HISTORIC UNIT

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 19942, 29 October 1934, Page 6

HISTORIC UNIT

HONOURABLE ARTILLERY COMPANY A romantic and colourful origin is associated with the Honourable Artillery Company, of which the Governor-General-designate of New Zealand (Viscount Galway) was appointed colonel-commandant in March last year. As a military formation it is probably the oldest regiment in the world, membership being regarded as a great privilege. In the general alarm that followed the insurrection known as the Pilgrimage of Grace, King Henry VIII., the then reigning monarch, relied principally on London; and in 1537 ne granted a Charter of Incorporation to the Guild of Fraternity of St. George, the existing "guild of archers and hand-gunmen.” All kinds of archery being classified as “artillery,” this guild of arches soon became known as the Artillery Company. Under the charter, the government of the guild was placed in the hands of four masters, or rulers, and they were charged with the establishment of a Perpetual Fraternity of Saint George for the general encouragement of the “Science of Artillery for Longe Bowes, Crossbowes, and Handgonnes, etc.” It is this guild or company which survives to the present day as the Honourable Artillery Company. During the early years following its incorporation, the Artillery Company was the training centre for the City of London when necessity demanded an augmentation of the forces, a notable occasion being the year of the Great Armada. On this occasion not only did the company train the citizens of London in the science of “small-artillery,” but many of its members, who included nobles and famous men, went to several parts of the kingdom with the rank of officers to train the various “trained bands.” In 1660 the Duke of York was elected “commander-in-chief” of the company, being the first and last holder of that title. His successor, King William 111., styled himself “captain-general,” and this title still survives. King George V. being “captain-general and colonel” of the company. The company was well represented in the British Expeditionary Force during the South African War. for which it was granted the battle honour “South Africa, 1900-02,” In 1908 it became a unit of the Territorial Army. During the Great War it was greatly expanded and three of its infantry battalions and seven batteries of artillery fought either j in France, Italy, Irak, Palestine, or i Aden, battle honours for which are now borne upon its King’s Colour. It is the only regiment which has the distinction of having battle honours on its King’s Colour only. Among various other privileges which it possesses is that of being the only regiment permitted to march through the City of London without fixed bayonets.