HONOURABLE ARTILLERY COMPANY. On Aug. 25, 1537, Henry VIII. granted a Charter of Incorporation to the Guild of Fraternity of Saint George, a Guild of Archers and Handgunmen. The wording of the charter, however, implies that a guild existed before the grant was made and that it was now re ceiving royal support. As a military formation it is probably the oldest regiment in the world. All kinds of archery being classified as "artillery," this Guild of archers soon became known as the "Artillery Company." (It has, however, had numerous designa tions.) Under the Charter the government of the Guild was placed in the hands of f our Masters or Rulers and they were charged (inter alia) with the establishment of a Perpetual Fra ternity of Saint George for the general encouragement of the "Science of Artillery for Longe Bowes Crosbowes and Hand gonnes, etc." Under Edward III., the chief resort of London archers for practice was in the open spaces at Finsbury and Moor fields, later known as the "Artillery Ground" or "Artillery Gar den" and in this neighbourhood the H.A.C. has always had its headquarters, except for the first few years of its existence. During the early years following its incorporation the Company was the training centre for the City of London when necessity demanded an augmentation of the forces, a notable occasion being the year of the Great Armada. On this occasion not only did it train the citizens of London in the science of "small-artillery" but many of its members went to several parts of the kingdom with the rank of officers to train the various Trained Bands.
The system of training inaugurated in London by the Company stimulated the corporations of other towns to follow their ex ample, notably in the early part of the 17th century. None of these provincial companies have survived but an off-shoot of the old Company still flourishes in the U.S.A. as "The Ancient and Honourable Artillery Company of Boston, Massachusetts," the oldest military body in the New World, whose original title was "The Military Company of Massachusetts." The original mem bers of this American Company were members of the London Company who had migrated in the 16th century. They trained the citizens in the art of war and when the militia came into existence, its officers were drawn from the Company.
The Roll of the Regiment contains the name of one of Eng land's greatest poets, viz., John Milton who was entered on June 2, 163 5. His military career was short but no doubt he gained an intimate knowledge of the pike or musket. Charles I. took an interest in the Company and sanctioned the enrolment of the Prince of Wales, then only eleven years old, and his brother, James, Duke of York, as members of the Company. The Elector of Palatine, a grandson of James I., became a member also on the same day—June 1, 1641.
At the outbreak of the Civil War the Company represented the only efficient trained bands in the country and Parliament re garded them as a reliable reserve. Of their number the name of Skippon is known to history. Captain Philip Skippon was Captain of the Company in 1639 and became "commander of the forces" with the rank of "Sergeant-Major General" in 1642. He joined the Parliamentary forces and became Chief of the Staff to the Earl of Essex.
In 166o the Duke of York was elected "commander-in-chief" of the Company, he being the first and last holder of that title. His successor, William III., styled himself "Captain-General" and this title still survives, King George V. being "Captain-General and Colonel" of the Company. In the middle of the 17th century the Company was in great favour at Court and many of the nobility and gentry of the royal household enrolled themselves as mem bers, e.g., Prince Rupert, the Duke of Albemarle, the Earl of Sandwich, Lord Craven, the Dukes of Monmouth, Ormonde, Manchester, Anglesey and Buckingham. Other distinguished members of the Company about this time were, Marlborough, Christopher Wren the architect, Vauban the great French Engi neer, William, second Earl of Denbigh, an ancestor of the present Colonel Commandant, and Kirke—the notorious Colonel of "Kirke's Lambs." The Company kept abreast of the times as regards developments in the military art and in 1714 added some grenadiers to the establishment. In 186o a troop of horse artil lery was added but this was disbanded in 1869.
The Company was well represented in the British Expedition ary Force during the South African War 1899-1902 for which it was granted the battle honour "South Africa 1900-02." In 1908 it became a unit of the Territorial Army. During the World War it was greatly expanded and three of its infantry battalions and 7 batteries of artillery fought either in France, Italy, Iraq, Palestine or Aden, battle honours for which are now borne upon its King's Colour. This is the only regiment which has the unique distinction of having battle honours on its King's Colour only.
(T. J. E.) See G. A. Raikes, History of the Honourable Artillery Company; G. Goold Walker, The Honourable Artillery Company