Honourable Artillery Company

History

In 1537, the Overseers of the Fraternity or Guild of St George received a Charter of Incorporation from King Henry VIII. The purpose of this Guild was to improve the defence of the realm and maintain the science and feat of shooting long bows, cross bows and hand guns. The Guild became known as 'the Gentleman of the Artillery Garden', after its practice ground in Spitalfields, then simply as 'the Artillery Company'. At this time 'artillery' referred to archery and other missile weapons, and 'great artillery' to guns. The courtesy prefix 'Honourable' was first used in 1685 and officially confirmed by Queen Victoria in 1860. The HAC moved from Spitalfields to its present site on City Road in 1641, Armoury House was built in 1735.

They were the home of professional gunnery until the formation of the first regular professional regiment, the Artillery Regiment, which then moved finally to Woolwich.

Traditionally they have recruited from all classes in the City of London, and this came to a head in the Civil War, where the Regt voted to split, and fight on the side of their choosing. A small home force was kept back to guard the location of Armoury House.

The HAC has a substantial (for a TA Regiment) ceremonial commitment - firing Gun Salutes at the Tower of London on State Occasions and finding a Guard of Honour at the Guildhall for visiting Heads of State. You will also see them in the Lord Mayor's Show, usually at the back somewhere near the REME truck and the dustcarts. Occasionally employed outside St Pauls Cathedral too, if there aren't enough traffic cones available to help the Royal Carriage park.

The Regiment has had individuals or sub-units on active service at all times since 1996 in a wide variety of roles in Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan. Commitments included the depoyment of patrols to Bosnia and Kosovo and independent sub-units to Operation Telic 4 and 5 in Iraq and L Troop to Operation Telic 9 in addition to individual and group reinforcements to other infantry and artillery units on Telic 1 and 3 and Herrick 7, 8 and 9 onwards...

On 4 Dec 07 Trooper Jack Sadler was killed when his vehicle was attacked north of Sangin, in Helmand province. Two other soldiers were injured in the attack.

Current ORBAT

The HAC own their own drill hall (Armoury House), like a 17th century stately home, and the castle building attached, Finsbury Barracks (they lease that bit to the Army - it's draughty and the roof leaks).

There are three parts to the HAC; the civilian side called the Company, a registered charity 'for the setting out of soldiers', which holds the titles to the land and buildings and the nicer half of the Brecon Beacons, the military side called the Regiment and a detachment of City of London Police Special Constables. The Regiment is made up of Squadrons:

1 and 2 Squadrons are classed as the 'sabre' squadrons, whose role is a very demanding and rare one. So rare that it is the ONLY reservist/part time unit in NATO to have the Surveillance and Target Acquisition (STA) role. This is a long range reconnaissance job, resulting in long periods of time being spent in Observation Posts (OPs), covertly, or mixed up with other troops in an overt OP. It is a very physically demanding job, with patrols carrying all of their food and water plus operationally specific equipment, on their backs, for up to three weeks.

The Training Squadron (3 Sqn) In 2007, 3 squadron was re-organised to become the Training Squadron and provides the infrastructure for all internally run courses. The Regiment's establishment remained unchanged, as did its mission, and the number and type of patrols it is to provide. The idea behind this structure is to give more continuity in the management of training from a recruit coming through the gate, though phase 2, and further on his/her career.

The Signals Squadron is made up of signallers whose role is to ensure that when the patrols scream, someone can hear them.
L Troop were formed from what used to be the Gun Troop, but were given the task of providing Liaison Teams to accompany Liaison Officers. In 2007, L Troop was disbanded and the role merged with the Corps of Drums.
HQ Squadron provides the logistical back up and training for the Regiment to survive and fight in any location or theater.
The Corps of Drums have a dual role - providing music on ceremonial occasions and are now 'L Troop' as well running a battlefield cab service. Currently a sub-unit of HQ Squadron where they are more often deployed as FP or as Signallers until Endex at which point the GPMGs need cleaning and everyone else has something more important to do. You fire 'em, we'll clean 'em. Would you like a song with that?
The Regimental Band provide music on ceremonial occasions, and had a green role with the The Army Medical Service now NBC decontaminators or something due to some clinical governance bollocks.

Recruiting/Joining

Recruiting nights are held on the first Tuesday of every month.

Traditionally, everyone joined as a Trooper (Private), regardless of previous military service, however, there are now a few new faces around who have somehow transferred in and kept their commissions. Once you have completed an in-house 6 month recruits course you would then be sent on to trade training; either as a signaller, or as a patrol soldier for another six months. Then you would join a squadron.

Part of the six month patrol training is the "Brecon March". 45kms in 13 hours with 55lb in your bergen over the Brecon Beacons.

Their motto is ARMA PACIS FULCRA.(Arms are the Balance of Peace.)

Also the Army's 4th commissioning centre, they can hand out commissions to those who can go no further in the ranks or for any other reason, ask pd in effect about this!

For any further information on joining please contact

The Recruiting Officer Finsbury Barracks City Road London EC1Y 2BQ.

Bibliography (draft)

Raikes (2 distinct editions)
"The HAC in the Great War" S. Goold Walker 1930 (reprint 1986)
Gould Walker (2 distinct editions, 1928/46 ?)
Fire Eater; The Memoirs of a VC - biography of Captain A. O. Pollard, VC, MC, DCM
OVER THE TOP. A "P.B.I." in the H.A.C (a/biog Arthur Lambert)
A History of 'C' Battery HAC in War & Peace