The Antrim Artillery

[Chris_Baker]

I've seen references on various websites to the Antrim Artillery, which appears to have been a volunteer or militia unit well before the Great War.

But having now found a reference in a 1914 London Gazette to a young man being accepted as a probationary 2nd Lt with it, I assume the Antrim Artillery still existed during WW1.

Can anyone tell me anything about it? (Or indeed the similar volunteer artillery units that appear to have been in other counties in Ulster?)

[rflory]

The "Territorial and Reserve Forces Act" of 2 Aug 1907 transferred the Militia into a section of the Army Reserve as an intergral part of the first line and formed the Territorial Force as the second line army for home defence that was formed of the Yeomanry and Volunteers. Under this scheme the Regiments of Militia Artillery retained their territorial designations and local associations but as Royal Field Artillery units rather than as Royal Garrison Artillery units and the Royal Garrison Artillery (Militia) became Royal Field Reserve Artillery. Because of the difficulty of training RGA men to become RFA gunners the plan was eventually abandoned and the militia artillery men were absorbed into the Regular Army as Special Reservists, and the units were disbanded. Two regiments, the Antrim and the Cork escaped this fate because they were required to supplement the regular garrison artillery in the defended ports of Lough, Swilly, Belfast, Queenstown and Berehaven. These two units became Royal Garrison Reserve Artillery and later Royal Garrison Artillery (Special Reserve). In the February 1915 Army List they are listed in sections 651 to 654d under the heading "Royal Garrison Artillery, Special Reserve," immediately before the Territorial Artillery.

Regards. Dick Flory

[Chris_Baker]

Thanks Dick. I had a feeling you would know!

[tintin1689]

The Antrim Artillery and their Cork counterparts survived the disbandment of all the other Militia RGA units because the duties of that force were transferred to the Territorials and no Territorial units were to be raised in Ireland.

Formed in 1854 (all Militia RGA units were formed in the 1850s, either by raising or conversion of existing infantry) in 1914 the unit was responsible for the defence of Belfast Lough.It had a strength of 607 men on mobilisation in 1914 and manned batteries at Kilroot Point and Grey Point. In August 1918 it was reduced to a cadre of 18. In 1938 it was increased to a Heavy Battery and in 1940 to a Heavy Regiment. In 1945 it converted back to a Coastal role. When the TA was extended to NI in 1947 it became a TA unit. When Coast Artillery was done away with in 1956 the Antrim Artillery became an Engineer unit which I am pretty sure still exists.

The Antrim Artillery sent a service company to the Boer War where it formed a Brigade with the Donegal RGA. Three Antrim Gunners lost their lives in SA. This was the only foreign service of this corps. True to the old Garrison Gunner tradition they performed both infantry and artillery duties.

[Wienand Drenth]

Just to add that the full title "Antrim Artillery" was revived in 1956 in 146th (Antrim Artillery) Corps Engineer Regiment, RE by conversion of 429th (Antrim) Coast Regiment, RA. The latter originated from 188 (Antrim) Heavy Bty which was formed in 1937 in the Territorial Army, being the first TA unit in Northern Ireland. This battery was recognised successor to the Antrim Artillery. In 1940 this battery expanded as 525 (Antrim) Coast Regiment.

This title was carried later by 74th (Antrim Artilley) Engineer Regiment from 1967 until 1994, when the regiment reduced to 74 Indep (Antrim Artillery) Field Sqn, RE. This squadron disbanded in 1999, the title is now carried by 85 (Ulster and Antrim Artillery) Signal Sqn in 40th Signal Regiment.

Wienand