B Battery Royal Horse Artillery

B Troop, Royal Horse Artillery was raised at Woolwich on 1 February 1793.[1] The battery took part in the response to the Irish Rebellion of 1798, including the Battle of New Ross and the Battle of Vinegar Hill.[2] In 1808 the battery saw action at the Battle of Sahagun and, in 1809, it took part in the Battle of Corunna.[3] In the Crimean War during the Siege of Sevastopol (1854–1855), B Troop, Royal Horse Artillery was re-formed on 1 May 1855, and landed in the Crimea peninsula one month later.[4] In 1900 during the Boxer Rebellion, the Battery was the only Horse Artillery unit there.[3]

On April 1915, right section of B Battery was the first Horse Artillery unit ashore during the Gallipoli landings. During the battle, the battery fired more ammunition from their 18-pounder guns than any other battery, and when the Allied forces pulled out, B Battery was the final Battery to leave the peninsula. In 1916 the battery was almost continually in action during the Somme Offensive. Later in 1917, the Battery moved to support the Allied offensives at Arras, the Third Battle of Ypres, the Battle of Cambrai and the Battle of the Lys. During these years, the Battery experienced gas and aerial bombardment for the first time and B and L Batteries was victorious at the Battle of Cambrai (1917) on 20 November 1917. In 1918 the battery fought at the Battle of Passchendaele.[3]

Between 1919 and 1921, the battery was sent to Egypt and Palestine. It then returned to England until 1932 when it redeployed again to Egypt and Palestine to perform police duties during the British Mandate of Palestine and the Arab-Jewish terrorist campaign.[3]

In Lille (France) in 1939, th battery was equipped with the 25-pounder gun, towed by the Morris Quad. In June 1940, with the 51st (Highland) Division, it suffered severe losses in St Valery which resulted in the Dunkirk evacuation. In 1940, after reforming in England, B Battery departed for the Middle East, as part of the Desert Rats. It fought in all the major battles in the Middle East Theatre of Operations. Most significantly, during the Siege of Tobruk the Battery was in constant action. The Battery also fought at Derna, Bir El Igela, El Adem, Elvet El Tamar, Deir El Abram, and the First Battle of El Alamein, Alam el Halfa and the Second Battle of El Alamein. It was at Alam el Halfa that the battery supported 133 Infantry Brigade firing over open sights against the tanks of 21. Panzer Division, knocking out or damaging some 30 German tanks. Sometime between 1942 and 1945 the battery was retrained on the 105mm Priest and were involved in the Battles for the Gothic Line and River Po in Italy.[3]

In 1947, as part of the 1st Armoured Division, B battery returned to Palestine to assist the civil police.[5] In 1952 it was deployed to British Army of the Rhine in Münster and Hildesheim and was equipped with M44 155 mm Howitzers.[5] Between 1965 and 1967, B battery was equipped with the Italian 105 mm Pack Howitzer and deployed to Aden.[5] In the 1970s, the battery completed tours in Northern Ireland, and in 1990, the battery provided soldiers for a combined A/B/E Battery which fought in the Gulf War.[5] 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]

B Battery has four troops named after famous battles:

• El Tamar Troop is the Targeting Troop and it is equipped with three Warrior OPVs, a Warrior BCV and a 432 FPC.
• Corunna Troop is the Logistics Troop containing the BQMS and Motor Transport departments which are responsible for all the wheeled vehicles both in and out of camp and for all re-supply in the field.
• Downman's Troop is equipped with three AS-90s, a Command Post FV 432 and a Gun Line Section Commander's FV 432.
• Sahagun Troop is also equipped with three AS-90s, a Command Post FV 432 and a Gun Line Section Commander's FV 432.