19th Regiment Royal Artillery facts for kids
Quick facts for kids 19th Regiment Royal Artillery |
|
|---|---|
| Active | 1900 - Present |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  British Army |
| Type | Field artillery |
| Size | 5 Batteries 519 personnel |
| Part of | 1st Deep Reconnaissance Strike Brigade Combat Team |
| Garrison/HQ | Larkhill, Wiltshire |
| Nickname(s) | The Scottish Gunners (sometimes referred to as the Highland Gunners) |
| Equipment | AS-90 self-propelled guns and MSTAR radar |
| Insignia | |
| Tartan | _tartan,_centred,_zoomed_out.png) Robertson hunting tartan |
The 19th Regiment Royal Artillery, also known as The Scottish Gunners, is a special group of soldiers in the British Army. They are part of the Royal Artillery, which means they use big guns and rockets to support other soldiers. Sometimes, they are also called the "Highland Gunners."
This regiment helps the 12 Mechanised Brigade by providing powerful artillery support. Their teams use special vehicles called Warrior Mechanised Artillery Observation Vehicles. These vehicles have radar (MSTAR) to find targets. The regiment has three main gun groups, called batteries. They use 24 powerful self-propelled guns called AS-90s.
Contents
History of the Scottish Gunners
The 19th Regiment's story began in 1900. It started as the 17 Brigade Royal Field Artillery. However, some of its smaller groups, called batteries, are even older, dating back to the 1700s.
World Wars and Beyond
The brigade fought in World War I. During World War II, its four original batteries became two. In May 1940, this regiment was the first artillery group to fire its guns in the war. This happened while they were stationed at the Maginot Line. They also served in the North African and Italian campaigns.
In 1947, the regiment was renamed the 19th Regiment. In the 1950s and 1960s, they served in the Korean War and the Aden Emergency. After 1963, when National Service ended, the 19th Regiment started recruiting soldiers mainly from the Scottish Highlands.
Recent Operations
In 1995, the regiment was quickly sent to Bosnia for a mission called Operation Deliberate Force. They were also deployed to Cyprus in 1998 as part of UNFICYP, a United Nations peacekeeping force.
Since the 2000s, the regiment has served in Iraq and Afghanistan. They returned from Afghanistan in October 2012 after a mission called Op Herrick 16.
Becoming "The Scottish Gunners"
In December 2012, the regiment officially became "The Scottish Gunners." This happened when another regiment, the 40th Regiment Royal Artillery (The Lowland Gunners), was put on hold. A new battery, 38 (Seringapatam) Battery, joined the 19th Regiment. To celebrate, a new banner was presented for their Pipes and Drums band, and a special plaque was put up at their barracks.
Future Changes
In 2019, the regiment moved to new barracks at Larkhill in Wiltshire. This was part of a plan to improve their facilities.
As part of the Future Soldier Programme, the regiment joined the new 1st Deep Recce Strike Brigade Combat Team on July 1, 2022. The regiment will also change its structure in 2024. It will gain 19 (Gibraltar 1779-83) Battery from 26th Regiment, RA. This new battery will use Ajax vehicles.
Where Soldiers Come From
The regiment used to get most of its soldiers from the Highlands. Now, they also recruit from other areas in Scotland. These include Grampian, Tayside, Fife, central Scotland, and Argyll. Since the 40th Regiment "Lowland Gunners" was put on hold, the 19th Regiment became the main Scottish artillery regiment.
City Honors
The 19th Regiment Royal Artillery is the local artillery regiment for the Highlands of Scotland, the Western Isles, Shetland, and Orkney. They have been given special honors called the Freedoms of the Cities of Inverness and Colchester. This means they have the right to march through these cities with their flags flying.
Regimental Tartan
The musicians in the regiment's pipe band wear a special Scottish pattern called a tartan. They wear the hunting Robertson tartan on their dress uniforms, which include kilts and full plaids. This tartan comes from an old group called the Loyal Clan Donnachie Volunteers. They were a group of irregular soldiers formed in 1803 on the lands of Clan Robertson.
Regiment's Batteries
The 19th Regiment Royal Artillery is made up of several smaller groups called batteries. Each battery has its own name and history:
- 5 (Gibraltar 1779–1783) Battery
- 28/143 (Tombs Troop) Battery
- 38 (Seringapatam) Battery
- 127 (Dragon) Battery
- 13 (Martinique 1809) Headquarters Battery
