L (Néry) Battery Royal Horse Artillery

L (Néry) Battery Royal Horse Artillery are the Tactical Group Battery of 1st Regiment Royal Horse Artillery. They are currently based in Assaye Barracks in Tidworth.

Current Role
The Battery became a Tactical Group Battery in 2005, with its guns firing their last rounds in Otterburn in February 2005.
 * 2006 – L/N (Nery) Battery (The Eagles Troop) RHA split to reform separately as L and N Batteries. N Battery returned to 3 RHA to become their Tactical Group Battery and L Battery became 1 RHA’s Tactical Group Battery – supporting the HCR, 1st Mech Bde Formation Reconnaissance Regiment.

Battery Structure
L (Nery) Battery are known as a Tactical Group Battery and they consist of approximately 20 personnel:
 * Battery Commanders FOO Party
 * FOO Party A - Commanded by the Battery Captain
 * FOO Party B - Commanded by a Captain.
 * Battery Commanders Tac Group

Equipment
L (Nery) Battery are currently equipped with CVRT, rather the Warrior OPV. They have Forward Air Controllers in each team.

Formation
L (Nery) Battery were formed in India in 1809 as 3rd Troop The Bengal Horse Artillery.

1800s

 * 1857 - The Battery was distinguished with service in the Indian Mutiny, when in action on 7 July 1857, Gunner William Connolly who was repeatedly injured, refused to leave his post on the gun. He was awarded L Battery's first Victoria Cross.
 * 1889 - the Battery was renamed L Battery Royal Horse Artillery.

World War One

 * 1914 – L Battery accompanied the BEF to France.
 * 1914 - The Action at Néry. On the morning of the 1st September 1914 the German 4th Cavalry Division attacked 1st Cavalry Brigade and L Battery, who had been camped in the village of Néry. In the action that followed, L Battery, less for one gun, was all but destroyed.  The 13-pounder gun manned by Captain Bradbury, WO2 Dorrell, Sergeant Nelson, and Gunners Osbourne and Darbyshire, managed to keep the single gun in action against the three German Batteries located a thousand yards away. The Artillery fire put down by this gun allowed the 1st Cavalry Brigade to deliver a successful Counter attack.  For this action Captain Bradbury, WO2 Dorrell, Sergeant Nelson,  were all awarded the Victoria Cross

World War Two
L (Nery) Battery served with distinction during WW2 in North Africa and Italy.

Cold War
L (Nery) Battery also deployed to Palestine, Malaya, and Cyprus and Northern Ireland.

Northern Ireland
L (Nery) Battery deployed to Northern Ireland

Persian Gulf War
Elements of the Battery also served in Operation Granby in the Persian Gulf.

Balkan Wars
The Battery served in the Balkans.
 * 1993 – L Battery joined 1 RHA in Assaye Barracks Tidworth when 2 Regt RA (formerly 2 RHA) disbanded.
 * 1999- The Battery amalgamated with N Battery (The Eagle Troop) RHA to become L/N (Néry) Battery (The Eagle Troop) RHA.

Operation TELIC in Iraq

 * 2004 - L / N Battery served in Iraq on Op TELIC 4.