103rd (Lancashire Artillery Volunteers) Regiment Royal Artillery
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103rd (Lancastrian Artillery Volunteers) Regiment Royal Artillery provide reinforcements for units using the 105 mm L118 Light Gun and the AS90. 103 Regt RA(V) is equipped with the 105 mm Lt Gun.
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[edit] Subunits
- 208 (3rd West Lancashire) Battery Royal Artillery (Volunteers)
- 209 (The Manchester and St Helens Artillery) Battery Royal Artillery (Volunteers)
- 216 (The Bolton Artillery) Battery Royal Artillery (Volunteers)
Lancashire Artillery Volunteer Band & Pipes and Drums (Crawford tartan)
[edit] History
The Lancashire Artillery Volunteers were first raised in 1859 as 23 companies of Artillery. In Manchester some elements had existed as early as 1804 when the Duke of Gloucester inspected the Heaton Artillery Volunteers. Later on some battalions of the Kings Regiment and the Prince of Wales Volunteers rebadged as Lancashire Gunners. During the Great War they formed 25 Artillery Brigades or Infantry Battalions and during the Second World War 17 Gunner Regiments. These Regiments had a particularly distinguished record, winning two Victoria Crosses. The Bolton Artillery at Serapeum in February 1915, were the first field artillery volunteers in the Great War to fire a shell in anger. In both World Wars the Regiments served and fought in all theatres.
In 1955 there were 33 Territorial Gunner Regiments in the North West of England. In 1967 seven Regiments remained and were amalgamated to form 103rd (Lancashire Artillery Volunteers) Light Air Defence Regiment Royal Artillery (Volunteers), The West Lancashire Regiment (T) RA and The South Lancashire Territorials (Prince of Wales Volunteers) RA. Since its formation in 1967 Officers, Warrant Officers, NCOs and soldiers of 103 Regiment have volunteered and served in support of the Regular Army in Bosnia, Borneo, Belize, Canada, Kosovo, Kenya, Latvia, Iraq, Northern Ireland and Afghanistan.
In 1977 the Regiment changed its designation to 103rd (Lancashire Artillery Volunteers) Air Defence Regiment Royal Artillery (Volunteers) upon being equipped with BLOWPIPE. Consequent upon the enhancement of the Territorial Army a Battery of Home Service Force and a fourth Air Defence Battery were raised. In early 1987 the Regiment converted to JAVELIN. In 1992, as a result of Options for Change, the Regiment lost one Air Defence Battery (213 AD Battery amalgamating with HQ Battery at St Helens), Regimental Headquarters also moved from Deysbrooke Barracks, Liverpool to St Helens to be co-located with 213/HQ Battery.
In 2001 the Regiment was ordered to re-role from Air Defence to Field Artillery as a Light Gun Regiment. The changes have seen the Light Aid Detachment REME (V) move from Widnes to each Battery having its own REME Fitter Section. 213/HQ Battery has gone into suspended animation, 209 Battery split into 2 Troops, D Troop in Manchester and G Troop in St Helens, and its title is to be 209 (The Manchester and St Helens Artillery) Battery Royal Artillery (Volunteers)
[edit] Equipment
103 Regiment is equipped with the 105mm Light Gun, a versatile, airportable and airmobile artillery piece that can be carried around the battlefield underslung from a Puma or Chinook. In service since 1975 it has replaced the 105mm Pack Howitzer.
Detachment of 6 personnel, Weight 1,858 kg, Length 8.8m, Width 1.78m, Height 2.13m Ammunition HE, Smoke, Illuminating, Target Marking, Maximum Range (HE) 17.2 km; Anti Tank Range 800m, Muzzle Velocity 709m/s, Shell Weight 5.1 kg, Rate of Fire 6 rounds per minute.
[edit] External links
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