4th Battalion, Royal Regiment of Artillery "Black Devils"
History
Origins of The Royal Artillery
Men, not soldiers, employed by the Board of Ordnance manned the cannon the British Army used during war. The Tower of London was used to store the artillery; since 1455 all weapons and military stores had been stored there. The Board of Ordnance was organised by Charles II from which descended the RA, RE, RASC, RAOC; now the Royal Logistic Corps since 1993 and REME. Up to 100 gunners were on the permanent staff, the Master of Ordnance was able to take on men, to move and fire the cannon, when war broke out and disband them when hostilities ceased.
A Royal Warrant dated 26th May 1716 ordered two companies of artillery to be formed at Woolwich. Each company consisted of 5 officers, 9 NCOs, 30 gunners and 50 matrosses. Duties of a matross included assisting the gunners in traversing, sponging, loading and firing the guns.
Vigo
The first action the regiment saw was in the expedition to Spain; it had 66 guns. The citadel of Vigo was captured in two days due to efficient training. 200 enemy guns were taken or destroyed and the booty was worth £84,000.
Seven Years War
In 1757 the regiment was increased to two battalions of 12 companies each. Serving as a mixed force, under Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick, they earned the reputation of having the ‘cleanest’ guns. For the first time guns were taken into action, at the gallop, at the battle of Minden.
Gibraltar
The French and Spaniards kept the artillery busy, day and night, for over three and a half years from 1779 to 1783 at the siege of Gibraltar. The enemy vessels blockading the port were fired on using red-hot shot, iron cannonballs heated in an oven, to set fire to them. It was estimated that at the end of the siege 8000 barrels of powder and 200,000 cannonballs had been used.
Waterloo
This was the last battle where conventional artillery was used. I Corps: 64 guns, II Corps: 40 guns was the distribution of artillery in the Allied Army. In the Cavalry Corps there was 30 guns of Horse Artillery. The Horse Artillery was more effective that the less mobile guns. French cavalry were sent in to battle against the British infantry squares, the artillery was protected by these squares until it was safe for them to return their guns. After the battle The Duke of Wellington wrote that he was “not very well pleased with the artillery” as he had seen some of them leave the field taking limbers and ammunition; this was unfair as there were many acts of heroism of gunners and officers alike.
Ranks
Major [Maj]
Captain [Cpt]
Lieutenant [Lt]
Battery Serjeant [BSjt]
Quartermaster Sergeant [QSgt]
Serjeant [Sjt]
Ordnance Sergeant [OSgt]
Bombardier [Bmbr]
Lance Bombardier [LBmbr]
Veteran Cannoneer [VCan]
Cannoneer [Can]
Ranker [Rkr]
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