National Reserve Headquarters, Royal Artillery

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Central Volunteer Headquarters, Royal Artillery
National Reserve Headquarters, Royal Artillery
Royal Artillery Cap Badge.png
Cap badge of the Royal Artillery
Active1967–Present
Country United Kingdom
Branch British Army
TypeNational reserve pool unit
SizeRegiment
Part of1st Artillery Brigade
Regimental HQRoyal Artillery Barracks, Woolwich Garrison
Nickname(s)"The National Gunners"
Commanders
Regimental AbbreviationNRHQ RA

The National Reserve Headquarters, Royal Artillery (NRHQ RA) is an Army Reserve administrative group of the Royal Artillery which oversees the recruitment and maintaining of specialist reserve units and personnel.

Formation[]

Prior to the review of the Territorial Army in 1967, all territorial troops who joined the Royal Artillery were organised through the Royal Artillery Depot based at Royal Artillery Barracks, Woolwich Garrison. However, as part of the reorganisation of the TA in 1967, all TA specialist units and formations were grouped under a single unit.[1]

The new unit was formed as part of TAVR IIB, meaning it was able to deploy independent assets, but would be unable to deploy as a full unit (TAVR IIA would have this role).[2]

After the 1966 Defence White Paper, the Central Volunteer Headquarters, Royal Artillery (CVHQ, RA) was formed at the before-mentioned barracks and placed under Headquarters, London District as a nationally recruited specialist TA unit.[1]

After formation, the headquarters was organised as follows:[2]

  • Central Volunteer Headquarters, Royal Artillery
    • Regimental Headquarters, at Royal Artillery Barracks, Woolwich Station
    • Naval Gunfire Support Troop (formed from part of 881 Amphibious Observation Battery)
    • Royal Artillery Specialist Pool (V)
      • Heavy Air Defence Section (The Wessex Troop), (formed from part of 457th (Wessex) Heavy Air Defence Regiment (Hampshire Carabiniers Yeomanry))
      • Light Air Defence Section
      • Field Artillery Section
      • Liaison Officers Section
      • Meteorological Section
      • Location Section (two officers only, training under 94th Locating Regiment)

Army 2020[]

Following the Army 2020 reform, and later the Army 2020 Refine, the CVHQ, RA was retitled as the National Volunteer Headquarters, Royal Artillery, and reorganised into the following structure:[3][1]

  • National Volunteer Headquarters, Royal Artillery
    • Regimental Headquarters, at Royal Artillery Barracks, Woolwich Station[4][5]
    • All Arms Staff Pool — made up of personnel from every cap badge, who train with formation headquarters in the Army, including HQ Allied Rapid Reaction Corps, both Divisions and most of the Army's Brigades.
    • 221 (Wessex) Battery, at Royal Artillery Barracks, Larkhill Garrison[6] — The RA Specialist Battery provides gunnery instructors, Naval Gunfire Liaison Officers to 3 Commando Brigade and personnel to support Headquarters 1 Artillery Brigade. The battery also helps train the rest of the Royal Artillery by providing instructors and support to courses.
    • 255 (Somerset Yeomanry) Tactical Air Control Party Battery, at Upper Bristol Road Army Reserve Centre, Bath[7][8]— The Forward Air Control Battery controls combat aircraft in support of ground troops.

Footnotes[]

  1. ^ a b c "National Reserve HQ RA (NRHQ RA) - British Army Website". 2017-12-25. Archived from the original on 2017-12-25. Retrieved 2021-01-03.
  2. ^ a b Frederick, p. 1040.
  3. ^ Andrew Marshall (2018-11-13). "What is the National Reserve Headquarters Royal Artillery (NRHQ RA)?". Boot Camp & Military Fitness Institute. Retrieved 2021-01-03.
  4. ^ "Royal Artillery". www.army.mod.uk. Retrieved 2021-01-03.
  5. ^ "Royal Artillery — Wellington Street, Woolwich, London". Home – British Army Jobs. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  6. ^ "Royal Artillery — Larkhill, Salisbury". Home – British Army Jobs. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  7. ^ "Royal Artillery — Upper Bristol Road, Bath". Home – British Army Jobs. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  8. ^ "Bath Army Reserve Centre". South West Alternative Venues. 2016-11-14. Retrieved 2021-01-03.

References[]

  • Frederick, J. B. M. (1984). Lineage book of British land forces 1660-1978 : biographical outlines of cavalry, yeomanry, armour, artillery, infantry, marines and air force land troops of regular and reserve forces (Volume II). Wakefield, United Kingdom: Microform Academic. ISBN 1-85117-008-1. OCLC 18072764.
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