1st Ayrshire and Galloway Artillery Volunteers

The 1st Ayrshire and Galloway Artillery Volunteer Corps were formed in 1860 as a response to a French invasion threat. They transferred to the Territorial Force in 1908 and continued in existence until amalgamation in 1967.

Artillery Volunteers 1860-1908
The 1st Ayrshire and Galloway Artillery Volunteers was formed with headquarters at Irvine, North Ayrshire, in November 1860. It comprised the following corps of Ayrshire Artillery Volunteers:


 * 1st Corps formed at Irvine on 22 December 1859, as one and a half batteries ; reduced to one battery in 1862.
 * 2nd Corps formed at Ayr on 31 January 1860, as one and a half batteries; increased to two batteries in 1874.
 * 3rd Corps formed at Largs on 1 March 1860, as one battery.
 * 4th Corps formed at Ardrossan on 3 March 1860, as one battery.
 * 5th Corps formed at Kilmarrnock on 12 July 1860, as one battery. Increased in 1864 to one and a half batteries.

In 1863, the following corps were added to the brigade:


 * 1st Kirkcudbright Artillery Volunteers formed at Kirkcudbright on 2 February 1860, as one battery.
 * 1st Wigtown Artillery Volunteers formed at Stranraer on 20 February 1860, as one battery.
 * 2nd Wigtown Artillery Volunteers formed at Port Patrick on 22 February 1860, as one battery.

On 4 May 1867, the 3rd Wigtown Artillery Volunteers were formed at Sandhead as one battery and became part of the Brigade.

In 1863, brigade headquarters were moved from Irvine to Ayr, and in May 1880 the brigade was consolidated as the 1st Ayrshire and Galloway Artillery Volunteers, with headquarters at Ayr and eleven batteries as follows:


 * Number 1, Irvine (late 1st Ayrshire Corps)
 * Numbers 2 and 3, Ayr (late 2nd Ayrshire Corps)
 * Number 4 at Largs (late 3rd Ayrshire Corps)
 * Number 5 at Ardrossan (late 4th Ayrshire Corps)
 * Numbers 6 and 7 at Kilmarnock (late 5th Ayrshire Corps)
 * Number 8 at Kirkcudbright (late 1st Kirkcubright Corps)
 * Number 9 at Stranraer (late 1st Wigtown Corps)
 * Number 10 at Port Patrick (late 2nd Wigtown Corps)
 * Number 11 at Sandhead (late 3rd Wigtown Corps)

In 1889, a position battery of 16-pounder Rifled Muzzle Loading (RML) guns was issued to the corps and manned by the two Kilmarnock batteries. In that year, corps headquarters were moved to Kilmarnock.

In 1892, the existing position battery took the number 1, absorbing the 6th and 7th Companies. In 1901, two more batteries of 9 Pounder Rifled Muzzle Loading (RML) guns were issued to the corps, which took the numbers 2 and 3 and absorbed the Irvine and Ayr Companies, and an extra personnel formed as a 6th Company at Kilmarnock. The 8th to 11th Companies took the numbers 7 to 10.

In 1903, 4.7-inch Quick Firing (QF) guns replaced the RML armament of all three heavy batteries. The final organisation of the unit until 1908 was as follows:


 * Number 1 heavy battery at Kilmarnock
 * Numbers 2 and 3 heavy batteries at Ayr
 * Number 4, 5, 7, 8, 9 and 10 garrison companies (Number 6 being vacant, and accounted for by extra personnel in the heavy batteries)

The corps carried out its gun practice at Irvine. It used the Ayrshire Rifle Association range at Irvine for musketry, except the 7th to 10th Companies, which had ranges near their own headquarters.

In 1900, over 600 men of the unit volunteered to serve in the Second Boer War, but as artillery men were not required they were not accepted. Twenty-eight men served in South Africa during the war with other units.

The original uniform of the 1st and 2nd Ayrshire was blue tunics with red collars, cuffs, and piping, edged all round with black braid and with four rows of black braid across the chest. Blue trousers with black stripe with red piping were also worn, along with blue peaked caps with a black lace band, scarlet piping, and a silver grenade in front. Black waist-belts were worn. The original uniform of the 1st Wigtown was blue with scarlet facings, white belts, and silver badges.

The officers commanding the Artillery Volunteers were:


 * Major Sir E. Hunter-Blair, Bart., 8 May 1861
 * Lieut.-Colonel Hon. G. E. Vernon, 17 July 1863
 * Lieut.-Colonel Sir E. Hunter-Blair, Bart, (reappointed), 4 September 1866
 * Vacant in 1872 and 1873
 * Lieut.-Colonel John Shand, 6 May 1874
 * Lieut.- Colonel Sir Mark J. Stewart, Bart., VD, 5 February 1879
 * Lieut.-Colonel John G. Sturrock, VD (honorary Colonel), 22 December 1888
 * Lieut.-Colonel T E Stuart, 5 April 1905

Territorial Force (TF) 1908-1920
When the Volunteers were subsumed into the new Territorial Force in 1908 under the Haldane Reforms, the 1st Ayrshire and Galloway Royal Garrison Artillery (Volunteers) formed the 2nd Lowland Brigade, Royal Field Artillery (TF) with headquarters at Ayr. It also provided a nucleus for the Lowland Mounted Brigade Transport and Supply Column.

On the outbreak of war in 1914, a duplicate unit was raised, with the units being designated 1/2nd and 2/2nd Lowland Brigades respectively. In 1916, the Brigades were numbered as 261st and 326rd Brigades Royal Field Artillery (TF). They served in the UK, France and Flanders during the First World War.

They were placed in suspended animation in 1919.

Interwar years
After the war, the Brigades were amalgamated as the 2nd Lowland Brigade RFA (TF) in the reformed Territorial Army. In 1921, the unit was designated 79th (Lowland) Field Brigade RFA (TF), then, in 1924, 79th (Lowland) Field Brigade RA (TA). In 1938, it was redesignated as the 79th (Lowland) Field Regiment RA (TA).

Second World War
In 1939, the unit was part of the 52nd (Lowland) Infantry Division. It served in the United Kingdom and North West Europe, before being placed in suspended animation in 1946.

Postwar
In 1947, the unit was reconstituted as 279th Field Regiment RA (Lowland) (TA). In 1950, it was amalgamated with 328th Medium Regiment RA (Lowland) (TA).

In 1955, the unit was again amalgamated, this time with 330th (Lowland) Medium Regiment RA (TA) to form ‘’’279th (Ayrshire) Field Regiment RA (TA)’’’. In 1961, it was amalgamated with 280th (City of Glasgow Artillery) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery (TA) and redesignated as 279th (The City of Glasgow and Ayrshire) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery (TA), with Headquarters moving to Troon.

In 1967, it was amalgamated with 277th and 278th Field Regiments, to form ‘’’The Lowland Regiment’’’ and ceased to have a separate identity.

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