| 74 Battery (The Battle Axe Company) Royal Artillery | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1 April 1801 to present |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Branch | Army |
| Type | Artillery |
| Part of | 39th Regiment Royal Artillery |
| Equipment | MLRS |
| Engagements | Martinique on 24 February 1809 War of 1812 World War II Korean War Cyprus Northern Ireland 1990-1991 (Persian) Gulf War |
74 Battery (The Battle Axe Company) Royal Artillery is part of the Royal Artillery. Its name is pronounced "seven four", The battery is one of the sub-units of 39th Regiment Royal Artillery, part of the British Army. It was formed in 1801. Its based in Albermarle Barracks in Northumberland
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The Battle Axe company was deployed in the 1990–1991 (Persian) Gulf War. It was then a battery of 32 (three two)Heavy Regiment, Royal Artillery. It was widely (and incorrectly) credited with firing the first shots in the land war, due to a Sergeant misleading the press. As memory serves it was actually 18 (eighteen) Battery, we fired some fifteen minutes later.
74 Battery (The Battle Axe Company) was raised at Kilkenny on 1 April 1801 from men of the disbanded Royal Irish Artillery. During the Napoleonic Wars it helped capture the Caribbean island of Martinique on 24 February 1809. Having distinguished itself the Force Commander wished to give a captured French gun to the Company. The Battery Commander petitioned that the gun be replaced by something more easily carried and two French trophies captured at Martinique were given in its place. These trophies were a brass drum and a battle axe. The Company has been known as Battle Axe Company Royal Artillery since that day, although the title was not officially recognised in Army Orders until 1926, 117 years later.
From Martinique the Battle Axe Company, Royal Artillery went to Canada and in 1813–1814 took part in the American War. The Company came home in 1822 after 14 years in the West Indies and North America and was not to fight again until 1903–1904, when it was organized as a Camel Battery and helped to quell the disturbances in the Aden protectorate.
Soon after this the Company was involved in the expansion of Coastal Artillery caused by the German Naval threat. It was reorganised as Medium Battery in 1927.
In World War II the Company served in North Africa, Crete and North West Europe. After the first desert campaign the Company went to Greece whence it escaped to Crete after destroying all its guns. The Company was soon in action again and helped to relieve Tobruk. On 1 June 1942 the Company was in support of 150 Infantry Brigade west of Bir Hachem. After being cut off from the rest of 50th Division and having fired all its ammunition the acting Brigadier ordered all organised resistance to cease. Once more the Company destroyed its guns and 12 Officers and 218 Other Ranks fell into the hands of the enemy.
The Company was reformed late in 1943 and fought in France, Belgium, Holland and Germany from D Day+1 to Victory in Europe Day.
Since then it has served in: Korean War,
Cyprus,
Belize
Northern Ireland:
1971 Belfast as Province reserve. Based on HMS Maidstone, Flax St Mill and Albert St Mill
--6 February: Robert Curtis became the first British soldier to die in the Troubles when he was shot by the IRA on New Lodge Road, Belfast(Attached to the Battery for the tour).
1973 Patrolling the borders and Guarding Long Kesh Prison.(5 month tour)
1974 Girdwood Park. (5 month tour over Xmas)
1976 Girdwood Park. (5 month tour over Xmas)
1982 Falklands Blowpipe deployed.
M107 175mm SP Gun 1967 to 1972 (32nd Heavy Regiment R.A.)
105mm Pack Howitzer 1972 to 1979 (32nd Light Regiment R.A.)
Striker/Swingfire and Blowpipe 1979 to 1983 (32nd Guided Weapons Regiment R.A.)
M107 175mm 1985 to 1993 32 Heavy Regiment R.A.
M110 8 inch First Gulf War
MLRS 1993 to present 32 Hvy Regt now 39 Hvy Regt
On 24 February, the Battery celebrates the capture of the island of Martinique and the bestowing of its Honour Title. It is not known when the Battle Axe was first trooped, but it seems fairly certain that the custom was established by the time the Company came home in 1822.
The Battle Axe has always been trooped for the Company Commander and for him alone. It has been suggested, though no written authority exists, that the reason for this is that it was only by the Company Commander’s importunity that the Company obtained a Battle Axe instead of the conventional gun.
The tallest man in the Company always carries the Battle Axe on parade. As a reminder of “les Moustaches” from whom the Battle Axe was taken, the bearer wears a moustache. This is the full set to represent the status of the veterans of battle as was the custom at the time.
The Battle Axe is trooped through the ranks of the Company to commemorate the valour and sacrifices of our forebears and to remind us of the standards they set and to encourage us to maintain them.
[1] 39 Regiment Royal Artillery
[2]