P Battery Royal Artillery

P Battery (The Dragon Troop) is a Battery of 5th Regiment Royal Artillery in the Royal Artillery. It currently serves in the Surveillance and Target Acquisition role and is equipped with various weapon platform locating equipment using radars and acoustic sound ranging assets.

History
The Rocket Troop Madras Horse Artillery was formed in 1805, at the request of the Madras Government and East India Company and it served with distinction in the Pindari and Mahratta Wars 1817–1819. It was redesignated as 'C' Troop Madras Horse Artillery 1825.

In 1840, the Troop was sent to China as part of an expeditionary force to fight in the Opium Wars, during which the British forces quickly captured the Island of Hong Kong. Then in 1841, it provided artillery support for a combined land and sea force assaulted the formidable line of forts guarding the mouth of the Siakiang River, which cleared the way for an attack on Canton and by 1842, after the international port of Shanghai and the strategic city of Chinkiang were captured hostilities were ceased. For its contribution in the campaign, 'C' Troop was conferred the Honour title 'Dragon', and given permission to include the China Dragon and the years '1840–1842' in its insignia.

The Troop then served in the second Burma War 1853–1855, and after many title changes, it became 'P' Battery Royal Horse Artillery in 1889. The Battery subsequently served in the Boer War 1900–1902 and as a training Battery during the First World War. The Battery was part of M/P Battery in 3rd RHA at the start of the Second World War and was equipped with the 2-pdr anti-tank gun. It then became just P Battery (consisting of A, B and C Troops at this time), still serving with 3rd RHA until the Battery ceased to be part of the Regiment on 15 March 1941. After having its farewell dinner on the 10 March, when in name, it went home to the UK to be reformed as part of 6th RHA. Many NCO's and men were absorbed by other Batteries of 3rd RHA. It then served in 6th RHA, seeing service in Palestine, Libya and the Central Zone until 1951 and become 'P' Field Battery Royal Artillery in 1958.