Title Pre 1947:
4 ( Gibraltar 1779-83 ) Coast Bty
Title Pre 2001:
Gibraltar 1779-83
Honour Title:
21 (Gibraltar 1779-83) Air Assault Battery
Original Honour Title Issued:
13 Nov 1934
New Honour Title Issued:
Feb 2001
Current Status:
Active
Associated Regiments:
28 Regt 1947 - Dec 1956
Suspended Animation
Dec 1956 - Jun 1958
50 Regt Jun 1958 - Dec 1976
27 Regt Dec 1976 - Apr 1982
47 Regt Apr 1982 - Date
Currently 21 (Gibraltar 1779-83) Air Assault Battery performs the Parachute and Air Assault roles to provide Air Defence Cover for the most flexible Brigade in the British Army. The Battery was raised at Woolwich as Webdell's Company on 1 Jan 1758 for service against the French in the battle for domination of the North American continent. During the next 11 years the Battery served in North America, Canada and Havana. The Battery eventually returned to Woolwich in 1769, where Capt Webdell was invalided out of the Army having commanded the Battery throughout this time.
The Battery was next sent to Gibraltar in 1772 under the command of Capt P Martin and there it played a pivotal part in the 1779-83 siege by the French and the Spanish. Specifically, on the night of the 27th Nov 1781 the Battery took part in the now famous Sortie against the French and Spaniard lines to relieve the pressure on the Garrison from the landward side of the fortress. The operation was an outstanding success which inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy and destroyed all of their artillery. Such was the element of surprise the Battery lost only four men killed and 1 officer and 25 men wounded. This action played an important part in removing the threat from siege. For this the Battery was awarded its honour title and the 27th November is still celebrated annually as Sortie Day in commemoration of this action.
The next twenty years were spent covering the French threat in Corsica, Elba, Lisbon, Minorca, Egypt, during the Battle of Alexandria, Malta and a return to Gibraltar from 1802 – 10. The Battery took part in the Battle of Barossa in Spain in 1811 and further extended postings to the West Indies and Canada followed.
In 1859 the Battery was re-designated as 2 Company 2nd Battalion Royal Artillery and served in England and the Channel Islands until 1891 when it was stationed in Malta for 5 years. This was followed by active service in South Africa and Far Eastern service in north China. The Battery then remained in the Far East until 1914 serving as Royal Garrison Artillery in Singapore, Hong Kong, India and Burma.
In March 1914 the Battery deployed to Aden where they were formed into a Camel Battery and joined the Indian Expedition Force, operating in the Hinterland against the Turkish. Here, the Battery was renamed Number 1 (15 Pounder) Camel Battery and Sgt Curtis was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for saving his gun. After the war the Battery returned to India where it remained until 1927. During this time Gunner J Fairclough was awarded the Albert Medal (later The George Cross) for his gallantry in saving the lives of three young Indian boys trapped in a burning building. The Battery was then dispatched to Gibraltar where it was re-equipped with 92 inch coastal guns and remained throughout World War Two defending the Rock and the narrow straights into the Mediterranean Sea.
In 1947 the Battery was re-designated as 21 Battery, but it was noted that the requirement for a permanent force of Artillery to be based on Gibraltar was declining and the Battery was placed into suspended animation shortly thereafter.
On 1 June 1958 the newly raised 21 (Gibraltar 1779-83) Battery joined 50 Medium Regiment based at Mended in Germany. In 1960 the Battery converted to the Honest John surface to surface missile in the nuclear role, the first and only nuclear weapon fielded by the British Army.
On the restructuring of the British Army of the Rhine (BOAR) in 1976, the Battery moved across to 27 Medium Regt in Lippstadt and re-roled to air defence. The Battery then became the first Battery in BOAR to be equipped with Blowpipe and saw service in the 1982 Falklands conflict providing Close Air Defence for the Task Force. In Sept 1983, B-Troop, 111 Dragon Battery joined the Battery on its move to 47 Field Regiment in Gutersloh and later that year the Battery converted to the Javelin Air Defence Missile system.
The Battery returned with the Regiment to the UK in 1989 to support 24 Air Mobile Brigade and in 1990 the Battery participated in the Gulf Conflict providing air defence for RN vessels. In 1993, 47 Field Regt converted from a Field Regt to a dedicated Close Air Defence Regiment. In 1994 the Battery deployed to Northern Ireland, followed by operations with 24 Airmobile Brigade in the former Yugoslavia in 1995 and a full Regimental tour of Northern Ireland in 1996. The Regiment then completed a tour of Cyprus serving with UNFICYP in 1998.
In Sept 1999 21 Battery was assigned to the newly formed 16 Air Assault Brigade, the newest Brigade in the Army. This move saw a number of changes; 'P – Troop', the airborne air defence troop of 5 Airborne Brigade, joined 47 Regiment as part of 31 (HQ) Battery, and then subsequently 21 Battery. In 1999 'P – Troop' deployed to Kosovo to support the deployment of HQ ARRC in assisting the humanitarian crisis there and was instrumental in establishing peace in Pristina.
2001 saw the Battery awarded its new title, 21 (Gibraltar 1779-83) Air Assault Battery. During this period the Battery converted to the Shoulder Launched and Light Multiple Launcher versions of the High Velocity Missile (Air Defence). Elements of the Battery deployed with 16 Air Assault Brigade to Afghanistan as part of the International Stabilisation and Assistance Force in Kabul after the fall of the Taleban regime and provided Liaison Officer Parties vital to the establishment of a new and peaceful government. Members also served with the United Nations Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP).
In 2006 the Battery put down their Air Defence Equipment and deployed to Afghanistan in the infantry role as the Operations Company of the Helmand Provincial Reconstruction Team. During this period the Battery sustained two casualties and fired over 12,000 rounds in fire fights with the Taleban in what has since been described as the fiercest fighting involving British troops since the Korean War.
As this history is written the Battery prepares itself to re role to DESERT HAWK a Mini Unmanned Aerial Vehicle. Once converted the Battery is to deploy simultaneously to Op TELIC (Iraq) and Op HERRICK (Afghanistan) in 2008 to provide the Surveillance and Target Acquisition to both 7 Armoured and 16 Air Assault Brigades.