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Before 1870, each Colony in Australia had become
responsible for the defence of their principal ports.
Towards the end of 1870 the last Imperial Garrison,
Royal Garrison Artillery, withdrew from New South Wales.
The New South Wales Government passed an Act, allowing
for the raising of the first Permanent Military Force in
Australia. On the first of August 1871, A Battery New
South Wales Artillery was formed, a unit which has
existed continuously ever since although under many
different designations.
On the same day the following appointments were made by
the Governor of New South Wales:
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John Soame Richardson to be
Lieutenant Colonel of the New South Wales Infantry
and also Commandant of the Permanent and Volunteer
Military Forces
-
George John Airey Lieutenant to
be the First Captain of the New South Wales
Artillery.
-
Warner Wright Spalding to be the
Second Captain of the New South Wales Artillery.
-
Henry Thomas Green, an
ex-sergeant of the Royal Horse Artillery, being the
first non-commissioned man enlisted in the Permanent
Forces, was allotted Regimental Number One.
Sudan Campaign
In February 1885, the New South Wales
Government offered a Battery of Artillery and a
Battalion of Infantry for service in the Sudan. On the
offer being accepted by the British Government, A Field
Battery was assembled from the New South Wales Artillery
and was ready for embarkation within two weeks. The
Battery sailed on the 3rd March 1885 on the transport
Iberia and Australasia. The Battery landed in Suakim on
the 30th and 31st March, but was to see limited action
as the campaign was almost at an end. The Battery
embarked on the 17th May 1885 for return to Australia
and was commended by the Commander-in-Chief, Sudan, Lord
Wolsley for its most soldier-like appearance and
exemplary conduct at a review a few days previously.
South African War
In 1899, when the South African war
commenced, all the Colonies in Australia offered
military assistance to England. These offers were
accepted in that the Colonies were requested to send
mounted infantry or light horse only. After the action
at Magersfontain, New South Wales offered to send a
battery of Artillery to South Africa. This offer was
accepted and immediately A Battery Royal Australian
Artillery was formed from Officers and Men of A Battery
New South Wales Artillery, and on 30th December 1899 on
the transport to Warrigal, the Battery embarked from
Sydney to South Africa. A Battery having completed about
18 months of continuous active service, was order home
in July 1901. The Battery embarked at Cape Town on the
transport Harlech Castle on the 12 August 1901 and
arrived in Sydney on the 15th September 1901. During its
service in South Africa, A Battery had one man killed in
action, one man died after being kicked by a horse,
while 45 men were invalided home through sickness. On
the 1st December 1910 A Instruction Cadre was
redesignated as No 1 Battery Australian Field Artillery
(Permanent).
The Great War
When the Great War broke out in
August 1914, the then commander of No 1 Battery Royal
Australian Field Artillery, Major S.E. Christian, called
a muster parade of the Battery at Victoria Barracks on
the day war was declared and called for volunteers for
an Australian overseas force. The Battery stepped
forward as one man. The Battery sailed with the first
convoy in 1914 and embarked at Egypt with the Australian
Imperial Force for Gallipoli. The Battery served with
distinction in France and Belgium in all the actions
fought by its Division. It also, at various times,
supported British, Canadian, French and American attacks
against the Germans. During the visit of the Prince of
Wales in 1919, the Battery provided the Royal Guard at
Government House and also provided the mounted escort
for His Royal Highness on all State occasions in Sydney.
During the Prince's visit to Canberra for the dedication
of the proposed site for the future Parliament House of
the Commonwealth, No 1 Battery Royal Australian Field
Artillery, provided both the personal escort for the
Prince and also the Saluting Battery.
On the occasion of the visit of the Prince of Wales to
Australia, in appreciation of No 1 Battery Royal
Australian Field Artillery service to himself and also
to commemorate the Battery's service in the South
African and Great Wars, the Prince granted No 1 Battery
Royal Australian Field Artillery the privilege of
wearing a white lanyard on the left shoulder. A Field
Battery Royal Australian Artillery is the only Battery
in the Royal Australian Artillery which wears it's
lanyard on the left shoulder.
1927 - 1936
On the 1st July 1927, No 1 Battery
was redesignated as 1st Field Battery Royal Australian
Artillery. On the 19th July 1930 it became the 1st Field
Cadre Royal Australian Artillery and on the 31st January
1936 the Battery was redesignated 1st Field Cadre
Australian Artillery Regiment. When His Majesty granted
the title "Royal" to Militia Units of the Australian
Artillery, the Permanent Artillery became and still is
"The Royal Australian Artillery Regiment".
1937 - 1939
In 1937 the first Australian
Instructional Corps Artillery Course was designed to
produce instructors. With the Munich scare in 1938 the
strength of the Battery was increased and on the 1st
February 1939 the Battery was redesignated as A Field
Battery Royal Australian Artillery Regiment.
World War Two
With the outbreak of the 2nd World
War in September 1939, A Field Battery once again
volunteered for overseas service but were denied at that
time the privilege, as they were employed as the Depot
Battery instructing at the School of Artillery (Field,
Medium and Survey) and also at Holsworthy, however their
opportunity came in 1943 when on the 28th July A Field
Battery Royal Australian Artillery Regiment was
redesignated 2nd Mountain Battery and on the 1st
September, departed for New Guinea as a special
Artillery Unit with a special task, and arrived in Port
Moresby on the 19th September 1943. After considerable
training and acclimatization, the Battery left for Lae
by air on the 15th November 1943.
On the 11th November 1944 the Battery arrived at
Torokina and remained there until the cessation of
hostilities in 1945. A small cadre from 2nd Mountain
Battery joined troops at RAA Headquarters and Balikpapan
and on 7th October 1945 formed the 6th Independent Field
Battery and departed for Morotai, Japan. On the 21st
February, 2nd Mountain Battery was redesignated A Field
Battery Royal Australian Regiment and carried out
intensive training at Kataiche, conducted shoots on the
Haramura Range and located guns and arsenals in Japan.
In 1947 the Battery occupied permanent barracks at Hiro
and were utilized performing ceremonial duties including
salutes and guards of honour. A Field Battery provided
saluting troops at Tokyo, Kure and Hiro on the occasion
of the Wedding of Her Royal Highness Princess Elizabeth
(Queen Elizabeth the Second). In September 1948 the
advance party of the Battery left Japan and A Field
Battery arrived in Sydney on the 22nd December 1948 and
moved to North Head Manly, once again becoming the Depot
Battery for the School of Artillery.
1949 - 1956
On 25th May 1949, A Field Battery was
incorporated as a sub-unit of 1st Field Regiment Royal
Australian Artillery Regiment, thus losing its
independent status. Even though the Battery was a
sub-unit of 1st Field Regiment, the Battery continued to
act as the Depot Battery for the School of Artillery and
also performing ceremonial duties. In January 1950, King
George VI approved of the Royal Australian Artillery
adopting the Motto of the Royal Regiment of Artillery,
"QUO FAS ET GLORIA DUCUNT" (Where Right and Glory Lead)
instead of "CONSENSU STABILES" (Strong in Agreement). On
28th November 1951, A Field Battery Royal Australian
Artillery was given custody of the King's Banner at a
formal parade held at Rawson Oval, Mosman NSW.
On the grounds of a compromise reached on the 30th
November 1954, A Battery, because of its history, would
remain as A Field Battery whilst all other batteries
would bear a numerical designation.
Malaya Campaign
On the 1st September 1957, the
Battery once again became an independent unit and on the
20th September embarked on the transport "New Australia"
and disembarked at Penang on the 18th October 1957.
During operations in Malaya the Battery fired 77,000
rounds of 25-Pounder ammunition and 2,000 rounds of 4.2"
Mortar ammunition. During its tour of Malaya the Battery
supported several Commonwealth Infantry Battalions and
was closely associated with the 48th Field Regiment
Royal Artillery and the 2nd Field Regiment Royal
Artillery. The Battery embarked at Penang on the
transport "MV Flaminia" on the 5th October 1959. On
returning to Sydney the Battery once again lost its
independent status and rejoined 1st Field Regiment Royal
Australian Artillery at Holsworthy.
In January 1965, A Field Battery, equipped with 105mm
Pack Howitzers, prepared for its second tour to
Malaysia. On 23rd June 1965 the Battery regained its
independent status. After and air journey with Qantas,
the Battery joined the 28th Commonwealth Infantry
Brigade at Terendak Garrison, near Malacca, on the 21st
October 1965 as A Field Battery 45th Light Regiment
Royal Artillery. 45th Light Regiment Royal Artillery was
replaced by 6th Light Regiment Royal Artillery in early
1966 and the Battery's title became A Field Battery 6th
Light Regiment Royal Artillery. During its tour of
Malaya the Battery participated in frequent exercises on
both the east and west coast, and assisted with security
measure to guard against possible Indonesian
infiltration of West Malaysia. On 12th September 1967
the Battery returned to Australia by air and became A
Field Battery 19 Composite Regiment Royal Australian
Artillery at Holsworthy. In October 1969 the Battery was
redesignated A Field Battery 12th Field Regiment Royal
Australian Artillery.
Vietnam Campaign
12th Field Regiment was warned for
service in South Vietnam in 1971 and the Regiment moved
from Tobruk Lines Holsworthy to Lavarack Barracks in
Townsville in January 1970. On 26th January 1971 the
Battery assembled in Sydney and on a parade at Victoria
Barracks A Field Battery, in view of the approach of its
centenary birthday and its long association in Sydney,
was granted Freedom of the City of Sydney, by the Right
Honourable, the Lord Mayer of Sydney. On the 27th
January 1971 the advance party emplaned for South
Vietnam where it was joined by the main body at the 1st
Australian Task Force base at Nui Dat on 4th February
1971. A Field Battery and the rest of 12th Field
Regiment took part in operations in Phuoc Tuy province
until the withdrawal of the 1st Australian Task Force in
November 1971. On the 7th June 1971 during a contact
with North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces, Second
Lieutenant I. Mathers, an A Field Battery forward
observer, received mortal wounds from enemy small arms
fire. His assistant, Bombardier P.M. Maher, was later
awarded the Military Medal for his part in the contact.
During its tour of South Vietnam A Field Battery
celebrated its centenary birthday on 1st August 1971. A
Banner Party was sent home to Australia for the
Centenary Celebration Parade at Victoria Barracks Sydney
where His Excellency the Governor General Sir Paul
Hasluck presented to the Royal Australian Artillery the
Queen's Banner which replaced the 67 year old King's
Banner. In addition 50 cartridge cases, fired by the
Battery to celebrate its centenary, were presented to
various persons and organisations (including the
Australian War Memorial which also holds the cartridge
case of the first round fired by A Field Battery in
South Africa in 1900).
A Field Battery Memorial
On 25th April 1972 a detachment from
the Battery laid up the King's Banner at the Australian
War Memorial as part of the Anzac Day Commemoration
Service. On the 29th July 1972 at a Battery Parade at
Victoria Barracks, His Excellency the Governor General
of New South Wales Sir Roden Cutler unveiled the A Field
Battery Memorial. The Memorial is a 16-Pounder rifled
muzzle-loaded gun made in England in 1878 and believed
to be the oldest gun of British origin in Australia. The
unveiling concluded the centenary celebrations. After
the amalgamation of the Regiments, A Field Battery
became a sub-unit of the 8th/12th Medium Regiment Royal
Australian Artillery in 1974. On the 2nd December 1987 A
Field Battery, during a Regimental Mounted Parade fired
a salute in honour of the 102nd Medium Battery 8th/12th
Medium Regiment Royal Australian Artillery, at the sad
occasion of their disbandment. It was also during this
period that A Field Battery assumed the parachute role
as part of the recently designated Parachute Battalion
Group, based on the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian
Regiment. In 2000, A Field Battery became the third
battery of the Townsville-based 4th Field Regiment,
however it remained in Holsworthy. It deployed to East
Timor in 1999, 2002 and more recently in 2006. Its
personnel have also served in recent conflicts in Iraq
and Afghanistan and on non-warlike service in the Sinai. |
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