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3rd Regiment Royal Horse Artillery
Country United Kingdom
Branch British Army
Type Artillery
Part of 7th Armoured Brigade
Garrison/HQ Hohne
Equipment AS-90

3rd Regiment Royal Horse Artillery is a regiment of the Royal Horse Artillery in the British Army. They are currently based in Caen Barracks, Hohne, Germany.

It currently serves in the armoured field artillery role, and is equipped with the AS-90 self-propelled gun.

Under Army 2020, it is likely to provide force support to the Adaptable Force and might lose its AS-90s in return for light guns.[1] The 105th Regiment Royal Artillery will be paired with this regiment.[2]

Batteries[]

Equipment[]

AS90 Guns Firing During Exercise Flying Rhino MOD 45150214

D Battery, 3 Royal Horse Artillery firing an AS-90 on exercise in the Czech Republic.

The regiment is equipped with the AS-90 self-propelled gun. The Forward Observation Officers use the Warrior Observation Post Vehicle. The Command Posts are deployed in the FV432.

History[]

The component batteries within 3RHA have existed from the Napoleonic Wars. However, the Regiment was only formed in 1938 from 3rd Brigade Royal Horse Artillery. The regiment consisted of D, J, M and P Batteries.[3]

World War II[]

The Regiment supported the 7th Armoured Division (also known as the "Desert Rats") during the Western Desert Campaign. During the final attempt to lift the Siege of Tobruk, in Operation Crusader, at Sidi Rezegh Second Lieutenant George Ward Gunn earned the Victoria Cross for his bravery during an attack by 60 German Tanks. 3 RHA commemorate this by wearing a red backing to the cypher.

The Regiment supported 7th Armoured Division during the fighting in Italy. It continued to support 7th Armoured Division, as a follow up formation, following the Normandy Landings

In 1945, the Regiment led the Allied Victory parade in Berlin, and fired the Victory Salute.

Cold War[]

After World War II the Regiment served in UK, West Germany, Aden, Egypt, Kenya, Hong Kong and Cyprus.

  • 1958 – C Battery joined the Regiment, and M Battery was placed in Suspended Animation.
  • 1975 – M Battery was revived.
  • 1976 – The Regiment completed another tour of Northern Ireland, as part of Operation Banner
  • 1978 – The Regiment was placed in suspended animation. The Batteries became independent anti-tank Batteries.
  • 1984 – The Regiment was reformed in Paderborn, Germany. M Battery was once again placed in Suspended Animation.

Balkan wars[]

The Regiment has served in the Former Republic of Yugoslavia. In 1993 N Battery (The Eagle Troop) joined the Regiment, and M Battery was amalgamated with Headquarters Battery to form M Headquarters Battery.

  • 1999 – The regiment deployed with UNPROFOR to Bosnia

M(HQ) Bty, Radar Troop was deployed to Bosnia in 1994 and again in 1995 and 1996 on operational duties in Sarajevo and then Sanski Most during the balkan conflict.

Notes and references[]

Bibliography[]

  • Clarke, W.G. (1993). Horse Gunners: The Royal Horse Artillery, 200 Years of Panache and Professionalism. Woolwich: The Royal Artillery Institution. ISBN 09520762-0-9. 

External links[]

All or a portion of this article consists of text from Wikipedia, and is therefore Creative Commons Licensed under GFDL.
The original article can be found at 3rd Regiment Royal Horse Artillery and the edit history here.
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