A Timeline
This page is a simple timeline of major events in the history of 266 Battery, Bristol Gunners, Gloucestershire Artillery, and the Royal Artillery.
9th Century - Gunpowder invented in China.
1327 - One of the first uses of English artillery.
1720 - Formation of the Royal Artillery.
1486 - Volunteer Trained Bands of Artillery amalgamated.
1625 - Bristol Artillery Company formed. It lasted until 1642.
1662 - Militia Act - Most men bound to serve in the militia units raised within his county.
1793 - The establishment of the Royal Horse Artillery, designed to provide mobile fire support for cavalry units.
1797 - British Volunteer Corps formed.
1803 - Royal Bristol Artillery Company formed. They were disbanded on 27 June 1814. 18 May 1803, Napoleonic Wars started. Royal Bristol Volunteer Artillery formed on 9 July 1803.
1 April 1859 - A Royal Artillery Reimental Order was signed that artillery gun groups were to be named a Battery rather than a Company with effect from 1 July 1859. From March 1860, the term Company was removed from the Monthly Army List.
22 November 1859 - Gloucestershire Volunteer Artillery (GVA) formed. Its HQ was the Artillery Ground, Whiteladies Road, Clifton, Bristol. Commanded by Major Henry Bourchier Osborne Savile.
1863 - National Artillery Association formed to advance and promote the practice and science of artillery within the Corps of Artillery Volunteers. 28 November 1863 - the Newham, Gloucester and Clevedon Corps were formed into an administrative Brigade with the Bristol Corps.
30 January 1869 - Major Henry Bourchier Osborne Savile retired. Major C.D. Cave Esq. taking his place.
28 April 1871 - F. Bacon Esq., late R.M.A. appointed Major of the first Corps in succession to Major Cave who had resigned.
March 1880 - Gloucestershire Volunteer Artillery reformed as 1st Gloucestershire Artillery Volunteers (Gloucester and Somerset).
1908 - Territorial Force established.
1910 - 1st Gloucestershire Artillery Volunteers (Gloucester and Somerset) reformed as 1st South Midland (Gloucestershire) Brigade, RFA.
4 August 1914 - Mobilized for WWI.
30 March 1915 - Arrived in Le Havre.
1915 - Royal School of Artillery established at Larkhill, Wiltshire. March 1915 - 2/1 st South Midland Brigade R.F.A. (T.F.), (305 (S. M.) Brigade. R.F.A. formed.
17 May 1916 - 1st South Midland (Gloucestershire) Brigade, RFA Brigade reformed as 240 (1/1st. S.M.) Brigade R.F.A. This brigade served throughout WWI.1920 - Royal Artillery Association formed to create a "Gunner Friend" network organisation. In March 1920, 240 (S. M.) Brigade R.F.A. was designated 1st S. M. Brigade R. F. A. (Territorial Force). September 1920 - designation changed to 66th South Midland Brigade. R.F.A. (T.F.).
1921 - The Territorial Force was reorganized as the Territorial Army.
1924 - Royal Field Artillery (RFA), Royal Horse Artillery (RHA), and Royal Garrison Artillery (RGA) amalgamated.
1934 - 223rd Field Artillery Signal Section formed.
1938 - 76th (Gloucestershire) AA Regiment RA (TA) formed. 3 Survey Regiment RA (TA) formed.
1 July 1939 - 5 Survey Regiment RA (TA) formed.
1940 - Ordnance QF 25-pounder entered service.
1947 - 376 Observation Regiment RA (TA) formed.
1954 - 311 (Bristol) Heavy Anti Aircraft Regiment RA (TA) formed.
1959 - 883rd Locating Battery RA (TA) formed
1961 - 883rd (Gloucestershire Volunteer Artillery) Locating Battery RA (TA) formed.
1967 - The Territorial Army was reorganized as the Territorial and Army Volunteer Reserve. 104 Regiment Royal Artillery formed. The units in Bristol were disbanded but Bristol Royal Artillery Club (Old Stiffs) was formed.
1971 - 266 (Gloucestershire Volunteer Artillery) Observation Post Battery formed.
1976 - L118 light gun, a 105mm towed howitzer entered service.
1992 - 266 Bty re-roled as a field battery operating 105mm Light Guns, supporting 7 Para RHA.
1999 - 266 Bty joined 289 Battery who were based in London and became part of 100th (Yeomanry) Regiment Royal Artillery
2003 - Royal Artillery headquarters moved from Woolwich, London, to Larkhill, Wiltshire.
2013 - 266 Bty re-roled to operate Desert Hawk 3 Mini Unmanned Air Systems (M-UAS) and was re-designated to 104 Regiment Royal Artillery.
2017 - 266 Bty re-roled back to L118 Light Gun and operates as part of 104 Regiment Royal Artillery.
Sources and Resources
Derek Driscoll's original sites
Gloucestershire Volunteer Artillery Web Site
Gloucestershire Volunteer Artillery Web Site
The Bristol Gunners
Other Resources
104th Regiment Royal Artillery - Wikipedia
Artillery - Wikipedia
Artillery in Medieval Europe - World History Encyclodpedia
Artillery Through the Ages - National Park Service
British Artillery of the Napoleonic Wars - Napoleon, His Army and Enemies
Gunpowder artillery in the Middle Ages - Wikipedia
History of gunpowder - Wikipedia
History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery - by Captain Francis Duncan, M.A., D.C.L., LL.D. Volume 1 | Volume II - Project Gutenberg
L118 light gun - Wikipedia
List of artillery - Wikipedia
National Artillery Association
Ordnance QF 25-pounder - Wikipedia
Royal Artillery - National Army Museum
Royal Artillery - Wikipedia
Royal Artillery Association
The Volunteer Artillery 1859-1908 by Norman Litchfield and Ray Westlake, Sherwood Press