100th ANNIVERSARY

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 159, 2 April 1937, Page 15

100th ANNIVERSARY

World’s Oldest Regiment

AN ARTILLERY COMPANY

In July the Honourable Artillery Company, which claims to be the oldest regiment in continuous existence, celebrates its four hundredth anniversary —an event not only of London interest, but of pride to the whole British Army. Preparations are being made by a committee who are drawing up a programme which will probably last for a

week, and among guests at the celebrations will be a contingent from the Ancient and Honourable Artillery Company. of Boston. U.S., which is an offshoot of tlie London regiment and has maintained a spirit of kinship over a long period of years. The Honourable Artillery Company was ineorporI ated by Henry VIII; it was called lup for service by Mary I; it mustered I to resist, tlie Spanish Armada, and was • reviewed by Queen Elizabeth at Tilbury, and all through the Stuart period and the Commonwealth it did gallant service. Best of London's Youth. For four centuries it has been recruited from the best type of London’s youth, and in tlie early days the young men who carried the long bow and the cross bow were the gallants of London. “Time immemorial” is the date fixed by historians for the founding of the H.A.C., and one of its earliest duties , was to protect the city from the robbers and bandits who lived in the forests of Hampstead and Highgate. Every night at 9 o’clock a gun is fired at Armoury House, the headquarters. It is a relic signal to tlie sutlers to sell no more liquor. For generations the King has been the Captain-General of the company, and many famous men have been members, Among them are tho Duke of Marlborough and Sir Christopher Wren. The Hon. Artillery Company has fine war records of active service In South Africa and the Great War. From 1914 to 1918 no fewer than 14,000 men passed through Its ranks, and more ' than 4000 H.A.C. men obtained commissions.

Its battle honours include “Ypres,” “Somme,” “Arras," “Bullecourt," and “Passchendaele,” as well as Italy, Egypt, and Palestine.