103rd (Lancashire Artillery Volunteers) Regiment Royal Artillery

Formation

The Lancashire Artillery Volunteers were first raised in 1859 as part of the Volunteer Force raised in response to threats of French Invasion. A total of 23 Artillery companies were raised initially. However, in Manchester, numerous units that would later form the Lancashire Artillery Gunners had existed from as early as 1804, when the Duke of Gloucester inspected the Heaton Artillery Volunteers before they were shipped off to the fronts of the Napoleonic Wars.

20th Century History

Officers and men of the Lancashire Artillery Volunteers continued to give service during the two world wars of the 20th Century.

In 1967, some of these units were amalgamated to form 103rd (Lancashire Artillery Volunteers) Light Air Defence Regiment Royal Artillery (Volunteers). Its units were Headquarters Battery at Liverpool, 208 (3rd West Lancashire) Light Air Defence Battery at Liverpool and 209 (The Manchester Artillery) Light Air Defence Battery at Manchester. In 1969 213 (South Lancashire Artillery) Light Air Defence Battery was formed at St Helens and joined the regiment.

In 1976, the regiment changed its designation to 103rd (Lancashire Artillery Volunteers) Air Defence Regiment Royal Artillery (Volunteers) upon being equipped with the Blowpipe missile air-defense weapon. Then, in 1986, 216 (The Bolton Artillery) Battery was formed at Bolton and joined the regiment.

In 1992, as a result of the Options for Change, the regiment lost one Air-Defence Battery (213 Air-Defense Battery, which was amalgamated with HQ Battery at St Helens) and Regimental Headquarters were moved from Deysbrooke Barracks, Liverpool, to St. Helens to be co-located with HQ Battery.

In 2001, the regiment transferred from Air Defence to the Field Artillery as a Light Gun Regiment.

Batteries

Under Army 2020, 209 (Manchester & St Helens) Battery Royal Artillery increased to a battery size. 210 (Staffordshire) Battery Royal Artillery, based in Wolverhampton, joined this regiment from 106th (Yeomanry) Regiment Royal Artillery, and re-roled to a light gun battery. 103 Regiment is paired with the regular 4th Regiment RA under the 1st Artillery Brigade.

The current structure of the regiment is as follows:

• Regimental Headquarters, at Jubilee Barracks, Saint Helens
  • Lancashire Artillery Volunteers Band, at Nelson Street Army Reserve Centre, Bolton
• Headquarters Troop, at Jubilee Barracks, Saint Helens
• 208 (3rd West Lancashire) Battery Royal Artillery, at Brigadier Philip Toosy Barracks, Liverpool
  • Manx Troop, at Lord Street Army Reserve Centre, Douglas, Isle of Man – formed in 2015
• 209 (Manchester Artillery) Battery Royal Artillery, at Belle Vue Street Army Reserve Centre, Manchester
• 210 (Staffordshire) Battery Royal Artillery, at Wolseley House, Wolverhampton
  • C (South Nottinghamshire Hussars) Troop, at Hucknall Lane Army Reserve Centre, Bulwell – formed in 2018
• 216 (Bolton Artillery) Battery Royal Artillery, at Nelson Street Army Reserve Centre, Bolton
  • Lancashire Artillery Pipes and Drums

Equipment

The 103rd Regiment is equipped with the 105mm Light Gun, a versatile, air-portable and air-mobile artillery piece.

Freedoms

The regiment has received the freedom of several locations throughout its history; these include:

• England 14 October 2017: Liverpool (208 (3rd West Lancashire) Battery).
• England 27 October 2020: Manchester (209 (Manchester Artillery) Battery).

References

Publications

• Litchfield, Norman E H, and Westlake, R, 1982. The Volunteer Artillery 1859-1908, The Sherwood Press, Nottingham.
• Litchfield, Norman E H, 1992. The Territorial Artillery 1908-1988, The Sherwood Press, Nottingham.

References

1. "Army – Question for Ministry of Defence".
2. "Sources for the history of the militia and volunteer regiments in Lancashire".
3. "Salford Hundred ancestry, annals and history".
4. "British Artillery Officer's Sword to 2nd Lancashire Artillery Volunteers".
5. "Royal Regiment of Artillery, Volunteer Regiments".
6. "Summary of Reserve Structure and Basing Changes, page 4".
7. "Army 2020 Report, page 12".
8. (6 July 2020). "Information regarding locations of Army Reserve units".
9. "103 Regiment Royal Artillery".
10. "Jubilee Barracks, Prescot Road, St Helens WA10 3UB".
11. "Army Reserve Centre, Nelson Street, Bolton BL3 2RW".
12. "Brigadier Philip Toosy Barracks, Aigburth Road, Liverpool L17 9PH".
13. "Army Reserve Centre, Lord Street, Douglas, Isle of Man IM1 1LE".
14. (30 September 2015). "Isle of Man Welcomes First Reserve Unit For 50 Years".
15. "Army Reserve Centre, Belle Vue Street, Manchester M12 5PW".
16. "Wolseley House, Fallings Park, Wolverhampton WV10 9QR".
17. "Saragarhi Day 2021 commemorated in Wolverhampton".
18. "The Royal Lancers and Nottinghamshire Yeomanry Museum".
19. "C Troop celebrates a year in Nottingham".
20. "Army Reserve Centre 221 Hucknall Lane, Bulwell, Nottingham NG6 8AQ".
21. "105mm Light Gun Restoration". North East Military Motor Club.
22. (16 October 2017). "Army Battery awarded Freedom of Liverpool".
23. Griffiths, Niall. (27 October 2020). "Marcus Rashford should be awarded freedom of Manchester, says councillor".