56 (Olpherts) Battery Royal Artillery

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name=56 (Olpherts) Battery Royal Artillery


caption=
dates= 2nd June 1786 to present
country=United Kingdom
allegiance=
branch=Army
type=Artillery
role=
size=
command_structure=39th Regiment Royal Artillery
garrison=
garrison_label=
nickname=
patron=
motto=
colors=
colors_label=
march=
mascot=
equipment=MLRS
equipment_label=
battles=
anniversaries=
decorations=
battle_honours=
commander1=
commander1_label=
commander2=
commander2_label=
commander3=
commander3_label=
notable_commanders=
identification_symbol=
identification_symbol_label=
identification_symbol_2=
identification_symbol_2_label=
identification_symbol_3=
identification_symbol_3_label=
aircraft_attack=
aircraft_bomber=
aircraft_electronic=
aircraft_fighter=
aircraft_interceptor=
aircraft_patrol=
aircraft_recon=
aircraft_trainer=
aircraft_transport=

" 56 (Olpherts) Battery Royal Artillery" is part of the Royal Artillery. Its name is pronounced "five six". The battery is one of the sub-units of 39th Regiment Royal Artillery, part of the British Army. It was formed in 1786.

Present Day

56 (Olpherts) Headquarter Battery provides 39 Regiment Royal Artillery with the command element and various other manning commitments such as, Logistics, Chefs and the Administration. The Battery also has a “B Met” section which provides Meteorological data which assists in the computation of firing data.

Past History

56 (Olpherts) Headquarters Battery RA has its origins in India as 5 Company, 3 Battalion, The Bengal Artillery formed on 02 June 1786. The Indian mutiny of 1857 played a significant part in Battery history. During the first relief of Lucknow, Captain Olpherts or "Hellfire Jack" as he was known, won the Victoria Cross for conspicuous gallantry; he charged the enemy on horseback and captured two rebel guns that were pouring fire onto the flanks of the advancing forces. To commemorate this distinction, on 19 October 1966, the honour title "OLPHERTS" was awarded to 56 Headquarter Battery RA.

1800s

*1793 - Siege of Pondicherry
*1803 - Mahratta War
*1805 - Siege of Bhurtpore
*1814 - Nepal War
*1825 - Second siege of Bhurtpore
*1857 - The Indian Mutiny

First World War

During the First World War the Battery saw action at Mons, Hooge, Arras, Bethume, Le Cateau, Cambrai and Le Basse.

econd World War

In the Second World War the Battery was again involved in Malta and Italy.

Post Second World War

They were a Special Weapons Battery for some years..

Post Cold War

In more recent times the Battery has served operationally in Northern Ireland, The Gulf conflict and Cyprus.

In 1976 the Battery did their tour of NI based in Lurgan and then again in 1979 based in Belfast.

In 1982/3 the Battery relocated from 27 Field Regiment Royal Artillery based in Lippstadt to 39 Regiment based in Sennelager

*1995 - The Battery relocated from Sennelager to Albemarle Barracks, near Newcastle Upon Tyne where it is situated today.

More recently the Battery has deployed to Northern Ireland with the Regiment three times, in July 1998 the Battery deployed to Northern Ireland as the Urban Reinforcement Battalion, June 2000 as Northern Ireland Battalion and in 2002 as NIBAT 3 Belfast.

References

* [http://www.army.mod.uk/39regtra/organisation/35_bty/index.htm] http://www.army.mod.uk/39regtra/organisation/35_bty/index.htm