3rd Regiment Royal Horse Artillery
Encyclopedia
3rd Regiment Royal Horse Artillery is a regiment
of the Royal Horse Artillery
in the British Army
. They are currently based in Caen Barracks, Hohne
, Germany
.
role, and is equipped with the AS-90
self-propelled gun
.
self-propelled gun
. The Forward Observation Officers use the Warrior OPV
. The Command Posts are deployed in the FV432
.
. However, the Regiment was only formed in 1938 from 3rd Brigade Royal Horse Artillery. The regiment consisted of C/ D / J / M Batteries.
, Aden
, Egypt
, Kenya
, Hong Kong
and Cyprus
.
M(HQ) Bty, Radar Troop was deployed to Bosnia in 1994 and again in 1995 and 1996 on operational duties in Sarajevo and then Sanski Most during the balkan conflict.
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
of the Royal Horse Artillery
Royal Horse Artillery
The regiments of the Royal Horse Artillery , dating from 1793, are part of the Royal Regiment of Artillery of the British Army...
in the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
. They are currently based in Caen Barracks, Hohne
Hohne
Hohne is a municipality in the state of Lower Saxony in Germany, east of the county town of Celle. It includes the three former parishes of Hohne, Helmerkamp and Spechtshorn...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
Current role
It currently serves in the armoured field artilleryField artillery
Field artillery is a category of mobile artillery used to support armies in the field. These weapons are specialized for mobility, tactical proficiency, long range, short range and extremely long range target engagement....
role, and is equipped with the AS-90
AS-90
The AS-90 is a lightly armoured self-propelled artillery piece used by the British Army. It was first delivered in 1993...
self-propelled gun
Self-propelled gun
A self-propelled gun is form of self-propelled artillery, and in modern use is usually used to refer to artillery pieces such as howitzers....
.
Batteries
- C BatteryC Battery Royal Horse ArtilleryC Battery Royal Horse Artillery are a Close Support Battery of 3rd Regiment Royal Horse Artillery currently based in Caen Barracks in Hohne, Germany-Northern Ireland:...
- D BatteryD Battery Royal Horse ArtilleryD Battery Royal Horse Artillery are a Close Support Battery of 3rd Regiment Royal Horse Artillery They are currently based in Caen Barracks in Hohne, Germany-See also:*British Army*Royal Artillery*Royal Horse Artillery*List of Royal Artillery Batteries...
- J (Sidi Rezegh) BatteryJ (Sidi Rezegh) Battery Royal Horse ArtilleryJ Battery Royal Horse Artillery are a Close Support Battery of 3rd Regiment Royal Horse Artillery. They are currently based in Caen Barracks in Hohne, Germany....
- M (Headquarters) BatteryM Battery Royal Horse ArtilleryM Battery Royal Horse Artillery are the Headquarters Battery of 3rd Regiment Royal Horse Artillery They are currently based in Caen Barracks in Hohne, Germany-See also:*British Army*Royal Artillery*Royal Horse Artillery...
- N Battery (The Eagle Troop)N Battery (The Eagles Troop) Royal Horse ArtilleryN Battery Royal Horse Artillery are the Tactical Group Battery of 3rd Regiment Royal Horse Artillery They are currently based in Caen Barracks in Hohne, Germany-Current Role:...
Equipment
The regiment is equipped with the AS-90AS-90
The AS-90 is a lightly armoured self-propelled artillery piece used by the British Army. It was first delivered in 1993...
self-propelled gun
Self-propelled gun
A self-propelled gun is form of self-propelled artillery, and in modern use is usually used to refer to artillery pieces such as howitzers....
. The Forward Observation Officers use the Warrior OPV
Warrior Tracked Armoured Vehicle
The Warrior tracked vehicle family is a series of British armoured vehicles, originally developed to replace the older FV430 series of armoured vehicles. The Warrior started life as the MCV-80 project that was first broached in the 1970s, GKN Sankey/Defence winning the production contract in 1980....
. The Command Posts are deployed in the FV432
FV430 series
The FV430 series covers a number of armoured fighting vehicles of the British Army, all built on the same chassis. The most common of the series is the FV432 armoured personnel carrier....
.
History
Batteries within 3RHA have existed from the Napoleonic WarsNapoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
. However, the Regiment was only formed in 1938 from 3rd Brigade Royal Horse Artillery. The regiment consisted of C/ D / J / M Batteries.
World War II
- 1939 – The Regiment supported the 7th Armoured Division otherwise known as the "Desert Rats", during the Western Desert CampaignWestern Desert CampaignThe Western Desert Campaign, also known as the Desert War, was the initial stage of the North African Campaign during the Second World War. The campaign was heavily influenced by the availability of supplies and transport. The ability of the Allied forces, operating from besieged Malta, to...
. During the final attempt to lift the Siege of TobrukSiege of TobrukThe siege of Tobruk was a confrontation that lasted 240 days between Axis and Allied forces in North Africa during the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War...
, in an operation known as Operation CrusaderOperation CrusaderOperation Crusader was a military operation by the British Eighth Army between 18 November–30 December 1941. The operation successfully relieved the 1941 Siege of Tobruk....
, 2Lt WardGeorge Ward GunnGeorge Ward Gunn VC MC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Life:...
was awarded the Victoria CrossVictoria CrossThe Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
for his bravery during an attack by 60 German Tanks. 3 RHA commemorate this by wearing a red backing to the cypherCap badgeA cap badge, also known as head badge or hat badge, is a badge worn on uniform headgear and distinguishes the wearer's nationality and/or organisation. The wearing of cap badges is a convention commonly found among military and police forces, as well as uniformed civilian groups such as the Boy...
. - 1943 – The Regiment continued to support 7th Armoured Division during the fighting in Italy.
- 1944 – The Regiment continued to support 7th Armoured Division, as a follow up formation, following the Normandy Landings
- 1945 – The Regiment led the Allied Victory parade in Berlin, and fired the Victory Salute.
Cold War
After World War II the Regiment served in UK, West GermanyGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Aden
Aden
Aden is a seaport city in Yemen, located by the eastern approach to the Red Sea , some 170 kilometres east of Bab-el-Mandeb. Its population is approximately 800,000. Aden's ancient, natural harbour lies in the crater of an extinct volcano which now forms a peninsula, joined to the mainland by a...
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
, Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
and Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
.
- 1958 – C Battery joined the Regiment, and M Battery was placed in Suspended Animation.
- 1975 – M Battery was revived.
- 1976 – The Regiment completed another tour of Northern Ireland, as part of Operation BannerOperation BannerOperation Banner was the operational name for the British Armed Forces' operation in Northern Ireland from August 1969 to July 2007. It was initially deployed at the request of the Unionist government of Northern Ireland to support the Royal Ulster Constabulary . After the 1998 Belfast Agreement,...
- 1978 – The Regiment was placed in suspended animation. The Batteries became independent anti-tank Batteries.
- 1984 – The Regiment was reformed in PaderbornPaderbornPaderborn is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, capital of the Paderborn district. The name of the city derives from the river Pader, which originates in more than 200 springs near Paderborn Cathedral, where St. Liborius is buried.-History:...
, GermanyGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. M Battery was once again placed in Suspended Animation.
Balkan wars
The Regiment has served in the Former Republic of Yugoslavia.- 1993 – N Battery (The Eagle Troop) joined the Regiment, and M Battery was amalgamated with Headquarters Battery to form M Headquarters Battery.
- 1999 – The regiment deployed with UNPROFOR to BosniaBosnia and HerzegovinaBosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
M(HQ) Bty, Radar Troop was deployed to Bosnia in 1994 and again in 1995 and 1996 on operational duties in Sarajevo and then Sanski Most during the balkan conflict.