History F (Sphinx) Parachute Battery Royal Horse Artillery

1 history

1.1 creation
1.2 anglo-afghan wars
1.3 india
1.4 world wars
1.5 7 para rha
1.6 recent history

history
creation

the battery raised in india in 1800 experimental brigade of horse artillery. sent egypt join force operating against napoleon’s army. troop sailed red sea coast marched across desert. took heavy toll on troops , particularly on horses , time reached nile guns being towed camels. troop sailed nile giza, home of sphinx, encamped on isle of roda. time ordered march rosetta french had given alexandria troop never had glory of facing napoleon s army in field. on leaving egypt troop returned india garrisoned @ dum dum, calcutta. in 1926 honour title sphinx awarded battery services in 1801 campaign against french in egypt.

anglo-afghan wars

in 1842 troop, known 1st troop, 1st brigade bengal horse artillery involved in famous retreat kabul during first afghan campaign. troop part of force of 4,500 men , 12,000 civilians left kabul in january 1842 , massacred afghan tribesmen.

“owing starved condition of horses, rendered them unable drag guns of battery through deep snow , rugged mountain passes, guns were, 1 after other, spiked , abandoned. captain, 2 officers , 102 ncos , men killed in retreat.”

the troop reformed in dum dum , saw action in afghanistan again in second anglo-afghan war 1878–80, renamed bty, b brigade rha.

on 19 april 1880 battery part of force marching kandahar ghazni open route kabul. met enemy @ village of ahmed khel battery fought magnificent action repelling enemy charge , allowing main force time deploy. in describing action major may said “no artillery has ever been called upon repel more determined charge, 1 no europeans have ventured make @ all.” following day, @ fort of ghunzi, 2 of original guns lost in 1842 recovered battery. 1 still in india while other, ahmed khel gun, owned current battery.

india

the battery based @ dum dum, near calcutta, of 19th century involved in numerous conflicts , uprisings including mahratta war, gurkha war , burma war. renowned campaign battery fought during time in india during indian mutiny in 1857 involved in relief of lucknow. residency @ lucknow had been besieged indian troops 6 months before british relief force, including battery, arrived. during fighting gunner , rough rider edward jennings received victoria cross actions. jennings decorated conspicuous gallantry , action involved rescue of british officer hands of mutineers. jennings vc owned battery , exploits remembered crimson stripes of vc ribbon adorn battery stable belt.

world wars

now named f battery rha, battery heavily involved in fighting on western front during world war seeing action in ypres, loos, somme, arras , cambrai amongst others in italy.

between wars, battery spent several years based @ st john s wood performing ceremonial duties. based in rawalpindi india, during 1930 s. @ outbreak of world war ii, battery moved cairo became part of 4th rha. battery part of montgomery’s famous 7th armoured division (the desert rats), equipped 25pdrs guns.

7 para rha

in 1961 battery became part of 7th parachute regiment royal horse artillery , moved germany aldershot f (sphinx) parachute battery rha. first operational tour in role in aden involved in fierce fighting in radfan mountains.

the battery despatched 4 operation banner tours in northern ireland, final of these being full battery deployment south armagh part of 1 royal scots bg. in 1994 battery deployed cyprus part of unficyp , responsible sector 2 of buffer zone patrolled contested line , provided force , sector reserve.

1996 saw battery deployed bosnia part of nato led implementation force (ifor). bty split 2 independent troops of 3 guns alternating deployments deploying 6 guns when there requirement show presence .

recent history

in 1999 battery along rest of regiment became part of newly formed 16 air assault brigade.

in 2003 battery accompanied regiment iraq regiment fired 18 guns in first shots fired coalition troops in ground campaign. battery moved iraq secure rumaylah oilfields involved in substantial counter-battery battle iraqi artillery units. bk capt grant ingleton awarded mc actions on gun position during counter-battery duel. bty re-rolled infantry role conduct peace support operations in maysan province.

isaf soldiers 7th parachute regiment royal horse artillery fire 105mm light gun @ taliban positions. kajaki, afghanistan, 28 august 2008

2006 saw members of battery deploy on first of 3 tours helmand province, afghanistan. on 11 june 2006 captain jim philippson rha became first british soldier killed in helmand result of enemy action. later in tour lance bombardier (lbdr) ben parkinson injured when vehicle travelling in hit landmine. lbdr parkinson has since received considerable press attention 1 of injured soldiers survive conflict.

their recent deployment saw battery s gun group deployed artillery hill carried out mentoring , training afghan national army using russian d30 guns. returned colchester in april 2011.

the battery equipped 105mm light gun. guns , fire support teams (fsts) provide joint fires support 16 air assault brigade. battery due deploy afghanistan again in 2013.

in september 2013, part of exercise sphinx resolve.