February 1938, the last great mounted charge in Western Europe. Several attempted charges were made in World War II . The Polish cavalry , in spite of being primarily trained to operate as rapid infantry and being better armed than regular Polish infantry (more anti-tank weapons and armored vehicles per capita) did execute up to 15 cavalry charges during

1950-539: The Tower of London , Portsmouth and other forts around Britain, who were controlled by the Ordnance Office and stored and maintained equipment and provided personnel for field artillery 'traynes' that were organised as needed. These personnel, responsible in peacetime for maintaining the forts with their garrison artillery (or coastal artillery ), were the first regular artillerymen, organised in 1540 under

2025-611: The War of 1812 is referenced in the line "rocket's red glare" which appears in the Star-Spangled Banner . The Militia, which had been a paper tiger since the end of the Napoleonic Wars, was re-organised under the Militia Act 1852 in response to the threat of invasion by France, changing it from a conscripted force to one made up of volunteers who engaged for terms of service. The force continued to be

2100-636: The artillery arm of the British Army . The Royal Regiment of Artillery comprises thirteen Regular Army regiments , the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery and five Army Reserve regiments. Artillery was used by the English army as early as the Battle of Crécy in 1346, while Henry VIII established it as a semi-permanent function in the 16th century. Until the early 18th century, the majority of British regiments were raised for specific campaigns and disbanded on completion. An exception were gunners based at

2175-594: The 11th century. The Battle of Dyrrhachium (1081) was an early instance of the familiar medieval cavalry charge; recorded to have a devastating effect by both Norman and Byzantine chroniclers. By the time of the First Crusade in the 1090s, the cavalry charge was being employed widely by European armies. However, from the dawn of the Hundred Years' War onward, the use of professional pikemen and longbowmen with high morale and functional tactics meant that

2250-403: The 1920s, development of trucks and track vehicles brought an end to operational use of horses. By 1927, medium artillery was drawn by tractors instead of heavy draught horses. By 1937, nine field brigades had been mechanised as well as a brigade of RHA. The last battery to be mechanised was K Battery , in 1939. Today, the ceremonial King's Troop alone retains the use of the mounted batteries. At

2325-490: The District Establishments would still rely on drafts of sailors, British Army soldiers, Militia infantrymen, or Volunteers to bring the batteries up to wartime strength until the formation of Militia Artillery and Volunteer Artillery in the 1850s). During the 18th century, the British regular military forces, including the Board of Ordnance's military corps (the Royal Artillery, Royal Engineers and later

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2400-545: The Forces . All RHA personnel were mounted. Included in the establishment were 45 drivers and 187 horses, making it the first self-contained fighting unit of artillery. Initially, there was a clear distinction between the mounted Royal Horse Artillery and the rest of the Royal Artillery, who were dismounted. Whenever horses were needed for the rest of the Artillery (as they routinely were, to move field guns from place to place) they had to be hired along with civilian drivers. This

2475-668: The French Corps royal des ingénieurs militaires as far back as 1690. A cadet company was formed at the Royal Military Academy or RMA Woolwich in 1741; this trained artillery and engineering officers for the regiment, the East India Company and the Royal Irish Artillery . In 1757, it split into two battalions , each of twelve companies; by 1780, it contained 32 companies in four battalions, two "invalid companies" used solely for garrison duties and

2550-648: The Jodhpur Lancers and Mysore Lancers of the 15th (Imperial Service) Cavalry Brigade charged Turkish positions on horseback at Haifa. Together the two regiments captured 1,350 German and Ottoman prisoners, including two German officers, 35 Ottoman officers, 17 artillery guns including four 4.2 in (11 cm) guns, eight 77 mm (3.0 in) guns and four camel guns as well as a 6 in (15 cm) naval gun, and 11 machine guns. Their own casualties amounted to eight dead and 34 wounded. 60 horses were killed and another 83 injured. On 16 May 1919, during

2625-560: The Master-General and Board of Ordnance, but paid directly by the Exchequer . The regular artillerymen of the District Establishments were responsible for upkeep of the fort and maintenance of equipment, and would be brought up to strength in wartime with untrained personnel drafted in from the British Army or the Militia. The post of Captain of Fort was replaced (at least in England, if not in its colonies) with that of Governor following

2700-468: The RFA, and later by their using proportionally more horses. The regiment wore light cavalry uniforms of blue with gold lace and red facings. Their overalls were grey with a red stripe and on their heads they wore the distinctive Tarleton helmets . If needed, they carried 1796 light-cavalry sabres or their own semi-official RHA 1796P sabre . The RHA participated in the major wars of two centuries, including

2775-532: The RGA dressed like foot soldiers. In 1920 the rank of Bombardier was instituted in the Royal Artillery. Following the separation of the regular garrison companies into the Royal Garrison Artillery in 1899, the Militia Artillery units were re-titled accordingly in 1902 (by example, The Antrim Royal Garrison Artillery (Militia) , which would usually be rendered Antrim R.G.A (M) ). The badge adopted

2850-647: The Riding Troop RHA was renamed the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery and, in 1951, the title of the regiment's colonel-in-chief became Captain General. When The Queen first visited the Troop after her accession, it was expected that it would become "The Queen's Troop", but Her Majesty announced that in honour of her father's decision it would remain "The King's Troop". The Royal Horse Artillery , which has separate traditions, uniforms and insignia, still retains

2925-640: The Royal Artillery The Royal Artillery utilises two air defence weapons: The Royal Artillery field the following close support/offensive support weapons: The Royal Artillery, due to its large size, has 11 Colonel Commandants and a Master Gunner concurrently. These are: In the British Army Order of Precedence , the Household Cavalry is always listed first and always parades at the extreme right of

3000-732: The Royal Artillery (RA) for active service. The Royal Artillery (and also of the Royal Engineers, Royal Sappers and Miners, the Commissariat Department, and various barracks, ordnance stores, and transport departments) was transferred to the British Army when the Board of Ordnance was abolished in 1855 (the administrative branches of the Board were absorbed by the War Office ) and the War Office School of Gunnery established in Shoeburyness in 1859. When

3075-741: The Royal Artillery has been based at Woolwich , in south-east London. In 2003 it was decided to move the headquarters to Larkhill in the Salisbury Plain Training Area in Wiltshire (the RA's training ground, where the Royal School of Artillery has been based since 1915). In 2012, however, the King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery was relocated to Woolwich from their former headquarters in St John's Wood . The Royal Artillery

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3150-455: The Royal Regiment of Artillery; the first commander was Colonel Albert Borgard , a Dane who served in the British army since 1698. Aside from the Master Gunner of England, the detachments in each fort formed a District Establishment that included a Captain of Fort , a Master-Gunner or Chief-Gunner, and a number of other ranks, including Gunners, Gunner's Mates, Quarter-Gunners, and Matroses. Their numbers were extremely small; as late as 1720,

3225-490: The Royal Sappers and Miners) and the British Army (composed mostly of infantry and cavalry) became increasingly professional (various reserve, or local , forces also existed, including: the Militia, or old Constitutional Force, normally made up of infantry units; the mounted Yeomanry; and Volunteer units of various types, normally raised only during wartime), particularly in the fields of artillery and engineering; Britain lagged behind others in this area, with Vauban establishing

3300-413: The United Kingdom wore a unique badge. Between 1882 and 1889, Militia Artillery brigades wore a divisional badge based on that of the Royal Artillery, except that the lower scroll and upper scroll, which on the Royal Artillery badge were inscribed "Quo Fas Et Gloria Ducunt" and "Ubique" (which indicated the regular Royal Artillery, like the Royal Engineers, served everywhere), were respectively inscribed with

3375-427: The artillery. Fixed Coastal Artillery batteries were generally manned in peacetime by a handful of Royal Artillery personnel primarily responsible for maintenance, who were reinforced in wartime by drafts of infantrymen from the British Army or the Militia, or by temporarily-raised Volunteer Artillery corps. This was to remain the case through the Naploeonic Wars. The regiment was involved in all major campaigns of

3450-440: The basic parameters are speed of advance against rate (or effectiveness) of fire . If the attackers advance at a more rapid rate than the defenders can kill or disable them then the attackers will reach the defenders (though not necessarily without being greatly weakened in numbers). There are many modifiers to this simple comparison – timing, covering fire, organization, formation and terrain, among others. A failed charge may leave

3525-487: The batteries of the Royal Horse Artillery have served continuously since the French Revolutionary Wars or Napoleonic Wars , except the King's Troop, created in 1946, and M Battery , which was 'reanimated' in 1993. Horses are still in service for ceremonial purposes but were phased out from operational deployment in the 1930s. In 1793, in the course of the French Revolutionary Wars , Great Britain and allied European powers declared war on France over French occupation of

3600-481: The city. The cavalry sustained only seven dead, while 26 Polish tankmen and 124 infantrymen as well as around 500 German soldiers were killed. ) After World War II, the cavalry charge was clearly outdated and was no longer employed ; this, however, did not stop modern troops from utilising horses for transport, and in countries with mounted police , similar (albeit unarmed) techniques to the cavalry charge are sometimes employed to fend off rioters and large crowds. At

3675-426: The coastal defence, mountain, siege and heavy batteries were split off into another group named the Royal Garrison Artillery of 91 companies. The third group continued to be titled simply Royal Artillery , and was responsible for ammunition storage and supply. Which branch a gunner belonged to was indicated by metal shoulder titles (R.A., R.F.A., R.H.A., or R.G.A.). The RFA and RHA also dressed as mounted men, whereas

3750-411: The colonies, and these were not re-designated as Special Reserve; The most notable of these was the Bermuda Militia Artillery , which, like the Bermuda Volunteer Rifle Corps , formed part of the garrison of the important Imperial fortress colony of Bermuda where the regular Royal Artillery had first posted a company in 1794, following the French Revolution ). The remainder of the Special Reserve

3825-447: The knightly ideal often led to reckless, undisciplined charges. Cavalry could still charge dense heavy infantry formations head-on if the cavalrymen had a combination of certain traits. They had a high chance of success if they were in a formation, collectively disciplined, highly skilled, and equipped with the best arms and armour, as well as mounted upon horses trained to endure the physical and mental stresses of such charges. However,

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3900-437: The latter half of the Nineteenth Century they were re-organised through a succession of reforms, and increasingly integrated with the British Army. In 1882, the Militia Artillery units lost their individual identities, becoming numbered brigades organised within Royal Artillery territorial divisions (two brigades of horse artillery, four brigades of field artillery and eleven territorial divisions of garrison artillery). In 1889

3975-403: The line. However, when the Royal Horse Artillery is on parade with its guns it will replace the Household Cavalry at the extreme right of the line. The Regimental museum, " Firepower " located in the Royal Arsenal at Woolwich closed in 2017. The Royal Artillery have a traditional rivalry with the Royal Engineers (the Sappers). Cavalry charge It may be assumed that the charge

4050-417: The majority of cavalry personnel lacked at least one of these traits, particularly discipline, formations, and horses trained for head-on charges. Thus, the use of the head-on cavalry charge declined, although Polish hussars , French cuirassiers , and Spanish and Portuguese conquistadores were still capable of succeeding in such charges, often due to their possession of the previously mentioned combination of

4125-431: The making of a clear signal to friend and foe of a willingness to kill at close quarters. The shock value of a charge attack has been especially exploited in cavalry tactics , both of armored knights and lighter mounted troops of both earlier and later eras. Historians such as John Keegan have shown that when correctly prepared against (such as by improvising fortifications) and, especially, by standing firm in face of

4200-423: The most successful offensive cavalry charges of the 20th century was not conducted by cavalry at all, but rather by mounted infantry , when on 31 October 1917, the Australian 4th Light Horse Brigade charged across two miles of open terrain in the face of Ottoman artillery and machine gun fire to successfully capture Beersheba in what would come to be known as the Battle of Beersheba . On 23 September 1918,

4275-429: The name of the territorial division name (by example, North Irish Division) and left blank or covered in a spray of laurel (as the Militia and Volunteer Force were both home defence forces, the members of which could not be sent abroad on expedition without their consents). From 1889 to 1902, the lower scroll was inscribed with the name of the unit (by example, Antrim Artillery) and the upper scroll left blank or covered in

4350-522: The number of divisions was reduced to three, and the Militia Artillery brigades were renamed again, mostly regaining some variation of their original territorial names. Post 1881, militia artillery officers wore for a brief time five button serge foreign service frocks with ball buttons and silver lace. Post 1890, officers transitioned to pocketed examples, again with ball buttons but the frocks varying from pure blue serge to other examples with scarlet facings. Prior to 1882, each Militia Artillery unit in

4425-447: The onset of World War II, recruits were instructed that "the role of the Royal Artilleryman is, as it has ever been, to fight his gun, forgetful of self, to the last round in support of other arms." The following are current units of the Royal Horse Artillery: The Royal Horse Artillery provided the Queen's Guard on three occasions: The King's Troop provides the King's Life Guard in Whitehall for three weeks in August each year while

4500-438: The onslaught, cavalry charges often failed against infantry, with horses refusing to gallop into the dense mass of enemies, or the charging unit itself breaking up. However, when cavalry charges succeeded, it was usually due to the defending formation breaking up (often in fear) and scattering, to be hunted down by the enemy. While it was not recommended for a cavalry charge to continue against unbroken infantry, charges were still

4575-475: The result of efficient training. Heavy cavalry lacking even a single part of this combination – composed of high morale , excellent training, quality equipment, individual prowess, and collective discipline of both the warrior and the mount – would suffer in a charge against unbroken heavy infantry, and only the very best heavy cavalrymen (e.g., knights and cataphracts ) throughout history would own these in regards to their era and terrain. The cavalry charge

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4650-409: The six guns of regular batteries. The principal weapon of Territorial RHA units was the Ordnance QF 15 pounder although the Ordnance BLC 15 pounder was issued to some second-line RHA units formed in 1914. At the outbreak of World War I the regular RHA comprised twenty-five batteries, eleven of those serving in India with the Indian Army . They were equipped with the Ordnance QF 13 pounder . In

4725-415: The start of the war in Afghanistan by United States forces, there was a cavalry charge by a unit of Green Berets led by Captain Mark Nutsch, and their use of horses in the charge was made into a Hollywood movie, 12 Strong . Across from the site of the former World Trade Center (1973–2001) there is a monument to the 'horse soldiers' who took part in that daring cavalry charge. In the age of firearms ,

4800-409: The term 'Mounted Branch' was used to refer collectively to the Royal Horse Artillery and the Royal Field Artillery , while 'Dismounted Branch' referred to the Royal Garrison Artillery . The Royal Horse Artillery was, distinguished from the Field Artillery by (among other things) its speed: the need to keep pace with a cavalry charge was achieved initially by the Horse Artillery using lighter guns than

4875-432: The total establishment for the whole of Britain was 41 master gunners and 178 gunner assistants. Although the Royal Artillery increasingly involved itself with the coastal artillery in Britain, also, the District Establishments remained independent until February 1771, when the Royal Artillery formed eight Invalid Companies (made up of personnel no longer fit for expeditionary service) into which they were absorbed (although

4950-446: The traits required for success in such endeavours. In the twentieth century, the cavalry charge was seldom used, though it enjoyed sporadic and occasional success. Elements of the 7th Cavalry Regiment of the United States attacked Villista forces in the Battle of Guerrero on 29 March 1916. The battle was a victory for the Americans, occurring in desert terrain, at the Mexican town of Vicente Guerrero, Chihuahua . One of

5025-603: The unit was named. When the Volunteer Force and the Yeomanry in the United Kingdom (including the Volunteer Artillery) were merged to create the Territorial Force in 1908, the Militia was re-designated the Special Reserve . At the same time, plans were made to convert all of the Royal Garrison Artillery (Militia) units to Special Reserve Royal Field Artillery, but all Home units other than The Antrim Royal Garrison Artillery (Militia) (converted in 1956 to 74 (Antrim Artillery) Engineer Regiment (V) ) were instead disbanded in 1909 (although Militia Artillery units remained in some of

5100-461: The would-be attackers vulnerable to a counter-charge. There has been a constant rise in an army's rate of fire for the last 700 years or so, but while massed charges have been successfully broken they have also been victorious. It is only since the mid-19th century that straight charges have become less successful, especially since the introduction of the repeating rifles , machine guns , and breech-loading artillery . They are often still useful on

5175-407: Was a significant tactic in the Middle Ages. Although cavalry had charged before, a combination of the adoption of a frame saddle secured in place by a breast-band, stirrups and the technique of couching the lance under the arm delivered a hitherto unachievable ability to utilise the momentum of the horse and rider. These developments began in the 7th century but were not combined to full effect until

5250-399: Was countered by effective discipline and the development of defensive bayonet tactics. A term used by the Allied forces to refer to Japanese human wave attacks and swarming staged by infantry units armed with bayonets and swords. This term came from the Japanese battle cry "Tennōheika Banzai " (天皇陛下万歳, "Long live His Majesty the Emperor"), shortened to banzai, specifically referring to

5325-471: Was divided with the creation of the Royal Field Artillery , which utilised horse for its medium-calibre guns. When the Territorial Force was created in 1908, artillery units of the old Volunteer Force were converted into foot, horse, and garrison batteries. There were 14 batteries of horse artillery, 12 of which belonged to the RHA, the remaining two being provided by the Honourable Artillery Company . Territorial batteries were of four guns each rather than

5400-497: Was problematic, so in 1794 a separate Corps of Royal Artillery Drivers was raised (which did not affect the self-contained Royal Horse Artillery, but provided ready teams of draught horses and drivers for the field artillery units). After Waterloo, the Corps of Drivers was disbanded and instead artillerymen were trained as drivers, which gave the field artillery mounted status. When the Royal Artillery split into separate units in 1899,

5475-566: Was re-designated as the Militia again after the First World War and permanently suspended. The Territorial Force was renamed the Territorial Army. The division of the Royal Regiment of Artillery lasted until 1924, when the RFA, RHA, and RGA amalgamated once more to become one regiment. In 1938, RA Brigades were renamed regiments. During the World War II there were over 1 million men serving in 960 gunner regiments. In 1947

5550-422: Was the same as that of the regular Royal Regiment of Artillery, from that point including the "ubique" and "Quo Fas Et Gloria Ducunt" scrolls, with a letter "M" fixed at the bottom of the gun badge, and on the body of the grenade on the grenade badge (also with the "ubique" scroll), whether worn on the collar or on a cap. Alternately, Ubique was replaced on scrolls with the name of the city, county or colony for which

5625-463: Was used in prehistoric warfare , but clear evidence only comes with later literate societies. The tactics of the classical Greek phalanx included an ordered approach march, with a final charge to contact. In response to the introduction of firearms, Irish and Scottish troops at the end of the 16th century developed a tactic that combined a volley of musketry with a transition to rapid hand-to-hand combat using melee weapons. Initially successful, it

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