5th Regiment Royal Artillery

The regiment was formed as 5th Regiment Royal Horse Artillery on 25 November 1939 at Wotton-under-Edge, Gloucestershire and consisted of K Battery (the Riding Troop at St John's Wood) and G Battery (Mercers Troop) (from 4th RHA).[2] CC Battery[lower-alpha 1] was formed for the regiment in December 1940.[6]

In 1940, the regiment formed part of the British Expeditionary Force in France.[7] After being evacuated at Dunkirk it joined Home Forces in the United Kingdom before being assigned to the 8th Support Group, 8th Armoured Division. On 8 May 1942, it departed the United Kingdom to take part in the North African campaign. It arrived in Egypt on 18 July – the long sea journey being due to transiting via the Cape of Good Hope.[8] 8th Armoured Division never operated as a complete formation[9] and the regiment served with 23rd Armoured Brigade Group (Defence of the El Alamein Line and the Battle of Alam el Halfa)[10] and 24th Armoured Brigade Group (Battle of El Alamein).[11]

On 1 December 1942, it joined 7th Armoured Division and remained with it for the rest of the war.[12] It took part in the rest of the Western Desert campaign, the Tunisian campaign and, briefly, the Italian campaign (9 September – 15 October 1943).[13] It returned to the United Kingdom in January 1944 to prepare for the invasion of Europe. It fought in the North-West Europe campaign from 8 July 1944 through to the end of the war.[14]

Because of the reorganisation of the Royal Horse Artillery in 1958, the regiment became the 5th Field Regiment RA. On 1 February 1958, C Battery moved to 3rd RHA and G Battery (Mercer's Troop) moved to 4th RHA. P Battery (The Dragon Troop) left 4th RHA and Q (Sanna's Post) Battery moved from 10th Field Artillery Regiment on 5 February 1958 to join K Battery and form the regiment. After a short period near Crickhowell, the regiment left the UK in September 1958 for a three-year tour of Hong Kong. After a tour equipped with 25 lb guns, the regiment returned to Salisbury Plain in Southern England in October 1961 as 5 Light Regiment RA.[15]

During its stay at Perham Down, the regiment had many equipment changes. In 1961, K Battery had 5.5" guns, while P and Q Batteries were equipped with 25-pounders; then, in 1962, all batteries were allotted 4.2" mortars as well as other guns. In 1963, the regiment converted to 105mm Pack Howitzers and took part in exercises in Libya, Canada and Norway with this versatile new gun. In August/September 1964, the regiment moved to the British Army of the Rhine in Germany, reverted to its title of 5th Field Regiment RA, and was stationed in Gutersloh as a Close Support Regiment. Once again K Battery had 5.5" guns and P and Q Batteries 25-pounders, but these later gave way to the Abbot Self Propelled (SP) gun in 1966.[15]

The regiment returned to Southern England in 1969, this time to Bulford.[15]

The next three years at Bulford were dominated by four emergency tours of Northern Ireland. The regiment was mostly operating in the Derry area and had three fatalities from paramilitary actions. At this time, the regiment was equipped with the 105mm pack howitzer (towed by Land Rover) and served in the light airborne role. In 1972, the regiment moved to Hildesheim, Germany and re-equipped with M107 SP 175mm Guns and again changed its name to 5th Heavy Regiment RA. 18 Battery joined the regiment in February 1977 following the disbandment of 42 Regiment RA.[15]

After 12 years at Tofrek Barracks in Hildesheim, the regiment moved to West Riding Barracks in Dortmund in 1984. 18 (Quebec 1759) Battery and Q (Sanna's Post) Battery (which was renamed as 74 Battery (the Battle-Axe Company)) left the regiment to join 32 Heavy Regiment RA. 73 (Sphinx) Locating Battery moved from 94 Locating Regiment to 5th Regiment in January 1985 and was renamed Q (Sanna's Post) Battery. During this period, the Gun Batteries both carried out operational tours of Northern Ireland.[15]

After Operation Granby, the regiment converted from the M107 SP Gun to the M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS). On 1 April 1993, 73 (Sphinx) OP Battery became 4/73 (Sphinx) Special OP Battery.[15]

In late 1993, the regiment carried out a Regimental Arms Plot from Dortmund to Catterick in North Yorkshire. After nearly nine months of unsettled transit period working in Towthorpe Lines, Strensall, near York, the regiment moved into the former RAF Catterick Barracks, now renamed Marne Barracks.[15]

In October 1994, the regiment redeployed to Northern Ireland; this time to South Armagh as the Drumadd Roulement Battalion (DRB).[16]

On 10 June 1997, the regiment, less 4/73 Battery, deployed to Cyprus on Operation TOSCA.[15]

Both K Battery and 4/73 Battery were involved in the 2003 invasion of Iraq and 1 Battery was deployed to Afghanistan for Operation Herrick 4.[15] In 2009 the regiment became a Surveillance and Target Acquisition (STA) Regiment and re-equipped with radar equipment.[15]

According to a written answer, 5 RA will utilise the Bulldog armoured vehicle instead of the Warthog vehicle on operations.[17]