269 (West Riding) Battery Royal Artillery

269 (West Riding) Battery RA
Badge of 269 (West Riding) Battery
Active	1 April 1975-
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	British Army
Type	Army Reserve
Role	Precision fire
Size	1 Battery (Company strength)
Part of	101st (Northumbrian) Regiment Royal Artillery
Garrison/HQ	Carlton Barracks, Leeds
Nickname(s)	The West Riding Gunners
Motto(s)	Semper vigilantes (Always vigilant) (Latin)
Colors	Yellow, white, and blue
March	British Grenadiers
Anniversaries	Yorkshire Day (1 August) St Barbara's Day (4 December)
Equipment	Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System
Engagements	Bosnia, Kosovo, Cyprus, Iraq, Afghanistan Operation TELIC, Operation HERRICK
Commanders
Battery Commander	Maj William Jagger RA
Insignia
Tactical Recognition Flash

269 (West Riding) Battery Royal Artillery is part of 101st (Northumbrian) Regiment Royal Artillery, an artillery regiment of the British Army. The unit is based in Carlton Barracks, Leeds. ^[1]

History

The battery was formed as 269 (West Riding) Observation Post Battery Royal Artillery (Volunteers) in April 1975 at Leeds from a cadre of the West Riding Regiment RA (Territorials). ^[2] Its role was to provide observation teams to support 1st Armoured Division and 2nd Armoured Division in Germany. In 1989, the battery re-roled to the 105 mm light gun and in 1993 it joined 19th Regiment Royal Artillery, a regular regiment in 24 Airmobile Brigade. ^[3]

In July 1999, the battery re-roled as an air defence battery equipped with the Rapier surface-to-air missile system within 106th (Yeomanry) Regiment Royal Artillery. ^[2] In 2006 it transferred to 101st (Northumbrian) Regiment Royal Artillery ^{[4] [5]} where it was given a surveillance and target acquisition role. ^[6]

In February 2019, Sergeant Benjamin Boocock, the last surviving member of the West Riding Artillery to have survived the Second World War, was buried with full military honours at St John the Baptist Church, Adel in a ceremony organised by the battery. ^[7]

Under Army 2020, the battery re-roled to the M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System. ^[8]

References

1. "101 Regiment Royal Artillery". Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 10 August 2014.
2. "Royal Regiment of Artillery, Volunteer Regiments". Archived from the original on 23 March 2005. Retrieved 21 April 2014.
3. "106th Regiment Royal Artillery (Volunteers)". Archived from the original on 18 December 2007.
4. "101st (Northumbrian) Regiment". February 2016. Archived from the original on 18 December 2007. Retrieved 21 April 2014.
5. "Support our troops: Blyth residents asked to take to streets to celebrate Northumberland regiment". Chronicle Live. 25 April 2016. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
6. "101 Regiment Batteries". Archived from the original on 22 April 2014. Retrieved 21 April 2014.
7. "Military funeral for Leeds WW2 veteran who was regiment's last survivor". The Yorkshire Evening Post. 11 February 2019. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
8. "Army 2020 Report" (PDF). p. 12. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 June 2014.

Publications

• Litchfield, Norman E. H., 1992. The Territorial Artillery 1908-1988, The Sherwood Press, Nottingham. ISBN   0-9508205-2-0