269 (West Riding) Battery Royal Artillery Explained

Unit Name:	269 (West Riding) Battery RA
Dates:	1 April 1975-
Country:	United Kingdom
Type:	Army Reserve
Size:	1 Battery (Company strength)
Command Structure:	101st (Northumbrian) Regiment Royal Artillery
Role:	Precision fire
Equipment:	Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System
Current Commander:	Maj William Jagger RA
Current Commander Label:	Battery Commander
Garrison:	Carlton Barracks, Leeds
Nickname:	The West Riding Gunners
Motto:	Semper vigilantes (Always vigilant) (Latin)
Colors:	Yellow, white, and blue
Identification Symbol Label:	Tactical Recognition Flash
March:	British Grenadiers
Battles:	Bosnia, Kosovo, Cyprus, Iraq, AfghanistanOperation TELIC, Operation HERRICK
Anniversaries:	Yorkshire Day (1 August) St Barbara's Day (4 December)

269 (West Riding) Battery Royal Artillery is part of 101st (Northumbrian) Regiment Royal Artillery, an artillery regiment of the British Army. The unit is based in Carlton Barracks, Leeds.^[1]

History

The battery was formed as 269 (West Riding) Observation Post Battery Royal Artillery (Volunteers) in April 1975 at Leeds from a cadre of the West Riding Regiment RA (Territorials).^[2] Its role was to provide observation teams to support 1st Armoured Division and 2nd Armoured Division in Germany. In 1989, the battery re-roled to the 105 mm light gun and in 1993 it joined 19th Regiment Royal Artillery, a regular regiment in 24 Airmobile Brigade.^[3]

In July 1999, the battery re-roled as an air defence battery equipped with the Rapier surface-to-air missile system within 106th (Yeomanry) Regiment Royal Artillery.^[2] In 2006 it transferred to 101st (Northumbrian) Regiment Royal Artillery^{[4] [5]} where it was given a surveillance and target acquisition role.^[6]

In February 2019, Sergeant Benjamin Boocock, the last surviving member of the West Riding Artillery to have survived the Second World War, was buried with full military honours at St John the Baptist Church, Adel in a ceremony organised by the battery.^[7]

Under Army 2020, the battery re-roled to the M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System.^[8]

Publications

• Litchfield, Norman E. H., 1992. The Territorial Artillery 1908-1988, The Sherwood Press, Nottingham.

Notes and References

1. Web site: 101 Regiment Royal Artillery. Ministry of Defence. 10 August 2014.
2. Web site: Royal Regiment of Artillery, Volunteer Regiments . 21 April 2014 . bot: unknown . https://web.archive.org/web/20050323100438/http://www.win.tue.nl/~drenth/BritArmy/Lineage/RA/ . 23 March 2005 .
3. Web site: 106th Regiment Royal Artillery (Volunteers). https://web.archive.org/web/20071218045350/http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/vols-tavr/art-eng-sig/ra106.htm. 18 December 2007.
4. Web site: 101st (Northumbrian) Regiment . February 2016. 21 April 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20071218045335/http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/vols-tavr/art-eng-sig/ra101.htm . 18 December 2007 .
5. Web site: Support our troops: Blyth residents asked to take to streets to celebrate Northumberland regiment . Chronicle Live. 25 April 2016. 26 June 2024.
6. Web site: 101 Regiment Batteries . 21 April 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140422231958/https://www.army.mod.uk/artillery/regiments/32900.aspx . 22 April 2014 . dmy .
7. News: Military funeral for Leeds WW2 veteran who was regiment’s last survivor. 11 February 2019. The Yorkshire Evening Post. 29 June 2024.
8. Web site: Army 2020 Report. 12. https://web.archive.org/web/20140610215557/http://www.army.mod.uk/documents/general/Army2020_Report.pdf. 10 June 2014 .