The Royal Artillery

The Royal Artillery
Author: W.Y. Carman
Publisher: Osprey Publishing
Total Pages: 0
Release: 1973-06-15
Genre: History
ISBN: 9780850451405

The Royal Regiment of Artillery originated in 1716, when two companies of artillery were formed to ensure that a regular force of gunners was readily available. The Regiment expanded rapidly in the 18th century and, since then, has seen service in campaigns worldwide, from the Boer and Crimean wars of the 19th century, to World Wars I and II. Today the Regiment forms a powerful and complex branch of the Army - the only section that has employed nuclear weapons. This book outlines the history, development and uniforms of the Royal Regiment of Artillery up to the late 1960s.

D-Day Gunners

D-Day Gunners
Author: Frank Baldwin
Publisher: Pen and Sword Military
Total Pages: 386
Release: 2022-07-20
Genre: History
ISBN: 1473873711

Part history book and part travel guide, D-Day Gunners is aimed at anyone interested in the artillery on the D-Day beaches and landing grounds. While the heritage of the D-Day beaches and landing sites is well documented, this rarely includes the artillery story. The author of this book aims to correct this by providing a visitors' guide to the artillery stories associated with the battlefield heritage that remains on the D-Day beaches, mapping the fire-plan for D-Day against the known German locations, and looking at what happened at these places. There is relatively little explanation about the role of the artillery in general or the deeds of artillerymen, in particular those of the Royal Regiment of Artillery. This book tells of the significance of artillery on D-Day and the part it played in the outcome. Initial reports published stressed that the coastal defences were effectively neutralized by the bombing and that no significant counter attacks developed on D-Day. However, post-war accounts increasingly attributed allied success to allied fire power. The book tells the story of the men who served the guns on the D-Day beaches, and the effects they had on the outcome of the battles on D-Day and afterwards. This volume is primarily about British Gunners and certain German Kannoniers. The book has been written as a guide to the battlefields on the D-Day beaches and landing grounds, telling the gunners’ stories that are not always commemorated on memorials, interpretation boards, or recorded in more general guides. These poignant stories include war poets and heroes decorated for bravery, or just the tales of some of the men buried in the war cemeteries or commemorated on the memorials. It also provides a guide in lay terms of the technical impact of field anti-tank and AA artillery on the war. A second volume will tell the story of artillerymen on the American beaches and landing grounds.

Ubique

Ubique
Author: Richard Doherty
Publisher: The History Press
Total Pages: 473
Release: 2016-07-22
Genre: History
ISBN: 0750979313

In Richard Doherty's latest book he looks at the wide-ranging role of the Royal Artillery (RA) during the Second World War, examining its state of preparedness in 1939, the many developments that were introduced during the War, including aerial observation and self-propelled artillery, the growth of the regiment and its effectiveness in its many roles. It is illustrated with stories of the actions of individuals from members of gun detachments to general officers. During the Second World War the Germans assessed the Royal Artillery as the most professional arm of the British Army. British gunners were accurate, effective and efficient and provided fire support for their armoured and infantry colleagues that was better than that in any other army. It is often claimed that British artillery came into its own after the Battle of El Alamein in late 1942. In the opening bombardment of Operation Lightfoot, the massed artillery of the Eighth Army hammered Axis positions and severely damaged the enemy artillery's ability to react. But this was not the first occasion on which the Eighth Army had massed its artillery: it had done so with 200 guns along the Alamein Line in July, and the effectiveness had long been recognised. In fact, the power of a concentrated shoot had been shown by one gunner regiment during the May 1940 Dunkirk campaign. However, the RA provided much more than field and medium artillery battlefield support. Gunner regiments manned anti-tank guns on the frontline and light anti-aircraft guns in divisional regiments to defend against air attack at home and abroad. The RA also helped to protect convoys that brought essential supplies to Britain, and AA gunners had their finest hour when they destroyed the majority of the V-1 flying bombs launched against Britain from June 1944.

King of Battle: Artillery in World War I

King of Battle: Artillery in World War I
Author:
Publisher: BRILL
Total Pages: 394
Release: 2016-01-12
Genre: History
ISBN: 9004307281

In King of Battle: Artillery in World War I, a distinguished array of authors examines the centrepiece of battle in the Great War: artillery. Going beyond the usual tables of calibres and ranges, the contributors consider the organization and technology of artillery, as well as present aspects of training, doctrine, and other national idiosyncrasies. Artillery dominated the battlefields of World War I, and forever changed the military doctrine of war. No nation that had participated in significant ground combat would blithely assume that morale could ever replace firepower. The essays included in this volume explain how twelve countries, including all the major combatants, handled artillery and how it affected the Great War. Contributors include Filippo Cappellano, Boyd Dastrup, Edward J. Erickson, Bruce Gudmundsson, James Lyon, Sanders Marble, Janice E. McKenney, Dmitre Minchev, Andrey Pavlov, Kaushik Roy, Cornel and Ioan Scafes, John Schindler, and David Zabecki.

Gunfire!

Gunfire!
Author: Stig H. Moberg
Publisher: Pen and Sword
Total Pages: 631
Release: 2017-03-30
Genre: History
ISBN: 1473895626

This book provides an insight into how artillery resources were established, developed and employed during the Second World War, using the British Royal Artillery as an example. Beginning with an overview of the nature and state of readiness of the Royal Artillery on the outbreak of war, the book analyses in great detail the weapons available to the Royal Artillery, their technical functionality and their performance capabilities. With this knowledge the author then examines the organization, methods, procedures and tactics employed by the Royal Artillery. To complete this fascinating study, Stig Moberg looks at a number of key battles from the war to see how the artillery was used, and the effectiveness of its support to the British and Allied infantry, in campaigns in North Africa, Burma and Europe. British Artillery of the Second World War is profusely illustrated throughout with photographs, maps, plans, graphs, charts and diagrams to demonstrate precisely how the British Artillery was used on the battlefields around the world. Although I am an infantryman, and proud of it, I have many times said that the Royal Regiment of Artillery, in my opinion, did more to win the last war, more than any other Arm of the Service.Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery

The Royal Artillery, Woolwich

The Royal Artillery, Woolwich
Author: Ken Timbers
Publisher: Third Millennium Information
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2008
Genre: Artillery
ISBN: 9781903942734

The Royal Artillery's historic move in May 2007 from Woolwich to Larkhill formally marked a change in the 291-year association between the Royal Artillery and Woolwich, with traditions extending far beyond 1716 to the reign of Henry VIII.The Royal Artillery Woolwich - A Celebration commemorates this event and its history through a richly illustrated colour volume. The book looks at the story of how the Gunners first came to Woolwich, the foundation and expansion of the Regiment, life in the garrison, its barracks, messes and church, battle honours, the evolution of the Royal Artillery Museum and life in the Regiment today centred on its operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.Written by Brigadier Ken Timbers, who served four tours of duty in Woolwich, the book contains over 200 images and include anecdotes, memories and memorabilia from Gunners with first-hand knowledge of the Regiment.'It would make an excellent Christmas or birthday present for any Gunner ... Brigadier Ken has succeeded in compiling an album that will satisfy the curiosity of family members for many generations to come' - British Army Review

Loyal Gunners

Loyal Gunners
Author: Lee Windsor
Publisher: Wilfrid Laurier Univ. Press
Total Pages: 819
Release: 2016-09-15
Genre: History
ISBN: 1771122560

Loyal Gunners uniquely encapsulates the experience of Canadian militia gunners and their units into a single compelling narrative that centres on the artillery units of New Brunswick. The story of those units is a profoundly Canadian story: one of dedication and sacrifice in service of great guns and of Canada. The 3rd Field Regiment (The Loyal Company), Royal Canadian Artillery, is Canada’s oldest artillery unit, dating to the founding of the Loyal Company in Saint John in 1793. Since its centennial in 1893, 3rd Field—in various permutations of medium, coastal, and anti-aircraft artillery—has formed the core of New Brunswick’s militia artillery, and it has endured into the twenty-first century as the last remaining artillery unit in the province. This book is the first modern assessment of the development of Canadian heavy artillery in the Great War, the first look at the development of artillery in general in both world wars, and the first exploration of the development and operational deployment of anti-tank artillery in the Second World War. It also tells a universal story of survival as it chronicles the fortunes of New Brunswick militia units through the darkest days of the Cold War, when conventional armed forces were entirely out of favour. In 1950 New Brunswick had four and a half regiments of artillery; by 1970 it had one—3rd Field. Loyal Gunners traces the rise and fall of artillery batteries in New Brunswick as the nature of modern war evolved. From the Great War to Afghanistan it provides the most comprehensive account to date of Canada’s gunners.

British Napoleonic Artillery 1793–1815 (2)

British Napoleonic Artillery 1793–1815 (2)
Author: Chris Henry
Publisher: Osprey Publishing
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2003-02-19
Genre: History
ISBN: 9781841764771

Following on from the first volume covering British Napoleonic Artillery, this volume concentrates on the heavy weapons of siege and coastal defences. This book covers the main equipments used; the 24 pounder siege gun and a variety of mortars. Mortars varied from 4- or 5-inch versions up to a13 inch calibre and were considered to be extremely effective because they used an exploding shell to destroy fortifications or personnel. Also covered in detail is the specialist bomb vessel, which was used to attack fortifications in a similar fashion; siege techniques; and the tactical use of siege and coastal artillery.