Sorry if this seems a bit dim but a commando troop supporting 7 RHA and a Para battery supporting 29 Cdo? or have I missed something?

Nigel you are right it is weird, it used to be the other way around i think.

Originally Posted by meiktilaman

289 Battery disbanded about 5 years ago i think Chinstrap and all the guys went to and i think I might be wrong 266 Bty down at Thorny Island

That is maybe worng with the battery number but it was an air defence battery down at Thorny .

Have you had a look at the 29 website for info on 289?

Best story about them I can remember was them stealing a silver tea pot from the WO's and Sgts mess while we were on exercise at Knook Camp! Not so much cos of the theft of the tea pot but of the reaction of the then (black) RSM

Highly amusing lol

i think he he said" some dam theff has stollen my silver t-pots, maybe it was the tea they was after, but i want my silver teapots back.

*cough* 29 *cough*

So is 289 troop still in commando role? or para? why was the battery reduced to a troop?

Nigel, I don't know why it was reduced, but this isn't the first time 289 have been re-roled from Commando to Para and back.

Presently, 289 is in the Para role looking to Colchester to support 7. As I said above, 266 Battery over in Bristol being closer to Plymouth are focused on supporting 29.

In fact, 289 was originally mustered as airborne. In the mid 1970s, when the then Labour government decided that we did not need so many Paras, 7 Para RHA (to which 289 was affiliated to) remustered as a Field Regiment and was sent to Germany and only one Parachute Regiment was retained in the Airborne role.

29 Commando Regiment lost 145 (Maiwand) Cdo. Battery (and nearly lost 79 Battery as well) and 289 (V) Battery remustered as Commando. At this time, 95 Commando FOU RA became 148 (Meiktilla) Cdo FO Battery under administration of 29 Commando, making it (on paper) a full strength artillery regiment.

It's a pity that 289 is no more, in the late 1970s they were an excellent bunch of lads, and up for anything.

mnairb, thank you for the education. The spirit in 289 still lives on, not least because there are still a core, some of whom have served since the 80s who are passing the knowledge on to a new generation.

We are launching a major recruitment drive, but the sad truth is while the majority might like the idea of wearing the maroon beret, few are willing to invest the time and effort. Also the hats up at 201 Battery have been calling the tune, with the result being a collective grinding of teeth every time some new edict comes down from Luton. However, things should hopefully now change as the new SPSI is from 7, and having come back from AFG brings with him a good dose of reality.

Originally Posted by Nigel

why was the battery reduced to a troop?

Because the Navy (read Royal Marines) would not pay for them, despite 289 augmentation to a number of ops including a full gun sub for 8 Bty in Bosnia. Sadly it was a cost saving measure and the choice of who should go was not as simple as a choice or competition between 266 or 289 as the Navy only paid for 289, not 266 who were Army funded. There was no other reason as for sure 289 had outperformed 266 on all fronts -except who paid the bill. 289 were then subsumed into 266.

I also suspect that back in the less kinetic days of 1997 when the decision was made and promulgated that 131 Cdo Engr sqn (also Navy funded )were seen as better value. So it was really 289 v 131, not 289 v 266.

Originally Posted by mnairb

In fact, 289 was originally mustered as airborne. In the mid 1970s, when the then Labour government decided that we did not need so many Paras, 7 Para RHA (to which 289 was affiliated to) remustered as a Field Regiment and was sent to Germany and only one Parachute Regiment was retained in the Airborne role.

29 Commando Regiment lost 145 (Maiwand) Cdo. Battery (and nearly lost 79 Battery as well) and 289 (V) Battery remustered as Commando. At this time, 95 Commando FOU RA became 148 (Meiktilla) Cdo FO Battery under administration of 29 Commando, making it (on paper) a full strength artillery regiment.

It's a pity that 289 is no more, in the late 1970s they were an excellent bunch of lads, and up for anything.

My old man was BSM in the 70's just as I signed up.