1st Lanarkshire Artillery Volunteers

The 1st Lanarkshire Artillery Volunteers were formed in 1859 as a response to a French invasion threat. They served during the First and Second World Wars until amalgamated in 1961.

Artillery Volunteers 1859-1908
The 1st Administrative Brigade Lanarkshire Artillery Volunteers was formed, with headquarters at Glasgow, on 6 March 1860. In it were included, then or on their subsequent dates of formation, the following corps, of one battery each, raised in Glasgow or its suburbs:


 * 1st Corps accepted for service on 30 December 1859
 * 2nd Corps accepted for service on 30 December 1859
 * 3rd Corps accepted for service on 30 December 1859
 * 4th Corps (1st Northern) accepted for service on 6 December 1859
 * 5th Corps (2nd Northern) accepted for service on 27 December 1859
 * 6th Corps (3rd Northern) accepted for service on 27 December 1859
 * 7th Corps (1st Eastern, Gallowgate) accepted for service on 10 January 1860
 * 8th Corps (Ironmongers) accepted for service on 10 January 1860
 * 9th Corps (2nd Eastern) accepted for service on 30 January 1860
 * 10th Corps (Calton Artisans) accepted for service on 16 February 1860
 * 11th Corps (Maryhill Artisans) accepted for service on 5 March 1860
 * 12th Corps (Western) accepted for service on 12 May 1860
 * 13th Corps (Hillhead and Dowanhill) accepted for service on 24 July 1860
 * 14th Corps accepted for service on 26 July 1860
 * 15th Corps (Partick), accepted for service on 2 November 1860

The 4th, 5th, 6th, 10th, and 11th were artisan corps, the men of which paid 2s. 6d. entry money, and 30s. for their uniforms, the remaining expenses being met by outside subscriptions, and the first four being assisted from the Glasgow Central Fund. The 1st Corps was formed, it is said, at the suggestion of Prince Albert, made at the opening of the Loch Katrine waterworks on 14 October 1859, that Glasgow should form some artillery. Mr John Wilkie, a leading lawyer of the city, took the matter in hand, and so many members joined the corps that from the outset three batteries could be formed, which were numbered the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. These were entirely self-supporting, the honorary members paying £5 each, on enrolment, to the funds, and the effective members subscribing 10s. each annually and buying their own uniform and belts at a cost of £4 a-head. The remaining corps were raised on similar principles.

The original uniform of all the corps was similar to that of the Royal Artillery, with busbies and white waist-belts, but with scarlet cuffs and forage caps with scarlet bands.

In 1862 the brigade was consolidated as the 1st Lanarkshire Artillery Volunteers of fifteen batteries, which retained their former numbers. Up to 1865 the only guns on which the batteries were drilled were 32-pounder smooth-bores. However, on 13 December of that year a sixteenth battery was raised, and equipped as a field-battery with four 6 Pounder smooth bore field-guns. The 17th Battery (garrison) was formed in 1868. In 1876 the 1st Corps won the Queen's Prize at the annual National Artillery Association competition held at Shoeburyness.

In 1889 many volunteer artillery batteries were equipped with semi-mobile artillery and designed position batteries. The 1st Lanarkshire was nominated to operate two position batteries, each of four 16-Pounder Rifled Muzzle Loading guns and two waggons, were issued to them. The two batteries were manned by the personnel of four garrison batteries (including the former 16th). In 1900 the strength of the corps was increased to twenty batteries. As a result eight more 16-pounder RML batteries were issued to it, and the whole corps was reorganised into ten position batteries, numbered 1st to 10th. These were divided into five brigades. As the corps was then entirely of position batteries, it was in 1901 styled a "position artillery corps," and in 1902 "heavy artillery."

However despite the new issue of equipment in 1900, harness was only given for three batteries, making five in all. It wasn't until 1905 that harness for the remaining five was issued. In 1907-8 the 16-pounder guns were replaced by 15- pounder Breech Loading guns, which had been converted into quick-firers. The corps was the only one in Scotland composed entirely of heavy batteries.

The 1st Lanarkshire had a number of different buildings in various locations. An orderly-room, officers' and Serjeants' club, and headquarters were at 8 Newton Terrace, Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow. The corps had five separate drill halls in different parts of the city, each with harness rooms, gun-sheds etc. for two batteries. The Maryhill drill-hall, accommodated all the ammunition-waggons when not in use in the batteries. For over thirty years the corps carried out its annual practice at Irvine, from Bogside Camp, and as a rifle-range it used that at Darnley belonging to the 1st and 3rd Lanark Volunteer Rifle Corps.

In 1900 the whole corps volunteered its services for South Africa. This was no accepted, as Artillery units weren't required. However Sixty-two members of the corps, however, including Lieut. J. C. Clark, served in various capacities in South Africa during the war. By 1902 the unit had been retitled the 1st Lanarkshire Royal Garrison Artillery (Volunteers).

The Lieutenant-colonels commandant of the Volunteer corps were:


 * Wm. S. S. Crawford, 7 February 1861
 * Jas. Keid Stewart, 12 May 1862
 * John Kidston (hon. col.), 10 March 1875
 * Kobt. J. Bennett, VD (hon. col.), 27 September 1890
 * Alexr. B. Grant, MVO, VD (hon. col.), 2 January 1895
 * Archibald M'l. Shaw, VD (hon. col.), 16 November 1907.

Territorial Force 1908-1920
In 1908 on the formation of the Territorial Force the corps became the 3rd Lowland and 4th Lowland (Howitzer) Brigades Royal Field Artillery (TF). On the outbreak of war in 1914 a duplicate unit was raised, with the units being designated 1st/1st and 2nd/1st Lowland Brigade respectively. In 1916 the Brigades were numbered as 262nd and 263rd Brigades Royal Field Artillery (TF). They served in the UK, Egypt, Gallipoli and Palestine during the First World War.

They were placed in suspended animation in 1919.

Interwar years
After the war, the Brigades were amalgamated as the 3rd Lowland Brigade RFA (TA) in the reformed Territorial Army. In 1921 the unit was designated 80th (Lowland) Field Brigade RFA (TA), then in 1924 80th (Lowland) Field Brigade RA (TA).

In 1938 it was again redesignated as the 80th (Lowland - City of Glasgow) Field Regiment RA (TA).

Second World War
During the Second World War the Regiment served in the United Kingdom and North West Europe, before placed in suspended animation in 1946.

Postwar
In 1947 the unit was reconstituted as 280th Medium Regiment RA (Lowland - City of Glasgow) (TA). In 1955 this was changed to 280th (City of Glasgow Artillery) Field Regiment RA (TA).

In 1961 the unit was amalgamated with 279th (Ayrshire) Field Regiment RA (TA) to form 279th (City of Glasgow & Ayrshire) Field Regiment RA (TA) with the headquarters moving to Troon.

External sources

 * The Royal Artillery 1939-45
 * The Long, Long Trail
 * The Regimental Warpath 1914–1918
 * Land Forces of Britain, the Empire and Commonwealth
 * British Military History
 * Patriot Files orders of battle