29th Commando Regiment Royal Artillery

29th Commando Regiment Royal Artillery
Active 1947 – Present
Allegiance  United Kingdom
Branch  British Army
Role Field artillery
Size 5 Batteries
Part of 3 Commando Brigade
Garrison/HQ Royal Citadel, Plymouth
Nickname(s) The Commando gunners
Equipment L118 Light Gun

29 Commando Regiment is the Commando-trained unit of the British Army's Royal Artillery. The regiment is under the operational control of 3 Commando Brigade, to which it provides artillery support and gunnery observation.

History

The regiment was established in 1947 by the redesignation of the 25th Field Regiment.[1] In 1951, it was renamed as the 29th Medium Regiment Royal Artillery and was based at Brancepeth Camp in Durham.[1] In 1957, it was deployed to Cyprus.[1]

In 1962, it re-roled and became 29 Commando Light Regiment, Royal Artillery. At that time, each battery consisted of four 105mm pack howitzers (Italian Mountain Gun).[1]

In the 1970s, Batteries from the regiment completed operational tours in Northern Ireland.[2]

During the 1982 Falklands War, 29 Commando Regiment accompanied the Royal Marines, providing much needed close support with their L118 Light Guns.[3]

In 1996, the honorary Freedom of the City of Plymouth was conferred on the regiment (with the unanimous support of Plymouth City Council).[4]

The regiment conducted numerous operational tours in Afghanistan to provide artillery support during operations against Al Qaeda and Taliban militants.[5]

Organisation

Practice firings by 7 (Sphinx) Commando Battery on exercise near Cape Wrath in Scotland.

The regiment consists of a HQ battery, three gun batteries, a Naval Gunfire Support Forward Observation battery and an attached Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers workshop, which includes a Royal Logistic Corps stores section. The gun batteries are equipped with six L118 105MM light guns and three Observation Posts each. The batteries are as follows:[6]

Memorial to member of the Regiment killed in Afghanistan

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "29th Regiment RA". British Army units 1945 on. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
  2. "3 April 1973 → Written Answers (Commons) → DEFENCE". Hansard, UK Parliament. 3 April 1973. Retrieved 2009-08-12.
  3. Fairhall, David (21 May 1982). "Why British invasion will be risky affair". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2009-08-12.
  4. "House of Commons Hansard Debates for 1 Feb 1996 (pt 18)". Hansard, UK Parliament. 1 Feb 1996. Retrieved 2009-08-12.
  5. Gall, Carlotta (6 May 2002). "From Hilltop Perch, British Troops Watch for Holdouts". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-08-12.
  6. "29th Commando Regiment Royal Artillery: Batteries". Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
  7. http://www.commandogunner.co.uk/page7.html

External links

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