O Battery (The Rocket Troop) Royal Horse Artillery
British Army artillery battery
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
O Battery (The Rocket Troop) Royal Horse Artillery is the Headquarters Battery of the British Army's 1st Regiment Royal Horse Artillery. It is currently based in Purvis Lines in Larkhill Garrison.
| O Battery (The Rocket Troop) Royal Horse Artillery | |
|---|---|
| Active | 7 June 1813 – present |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Branch | Army |
| Type | Headquarters |
| Part of | 1st Regiment Royal Horse Artillery |
| Garrison/HQ | Larkhill |
| Anniversaries | Leipzig Day 16 October |
| Engagements | War of the Sixth Coalition
Crimean War Second Anglo-Afghan War Second Boer War World War I World War II |
| Battle honours | Ubique |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Richard Bogue Edward Charles Whinyates |
History
Formation
The battery was formed on 1 January 1813.[1] In that year the battery fought as the only British Army unit present at the Battle of Leipzig as the Rocket Brigade under Captain Richard Bogue.[2] It was attached to the bodyguard of Bernadotte, Crown Prince of Sweden.[2] During the battle Bogue was killed in action after a successful attack on five French and Saxon battalions at Paunsdorf, and Lieutenant Fox-Strangways assumed command.[3] In 1815, the battery fought with some of its rockets at the Battle of Waterloo, under Captain Edward Charles Whinyates.[4] It served in the Crimean War, Second Anglo-Afghan War and the Second Boer War.[1]
World War I
During World War I the battery supported the charge by the Royal Horse Guards at Villeselve in March 1918.[1]
World War II
During World War II the battery served with 6th Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery.[1]
Post war
The battery transferred to 2nd Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery in 1951 which re-roled to become 2nd Field Regiment Royal Artillery in 1958.[1] In the 1970s, the battery completed tours in Northern Ireland.[5] In 1993 it transferred to 1st Regiment Royal Horse Artillery[1] and, in 1996, the battery was deployed to Bosnia.[5] In 2004, B Battery deployed with 1 RHA to Basra in Iraq on Operation Telic 4 and in 2007 the battery deployed with 1st Regiment Royal Horse Artillery to Basra in Iraq on Operation Telic 10.[5]
