266 (GVA) O.P. Bty R.A. (V)
1993

In 1971, 266 (Gloucestershire Volunteer Artillery) Observation Post Battery was formed as an independent Observation Post unit as a reinforcement unit for the British Army of the Rhine (BAOR) supplying observation post teams. The battery had a four gun troop of 25pdr field guns. In time of war the battery would provide 18 Observation Post Parties to regular army units

RHA200

In 1992, 266 Bty re-roled as a field battery operating 105mm Light Guns, supporting 7 Para RHA. As such, when the Royal Horse Artillery celebrated their bicentennial on August 3, 1993 with a parade known as RHA200 at Woolwich, 266 Bty, under the command of Major Neil McCabe, took our place alongside them.

About a week before the parade, around 20 of us took 3 of the 105mm Light Guns from Bristol to Woolwich. It was a busy week which consisted of being fitted for our uniforms, drill, parade rehearsals and painting and polishing the Land Rovers and guns.

There were some amusing moments, such as when our battery sergeant major, Derek Driscoll, said that once on parade we could move around as much as we liked but if our uniforms so much as twitched he'd tear our arms off and hit us over the head with the soggy end.

Thn there was the soldier that during one of the rehearsals just wandered across the parade ground. We didn't notice him at first but we all heard, "You there, get off my parade ground!"

There was a minor accident with the Queen's Range Rover during one of the rehearsals with a Land Rover and it had to be swapped on the day of the parade.

In 2025, I (Ray Thomas) did an internet search for the parade but it seems largely forgotten. A video was produced by the Royal Artillery and I ordered a copy of it shortly after the parade. I digitized it, split it into sections and put it on YouTube. The sections are:

Video introduction
History of the RHA, 1793 - 1901 - The formation of the RHA in 1793 and action in Java, Burma, Afghanistan, Holland, South America, Spain, The Peninsular War, Waterloo, Crimean War, Balaclava, India, The Boer War and other campaigns.
History of the RHA, 1914 - 1942
History of the RHA, WWII - 1993 - The AS90 and airborne operations
Onto the Parade Ground - We were transitioning to a para battery which is why we were wearing a mixture of hats and red berets.
The Arrival of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II
The Salute and Guard of Honour - The 21 gun salute by Kings Troop, RHA, the playing of the national anthem and the inspection of the Guard of Honour, 1 Regt. RHA
Review of the Batteries
The Addresses - the addresses made by Her Majesty, the Master Gunner and the Chaplain. They last just 12 minutes. At the time it seemed like hours and I couldn't wait for them to be over, just to be able to move again.
The March Past - The old comrades, the RA and RHA Associations, and the Pikemen and Musketeers of the Honorable Artillery Company.
The Drive Past - I was trying hard not to think about stalling the Land Rover when we pulled away and concentrating on keeping it lined up with the one next to us.
The Massed Bands - The Royal Artillery Band, Royal Artillery Alanbrooke Band, The Band of the Honorable Artillery Company, The Band of the Lancashire Artillery Volunteers and the Band of the South Nottinghamshire Hussars Yeomanry.

The order of precedence in the parade was:

A Battery (The Chestnut Troop)
B Battery
C Battery
E Battery
D Battery
F Battery (The Sphinx Troop)
G Battery (Mercer's Troop)
I Battery (Bull's Troop)
J Battery (Sidi Rezegh Troop)
K Battery (Hondeghem Troop)
L Battery (Néry Troop)
M Battery (The Eagle Troop)
O Battery (The Rocket Troop)
P Battery (The Dragon Troop)
Q Battery (Sanna's Post Troop)
T Battery (Shah Sujah's Troop)
HAC (Honorable Artillery Company)
266 Gloucestershire Volunteer Artillery Battery
289 Commando Battery
307 South Nottingham Hussars