Artillery Formations in Bristol
A History
Introduction
This page is based on the article "The Bristol Gunner Tradition" by Major J. Smith RA (V) MBE TD that appeared on Derek Driscoll's "The Bristol Gunner" website.
As Major Smith wrote, "Regrettably a comprehensive history of the Volunteer Artillery Movement in Bristol has yet to be written. The task of unraveling the kaleidoscope of amalgamations that went to produce the ancestry of the present Gloucestershire Volunteer Artillery unit needs more investigation to make it complete. The following is intended as a starting point for further research in the future."
17th Century
It should be remembered that at this time, the term "artillery" meant any weapon of firing a shot. For example, many of the trained bands of 1588 consisted of roughly 36% arquebusiers (an arquebus is a type of shoulder-fired matchlock gun), 6% musketeers, 16% bowmen, 26% pikemen, and 16% billmen, a bill was a spiked and bladed weapon. Cannon had been in use since the 12th century and the men of the units who used them were called cannoneers.
Without claiming any direct lineage it is of interest that the Bristol Castle Ordnance Park was second, in size, to that held within the Tower of London. The castle also had it's own Master Gunner and Staff, from the earliest of times.
Volunteer Trained Bands
The numerous Volunteer Trained Bands of Artillery. which had been raised in the City and adjoining Counties during the War of the Roses, a series of civil wars over control of the throne, 1455 - 1487, were amalgamated into a single body in 1486.
The Trained Bands were impressive. A visitor to Bristol in 1634 wrote that the city had three foot companies and continued:
besides a voluntary Company, of gentile, proper, martiall, disciplin'd men, who haue their Armes lodg'd in a handsome Artillery House, newly built vp in the Castle Yard, where once in a yeere, they inuite, and entertaine, both Earles, and Lords, and a great many Knights and Gentlemen, of ranke, and quality, at their Military Feast; And this yard affoords them, a spacious, and a large place to drill, and exercise in.
The First English Civil War started in 1642 and out of a population of around 25,000, the Bristol Trained Bands were originally supposed to number 1,000 men, but in May 1644, only around 800 could be mustered "by interruption of Trade and Commerce, by the Pestilence then raging there, by their poverty and pressures laid upon them." These volunteers were in addition to the 1,000 cavalry and 2,500 regular infantry troops defending the city. In defence of the city were 151 cannon and 130 barrels of gunpowder. The cannon were a variety of types and sizes, even the calibres were not standardized until 1716.
The name of one captains of the Trained Bands is known, William Bevan was also Sheriff and Warden of the Merchant Venturers between 1644-5.
Bristol Artillery Company
From 1625, up to the outbreak of the Civil War in 1642, the City supported the Bristol Artillery Company. In 1642 approval for the provision of suitable Ordnance was granted, with five skilled gunners. 1644 brought the first permanent military establishment for the City of Bristol that included about sixty gunners. There can be little doubt that the members of the Artillery Company served in the defense of the City, during the Civil War, which supported the Parliamentary cause.
Typical Civil War cannon - Sealed Knot reenactment
Photos: Mike Pratt and Angus Kirk (Creative Commons)
After the Restoration in 1660, the Militia Act (1662) made almost every man bound to serve in the militia units raised within his county.
On 25 September 1677, the Bristol City Council voted that citizens who might "think fit to join an Association of the Artillery Yard for their better instruction in military discipline" could, if the present tenant of the proerty were willing, use "the Bowling Green in the Marsh" as their parade ground. The marsh referred to probably means St. Philip's Marsh. King Charles II approved the order in March 1978, and orders were drawn up to form the new "Friendly Society of the Exercisers of Armes withing the Citty of Bristoll" which quickly became the Bristol Artillery Company on 12 December 1679. The oders were based on those of the Honorable Artillery Company which had been formed in London by King Henry VIII in 1537.
The Bristol Artillery Company, like the Honorable Artillery Company, was made to be an elite corps. Michael de L. Landon in his paper "The Bristol Artillery Company and the Tory Triumph in Bristol 1679-1684" describes some details of the Artillery Company:
A cavalry trooper in the militia was entitled to be paid half-a-crown daily, and footsoldiers one shilling; 10 to belong to the Artillery Company a Bristol citizen had to pay an entry fee of five shillings in the case of founder- members, or of ten shillings in the case of those who joined later, plus a quarterly subscription thereafter of half-a-crown. And, although under the Act militia regiments were only required to conduct a general muster and exercise once a year for a maximum period of four days, and to conduct company-level training only four times a year for a maximum period of two days, the members of the Artillery Company were expected to attend at the parade ground at one o'clock every Friday afternoon during the autumn and winter and at two every Friday during the spring and summer, or else to pay a fine of sixpence for each absence. On the second Friday of every month, days which were dubbed "monthly dayes of appearance," members had to parade in full uniform and with their full equipment.
As was usual with seventeenth-century infantry units, the men of the Artillery Company were di-vided into two groups: the pikemen and the musketeers. It was stated in the articles that a pikeman of the company was to wear a uniform consisting of a gray cloth coat lined with scarlet, a pair of scarlet breeches and a pair of scarlet stockings, a buff shoulder-belt, a crimson silk scarf and a white hat; and he was to carry a "good pike" and a broadsword or rapier. According to the Militia Act a pikeman's weapon had to be sixteen feet in length and made of ash. He was also supposed to wear a breastplate and a helmet of black armor; though the rules of the Bristol Company make no mention of them, they presumably would have been donned for actual warfare. A musketeer was to wear a uniform identical to a pikeman's with the addition of a buff bandolier collar and a buff girdle and frog, and he was to carry a "good musket" and a hanger or cutting sword. The Militia Act stipulated that a musketeer's musket must be of twelve-gauge caliber
While a member was fined sixpence for missing one of the weekly parades without good cause, he would be fined a shilling for failing to turn up for one of the monthly days of appearance, or if he turned up for it improperly habited and accoutered. Two of the Assistants were assigned to inspect the Company on each such monthly day, and were to be fined two shillings for each default that they missed. Most offenses carried a fine of half-a-crown. The heaviest fine, five shillings, was to be levied on any member who failed "to lead command & Exercise the [Company]."
There were 102 founder-members of the Company and in 1684, the Company paraded to welcome it's new Captain, the Marquis of Worcester, the son of the Duke of Beaufort.
19th Century
Wars with France
Great Britain fought a series of wars against France from the late 18th century through to 1815. The French Revolutionary War was fought between 1792–1797 and again from 1798–1802 and again in the Napoleonic Wars from 1803–1815.
The British Volunteer Corps, formed during the period 1797-1802, which guarded against a French invasion, would appear to have been solely infantry, but in 1803 an Artillery Company was created. It's title, The Royal Bristol Artillery Company, being granted by King George III. Gazetted on the 23rd July 1803, with the task of manning the guns at the mouth of the river Avon, this was not implemented.
Lord Berkeley offered the use of the North Gloucestershire field pieces for the duration of the war. It is of interest that these very guns can still be seen on the walls of Berkeley Castle (left Photo: Philip Halling, Geograph (Creative Commons)).
On the declaration of peace, on the 27th June 1814, the regiment was drawn up in front of the Bristol Corn Exchange and formally disbanded.
On 26 April 1798, the Mayor of Bristol, Robert Claxton, wrote to Henry Dundas, Secretary of War, stating that "although the battery about to be erected by Government at Portishead Point may be an excellent defence for this port in future, yet it is the opinion of many respectable professional men that during the considerable space of time this battery will be erecting, temporary ones should be immediately formed at this point, and on each side of the Mouth of the Avon." The letter went on to state that "we are severely destitute of artillery in this city and neighbourhood, except only two field pieces attached to the Berkshire Militia." This was not correct. The guns were not in Berkshire but at the temporary field battery on Brandon Hill, which had been originally built during the Civil War, and was now manned by the various Militia units which provided the city's garrison.
The Mayor's letters were taken seriously, and two gun batteries, each armed with four captured French 36 pounders, were approved. These were to be located on Portishead Point, on the site of the old Civil War Royalist battery, and at King Road Farm, Avonmouth, and were erected under the direction of Lieutenant William Rudyard of the Royal Engineers during the summer of 1798. These were manned by a detachment of four NCOs and eight gunners of the Invalid Artillery, under the command of Corporals Ross and Muirhead.
The garrison was probably very inadequate especially in time of invasion. The Royal Artillery Invalid Battalion was exactly that and although all were veterans, they were made up of wounded, unfit and older artillerymen who were not suitable for frontline service.
The Peace of Amiens was signed on 25 March 1802 bringing to an end the Revolutionary War, and on 9 April it was ordered that "the several batteries round the coast of Great Britain should be immediately dismantled of the guns and other pieces of ordnance which have been placed upon them in the course of the war." On 14 June 1802 the guns, ammunition and stores of the batteries were handed over to the City of Bristol for safekeeping.
The City did not have them for long as the Napoleonic Wars started on 18 May 1803 and the batteries had to be refurbished. This time the batteries were manned by volunteers, some 234 men mostly from the Pill area. Peace finally arrived in November 1815, but the batteries continued to be manned until 1835 when they were abandoned.
Redevelopment of Avonmouth meant the coastal battery there was totally demolished, but in 1855 the dismantled fort at Portishead was converted into a tea garden run by a Mrs. Laverick.
The Royal Bristol Volunteer Artillery was formed on 9 July 1803, and commanded by Captain W. Innes Pocock (? Peacock), and disbanded in 1808. There is very little information available about this unit.
In 1859, the 1st and 2nd Gloucestershire (City of Bristol) Rifle Volunteers were formed, both having links with many of the Volunteer Corps formed during 1797 and 1814.
Gloucestershire Volunteer Artillery
On the 22 November 1859, the Gloucestershire Volunteer Artillery was formed, making it's headquarters at the Artillery Ground, Whiteladies Rd. Clifton, Bristol. The unit started with five batteries with a sixth added later.
In May 1860, the newly formed Gloucestershire Artillery Volunteers were fortunately able to secure a long lease from the Society of Merchant Venturers of the existing parade ground on Whiteladies Road, Clifton, Bristol, and an appeal was made to the public for funds for the construction of an armoury, sheds and stores at a cost of £1,100, while a Drill Hall was added in 1895, at a further cost of £1,200. They received four 18 pounder smooth bore guns from the War Office which were installed on the old Avon Battery site at Avonmouth on 21 July 1860, and used for firing practice at a sea target. Earthworks were also built and used in connection with ball practice. In April 1860, Sidney Herbert, the Secretary for War, had informed the Town Clerk of Bristol that the War Office intended to restore the old battery at Portishead Point for the protection of Bristol. The site was purchased from Richard Bright in 1864, re-roofed, the magazines repaired, and two platforms installed for the two ton 32 pounders, the Gloucestershire Artillery Volunteers finally taking possession of their new practice ground on 23 October 1865.
From October 1871 until July 1874, except for a short spell on Dartmoor in late July and early August 1873, 'K' Battery, 4 Brigade, Royal Artillery were at Horfield Barracks, Bristol, and in July of both 1872 and 1873 they availed themselves of the facilities at Portishead. In 1881 the 1st Gloucestershire Artillery Volunteers moved their range from Portishead to Clevedon to have the benefits of a land range, but the practice battery at old battery remained intact until 1899 when the buildings at Portishead were finally demolished and the 64 pounder rifled, muzzle loading (RML) guns by then installed returned to stores.
In March 1880, the Gloucestershire Volunteer Artillery had beccome the 1st Gloucestershire Artillery Volunteers (Gloucester and Somerset).
20th Century
Once again in response to petitions to Parliament and the Admiralty concerning the defenceless state of the Bristol Channel the battery at Portishead was re-constructed in 1901. It was located on Portishead Point facing north-west and was specifically intended for the defence of the Bristol Channel leading to the docks at Portishead, Avonmouth and Bristol.
Starting in 1906, the Secretary of State for War Richard Haldane's Reforms were designed to better prepare the armed forces for future wars and involved a reorganization of the regular, volunteer and militia forces. The Territorial and Reserve Forces Act of 1907 saw the formation of the Territorial Force which consisted of fourteen infantry divisions, fourteen cavalry brigades, and a large number of support units including fully established divisions, provided with field artillery, companies of engineers and crucial supply services, including medical provision.
Under the Act the local Artillery Volunteers were converted to Field Artillery, so coastal defences such as those at Avonmouth and Portishead were manned by the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve until 1914 when the Portishead battery was dismantled and the stores and ammunition removed.
Also under the Act, the 1st and 2nd Gloucestershire (City of Bristol) Rifle Volunteers became part of the 4th Battalion of the Gloucester Regiment (T), and served as such during the First World War. It was reformed in 1920 and served as an infantry battalion until 1938 when it was re-badged as the 66th Searchlight Regiment RA (TA). After service during the 2nd World War it change it's role and became the 601st (City of Bristol) Heavy Anti Aircraft (Mixed) Regiment RA (TA) in 1947.
The Gloucestershire Volunteer Artillery became the 1st (South Midland) Brigade RFA (T) in 1908, with a further change of name in 1915 to the 240th Brigade RFA (T), under which it served through-out the First World War. On being reformed in 1920 it became the 66th (SM) Brigade RFA (T), then renamed in 1924 as the 66th (SM) Field Regiment RA (TA), in 1938 as the 76th (Gloucestershire) AA Regiment RA (TA). as which it served during the 2nd World War. It was reformed in 1947 as the 266th (Mobile) HAA Regiment RA (TA)
In 1947, the 312th Medium Regiment RA (TA) was formed. This and 266 (Gloucester Volunteer Artillery), 312 (Gloucestershire) and the 601 (City of Bristol), served until 1954 when they were amalgamated to form 311 (Bristol) Heavy Anti Aircraft Regiment RA (TA). R Battery continued to bear the title "City of Bristol."
In 1937, the 223rd (Field Artillery) Signals Section, Royal Signals (TA) was formed and after many alterations of role, became the 3rd Survey Regiment RA (TA) from which the 5th Survey Regiment RA (TA) was formed. The Regimental HQ was in Charnwood House in Cotham (now part of the Bristol Grammar School). These units served throughout the Second World War. In 1947 both units amalgamated to form the 376 Observation Regiment RA (TA) a further change of title in 1959 saw this unit become the 883rd Locating Battery RA (TA), forming part of the Wessex Division HQRA.
In 1961, an amalgamation of 883 Bty, with 311 Regt and the 43 Div CB Staff Troop formed the 883rd (Gloucestershire Volunteer Artillery) Locating Battery RA (TA,) this saw the Bristol Tradition and History of Artillery finally drawn together in to the hands of one unit.
Gloucestershire Volunteer Artillery shoulder title. These were in use from 1961 to 1967
Also in 1961, HQ RA (Rear) 43rd Wessex Division (TA) was formed and located in the Artillery Grounds. Most of the Territorial units in the region saw major changes. 311 Heavy Anti-Aircraft (HAA) Regiment in Bristol lost their identity. Since 1955, the Lord Mayor of Bristol had been their Honorary Colonel, and R Battery has carried the title "City of Bristol." The Regiment and the Gloucester Regiment feared another link with the City, dating back to 1797 would be broken. Largely though the efforts of the Commander of the 144th (Gloucester and Worcester) Infantry Brigade, Brigadier Newth, R Battery was amalgamated with the 5th Glosters in order that the two Bristol companies of the Battalion could still carry "City of Bristol" in their title. Around twenty members of R Battery transferred to the Battalion.
Bristol Royal Artillery Club (Old Stiffs)
In 1967, the Territorial Army forces were halved under a review produced by Generals John Hacket and Michael Carver. Thus 883 Battery became A (GVA) Squadron, Royal Gloucestershire Hussars (V) and served as part of the TAVR 3 force, with a responsibility for Home Defense, until 1969 when it was disbanded.
Although officially disbanded, the Bristol Gunners refused to relinquish their right to parade at the Artillery Ground and formed the Bristol Royal Artillery Club, sometimes known as the "Old Stiffs Mess," which met every Friday night for "Bar Drills." It was in 1971 that the BRA Club was responsible for providing the nucleus of the newly formed 266th (Gloucestershire Volunteer Artillery) Observation Post Battery RA (V).
Lieutenant Colonel H. Essex Lewis MBE DCM TD KStJ DL was a member of Bristol Royal Artillery Club or "Old Stiffs Mess," and its last Honorary Secretary. He had served in 240th Brigade RFA during WWI and wrote the article "Was It All Worth It" featured on the WWI Remembrance page. Among his papers held by the Imperial War Museums is a large cartoon of the Club's members made in 1980, which, unfortunately, has not yet been digitized.
266 (Gloucestershire Volunteer Artillery) Battery
In 1971, 266 (Gloucestershire Volunteer Artillery) Observation Post Battery was formed using the Bristol Royal Artillery Club as a nucleus as an independent Observation Post unit as a reinforcement unit for 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 and consisted of:
22 Officers
18 WO's / SNCOs
60 Junior NCOs
69 Other Ranks
Total: 169 All Ranks
In 1992, it was re-roled as a field battery operating 105mm Light Guns, supporting 7 Para RHA, and trained troops were entitled to wear the maroon beret from 1994.
In 1999, 266 joined 289 Battery who were based in London and became part of 100th (Yeomanry) Regiment Royal Artillery with the battery supporting both 7 Para RHA and 29 Commando Regiment. The Plymouth based 289 Commando Troop formed part of the battery.
On 31 March 2009, The Lord Mayor of Bristol, Christopher Davies, accorded 266 (Gloucestershire Volunteer Artillery) Battery, Royal Artillery (Volunteers) the honour of the "Freedom of the City."
Under Army 2020 plans 100th Regiment RA operations were suspended and in 2013, 266 Battery re-roled to operate Desert Hawk 3 Mini Unmanned Air Systems (M-UAS) and was re-designated to 104 Regiment Royal Artillery.
In 2017, 266 Battery re-roled back to L118 Light Gun and currently operates as part of 104 Regiment Royal Artillery who are part of 1st Deep Reconnaissance Strike Brigade Combat Team, providing gun sections, fire support teams (FSTs), and Command Post (CP) personnel.
104 Regiment 105mm light gun
Most of the above has been summarized in a downloadable diagram.
Sources and Resources
Derek Driscoll's original pages
The Bristol Gunner Tradition by Major J. Smith RA (V) MBE TD
The Bristol Gunner Tradition (Image) by Major J. Smith RA (V) MBE TD
17th Century
Artillery in the English Civil Wars - Mark Cartwright, World History Encyclopedia
Bristol and the Civil War - Patrick McGrath, Bristol Branch of the Historical Association, 1981
Gloucestershire Militia - Wikipedia
Gloucestershire Notes and Queries - edited by Rev. Beaver H. Blacker, 1881
Siege of Bristol in 1645 - Mark Cartwright, World History Encyclopedia
The Archaeology of the Fortifications constructed in England during the English Civil War (1642-1651): Bristol, Gloucester and Worcester - Richard Paul Israel, University of Bristol, 2019
The Bristol Artillery Company and the Tory Triumph in Bristol 1679-1684 - Michael de L. Landon, Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society , Apr. 13, 1970, Vol. 114, No. 2 (Apr. 13, 1970), pp. 155-161
19th Century
A military history of Bristol during the Revolutionary War 1793-1802 - John Penny, Fishponds Local History Society
Gloucestershire Volunteer Artillery - by Wienand Drenth, T. F. Mills
Gloucestershire Volunteers 1795-1815 - Brigadier H. Bullock, Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research , June, 1960, Vol. 38, No. 154 (June, 1960), pp. 76-82
Invalid Battalion, Royal Artillery - Steve Brown
Rough Notes on the Portishead & Avonmouth Coastal Gun Batteries 1643 to 1945 - Flying Fox Association
Volunteer Force - Wikipedia
20th Century
1st Deep Reconnaissance Strike Brigade Combat Team - Wikipedia
Bristol Air Defence (1940 - 1944) - Walking the Battlefields
City of Bristol Rifles - Wikipedia
Coast Artillery - Somerset and the Defence of the Bristol Channel in the Second World War. 2011. David Dawson, David Hunt and Chris Webster. Somerset Archaeological and Natural History Society
Gloucestershire Volunteer Artillery - Wikipedia
Haldane Reforms - Wikipedia
Heavy Anti Aircraft Battery Bristol B2, Portbury - Whatevers Left
Private Papers of Lieutenant Colonel H E Lewis MBE DCM TD KStJ DL - Imperial War Museums
Rough Notes on the Portishead & Avonmouth Coastal Gun Batteries 1643 to 1945 - Flying Fox Association
The Back Badge - Journal of The Gloucester Regiment, Summer 1961
Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907 - Wikipedia
To propose the granting of the "Freedom of the City" - Bristol City Council, 31 March 2009
104th Regiment Royal Artillery
Ministry of Defence (Army)
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Instagram
Wikipedia
Avonmouth and Portishead Batteries
A military history of Bristol during the Revolutionary War 1793-1802 - John Penny, Fishponds Local History Society
Battery Point, Woodhill Bay & Kilkenny Bay Battery Point - Posset Wanderer
Rough Notes on the Portishead & Avonmouth Coastal Gun Batteries 1643 to 1945 - Flying Fox Association
Bristol Volunteer and Territorial Forces Organization
This list refers to Wikipedia pages unless otherwise indicated.
Army 2020
Army Reserve
Haldane Reforms
Military units and formations in Bristol
Rifle Volunteer Corps of the British Army
Territorial Force
Trained Bands
Volunteer Force