BOWS TO RIFLES

Evening Star, Issue 21077, 14 April 1932, Page 5

BOWS TO RIFLES

Within half a mile of the Bank of England lies an open space of six acres, once part of Finsbury Fields, that ancient practice ground of London archers. It has been known for nearly three centuries as the Artillery Ground, and contains a dignified Georgian building —Armoury House, the headquarters of the Honourable Artillery Company, the oldest regiment in the world. 1 No other combatant unit can boast unbroken traditions extending over four centuries, nor are there many corporate bodies with roots more deeply embedded 'in English history. Incorporated by Royal Charter of Henry VIII. in 1537 as the Guild of Artillery, its original members were bidden to practise the science and feat of shooting with longbow, crossbow, and handgun for the better defence of the realm. For a full century the company occupied the Old Artillery Ground off Bishopsgate—the original lease, dated 1538, was discovered last year. Not until 1641 did the city fathers lease to the company its present ground, then the ‘‘uppermost field in Finsbury.” It is not surprising to find that such a regiment cherishes unique traditions, says a writer in the 1 Sunday Times.’ Some of its members fought in the wars of Henry VIII.; others fought in the last defence of Calais. The regiment attended the funeral of Sir Philip Sidney, and its members rallied in readiness to repel the Spanish Armada. For centuries the company trained its members to be officers of trained bands, and, as such, many of them served the Parliament in the Civil War. Others fought with distinction on the Royalist side. The company marched in the funeral of Oliver Cromwell, and welcomed Charles 11. at tbe Restoration. But always the old corps has remained abreast of the times. They cast aside their longbows for muskets and pikes; they discarded the pike for the bayonet. When the Army first adopted tbe rifle the company followed suit. And so this amazing survival of a band of citizen archers has always remained not only a force to be reckoned with, but one with power of expansion within itself. In the Great War the company sent and maintained five batteries and two battalions on active service, besides supplying over 4,000 officers for other units. The regiment won forty-two battle honours, and the roll of dead contains 1,760 names. To-day it? establishment is two batteries of horse artillery and one battalion of infantry. Each evening the walls of Armoury House resound to words of command, the tramp ot lent, and the clang of breech-blocks. On Saturday swarms of stalwart members, products of the public schools, betake themselves to the mimic warfare of the football or hockey field. in truth, the old Artillery Company is still very much alive.