Honourable Artillery Company
Encyclopedia
The Honourable Artillery Company was incorporated by Royal Charter in 1537 by King Henry VIII. Today it is a Registered Charity whose purpose is to attend to the “better defence of the realm". This purpose is primarily achieved by the support of the HAC Regiment and a detachment of Special Constabulary
to the City of London Police
.
Regiments and Batteries of the Company have fought with distinction in both World Wars and its current Regiment, which forms part of the Territorial Army, is the oldest surviving regiment
in the British Army
, and the second most senior in the Territorial Army.TA units take precedence after regular units Members of the Regiment and Specials are drawn, for the most part, from young professional men and women working in and around the City and Greater London
. Those leaving the active units may become Veteran Members and remain within the fraternity of the Company, which they then serve in a variety of ways.
from Henry VIII
on 25 August 1537, when Letters Patent
were received by the Overseers of the Fraternity or Guild of St George
authorising them to establish a perpetual corporation for the defence of the realm to be known as the Fraternity or Guild of Artillery of Longbows, Crossbows and Handgonnes. This body was known by a variety of names until 1656, when it was first referred to as the Artillery Company. It was first referred to as the Honourable Artillery Company in 1685 and officially received the name from Queen Victoria
in 1860. However, the Archers’ Company of the Honourable Artillery Company was retained into the late 19th century, though as a private club. Founded in 1781 by Sir Ashton Lever
, it met at Archers’ Hall, Inner Circle, Regent's Park, London. The Archers Company remained a part of the regiment operated from 1784 to the late 1790s, along with Matross
, Grenadier and Light Infantry companies/divisions, with a Rifle or Yager Company introduced in around 1803.
The regiment has the rare distinction of having fought on the side of both Parliament
and the Royalists
during the English Civil War
1642 to 1649.
In 1658 the Company moved from the site it had occupied at the Old Artillery Ground
in Spitalfields
to the current site south of Bunhill Fields
Burial Ground on City Road. It was here on the New Artillery Gardens that on the 28th of October 1664 the body of men that would become The Royal Marines
was first formed. James (later James II
), the Duke of York and Albany, Lord High Admiral and brother of King Charles II, was Captain-General of Honourable Artillery Company at the time.
Until 1780 captains of the HAC trained the officers of the London Trained Bands
.
The Company served in Broadgate during the Gordon Riots
of 1780, and in gratitude for its role in restoring order to the City, the Corporation of London presented "two brass field-pieces", which led to the creation of an HAC Artillery Division. (These guns are on display in the entrance hall of Armoury House.)
In 1860, control of the Company moved from the Home Office
to the War Office
and in 1889 a Royal Warrant
gave the Secretary of State for War
control of the Company’s military affairs. In 1883 Queen Victoria decreed that the HAC took precedence next after the Regular Forces and therefore before the Militia and Yeomanry in consideration of its antiquity.
. The HAC Infantry was due to become part of the newly formed London Regiment
as the "26th (County of London) Battalion", but instead managed to retain its own identity as the Honourable Artillery Company Infantry Battalion. The HAC also had its property and privileges protected by the Honourable Artillery Company Act 1908.
Three infantry
battalion
s and seven artillery
batteries
were raised for service during the First World War
. Elements of an HAC Infantry Battalion was used to help quell the Étaples Mutiny
. The 2nd Bn HAC fought in the Italian Campaign under the command of the then Lt Col Richard O’Connor and in the Battle of Vittorio Veneto
in 1918 led a force of Italians, Americans and British compelling the garrison of the strategic island of Papadopoli in the main channel to surrender. For this remarkable feat of arms the HAC was awarded two Distinguished Service Orders, five Military Crosses, three Distinguished Conduct Medals and 29 Military Medals. B Battery of the Honourable Artillery Company fought in the recapture of Sheik Othman (key to the water supply to Aden) from the Turks as part of the Aden campaign.
Two 2nd Lieutenants of the 1st Battalion, Reginald Leonard Haine
and Alfred Oliver Pollard
, were awarded Victoria Cross
es for their actions at Gavrelle
in 1917. The Company suffered 1,600 killed.
The 11th and 12th HAC Regiments of the Royal Horse Artillery
served in North Africa
and in Italy and in 1942 were re-equipped with M7 Priest
self-propelled gun
s. The 13th HAC Regiment of Royal Horse Artillery (equipped with Sexton
self propelled guns) fought in Normandy
and the Netherlands
and across the Rhine
into Germany as part of 11th Armoured Division. The Company also provided a Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment and two Heavy Anti-Aircraft Batteries. Over seven hundred members of the Company lost their lives during the Second World War.
In 1973 the Regiment was again reorganised and given the role of providing 'Stay Behind' Observation Posts (OPs)
for the British Army of the Rhine
as one of the three TA units making up the Corps Patrol Unit (with 21
and 23 SAS
), the new structure was:
In 1992 the signals troops that had been integrated into the patrol squadrons were brought together to form the Signal Squadron, they were subsequently re-integrated with the patrol squadrons in 2010.
Also in 1992, on Salisbury Plain
, the HAC was the last British Army unit to fire the twenty-five pounder
in the field, as the Gun Troop retrained onto the 105mm Light Gun. The 25 pounder continued to be fired ceremonially until replaced by the Light Gun.
In 1996 the first formed unit of the Regiment to be mobilised for active service since the second world war was called up for service on Op Resolute with the NATO IFOR
in Bosnia
. Since this time the Regiment has always had soldiers on operational service overseas.
The Regiment participated in the celebration of HM The Queen's Golden Jubilee on 4 June 2002 by firing a 62 gun salute at HM Tower of London, and by providing a Guard of Honour (including the Regimental Band and the Massed Corps of Drums of the 1st Bn Grenadier Guards and the HAC) at St Paul's Cathedral. In December of that year the Captain General visited and dined with the company to commemorate her Golden Jubilee as Captain General.
In 2005 the guns were withdrawn from Gun Troop and the Troop was renamed Liaison Troop (L Tp) with the role of providing liaison officer parties. The majority of L Tp deployed to Iraq over winter 2006/7. The ceremonial Light Guns were retained by the Regiment to fire salutes at the Tower of London.
In 2006 the HAC was the first major unit of the Territorial Army to convert to the Bowman
communications system. When Bowman was withdrawn from the Territorial Army in 2008/9 it was one of the few units to retain the equipment.
In 2007 one of the patrol squadrons (3 Sqn) was redesignated as the Training Squadron and took on the role of Regiment's Training Wing.
providing the British Army with its only dedicated Surveillance and Target Acquisition patrol regiment—operating small covert reconnaissance patrols gathering intelligence and target information. The regiment includes a dedicated long-range communications capability. In recent years its role has expanded to include liaison tasks. It is assigned to the Headquarters Allied Command Europe Rapid Reaction Corps
.
The HAC has a ceremonial role in providing guards of honour at the Guildhall
in the City of London during state visits, and since 1924 (when the Royal Artillery ceased to be stationed at the Tower) has provided the saluting battery at the Tower of London
for state occasions.
In peacetime, the HAC is under the operational command of London District, however it would form part of 1 Artillery Brigade on mobilisation as a Regiment. Unlike most TA units, who are only required to train at up to sub-unit (company or squadron) level, the HAC is required to train as a regiment.
Although the HAC is operationally an Artillery
regiment, it is not part of the Royal Regiment of Artillery; being a separate Regiment with its own uniform, insignia and colours. The HAC's regular Army counterparts are 4/73 (Sphinx) Special Observation Post Battery RA
from 5th Regiment Royal Artillery
. This battery would, in the event of full mobilisation of the HAC, form the Regiment's fourth patrol squadron. The HAC's Permanent Staff Instructor
s are drawn from across the British Armed Forces.
Due to the demanding requirements of their role the HAC is privileged to be one of only a small number of TA units with responsibility for the carrying out the Phase 1 and 2 training of its own recruits 'in house' rather than sending them to Regional Training Centre
s and Army Training Regiments.
4 and 5 in Iraq and L Troop to Operation Telic 9 in addition to individual and group reinforcements to other infantry and artillery units. In recent times the rate of deployment, generally in groups of 10, has speeded up dramatically. These groups are divided between operating and maintaining anti-mortar systems and other high technology equipment and forming part of the Brigade Reconnaissance Force (BRF).
On Tuesday 4 December 2007, Trooper Jack Sadler who was serving with the BRF was killed when his vehicle was hit by a blast north of Sangin, in Helmand province. Two other soldiers were injured in the attack. In 2008 the Runner-Up for the Cobra Trophy for Volunteer Reservist of the year was Trooper Adam Cocks of 2 Squadron HAC, who was severely injured in Afghanistan when his vehicle struck a mine. While recuperating at Headley Court rehabilitation centre he and a friend came up with the idea of a rugby match at Twickenham
to help to raise money for the charity Help for Heroes
.
, except that where the Grenadiers wear gold, the HAC were to wear silver. This tradition is continued today by the wearing of the silver coloured grenade in the forage cap similar to the brass one of the Grenadiers, and the buttons and lace on HAC dress uniforms being silver coloured instead of gold. The Corps of Drums wear the Household Division's blue red blue TRF
.
beret
as the Footguards, but with the HAC's own cap badge
("short arms") in white metal on a black backing. Officers and Warrant Officers wear an embroidered cloth version of the same badge. The Corps of Drums and Regimental Band wear the HAC infantry grenade on a blue red blue backing which is superficially identical to that of the Grenadier Guards
.
From July 2008 members of 4/73 (Sphinx) Special OP Battery, the HAC's regular 'sister' unit adopted the khaki beret to mark their close working relationship.
Officers wear an embroidered silver grenade on their forage caps in No 1 Dress (Infantry) and on the Service Dress forage cap but when in No 1 Dress (Gunner) they wear the HAC Artillery cap badge. The latter is similar to that of the Royal Artillery but with "HAC" and "Arma Pacis Fulcra" replacing "Ubique" and "Quo Fas et Gloria Ducunt".
In Full Dress (normally only worn by the Band and Corps of Drums) the Bearskin is worn without a plume.
In No 2 dress Soldiers wear the larger Foot Guards badges of rank and qualification. Lance Corporals wear two chevrons and Lance Sergeants three. In Full Dress and Number 1 dress WO2 wear a large colour badge of the same pattern as the Grenadier Guards but in silver rather than gold.
Officers' crowns and stars are of the same pattern as those of the Grenadiers (Order of the Garter), woven for combat uniforms but in silver for Service and Barrack Dress.
:
In 1906 King Edward VII gave the HAC the distinction of a special ribbon for the Volunteer Decoration
and Volunteer Long Service Medal. The ribbon, based on the King's racing colours, is red and blue edged with narrow yellow stripes. This ribbon has been carried forward to subsequent Territorial long service medals awarded to HAC members.
Each year the Captain General awards a prize to the member of the Regiment who is deemed to have made an outstanding contribution to the Regiment. Holders of this prize, known as the King's or Queen's Prize wear a badge incorporating the Captain General's cypher and the year of award on Numbers 1, 2 and 10 (Mess) Dress.
B Battery HAC supported the 10th Hussars during the Second World War and in 1972 the Captain General approved the Battery wearing a 10th Hussar button as the top button on Numbers 1,2 and 10 dress. This privilege is carried on by 2 Sqn following the 1973 re-organisation.
The Regiment's soldiers, with the exception of the Corps of Drums, do not wear TRFs even when its members are attached to other units.
The battle honours listed were awarded for services of both infantry and artillery units of the HAC. Those in bold are borne on the Colours.
The last 4 occasions that new Colours have been presented to the Regiment were in 1928 by Edward, Prince of Wales (later Edward VIII), and in 1955, 1980 and on 18 May 2007 by HM Queen Elizabeth II, the regiment's Captain General.
The 1928 Colours are now on display in the Medal Room at Armoury House.
Reserve Force, the Home Secretary
approached the HAC to form a Division of Special Constabulary. Some 150 members, mostly Great War veterans, rallied to the call and joined the Division, forming the HAC Detachment. At the outbreak of the Second World War the Detachment was integrated into G Division of the Metropolitan Police
and then later with Islington
Division. Following reorganisation, the Detachment is now part of the City of London Police
Special Constabulary, its administrative base is Armoury House.
In 2010 the Ferrers Trophy was awarded to Special Constable Patrick Rarden of the detachment for using his banking skills and experience to help train colleagues and provide invaluable assistance to solve fraud cases. The award is given annually to police volunteers for exceptional dedication and innovation.
The detachment retains the Detachment's unique identity by wearing the HAC Regimental Titles in addition to their Divisional identification. They are considered an 'Active' unit of the HAC as is the Regiment and continue the HAC's tradition of keeping order within the City of London.
There are two distinct classes of member of the Company. The first, Regimental Members, are those who are currently serving or who have previously served in the HAC Regiment or Special Constabulary. The second, Members, must have served at least two years in Regular or three years in Volunteer units of the Crown or in the Police. Some members are people who have reached senior rank (for example Major General The Duke of Westminster
) and they provide some 17% of the overall membership of the Company.
Since 1633 the Company has been governed by a Court of Assistants
, like many of the City Livery Companies. The first Annual General Court for which a record can be found was held in 1660. In the early part of the 17th Century the Court of Aldermen of the City of London appointed the chief officers and paid the professional soldiers who trained members of the Company. The Lord Mayor and Aldermen are honorary members of the Court of Assistants.
There are two civilian ceremonial organisations that are part of the HAC as distinct from the 'Active Units' of the Regiment and the Specials:
The Pikemen and Musketeers (formed 1925, given a Royal Warrant 1955) are made up of veteran members of the Active Unit. They are the personal bodyguard of the Lord Mayor of the City of London and form his Guard on ceremonial occasions.
Troop (formed 1979, granted Royal Warrant 2004) is open to both Regimental and Non-Regimental members of the Company. They escort the Lady Mayoress, and particularly provide her ‘Travelling Escort’ at the Lord Mayor's Show
, both mounted and dismounted elements of the Light Cavalry also supply guards at polo
matches at Smith’s Lawn Windsor during the summer months.
in Spitalfields
on the site of the outer precinct of the dissolved Priory and Hospital of St Mary Spital. In 1658, following disputes over use of the Ground with the Gunners of the Tower, it moved to its current site south of the Bunhill Fields
Burial Ground continuing to the south as far as Chiswell St. This area is described in a map of the area of 1677 as the 'New Artillery Garden' and has variously been referred to as the Artillery Ground
and the Artillery Garden. This current site now falls in the London Borough of Islington
, and is just north of the City of London
, the main entrance being in City Road
.
During the aftermath of the 7 July 2005 London bombings
on the London transport system the Artillery Garden was used as a temporary mortuary.
In 1802 a distinctive flag tower was added to the roof. The East and West Wings were built in 1828, replacing much smaller buildings on either side of Armoury House. A cottage, originally for the Sergeant Major, was built against the West Wing in 1850.
1862 saw the completion of a Victorian drill hall attached to the rear. The Albert Room, as it was called, featured an iron trussed roof and was named in honour of the then recently deceased Prince Albert.
In 1990 the hall was bombed by the Provisional IRA whilst a 21st birthday party was in progress
from the HAC itself. Completed in 1857, it was designed by the architect Joseph Jennings and built in Kentish Ragstone. An extension, faced in striped stone and granite, linking Finsbury Barracks to Armoury House was designed by Arnold & Boston and added in 1994. Finsbury Barracks was also refurbished in the same year and was re-opened by the Captain General in 1996.
at Bisley and replacing the original hut on the site. The building was funded by donations, including some in memory of the fallen of the First World War. it is a two storey building with an oak-panelled dining room on the ground floor and sleeping accommodation on the first. In 2011 the HAC disposed of the Lodge and returned it to the National Rifle Association.
as an area that could be used by the Regiment for military and adventurous training. The historic estate lies in the heart of the Brecon Beacons
National Park and comprises approximately 14,000 acres (57 km²) of hill land.
Colonel Commandants
Others
– Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts
, Harrow
, Marlborough
, Radley
, Rugby
and Wellington
) became affiliated to the Company. The rationale behind these affiliations is to facilitate communication with the schools and to inform students of the opportunities available to them within the HAC.
Special Constabulary
The Special Constabulary is the part-time volunteer section of a statutory police force in the United Kingdom or some Crown dependencies. Its officers are known as Special Constables or informally as Specials.Every United Kingdom territorial police force has a special constabulary except the...
to the City of London Police
City of London Police
The City of London Police is the territorial police force responsible for law enforcement within the City of London, England, including the Middle and Inner Temple. The service responsible for law enforcement within the rest of Greater London is the Metropolitan Police Service, a separate...
.
Regiments and Batteries of the Company have fought with distinction in both World Wars and its current Regiment, which forms part of the Territorial Army, is the oldest surviving regiment
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...
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...
, and the second most senior in the Territorial Army.TA units take precedence after regular units Members of the Regiment and Specials are drawn, for the most part, from young professional men and women working in and around the City and Greater London
Greater London
Greater London is the top-level administrative division of England covering London. It was created in 1965 and spans the City of London, including Middle Temple and Inner Temple, and the 32 London boroughs. This territory is coterminate with the London Government Office Region and the London...
. Those leaving the active units may become Veteran Members and remain within the fraternity of the Company, which they then serve in a variety of ways.
History
The HAC can trace its history as far back as 1087, but it received a Royal CharterRoyal Charter
A royal charter is a formal document issued by a monarch as letters patent, granting a right or power to an individual or a body corporate. They were, and are still, used to establish significant organizations such as cities or universities. Charters should be distinguished from warrants and...
from Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
on 25 August 1537, when Letters Patent
Letters patent
Letters patent are a type of legal instrument in the form of a published written order issued by a monarch or president, generally granting an office, right, monopoly, title, or status to a person or corporation...
were received by the Overseers of the Fraternity or Guild of St George
Guild of St George
The Guild of St George is charitable trust founded by John Ruskin in England in the 1870s as a vehicle to implement his ideas about how society should be re-organised. Its members, who are called Companions, were originally required to give a tithe of their income to the Guild...
authorising them to establish a perpetual corporation for the defence of the realm to be known as the Fraternity or Guild of Artillery of Longbows, Crossbows and Handgonnes. This body was known by a variety of names until 1656, when it was first referred to as the Artillery Company. It was first referred to as the Honourable Artillery Company in 1685 and officially received the name from Queen Victoria
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
in 1860. However, the Archers’ Company of the Honourable Artillery Company was retained into the late 19th century, though as a private club. Founded in 1781 by Sir Ashton Lever
Ashton Lever
Sir Ashton Lever was an English collector of natural objects.-Biography:Ashton Lever was born in 1729 to well off titled parents who lived at Alkrington Hall...
, it met at Archers’ Hall, Inner Circle, Regent's Park, London. The Archers Company remained a part of the regiment operated from 1784 to the late 1790s, along with Matross
Matross
Matross was a soldier of artillery, who ranked next below a gunner.The duty of a matross was to assist the gunners in loading, firing and sponging the guns. They were provided with firelocks, and marched with the store-wagons, acting as guards...
, Grenadier and Light Infantry companies/divisions, with a Rifle or Yager Company introduced in around 1803.
The regiment has the rare distinction of having fought on the side of both Parliament
Parliament of England
The Parliament of England was the legislature of the Kingdom of England. In 1066, William of Normandy introduced a feudal system, by which he sought the advice of a council of tenants-in-chief and ecclesiastics before making laws...
and the Royalists
Cavalier
Cavalier was the name used by Parliamentarians for a Royalist supporter of King Charles I and son Charles II during the English Civil War, the Interregnum, and the Restoration...
during the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
1642 to 1649.
In 1658 the Company moved from the site it had occupied at the Old Artillery Ground
Old Artillery Ground
The Old Artillery Ground is an area of land in Spitalfields, London formerly designated one of the Liberties of the Tower of London and Crown Land....
in Spitalfields
Spitalfields
Spitalfields is a former parish in the borough of Tower Hamlets, in the East End of London, near to Liverpool Street station and Brick Lane. The area straddles Commercial Street and is home to many markets, including the historic Old Spitalfields Market, founded in the 17th century, Sunday...
to the current site south of Bunhill Fields
Bunhill Fields
Bunhill Fields is a cemetery in the London Borough of Islington, north of the City of London, and managed by the City of London Corporation. It is about 4 hectares in extent, although historically was much larger....
Burial Ground on City Road. It was here on the New Artillery Gardens that on the 28th of October 1664 the body of men that would become The Royal Marines
Royal Marines
The Corps of Her Majesty's Royal Marines, commonly just referred to as the Royal Marines , are the marine corps and amphibious infantry of the United Kingdom and, along with the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, form the Naval Service...
was first formed. James (later James II
James II of England
James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
), the Duke of York and Albany, Lord High Admiral and brother of King Charles II, was Captain-General of Honourable Artillery Company at the time.
Until 1780 captains of the HAC trained the officers of the London Trained Bands
Trainband
Trainbands were companies of militia in England or the Americas, first organized in the 16th century and dissolved in the 18th. The term was used after this time to describe the London militia. In the early American colonies the trainband was the most basic tactical unit. However, no standard...
.
The Company served in Broadgate during the Gordon Riots
Gordon Riots
The Gordon Riots of 1780 were an anti-Catholic protest against the Papists Act 1778.The Popery Act 1698 had imposed a number of penalties and disabilities on Roman Catholics in England; the 1778 act eliminated some of these. An initial peaceful protest led on to widespread rioting and looting and...
of 1780, and in gratitude for its role in restoring order to the City, the Corporation of London presented "two brass field-pieces", which led to the creation of an HAC Artillery Division. (These guns are on display in the entrance hall of Armoury House.)
In 1860, control of the Company moved from the Home Office
Home Office
The Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for immigration control, security, and order. As such it is responsible for the police, UK Border Agency, and the Security Service . It is also in charge of government policy on security-related issues such as drugs,...
to the War Office
War Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
and in 1889 a Royal Warrant
Royal Warrant
Royal warrants of appointment have been issued for centuries to those who supply goods or services to a royal court or certain royal personages. The warrant enables the supplier to advertise the fact that they supply to the royal family, so lending prestige to the supplier...
gave the Secretary of State for War
Secretary of State for War
The position of Secretary of State for War, commonly called War Secretary, was a British cabinet-level position, first held by Henry Dundas . In 1801 the post became that of Secretary of State for War and the Colonies. The position was re-instated in 1854...
control of the Company’s military affairs. In 1883 Queen Victoria decreed that the HAC took precedence next after the Regular Forces and therefore before the Militia and Yeomanry in consideration of its antiquity.
South Africa 1900–02
Members of the Company first served as a formed unit overseas in the South African War (1899–1902). Almost two hundred members served; the majority in the City Imperial Volunteers (CIV) as infantry, mounted infantry and in a Field Battery that was officered, and for the most part manned, by members of the Company.Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907
In 1907, the Company became part of the newly formed Territorial Force with the passing of the Territorial and Reserve Forces ActTerritorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907
The Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reformed the auxiliary forces of the British Army by transferring existing Volunteer and Yeomanry units into a new Territorial Force ; and disbanding the Militia to form a new Special Reserve of the...
. The HAC Infantry was due to become part of the newly formed London Regiment
London Regiment
The London Regiment is a Territorial Army regiment in the British Army. It was first formed in 1908 in order to regiment the various Volunteer Force battalions in the newly formed County of London, each battalion having a distinctive uniform. The Volunteer Force was merged with the Yeomanry in 1908...
as the "26th (County of London) Battalion", but instead managed to retain its own identity as the Honourable Artillery Company Infantry Battalion. The HAC also had its property and privileges protected by the Honourable Artillery Company Act 1908.
First World War
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
s and seven artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
batteries
Artillery battery
In military organizations, an artillery battery is a unit of guns, mortars, rockets or missiles so grouped in order to facilitate better battlefield communication and command and control, as well as to provide dispersion for its constituent gunnery crews and their systems...
were raised for service during the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Elements of an HAC Infantry Battalion was used to help quell the Étaples Mutiny
Étaples Mutiny
The Étaples Mutiny was a mutiny by British troops in France in 1917, during the First World War.-Background:Étaples, about south of Boulogne-sur-Mer, was at the time a small town with a thriving fishing industry and a fleet of sail powered wooden trawlers, a few miles up the river Canche...
. The 2nd Bn HAC fought in the Italian Campaign under the command of the then Lt Col Richard O’Connor and in the Battle of Vittorio Veneto
Battle of Vittorio Veneto
The Battle of Vittorio Veneto was fought between 24 October and 3 November 1918, near Vittorio Veneto, during the Italian Campaign of World War I...
in 1918 led a force of Italians, Americans and British compelling the garrison of the strategic island of Papadopoli in the main channel to surrender. For this remarkable feat of arms the HAC was awarded two Distinguished Service Orders, five Military Crosses, three Distinguished Conduct Medals and 29 Military Medals. B Battery of the Honourable Artillery Company fought in the recapture of Sheik Othman (key to the water supply to Aden) from the Turks as part of the Aden campaign.
Two 2nd Lieutenants of the 1st Battalion, Reginald Leonard Haine
Reginald Leonard Haine
Lieutenant Colonel Reginald Leonard Haine VC MC & Bar 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.Haine was 20 years old, and a second lieutenant in the 1st...
and Alfred Oliver Pollard
Alfred Oliver Pollard
Alfred Oliver Pollard VC, MC & Bar, DCM 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...
, were awarded Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The 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....
es for their actions at Gavrelle
Gavrelle
Gavrelle is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Geography:A farming village situated northeast of Arras, at the junction of the N50 and the D33 roads...
in 1917. The Company suffered 1,600 killed.
Second World War
In 1939 the Infantry Battalion became an Officer Cadet Training Unit, leading to 3,800 commissions, while four regiments of artillery were provided.The 11th and 12th HAC Regiments 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...
served in North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
and in Italy and in 1942 were re-equipped with M7 Priest
M7 Priest
The 105 mm Howitzer Motor Carriage M7 was an American self-propelled artillery vehicle produced during World War II. It was given the official service name 105 mm Self Propelled Gun, Priest by the British Army, due to the pulpit-like machine gun ring, and following on from the Bishop and...
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....
s. The 13th HAC Regiment of Royal Horse Artillery (equipped with Sexton
Sexton (artillery)
The 25pdr SP, tracked, Sexton was a self-propelled artillery vehicle of World War II, based on an American tank hull design, built by Canada for the British Army, and associated Commonwealth forces, and some of the other Allies....
self propelled guns) fought in Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
and the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
and across the Rhine
Operation Plunder
Commencing on the night of 23 March 1945 during World War II, Operation Plunder was the crossing of the River Rhine at Rees, Wesel, and south of the Lippe River by the British 2nd Army, under Lieutenant-General Sir Miles Dempsey , and the U.S. Ninth Army , under Lieutenant General William Simpson...
into Germany as part of 11th Armoured Division. The Company also provided a Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment and two Heavy Anti-Aircraft Batteries. Over seven hundred members of the Company lost their lives during the Second World War.
Post-War
In 1947 the Company was reorganised into:- an Infantry Battalion
- a Royal Horse Artillery Regiment of self-propelled Artillery
- a regiment of mobile heavy Anti-Aircraft Artillery (disbanded 1955)
- a Locating Battery (disbanded 1961)
In 1973 the Regiment was again reorganised and given the role of providing 'Stay Behind' Observation Posts (OPs)
Stay-behind
In a stay-behind operation, a country places secret operatives or organisations in its own territory, for use in the event that the territory is overrun by an enemy. If this occurs, the operatives would then form the basis of a resistance movement, or would act as spies from behind enemy lines...
for the British Army of the Rhine
British Army of the Rhine
There have been two formations named British Army of the Rhine . Both were originally occupation forces in Germany, one after the First World War, and the other after the Second World War.-1919–1929:...
as one of the three TA units making up the Corps Patrol Unit (with 21
Artists' Rifles
The Artists Rifles is a volunteer regiment of the British Army. Raised in London in 1859 as a volunteer light infantry unit, the regiment saw active service during the Boer Wars and World War I, earning a number of battle honours; however, it did not serve outside of Britain during World War II, as...
and 23 SAS
Special Air Service
Special Air Service or SAS is a corps of the British Army constituted on 31 May 1950. They are part of the United Kingdom Special Forces and have served as a model for the special forces of many other countries all over the world...
), the new structure was:
- Three patrol squadrons (1, 2 & 3), a fourth patrol squadron was formed for a short period in the 1980s
- HQ Squadron, including Training Wing
- The Gun Troop (a battery of 6 25 pounderOrdnance QF 25 pounderThe Ordnance QF 25 pounder, or more simply, 25-pounder or 25-pdr, was introduced into service just before World War II, during which it served as the major British field gun/howitzer. It was considered by many to be the best field artillery piece of the war, combining high rates of fire with a...
guns and not part of the OP role) - Band
- Corps of DrumsCorps of DrumsA Corps of Drums is a type of military band, which originated in European armies in the 16th century. The main instruments of a Corps of Drums are the drum and the flute or fife. Unlike 'full' military marching bands, Corps of Drums exist within an infantry battalion. A Drum major is the leader of...
In 1992 the signals troops that had been integrated into the patrol squadrons were brought together to form the Signal Squadron, they were subsequently re-integrated with the patrol squadrons in 2010.
Also in 1992, on Salisbury Plain
Salisbury Plain
Salisbury Plain is a chalk plateau in central southern England covering . It is part of the Southern England Chalk Formation and largely lies within the county of Wiltshire, with a little in Hampshire. The plain is famous for its rich archaeology, including Stonehenge, one of England's best known...
, the HAC was the last British Army unit to fire the twenty-five pounder
Ordnance QF 25 pounder
The Ordnance QF 25 pounder, or more simply, 25-pounder or 25-pdr, was introduced into service just before World War II, during which it served as the major British field gun/howitzer. It was considered by many to be the best field artillery piece of the war, combining high rates of fire with a...
in the field, as the Gun Troop retrained onto the 105mm Light Gun. The 25 pounder continued to be fired ceremonially until replaced by the Light Gun.
In 1996 the first formed unit of the Regiment to be mobilised for active service since the second world war was called up for service on Op Resolute with the NATO IFOR
IFOR
The Implementation Force was a NATO-led multinational peacekeeping force in Bosnia and Herzegovina under a one-year mandate from 20 December 1995 to 20 December 1996 under the codename Operation Joint Endeavour. Its task was to implement the military Annexes of The General Framework Agreement for...
in Bosnia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia 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...
. Since this time the Regiment has always had soldiers on operational service overseas.
The Regiment participated in the celebration of HM The Queen's Golden Jubilee on 4 June 2002 by firing a 62 gun salute at HM Tower of London, and by providing a Guard of Honour (including the Regimental Band and the Massed Corps of Drums of the 1st Bn Grenadier Guards and the HAC) at St Paul's Cathedral. In December of that year the Captain General visited and dined with the company to commemorate her Golden Jubilee as Captain General.
In 2005 the guns were withdrawn from Gun Troop and the Troop was renamed Liaison Troop (L Tp) with the role of providing liaison officer parties. The majority of L Tp deployed to Iraq over winter 2006/7. The ceremonial Light Guns were retained by the Regiment to fire salutes at the Tower of London.
In 2006 the HAC was the first major unit of the Territorial Army to convert to the Bowman
Bowman (communications system)
Bowman is the name of the tactical communications system used by the British Armed Forces.The Bowman C4I system consists of a range of HF radio, VHF radio and UHF radio sets designed to provide secure integrated voice, data services to dismounted soldiers, individual vehicles and command HQs up to...
communications system. When Bowman was withdrawn from the Territorial Army in 2008/9 it was one of the few units to retain the equipment.
In 2007 one of the patrol squadrons (3 Sqn) was redesignated as the Training Squadron and took on the role of Regiment's Training Wing.
Current role and organisation
Role
The HAC Regiment is a unit of the Territorial Army based just north of the City of LondonCity of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
providing the British Army with its only dedicated Surveillance and Target Acquisition patrol regiment—operating small covert reconnaissance patrols gathering intelligence and target information. The regiment includes a dedicated long-range communications capability. In recent years its role has expanded to include liaison tasks. It is assigned to the Headquarters Allied Command Europe Rapid Reaction Corps
Headquarters Allied Command Europe Rapid Reaction Corps
The Headquarters Allied Rapid Reaction Corps, is a North Atlantic Treaty Organisation High Readiness Force Headquarters ready for deployment worldwide within five to thirty days.-History:...
.
The HAC has a ceremonial role in providing guards of honour at the Guildhall
Guildhall, London
The Guildhall is a building in the City of London, off Gresham and Basinghall streets, in the wards of Bassishaw and Cheap. It has been used as a town hall for several hundred years, and is still the ceremonial and administrative centre of the City of London and its Corporation...
in the City of London during state visits, and since 1924 (when the Royal Artillery ceased to be stationed at the Tower) has provided the saluting battery at the Tower of London
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
for state occasions.
In peacetime, the HAC is under the operational command of London District, however it would form part of 1 Artillery Brigade on mobilisation as a Regiment. Unlike most TA units, who are only required to train at up to sub-unit (company or squadron) level, the HAC is required to train as a regiment.
Although the HAC is operationally an Artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
regiment, it is not part of the Royal Regiment of Artillery; being a separate Regiment with its own uniform, insignia and colours. The HAC's regular Army counterparts are 4/73 (Sphinx) Special Observation Post Battery RA
4/73 (Sphinx) Special Observation Post Battery RA
4/73 Battery is a battery of 5th Regiment Royal Artillery in the Royal Artillery. It currently serves in the Surveillance and Target Acquisition Patrols role.-Origins of 4/73 Bty RA:...
from 5th Regiment Royal Artillery
5th Regiment Royal Artillery
5th Regiment Royal Artillery is a regiment of the Royal Artillery in the British Army. It currently serves in the Surveillance and Target Acquisition role equipped with various weapon locating equipment using radars and acoustic sound ranging, it also provides Special Observation Post...
. This battery would, in the event of full mobilisation of the HAC, form the Regiment's fourth patrol squadron. The HAC's Permanent Staff Instructor
Permanent Staff Instructor
A permanent staff instructor is a warrant officer class 2 , or senior non-commissioned officer , of the Regular British Army who has been selected to instruct Territorial Army soldiers...
s are drawn from across the British Armed Forces.
Due to the demanding requirements of their role the HAC is privileged to be one of only a small number of TA units with responsibility for the carrying out the Phase 1 and 2 training of its own recruits 'in house' rather than sending them to Regional Training Centre
Regional Training Centre
Regional Training Centres were created from the previously existing Specialist Training Teams to provide training for the United Kingdom Territorial Army...
s and Army Training Regiments.
Operations
The Regiment has had individuals or sub-units on active service at all times since 1996 in a wide variety of roles in Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan. Commitments included the deployment of patrols to Bosnia, Kosovo and Iraq; and independent sub-units to Operation TelicOperation Telic
Operation TELIC was the codename under which all British military operations in Iraq were conducted between the start of the Invasion of Iraq on 19 March 2003 and the withdrawal of the last remaining British forces on 22 May 2011...
4 and 5 in Iraq and L Troop to Operation Telic 9 in addition to individual and group reinforcements to other infantry and artillery units. In recent times the rate of deployment, generally in groups of 10, has speeded up dramatically. These groups are divided between operating and maintaining anti-mortar systems and other high technology equipment and forming part of the Brigade Reconnaissance Force (BRF).
On Tuesday 4 December 2007, Trooper Jack Sadler who was serving with the BRF was killed when his vehicle was hit by a blast north of Sangin, in Helmand province. Two other soldiers were injured in the attack. In 2008 the Runner-Up for the Cobra Trophy for Volunteer Reservist of the year was Trooper Adam Cocks of 2 Squadron HAC, who was severely injured in Afghanistan when his vehicle struck a mine. While recuperating at Headley Court rehabilitation centre he and a friend came up with the idea of a rugby match at Twickenham
Twickenham Stadium
Twickenham Stadium is a stadium located in Twickenham, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is the largest rugby union stadium in the United Kingdom and has recently been enlarged to seat 82,000...
to help to raise money for the charity Help for Heroes
Help for Heroes
Help for Heroes is a British charity launched on 1 October 2007 to help provide better facilities for British servicemen and women wounded since September 11, 2001. It was founded by Bryn Parry OBE and his wife Emma Parry OBE after they visited soldiers at Selly Oak Hospital in Birmingham...
.
Organisation
The sub units of the HAC are:- Headquarters Squadron.
- The Corps of DrumsCorps of DrumsA Corps of Drums is a type of military band, which originated in European armies in the 16th century. The main instruments of a Corps of Drums are the drum and the flute or fife. Unlike 'full' military marching bands, Corps of Drums exist within an infantry battalion. A Drum major is the leader of...
. Inherited from the infantry battalion and still wearing the grenade beret badge, Foot GuardsFoot Guards-British Army:The Foot Guards are the Regular Infantry regiments of the Household Division of the British Army. There have been six regiments of foot guards, five of which still exist. The Royal Guards Reserve Regiment was a reserve formation of the Household Brigade in existence from 1900-1901...
beltStable beltA stable belt is an item of uniform used in the armed forces of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries. Stable belts or similar derivatives are also worn by the armed forced of other nations such as Denmark....
, beret badge backing and tactical recognition flashTactical recognition flash100px|thumb|Red and blue tactical recognition flash of the [[Royal Artillery]].A Tactical Recognition Flash is a coloured patch worn on the arm of combat clothing by members of the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force to distinguish their Regiment or Corps in the absence of a cap badge. It...
. As with an infantry battalion corps of drums, the drummers are 'soldiers first' and regularly deploy soldiers on operations as well as fulfilling their ceremonial role. The Corps of Drums form part of HQ Squadron and are a separate entity from the Band who are primarily musicians.
- The Corps of Drums
- Patrol Squadrons. The three Patrol Squadrons provide the manpower for the Surveillance and Target Acquisition patrols. Each patrol comprises four to six soldiers.
- The Band.
Soldier ranks
The non commissioned ranks of the HAC are as follows- Trooper
- Lance Corporal
- Lance Sergeant
- Sergeant
- Colour Sergeant
- Warrant Officer Class 2
- Warrant Officer Class 1 (there are no TA WO1 posts in the HAC, however HAC soldiers can achieve this rank on Extra Regimental Employment)
Dress
In 1830, King William IV ordered that the uniform of the HAC should be based on that of the Grenadier GuardsGrenadier Guards
The Grenadier Guards is an infantry regiment of the British Army. It is the most senior regiment of the Guards Division and, as such, is the most senior regiment of infantry. It is not, however, the most senior regiment of the Army, this position being attributed to the Life Guards...
, except that where the Grenadiers wear gold, the HAC were to wear silver. This tradition is continued today by the wearing of the silver coloured grenade in the forage cap similar to the brass one of the Grenadiers, and the buttons and lace on HAC dress uniforms being silver coloured instead of gold. The Corps of Drums wear the Household Division's blue red blue TRF
Tactical recognition flash
100px|thumb|Red and blue tactical recognition flash of the [[Royal Artillery]].A Tactical Recognition Flash is a coloured patch worn on the arm of combat clothing by members of the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force to distinguish their Regiment or Corps in the absence of a cap badge. It...
.
Berets
The HAC wear the same khakiKhaki
This article is about the fabric. For the color, see Khaki . Kaki, another name for the persimmon, is often misspelled "Khaki".Khaki is a type of fabric or the color of such fabric...
beret
Beret
A beret is a soft, round, flat-crowned hat, designated a "cap", usually of woven, hand-knitted wool, crocheted cotton, or wool felt, or acrylic fiber....
as the Footguards, but with the HAC's own cap badge
Cap badge
A 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...
("short arms") in white metal on a black backing. Officers and Warrant Officers wear an embroidered cloth version of the same badge. The Corps of Drums and Regimental Band wear the HAC infantry grenade on a blue red blue backing which is superficially identical to that of the Grenadier Guards
Grenadier Guards
The Grenadier Guards is an infantry regiment of the British Army. It is the most senior regiment of the Guards Division and, as such, is the most senior regiment of infantry. It is not, however, the most senior regiment of the Army, this position being attributed to the Life Guards...
.
From July 2008 members of 4/73 (Sphinx) Special OP Battery, the HAC's regular 'sister' unit adopted the khaki beret to mark their close working relationship.
Other headdress
On the forage cap, the HAC infantry grenade (white metal) is worn by junior ranks of all subunits of the regiment. Sergeants and Warrant Officers wear a different version of the grenade which has the letters HAC in brass on the ball of the grenade.Officers wear an embroidered silver grenade on their forage caps in No 1 Dress (Infantry) and on the Service Dress forage cap but when in No 1 Dress (Gunner) they wear the HAC Artillery cap badge. The latter is similar to that of the Royal Artillery but with "HAC" and "Arma Pacis Fulcra" replacing "Ubique" and "Quo Fas et Gloria Ducunt".
In Full Dress (normally only worn by the Band and Corps of Drums) the Bearskin is worn without a plume.
Badges of rank
Officers' crowns and stars are of the same pattern as those of the Grenadiers (Order of the Garter), woven for combat uniforms but in silver for Service and Barrack Dress.
Stable belts
Each Squadron wears a different stable beltStable belt
A stable belt is an item of uniform used in the armed forces of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries. Stable belts or similar derivatives are also worn by the armed forced of other nations such as Denmark....
:
- HQ Sqn and Band – red and blue edged with narrow yellow stripes
- 1 Sqn – red
- 2 Sqn – green (Identical to that worn by The RiflesThe RiflesThe Rifles is the largest regiment of the British Army. Formed in 2007, it consists of five regular and two territorial battalions, plus a number of companies in other TA battalions, Each battalion of the Rifles was formerly an individual battalion of one of the two large regiments of the Light...
) - 3 Sqn – blue
- L troop – blue with a narrow yellow stripe (Identical to that worn by the Royal Horse ArtilleryRoyal Horse ArtilleryThe regiments of the Royal Horse Artillery , dating from 1793, are part of the Royal Regiment of Artillery of the British Army...
) - Corps of Drums – blue red blue (Identical to that worn by the Foot Guards)
Other distinctions
Volunteer Decoration
The Volunteer Officers' Decoration was created by Royal Warrant under command of Queen Victoria on 25 July 1892 to reward 'efficient and capable' officers of the Volunteer Force who had served for twenty years...
and Volunteer Long Service Medal. The ribbon, based on the King's racing colours, is red and blue edged with narrow yellow stripes. This ribbon has been carried forward to subsequent Territorial long service medals awarded to HAC members.
Each year the Captain General awards a prize to the member of the Regiment who is deemed to have made an outstanding contribution to the Regiment. Holders of this prize, known as the King's or Queen's Prize wear a badge incorporating the Captain General's cypher and the year of award on Numbers 1, 2 and 10 (Mess) Dress.
B Battery HAC supported the 10th Hussars during the Second World War and in 1972 the Captain General approved the Battery wearing a 10th Hussar button as the top button on Numbers 1,2 and 10 dress. This privilege is carried on by 2 Sqn following the 1973 re-organisation.
The Regiment's soldiers, with the exception of the Corps of Drums, do not wear TRFs even when its members are attached to other units.
Coat of Arms
The coat of arms of the company is a Shield of Arms, helm, mantling and crest with as supporters a Pikeman and a Musketeer and the motto 'Arma Pacis Fulcra', Unlike other regiments of the British Army the HAC is incorporated and is therefore eligible to bear and use a Coat of arms. It is believed to date from circa 1615 and the coat of arms appears on a military manual published in 1629.Battle honours
- South Africa 1900-02.
- The Great War (3 Bns and 7 Btys): Ypres 1915 '17, Somme 1916 '18Somme 1918 (Battle honour)Somme 1918 was a battle honour awarded to units of the British and Imperial Armies that took part in one or more of the following engagements in the Great War:*First Battle of the Somme , 21 Mar–5 Apr 1918...
, Ancre Heights, Ancre 1916, Arras 1917 '18, Scarpe 1917 '18Battle of the Scarpe (1918)The Battle of the Scarpe was a World War I battle that took place during the Hundred Days Offensive between 26 and 30 August 1918.-26 August:The Canadian Corps advanced over 5 kilometers and captured the towns of Monchy-le-Preux and Wancourt.Lt...
, ArleuxArleuxArleux is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.-Heraldry:-References:*...
, BullecourtBullecourtBullecourt is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region in France.-Geography:Bullecourt lies on the Upper Cretaceous plain of Artois between Arras and Bapaume and east of the A1 motorway. This shows Bullecourt just north of centre. Quéant is the larger of the two...
, Pilckem, Polygon Wood, BroodseindeBattle of BroodseindeThe Battle of Broodseinde was the most successful attack of the Battle of Passchendaele. Using the "bite and hold" tactic , the Allied forces conducted an attack on well-entrenched German forces and showed that it was possible for the allies to overcome even the stoutest German...
, PoelcappelleBattle of PoelcappelleThe Battle of Poelcappelle marked the end of highly successful British attacks during the Battle of Passchendaele. Pitting the attacking forces against relatively intact German defences in rain and muddy conditions like those in August, the main attack was a failure and only the diversionary attack...
, Passchendaele, Amiens, Albert 1918Battle of Albert (1918)Battle of Albert was the third battle by that name fought during World War I, following the First Battle of Albert, and the Second Battle of Albert, with each of the series of three being fought roughly two years apart...
, Bapaume 1918, Drocourt-QuéantDrocourt-QuéantThe Drocourt-Quéant Line was a set of mutually supporting defensive lines constructed by Germany between the French cities of Drocourt and Quéant during World War I...
, Hindenburg LineHindenburg LineThe Hindenburg Line was a vast system of defences in northeastern France during World War I. It was constructed by the Germans during the winter of 1916–17. The line stretched from Lens to beyond Verdun...
, ÉpèhyÉpehyÉpehy is a commune in the Somme department in Picardie in northern France.-Geography:Épehy is situated in the northeast of the department, on the D24 and D58 roads some north-northwest of Saint Quentin.-Population:-External links:* * * *...
, St. Quentin Canal, Cambrai 1918, SelleSelleFor the composer, see Thomas SelleThe Selle is a river of Picardie, France. Rising at Catheux, just north of Crèvecœur-le-Grand, Oise, it flows past Conty, Saleux, Salouël and Pont-de-Metz before joining the Somme River at Amiens.In many places along its course, the river widens to form or fill...
, SambreBattle of the Sambre (1918)The Second Battle of the Sambre was part of the final European Allied offensives of World War I.-Background:...
, France and Flanders 1914–18, PiaveBattle of the Piave RiverThe Battle of the Piave River , known in Italy as Battaglia del Solstizio , Battaglia di Mezzo Giugno , or Seconda Battaglia del Piave , was a decisive victory for the Italian Army during World War...
, Vittorio VenetoVittorio VenetoVittorio Veneto is a city and comune situated in the Province of Treviso, in the region of Veneto, Italy, in the northeast of the Italian peninsula, between the Piave and the Livenza rivers.-Geography:...
, Italy 1917–18, RafahBattle of RafaThe Battle of Rafa took place on 9 January 1917 at el Magruntein to the south of Rafa, close to the frontier between the Sultanate of Egypt's Sinai Peninsula and the Ottoman Empire, and in the area to the north and east of Sheikh Zowaiid...
, Egypt 1915–17Sinai and Palestine CampaignThe Sinai and Palestine Campaigns took place in the Middle Eastern Theatre of World War I. A series of battles were fought between British Empire, German Empire and Ottoman Empire forces from 26 January 1915 to 31 October 1918, when the Armistice of Mudros was signed between the Ottoman Empire and...
, GazaThird Battle of GazaThe Third Battle of Gaza was fought in 1917 in southern Palestine during the First World War. The British Empire forces under the command of General Edmund Allenby successfully broke the Ottoman defensive Gaza-Beersheba line...
, El MugharBattle of Mughar RidgeThe Battle of El Mughar Ridge , took place on 13 November 1917 during the Sinai and Palestine Campaign of the First World War...
, JerusalemBattle of Jerusalem (1917)The Battle of Jerusalem developed from 17 November with fighting continuing until 30 December 1917 during the Sinai and Palestine Campaign of World War I...
, JordanArab RevoltThe Arab Revolt was initiated by the Sherif Hussein bin Ali with the aim of securing independence from the ruling Ottoman Turks and creating a single unified Arab state spanning from Aleppo in Syria to Aden in Yemen.- Background :...
, MegiddoBattle of Megiddo (1918)The Battle of Megiddo took place between 19 September and 1 October 1918, in what was then the northern part of Ottoman Palestine and parts of present-day Syria and Jordan...
, SharonSharonSharon can be a female name which can be spelled with one "r" or two . It also refers to several places in the world.It derives from a Israelite place name meaning "forest" in Hebrew, referring to a fertile plain near the coast of Israel. This gives its name to a type of flowering shrub, the rose...
, DamascusDamascusDamascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
, Palestine 1917-18, AdenSouth Arabia during World War IThe campaign in South Arabia during World War I was a minor struggle for control of the port city of Aden, an important way station for ships on their way from Asia to the Suez Canal. The British Empire declared war on the Ottoman Empire on 5 November 1914, and the Ottomans responded with their own...
. - The Second World War: Bourguébus RidgeOperation GoodwoodOperation Goodwood was an attack launched on 18 July 1944, during the Second World War, by the British army to the east of the city of Caen...
, Antwerp, Le HavreLe HavreLe Havre is a city in the Seine-Maritime department of the Haute-Normandie region in France. It is situated in north-western France, on the right bank of the mouth of the river Seine on the English Channel. Le Havre is the most populous commune in the Haute-Normandie region, although the total...
, RhineOperation PlunderCommencing on the night of 23 March 1945 during World War II, Operation Plunder was the crossing of the River Rhine at Rees, Wesel, and south of the Lippe River by the British 2nd Army, under Lieutenant-General Sir Miles Dempsey , and the U.S. Ninth Army , under Lieutenant General William Simpson...
, North-West Europe 1944–45, KnightsbridgeBattle of GazalaThe Battle of Gazala was an important battle of the Second World War Western Desert Campaign, fought around the port of Tobruk in Libya from 26 May-21 June 1942...
, El AlameinSecond Battle of El AlameinThe Second Battle of El Alamein marked a major turning point in the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War. The battle took place over 20 days from 23 October – 11 November 1942. The First Battle of El Alamein had stalled the Axis advance. Thereafter, Lieutenant-General Bernard Montgomery...
, El HammaEl HammaEl Hamma is an oasis town located in the Gabès Governorate, 30 kilometers west of Gabès, Tunisia. Its population in 2004 was 34,835....
, SbibaSbibaSbiba is a city in the province of Kasserine. It is the site of the ancient city of Sufes. It is famous of its apples and tomatoes....
, Thala, TunisTunisTunis is the capital of both the Tunisian Republic and the Tunis Governorate. It is Tunisia's largest city, with a population of 728,453 as of 2004; the greater metropolitan area holds some 2,412,500 inhabitants....
, North Africa 1941–43, Sicily 1943, Cassino IIBattle of Monte CassinoThe Battle of Monte Cassino was a costly series of four battles during World War II, fought by the Allies against Germans and Italians with the intention of breaking through the Winter Line and seizing Rome.In the beginning of 1944, the western half of the Winter Line was being anchored by Germans...
, CorianoCorianoCoriano is a comune in the province of Rimini. This town is known for being the city of the Motorcycle World Champion, in 250cc class, Marco Simoncelli.- History :Coriano's origins are ancient: it was an Umbrian, Etruscan and Roman colony...
, SenioSenioThe Senio is a 92 km river of Romagna in Italy, the final right-sided tributary of the river Reno. The mean discharge at its mouth is about 10 m³/s; however this can vary from a minimum of 0.3 m³/s to a maximum of 500 m³/s....
, Italy 1944–45.
The battle honours listed were awarded for services of both infantry and artillery units of the HAC. Those in bold are borne on the Colours.
Colours
The HAC is unique within the British Army in having two types of Colours. The HAC has its ceremonial Guns (which are considered Colours in Artillery regiments) but also carries a stand of traditional Colours of the Infantry. These Colours follow the pattern of line infantry regiments: the Queen's Colour being a version of the Union Flag, the Regimental Colour being blue with the HAC Coat of Arms in the centre.The last 4 occasions that new Colours have been presented to the Regiment were in 1928 by Edward, Prince of Wales (later Edward VIII), and in 1955, 1980 and on 18 May 2007 by HM Queen Elizabeth II, the regiment's Captain General.
The 1928 Colours are now on display in the Medal Room at Armoury House.
Squadron Affiliations
Each of 1, 2 and 3 Squadrons is affiliated to several of the historic sub-units of the HAC and carries on their traditions, hence 2 Squadron wearing the 10th Hussar Button. For example:- 1 Squadron is affiliated to A Battery, No 1 Company and the Grenadier Company
- 2 Squadron is affiliated to B Battery, No 3 Company, No 4 Company and the Yager Company.
- 3 Squadron is affiliated to 2nd Regiment HAC, C Battery, G Locating Battery, Headquarters, Support and Light Companies.
City of London Police Special Constabulary
In 1919, following a decision to increase the strength of the Metropolitan PoliceMetropolitan police
Metropolitan Police is a generic title for the municipal police force for a major metropolitan area, and it may be part of the official title of the force...
Reserve Force, the Home Secretary
Home Secretary
The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the Home Office of the United Kingdom, and one of the country's four Great Offices of State...
approached the HAC to form a Division of Special Constabulary. Some 150 members, mostly Great War veterans, rallied to the call and joined the Division, forming the HAC Detachment. At the outbreak of the Second World War the Detachment was integrated into G Division of the Metropolitan Police
Metropolitan police
Metropolitan Police is a generic title for the municipal police force for a major metropolitan area, and it may be part of the official title of the force...
and then later with Islington
Islington
Islington is a neighbourhood in Greater London, England and forms the central district of the London Borough of Islington. It is a district of Inner London, spanning from Islington High Street to Highbury Fields, encompassing the area around the busy Upper Street...
Division. Following reorganisation, the Detachment is now part of the City of London Police
City of London Police
The City of London Police is the territorial police force responsible for law enforcement within the City of London, England, including the Middle and Inner Temple. The service responsible for law enforcement within the rest of Greater London is the Metropolitan Police Service, a separate...
Special Constabulary, its administrative base is Armoury House.
In 2010 the Ferrers Trophy was awarded to Special Constable Patrick Rarden of the detachment for using his banking skills and experience to help train colleagues and provide invaluable assistance to solve fraud cases. The award is given annually to police volunteers for exceptional dedication and innovation.
The detachment retains the Detachment's unique identity by wearing the HAC Regimental Titles in addition to their Divisional identification. They are considered an 'Active' unit of the HAC as is the Regiment and continue the HAC's tradition of keeping order within the City of London.
"The Company"
As well as the Territorial Army Regiment and Specials (the "Active Units"), the HAC exists as a separate charitable organisation—often colloquially referred to as "The Company" or "The House". The Company owns Armoury House and the Regiment's current grounds and in addition to supporting the Active Unit it provides the basis for a very active social calendar.There are two distinct classes of member of the Company. The first, Regimental Members, are those who are currently serving or who have previously served in the HAC Regiment or Special Constabulary. The second, Members, must have served at least two years in Regular or three years in Volunteer units of the Crown or in the Police. Some members are people who have reached senior rank (for example Major General The Duke of Westminster
Gerald Grosvenor, 6th Duke of Westminster
Major-General Gerald Cavendish Grosvenor, 6th Duke of Westminster, , is the son of Robert George Grosvenor, 5th Duke of Westminster, and his wife Hon. Viola Maud Lyttelton. He is the owner of property company Grosvenor Group...
) and they provide some 17% of the overall membership of the Company.
Since 1633 the Company has been governed by a Court of Assistants
Court of Assistants
A Court of Assistants is a council of members belonging to professional, trade, craft or livery organisations. The term originated among the London Livery Companies, but may also be used by other trade associations...
, like many of the City Livery Companies. The first Annual General Court for which a record can be found was held in 1660. In the early part of the 17th Century the Court of Aldermen of the City of London appointed the chief officers and paid the professional soldiers who trained members of the Company. The Lord Mayor and Aldermen are honorary members of the Court of Assistants.
There are two civilian ceremonial organisations that are part of the HAC as distinct from the 'Active Units' of the Regiment and the Specials:
Pikemen and Musketeers
Light Cavalry
The Light CavalryLight cavalry
Light cavalry refers to lightly armed and lightly armored troops mounted on horses, as opposed to heavy cavalry, where the riders are heavily armored...
Troop (formed 1979, granted Royal Warrant 2004) is open to both Regimental and Non-Regimental members of the Company. They escort the Lady Mayoress, and particularly provide her ‘Travelling Escort’ at the Lord Mayor's Show
Lord Mayor's Show
The Lord Mayor's Show is one of the longest established and best known annual events in London which dates back to 1535. The Lord Mayor in question is that of the City of London, the historic centre of London that is now the metropolis's financial district, informally known as the Square Mile...
, both mounted and dismounted elements of the Light Cavalry also supply guards at polo
Polo
Polo is a team sport played on horseback in which the objective is to score goals against an opposing team. Sometimes called, "The Sport of Kings", it was highly popularized by the British. Players score by driving a small white plastic or wooden ball into the opposing team's goal using a...
matches at Smith’s Lawn Windsor during the summer months.
Site
From 1538 to 1658 the HAC occupied and trained at the Old Artillery GroundOld Artillery Ground
The Old Artillery Ground is an area of land in Spitalfields, London formerly designated one of the Liberties of the Tower of London and Crown Land....
in Spitalfields
Spitalfields
Spitalfields is a former parish in the borough of Tower Hamlets, in the East End of London, near to Liverpool Street station and Brick Lane. The area straddles Commercial Street and is home to many markets, including the historic Old Spitalfields Market, founded in the 17th century, Sunday...
on the site of the outer precinct of the dissolved Priory and Hospital of St Mary Spital. In 1658, following disputes over use of the Ground with the Gunners of the Tower, it moved to its current site south of the Bunhill Fields
Bunhill Fields
Bunhill Fields is a cemetery in the London Borough of Islington, north of the City of London, and managed by the City of London Corporation. It is about 4 hectares in extent, although historically was much larger....
Burial Ground continuing to the south as far as Chiswell St. This area is described in a map of the area of 1677 as the 'New Artillery Garden' and has variously been referred to as the Artillery Ground
Artillery Ground
The Artillery Ground in Finsbury is one of London's most centrally located cricket grounds, situated just off the City Road immediately north of the City of London...
and the Artillery Garden. This current site now falls in the London Borough of Islington
London Borough of Islington
The London Borough of Islington is a London borough in Inner London. It was formed in 1965 by merging the former metropolitan boroughs of Islington and Finsbury. The borough contains two Westminster parliamentary constituencies, Islington North and Islington South & Finsbury...
, and is just north of the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
, the main entrance being in City Road
City Road
City Road or The City Road is a road that runs through inner north and central London. The northwestern extremity of the road is at the Angel, Islington where it forms a continuation of Pentonville Road. Pentonville Road itself is the modern name for London's first bypass, the New Road from...
.
During the aftermath of the 7 July 2005 London bombings
7 July 2005 London bombings
The 7 July 2005 London bombings were a series of co-ordinated suicide attacks in the United Kingdom, targeting civilians using London's public transport system during the morning rush hour....
on the London transport system the Artillery Garden was used as a temporary mortuary.
Armoury House
Armoury House stands at the north of these grounds, and is the home of the HAC. It was built to replace a smaller 17th century armoury, the central portion being completed in 1735 to designs by Thomas Stibbs financed in part by a gift of £500 from King George I. Subscriptions were also received from members of the Company and from the Court of Lieutenancy for the City of London. The building cost £1,690, which included the price of the furniture.In 1802 a distinctive flag tower was added to the roof. The East and West Wings were built in 1828, replacing much smaller buildings on either side of Armoury House. A cottage, originally for the Sergeant Major, was built against the West Wing in 1850.
1862 saw the completion of a Victorian drill hall attached to the rear. The Albert Room, as it was called, featured an iron trussed roof and was named in honour of the then recently deceased Prince Albert.
In 1990 the hall was bombed by the Provisional IRA whilst a 21st birthday party was in progress
Finsbury Barracks
Finsbury Barracks is the TA Regiment's Headquarters and is leased by London RFCAReserve Forces and Cadets Association
Reserve Forces and Cadets Associations are regional civilian bodies comprising voluntary members and a small full time secretariat. They are established by statute to offer advice and support to the Defence Council on behalf of the Reserve Forces and Cadet Movement. In particular they are...
from the HAC itself. Completed in 1857, it was designed by the architect Joseph Jennings and built in Kentish Ragstone. An extension, faced in striped stone and granite, linking Finsbury Barracks to Armoury House was designed by Arnold & Boston and added in 1994. Finsbury Barracks was also refurbished in the same year and was re-opened by the Captain General in 1996.
The HAC Shooting Lodge / "Bisley Hut"
Built in 1928 on land leased from the National Rifle AssociationNational Rifle Association of the United Kingdom
The National Rifle Association of the United Kingdom is the governing body of full bore rifle and pistol shooting sports in the United Kingdom.- History :...
at Bisley and replacing the original hut on the site. The building was funded by donations, including some in memory of the fallen of the First World War. it is a two storey building with an oak-panelled dining room on the ground floor and sleeping accommodation on the first. In 2011 the HAC disposed of the Lodge and returned it to the National Rifle Association.
Pencelli Estate
In 1999 the Company acquired the Welsh Pencelli Estate near BreconBrecon
Brecon is a long-established market town and community in southern Powys, Mid Wales, with a population of 7,901. It was the county town of the historic county of Brecknockshire; although its role as such was eclipsed with the formation of Powys, it remains an important local centre...
as an area that could be used by the Regiment for military and adventurous training. The historic estate lies in the heart of the Brecon Beacons
Brecon Beacons
The Brecon Beacons is a mountain range in South Wales. In a narrow sense, the name refers to the range of popular peaks south of Brecon, including South Wales' highest mountain, Pen y Fan, and which together form the central section of the Brecon Beacons National Park...
National Park and comprises approximately 14,000 acres (57 km²) of hill land.
Notable members of the HAC
| Date Appointed |
Incumbent |
|---|---|
| 1657 | Major General Philip Skippon Philip Skippon Philip Skippon was an English soldier, who fought in the English Civil War.-To 1638:... |
| 1660 | James II James II of England James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland... |
| 1690 | William III William III of England William III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland... |
| 1702 | Prince George of Denmark and Norway, Duke of Cumberland |
| 1715 | George II George II of Great Britain George II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death.George was the last British monarch born outside Great Britain. He was born and brought up in Northern Germany... |
| 1760 | ??? |
| 1766 | George IV George IV of the United Kingdom George IV was the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and also of Hanover from the death of his father, George III, on 29 January 1820 until his own death ten years later... |
| 1830 | William IV William IV of the United Kingdom William IV was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of Hanover from 26 June 1830 until his death... |
| 1837 | Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex The Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex , was the sixth son of George III of the United Kingdom and his consort, Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. He was the only surviving son of George III who did not pursue an army or naval career.- Early life :His Royal Highness The Prince Augustus... |
| 1843 | Prince Albert, the Prince Consort |
| 24th Jul 1863 | Edward VII Edward VII of the United Kingdom Edward VII was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910... |
| 7 May 1910 | George V George V of the United Kingdom George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936.... |
| 1st Feb 1936 | Edward VIII Edward VIII of the United Kingdom Edward VIII was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth, and Emperor of India, from 20 January to 11 December 1936.Before his accession to the throne, Edward was Prince of Wales and Duke of Cornwall and Rothesay... |
| 10th Dec 1936 | George VI George VI of the United Kingdom George VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death... |
| 6th Feb 1952 | Elizabeth II Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,... |
Colonel Commandants
- Field Marshal Alan Brooke, 1st Viscount AlanbrookeAlan Brooke, 1st Viscount AlanbrookeField Marshal The Rt. Hon. Alan Francis Brooke, 1st Viscount Alanbrooke, KG, GCB, OM, GCVO, DSO & Bar , was a senior commander in the British Army. He was the Chief of the Imperial General Staff during the Second World War, and was promoted to Field Marshal in 1944...
- President and Colonel Commandant 1946–1954 - General Sir Richard TrantRichard TrantGeneral Sir Richard Brooking Trant, KCB, DL was an officer in the British Army. He was Land Deputy Commander in the Falklands War, and served as Quartermaster-General to the Forces from 1983 to 1986....
- GeneralGeneralA general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Sir Michael WilkesMichael WilkesGeneral Sir Michael John Wilkes KCB CBE KStJ is a former Adjutant-General to the Forces in the United Kingdom.-Military career:Educated at the King's School, Rochester, Michael Wilkes was commissioned in to the Royal Artillery in 1961. He served as Commanding Officer of 22 SAS and was appointed...
KCB CBE KStJVenerable Order of Saint JohnThe Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem , is a royal order of chivalry established in 1831 and found today throughout the Commonwealth of Nations, Hong Kong, Ireland and the United States of America, with the world-wide mission "to prevent and relieve sickness and... - GeneralGeneralA general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Sir Timothy Granville-ChapmanTimothy Granville-ChapmanGeneral Sir Timothy John Granville-Chapman, GBE, KCB, ADC Gen is a former Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff of the British Armed Forces. He presently holds the ceremonial position of Master Gunner, St James's Park.- Military career :...
, GBEOrder of the British EmpireThe Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, KCBOrder of the BathThe Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
, ADC GenAide-de-campAn aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state... - Lieutenant General Sir Barney White-SpunnerBarney White-SpunnerLieutenant General Sir Barnabas William Benjamin White-Spunner, KCB, CBE is the current Commander of the British Field Army.-Military career:Educated at Eton College and the University of St Andrews, Barney White-Spunner was commissioned into the Blues and Royals in 1979. He was appointed...
, KCBOrder of the BathThe Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
, CBEOrder of the British EmpireThe Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
Others
- Jock Airlie (Seton), Association Football Player
- Kevin Alderton, holder of the blind speed ski world record
- Bertram Archer GC OBE ERD**Bertram Stuart Trevelyan ArcherColonel Bertram Stuart Trevelyan Archer GC OBE ERD is the oldest living recipient of the George Cross, the highest British medal for gallantry not in the face of the enemy.-Award of George Cross:...
, awarded GC for work on bomb disposal in the war. Member of the HAC before joining Royal Engineers. - Air Vice-Marshal Sir Cecil Boucher KBE CB DFC started his service career as a trumpeter in the Honourable Artillery Company.
- Prince Rupert of the RhinePrince Rupert of the RhineRupert, Count Palatine of the Rhine, Duke of Bavaria, 1st Duke of Cumberland, 1st Earl of Holderness , commonly called Prince Rupert of the Rhine, KG, FRS was a noted soldier, admiral, scientist, sportsman, colonial governor and amateur artist during the 17th century...
- George Monck, 1st Duke of AlbemarleGeorge Monck, 1st Duke of AlbemarleGeorge Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle, KG was an English soldier and politician and a key figure in the restoration of Charles II.-Early life and career:...
- Gregory BarkerGregory BarkerGregory Leonard George "Greg" Barker is a British politician. A member of the Conservative Party, he currently serves as the Member of Parliament for Bexhill and Battle...
, MP - Robert Henry CainRobert Henry CainMajor Robert Henry Cain VC was a Manx recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces....
VC - Erskine ChildersRobert Erskine ChildersRobert Erskine Childers DSC , universally known as Erskine Childers, was the author of the influential novel Riddle of the Sands and an Irish nationalist who smuggled guns to Ireland in his sailing yacht Asgard. He was executed by the authorities of the nascent Irish Free State during the Irish...
, joined City Imperial Volunteers 1898, RN commission in 1914 - Patrick Delaforce, Military historian and suthor
- James Gray, MP
- Charles Greenwood, HAC before joining regular artillery, earned MC at Monte Cassino
- Reginald Leonard HaineReginald Leonard HaineLieutenant Colonel Reginald Leonard Haine VC MC & Bar 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.Haine was 20 years old, and a second lieutenant in the 1st...
VC, MC* - Sir Edward Heath KGEdward HeathSir Edward Richard George "Ted" Heath, KG, MBE, PC was a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and as Leader of the Conservative Party ....
, former Prime Minister - Adrian HillAdrian HillAdrian Hill was a British artist, author, pioneering Art Therapist, educator and broadcaster. He wrote many best-selling books about painting and drawing, and in the 1950s and early 1960s presented a BBC children's television program called Sketch Club.-Life and work:Adrian Keith Graham Hill was...
, Artist and author - Robert KeayneRobert KeayneRobert Keayne was a prominent public figure in 17th-century Boston, Massachusetts. He co-founded the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts; served as speaker of the House of the Massachusetts General Court; and worked as a tailor...
– founder of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of MassachusettsAncient and Honorable Artillery Company of MassachusettsThe Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts is the oldest chartered military organization in North America and the third oldest chartered military organization in the world... - Maj Gen Simon Lalor CB TD, Assistant Chief of the Defence Staff for Reserves and Cadets (UK's senior serving Reservist), 2007–2010
- John LaurieJohn LaurieJohn Paton Laurie was a British actor born in Dumfries, Scotland. Although he is now probably most recognised for his role as Private James Frazer in the sitcom Dad's Army , he appeared in hundreds of feature films, including films by Alfred Hitchcock, Michael Powell and Laurence Olivier...
, Shakespearean and TV actor. - Major David LiddellDavid LiddellMajor David Liddell, MC was a Scottish soldier, insurance broker and farmer.A British Army World War II commander awarded an immediate MC for his outstanding service in Italy while serving with the 12th Battalion Cameronians...
MC - Ronald Light, defendant in the Green Bicycle CaseGreen Bicycle CaseThe Green Bicycle Case involved the death of a young woman named Bella Wright in Little Stretton, near Leicester, England on 5 July 1919. Wright was killed by a bullet wound to the head. Earlier that evening she had been seen with a man on a green bicycle...
- Vincenzo LunardiVincenzo LunardiVicenzo Lunardi was born in Lucca, Italy. His family were of minor Neapolitan nobility, and his father had married late in life. Vicenzo was one of three children...
- Sir Clive MartinClive MartinSir Clive Martin, OBE, DL, TD, is a British businessman and a former Lord Mayor of London from 1999-2000.Martin was born in London and educated at Haileybury and the London College of Printing....
OBE TD DL, former Lord Mayor of the City of London - General Sir Richard O'ConnorRichard O'ConnorGeneral Sir Richard Nugent O'Connor KT, GCB, DSO & Bar, MC, ADC was a British Army general who commanded the Western Desert Force in the early years of World War II...
, KT, GCB, DSO, MC, ADC - Samuel PepysSamuel PepysSamuel Pepys FRS, MP, JP, was an English naval administrator and Member of Parliament who is now most famous for the diary he kept for a decade while still a relatively young man...
(1633–1703) – diarist - Alfred Oliver PollardAlfred Oliver PollardAlfred Oliver Pollard VC, MC & Bar, DCM 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...
VC, MC*, DCM - Kenneth PowellKenneth PowellKenneth Powell was a British athlete and tennis player who competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics and in the 1912 Summer Olympics....
, Olympic hurdler - Hugh Pritchard (Olympic biathlete 2002 games)
- David ReindorpDavid ReindorpDavid Reindorp is the current incumbent of Chelsea Old Church in London . Reindorp has also become a noted public speaker....
, Clergyman - Andrew SelousAndrew SelousAndrew Edmund Armstrong Selous is a Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom who has been the Member of Parliament for South West Bedfordshire since 2001.-Early life:...
MP (b.1962) - Lord Francis SeymourFrancis Seymour, 1st Baron Seymour of TrowbridgeFrancis Seymour, 1st Baron Seymour of Trowbridge was an English statesman, a Member of Parliament raised to the peerage by Charles I and a Royalist during the English Civil War....
- John TalbotJohn Talbot-Nobles:*John Talbot, 1st Earl of Shrewsbury , military commander in the Hundred Years' War*John Talbot, 2nd Earl of Shrewsbury *John Talbot, 1st Viscount Lisle *John Talbot, 3rd Earl of Shrewsbury...
, awarded the MC in Normandy in 1944. - Ian WaceIan WaceIan Gerald Patrick Wace is a British born financier, co-founder of Marshall Wace Asset Management, a London-based hedge fund.Marshall Wace is one of Europe's leading hedge fund institutions with circa $15 billion under management. Marshall Wace Asset Management manages the award winning Eureka...
, hedge fund manager and philanthropist. - Colonel Orde Wingate, son of Maj. Gen. Orde Wingate
- Basil Williams, historian
Affiliations
– Transvaal Horse ArtilleryTransvaal Horse Artillery
The Transvaal Horse Artillery is an artillery regiment of the South African Army. As a reserve unit, it has a status roughly equivalent to that of a British Territorial Army or United States Army National Guard unit...
– Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts
Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts
The Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts is the oldest chartered military organization in North America and the third oldest chartered military organization in the world...
Schools Affiliation
In 1995 six public schools (EtonEton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
, Harrow
Harrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
, Marlborough
Marlborough College
Marlborough College is a British co-educational independent school for day and boarding pupils, located in Marlborough, Wiltshire.Founded in 1843 for the education of the sons of Church of England clergy, the school now accepts both boys and girls of all beliefs. Currently there are just over 800...
, Radley
Radley College
Radley College , founded in 1847, is a British independent school for boys on the edge of the English village of Radley, near to the market town of Abingdon in Oxfordshire, and has become a well-established boarding school...
, Rugby
Rugby School
Rugby School is a co-educational day and boarding school located in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire, England. It is one of the oldest independent schools in Britain.-History:...
and Wellington
Wellington College, Berkshire
-Former pupils:Notable former pupils include historian P. J. Marshall, architect Sir Nicholas Grimshaw, impressionist Rory Bremner, Adolphus Cambridge, 1st Marquess of Cambridge, author Sebastian Faulks, language school pioneer John Haycraft, political journalist Robin Oakley, actor Sir Christopher...
) became affiliated to the Company. The rationale behind these affiliations is to facilitate communication with the schools and to inform students of the opportunities available to them within the HAC.
See also
- Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of MassachusettsAncient and Honorable Artillery Company of MassachusettsThe Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts is the oldest chartered military organization in North America and the third oldest chartered military organization in the world...
- Honourable Artillery Company MuseumHonourable Artillery Company MuseumThe Honourable Artillery Company Museum opened in 1987 in Armoury House, City Road, London EC1, England. It is associated with the Honourable Artillery Company, the oldest surviving regiment in the British Army....
- Transvaal Horse ArtilleryTransvaal Horse ArtilleryThe Transvaal Horse Artillery is an artillery regiment of the South African Army. As a reserve unit, it has a status roughly equivalent to that of a British Territorial Army or United States Army National Guard unit...
External links
- The Active Unit website
- The "Company" website
- The Light Cavalry HAC website
- The HAC Special Constabulary
- Pathe newsreel of the pikemen and musketeers circa 1958 (click the first photo to view the film)
- Pathe newsreel of the Queen presenting new colours in 1955. The final part of the clip demonstrates the unique regimental custom of toasting or cheering a member of the Company with "Regimental Fire".
- Territorial Army Near You Website showing the locations of currently serving TA units and subunits