A Field Battery, Royal Australian Artillery

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name='A' Battery, 4th Field Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery


caption=Badge of the Royal Australian Artillery
country=Australia
allegiance=
type=Artillery
branch=Army
dates= 1 August 1871 - Present
specialization=Parachute Field Artillery
command_structure=Australian 3rd Brigade
size=1 Artillery Battery
current_commander=
garrison=Holsworthy Barracks
ceremonial_chief=
ceremonial_chief_label=
nickname=The Road Runners
motto= Semper Paratus
colors=

'A' Field Battery is an airborne artillery battery, part of the 4th Field Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery of the Australian Army's 3rd Brigade and a component of the Army's Airborne Battle Group.

History

'A' Field Battery was originally formed as 'A' Field Battery, New South Wales Artillery. In its pre-Federation history the Battery served in Sudan and the Second Boer War, for which it was presented a Kings Banner, believed to be the only Commonwealth artillery unit to be honoured in this way [http://www.defence.gov.au/army/a_fdbty/History.htm] .

During the First World War the Battery served with distinction at Gallipoli (where only one gun was able to be brought to shore [http://www.defence.gov.au/army/a_fdbty/History.htm] and the Western Front. During the Second World War the Battery operated in New Guinea from 1943-1944.

Following the end of the war, the Battery was part of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force in Japan. It saw service during the Malayan Emergency, the Indonesian Confrontation and in Vietnam. In late 1987 the Battery assumed the role of parachute deployable artillery for the Airborne Battle Group, and has had personnel serve in non-artillery roles in East Timor / (Timor Leste), as well as deploying in artillery roles to Afghanistan and Iraq. 'A' Field Battery is currently equiped with six 105mm L119 Hamel guns. These guns have never seen operational service with the Australian Army.

References

* [http://www.defence.gov.au/army/a_fdbty] 'A' Field Battery's website