1st Guards Special Rifle Corps, 2nd Formation
A new 1st Guards Rifle Corps was formed on 31 December 1941. Its first commander, Col. Afanasy Gryaznov, was appointed the same day; he would be promoted to Major General ten days later. As of 1 February it was under the direct command of Northwestern Front, with the following units in its order of battle:


1st Guards Special Rifle Corps, 2nd Formation
The Corps saw action around the Demyansk Pocket for most of 1942, with a number of rifle brigades under command, but also with 7th Guards Rifle and 37th Guards Artillery under command as well. In October the Corps headquarters went into the Reserve of the Supreme High Command, where it was assigned to the 1st Reserve Army, which later became the 2nd Guards Army. For the duration of the war it served as an administrative command, with no assigned support units.


1st Guards Tank Army (Russia)
The 1st Guards Tank Army is a tank army of the Russian Ground Forces.


1st Guards Tank Army (Russia)
The army traces its heritage back to the 1st Tank Army, formed twice in July 1942 and in January 1943 and converted into the 1st Guards Tank Army in January 1944. The army fought as part of the Red Army on the Eastern Front during World War II. The army was commanded throughout most of the war by Mikhail Katukov. It fought in the early defense during the Battle of Stalingrad, and Operation Uranus, also participated at the Battle of Kursk, Proskurov-Chernovtsy Operation, Lvov-Sandomierz Operation, Vistula-Oder Offensive and the Battle of Berlin. After the war, the army was stationed in East Germany as part of the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany.


1st Guards Tank Army (Russia)
After the end of the Cold War and the resultant withdrawal of Soviet units in Germany, the army was relocated to Smolensk, disbanded in 1999. The army was reformed in 2014 as part of a Russian military expansion.


1st Guards Tank Army (Russia), First Formation
The 1st Tank Army was first formed within the Stalingrad Front from 38th Army in July 1942, under the command of Major General Kirill Moskalenko. The army was encircled and partially destroyed, and was disbanded as a result in August 1942, its headquarters becoming the Southeastern Front headquarters.


1st Guards Tank Army (Russia), Second Formation
The 1st Tank Army was formed a second time on 30 January 1943 (order No.46021) from the headquarters of the 29th Army, under the command of famous armoured troops commander Lieutenant General of Tank Troops Mikhail Katukov, personally appointed by Stalin. The army was transferred to the North-Western Front. 3rd Mechanised Corps (later to become 8th Guards Mechanised Corps) and 6th Tank Corps (later to become 11th Guards Tank Corps) joined it on formation, and served with the army throughout the war. It was quickly transferred to Voronezh Front for the defense of the Kursk salient's southern shoulder. It was awarded a Guards title and became the 1st Guards Tank Army in April 1944, and Katukov was promoted to Colonel General.


1st Guards Tank Army (Russia), Second Formation
On 1 January 1945, the Army's principal combat formations were:


1st Guards Tank Army (Russia), Second Formation
* Guards Mortar Regiment (or Battalion) (Russian: гвардейский минометный полк (дивизион)) was the overt designation used for Katyusha rocket launcher units.


1st Guards Tank Army (Russia), Second Formation
It participated in the Battle of Kursk, the Proskurov-Chernovtsy Operation, Lvov-Sandomierz Operation, the Vistula-Oder Offensive, and the Battle of Berlin.


1st Guards Tank Army (Russia), Second Formation
The 1st Guards Tank Army was awarded the Order of the Red Banner postwar, and became part of the Soviet occupation force in Germany, known as Group of Soviet Forces in Germany, with its headquarters in Dresden. In 1968, it, along with the 11th Guards Tank and 20th Guards Motor Rifle Divisions, took part in the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia, but then immediately returned to their respective garrisons. In the late 1980s the Army included the 20th Guards Motor Rifle Division, 9th Tank Division, and 11th Guards Tank Division.


1st Guards Tank Army (Russia), Second Formation
The headquarters was withdrawn to Smolensk, in the Moscow Military District in the early 1990s, and lost the 'Tank' from its title in 1995. In its last period within the Russian Army it comprised the 4th Guards 'Kantemir' Tank Division and the 144th Motor Rifle Division (which had been withdrawn from Tallinn in Estonia). It was disbanded in 1998.


1st Guards Tank Army (Russia), Second Formation, 1988 Structure
The army's composition in 1988 was (with main equipment), with honorific titles in italics:


1st Guards Tank Army (Russia), Reactivation
After a 15-year break, the Army was reconstituted in November 2014, seemingly on 13 November 2014.


1st Guards Tank Army (Russia), Reactivation
The army was formed as the main ground forces manoeuvre and reserve operational formation of the Western Military District in addition to the 6th Combined Arms Army (headquartered in Saint Petersburg) and the 20th Guards Combined Arms Army (headquartered in Voronezh). It is considered the elite of the Russian Ground Forces. The army carries on the traditions of the chronologically first army of the Soviet Union to reach 'Guards' status. Further it has the 2nd Motor Rifle and the 4th Tank guards divisions, which are considered the elite formations of their respective combat arms.


1st Guards Tank Army (Russia), Reactivation
The most decorated divisions of the Soviet Army, they were garrisoned the closest to Moscow. Due to their proximity to the capital extra scrutiny was applied to personnel of these formations; making these posting especially prestigious. Moreover, these units received the latest hardware and were thus known as the 'household' divisions of the Soviet Army. Their loyalty to the government was demonstrated by their involvement in the 1991 Soviet coup d'état attempt. The divisions retained their elite status within the Russian Army.


1st Guards Tank Division
The 1st Guards Tank Division was a tank division of the Soviet Army from 1945 to 1947, stationed in Neuruppin. It was formed in the spring of 1942 as the 26th Tank Corps. The corps fought in Operation Uranus and became the 1st Guards Tank Corps, being redesignated as a reward for its actions in December 1942. It fought in Operation Gallop, the Third Battle of Kharkov, Operation Kutuzov, Operation Bagration, the East Prussian Offensive, the East Pomeranian Offensive and the Berlin Offensive.


1st Guards Tank Division
During the East Prussian Offensive, the division captured Mława, Działdowo and Płońsk and was awarded the Order of Lenin for its actions. The division had been awarded the honorific "Don" for its actions in Operation Gallop. It also was awarded the Order of the Red Banner and the Order of Suvorov 2nd class.


1st Guards Tank Division, History, World War II
The 26th Tank Corps was formed between 24 June and 10 August 1942 in Kosteryovo. It was commanded by Major General Alexey Rodin. The corps included the 19th, 157th and 216th Tank Brigades and the 14th Motor Rifle Brigade. From 10 August to 9 September, the corps was transferred to Plavsk. On 3 September, it was subordinated to the 5th Tank Army.


1st Guards Tank Division, History, World War II
In October, the army was transferred to the Southwestern Front and began to prepare for the counteroffensive at Stalingrad, Operation Uranus. On 19 November, the 26th Tank Corps began its advance in the second echelon of the 5th Tank Army. It broke through Romanian lines in the area of Blinovsky and Korotkovsky, advancing south towards Perelazovsky and Kalach. The corps overran  the Romanian 1st Armored Division's rear area and captured the headquarters of the Romanian 5th Army Corps.


1st Guards Tank Division, History, World War II
Forward detachments of the corps forced German commander Friedrich Paulus to move his headquarters on 21 November. On the night of 22–23 November, Rodin ordered the corps' vanguard units, led by Lieutenant Colonel Georgy Filippov to reconnoitre the last bridge over the Don at Kalach. Filippov advanced at high speed with headlights on, reportedly causing the German troops guarding the bridge to believe captured Soviet armor was being driven to the nearby gunnery range. Filippov and his tanks crossed the bridge and defeated the German troops guarding it. The corps helped occupy Kalach on the next day.


1st Guards Tank Division, History, World War II
On 8 December, the 26th Tank Corps became the 1st Guards Tank Corps for its actions at Stalingrad. The 216th Tank Brigade became the 15th Guards, the 19th became the 16th Guards, the 157th became the 17th Guards and the 14th Motor Rifle Brigade became the 1st Guards.


1st Guards Tank Division, History, World War II
On 27 January 1943, the corps was awarded the honorific "Don" for its actions. Rodin was promoted to Lieutenant general and became commander of the 2nd Tank Army in early February. 6th Army Tank Troops commander Major General Alexander Kukushkin took command. During February and March, the corps fought in the Third Battle of Kharkov. It defended positions north of Pavlohrad and fled to escape an encirclement on 24 February. On 25 April, Kukushkin was killed during an enemy air raid. 2nd Guards Army Tank Troops commander Major General Mikhail Panov took command.


1st Guards Tank Division, History, World War II
During the summer it fought in Operation Kutuzov. From October 1943, it fought in Belarus during the Gomel-Rechitsa Offensive. The corps captured Rechytsa in November and cut off the German line of retreat west of Gomel. For its actions, the corps was awarded the Order of the Red Banner on 18 November.


1st Guards Tank Division, History, World War II
The corps fought in the Kalinkovichi-Mozyr Offensive in January 1944. The corps captured Kalinkavichy on 14 January after outflanking defending German troops. On 15 January, the corps was awarded the Order of Suvorov 2nd class for its actions. From June, the corps fought in Operation Bagration. On 24 June, the corps advanced through the gap made by the advance of the 65th Army. By 27 June, the corps linked up with elements of the 9th Tank Corps, completing the encirclement of five German 9th Army divisions in the Bobruysk Offensive. The corps continued to advanced towards Pukhavichy and Osipovichi. On 3 July, the corps was on the southeastern outskirts of Minsk and helped complete the encirclement of the German 4th Army around Minsk. After the capture of Minsk, the corps advanced toward Baranovichi and Brest. The corps helped capture Slonim.


1st Guards Tank Division, History, World War II
From mid-November 1944, the corps was part of the 2nd Belorussian Front. From January 1945, the corps fought in the East Prussian Offensive. During the offensive, the corps helped capture Płońsk and Tuchola. On 19 February, the corps was awarded the Order of Lenin for its capture of Plonsk. At the end of March, the corps fought in the capture of Gdańsk during the East Pomeranian Offensive. From April, the division fought in the Berlin Offensive. It reached the Baltic coast near Rostock and Ribnitz at the end of the war.


1st Guards Tank Division, History, Postwar
On 12 July 1945, the corps was converted into the 1st Guards Tank Division at Neuruppin. The division's brigades were converted into tank regiments. It was disbanded in February 1947. The division's 15th Guards Tank Regiment was transferred to the 39th Guards Rifle Division. The 16th Guards Tank Regiment moved to the 207th Rifle Division and the 17th Guards Tank Regiment transferred to the 57th Guards Rifle Division. The 74th Guards Heavy Tank Self-Propelled Regiment transferred to the 26th Guards Rifle Division.


1st Guards Uhlans
Established in 1819 as Garde-Landwehr Kavallerie Regiment, they were a light cavalry regiment of Uhlans of the Royal Prussian Army. The regiment was later reorganised as heavy cavalry Uhlans and renamed into 1. Garde Ulanen Regiment (1826) and fought in the Austro-Prussian and Franco-Prussian war. In World War I the regiment was part of the Guards Cavalry Division fighting on the Western and Eastern Front.


1st Guldbagge Awards
The 1st Guldbagge Awards ceremony, presented by the Swedish Film Institute, honored the best Swedish 1963 and 1964, and took place on 25 September 1964. The Silence directed by Ingmar Bergman was presented with the award for Best Film.


1st Hammurabi Armoured Division
The 1st 'Hammurabi' Armored Division (Arabic: فرقة حمورابي المدرعة) was an elite formation of the Iraqi Republican Guard. It was named after Hammurabi; a Babylonian King known for the set of laws called Hammurabi's Code, which constitute one of the earliest surviving codes of law in recorded history.


1st Hammurabi Armoured Division
The division was decisively defeated by the United States Armed Forces in 1991, when it was forced out of Kuwait after suffering heavy casualties, and again in 2003, when the United States invaded Iraq. The latter resulted in the total collapse of the division as its senior officers abandoned their posts, and it was never reformed as the Republican Guard itself was disbanded following the fall of Saddam Hussein's government.


1st Hammurabi Armoured Division, History
In 1990 the division included the 17th Armoured Brigade under Brigadier General Ra’ad Hamdani and the division commander was Major General Qais Abd al-Razaq, a "very practical man." (IPP 90)


1st Hammurabi Armoured Division, History
The division played a central role in the invasion of Kuwait which took place in August 1990. On the morning of August 2, 1990, near the Mutla Pass, a battle took place between the Vickers tanks of the 6th Mechanized Brigade, Kuwait Army, and the T-72s of the division's 17th Armoured Brigade. Kuwaiti tanks were able to knock out one T-72 during the ambush, but were defeated, and the commander of the 6th Brigade captured. Only 20 surviving Vickers tanks were able to retreat to Saudi Arabia.


1st Hammurabi Armoured Division, History, 1991 Gulf War
The division commander has stated that he ordered his tanks to use high-explosive anti-personnel munitions, rather than anti tank rounds, so as to minimize Kuwaiti casualties in tank engagements of the invasion.


1st Hammurabi Armoured Division, History, 1991 Gulf War
Towards the end of the war the division was involved in the controversial Battle of Rumaila, when US Army forces under Lt. Gen. Barry McCaffrey annihilated the retreating division near the Rumaila oil field, resulting in the division suffering some 7,000 casualties.


1st Hammurabi Armoured Division, History, 1991 Gulf War
There are differing reports about the composition of the division in the late 1990s. But both Cordesman, "Key Targets in Iraq," February 1998, and Sean Boyle, in Jane's Intelligence Review, September 1997, list the 8th, 14th and 17th Brigades. Cordesman  writes that the 8th and 14th were mechanised while the 17th was an armoured brigade.


1st Hammurabi Armoured Division, History, 2003 invasion of Iraq
During the Invasion of Iraq the division was given orders to retreat from Suwayrah on the night of 5 April 2003 after several days of bombardment by American planes. Further orders on exactly where to regroup were not forthcoming, and senior officers disappeared, leading to mass desertions and the collapse of the division.


1st Hampshire Artillery Volunteers
The 1st Hampshire Artillery Volunteers and its successors were part-time coast defence units of the British Army from 1860 to 1967. Although the units saw no action, they protected the Portsmouth area in both World Wars and supplied trained gunners to siege batteries engaged on the Western Front during World War I. The unit continued in the Territorial Army after World War II.


1st Hampshire Artillery Volunteers, Volunteer Force
The enthusiasm for the Volunteer movement following an invasion scare in 1859 saw the creation of many Rifle and Artillery Volunteer Corps composed of part-time soldiers eager to supplement the Regular British Army in time of need. Three Artillery Volunteer Corps (AVCs) were quickly formed in Hampshire, and on 1 January 1861 they were combined into the 1st Administrative Brigade, Hampshire AVCs under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Alfred B. Sturdee, with its headquarters (HQ) at Portsmouth:


1st Hampshire Artillery Volunteers, Volunteer Force
In November 1863 the 1st, 3rd and 4th Dorsetshire AVCs (the 2nd having been disbanded in 1861) joined the 1st Hampshire Admin Brigade, staying until 1866 when they transferred to the 1st Devonshire Admin Brigade. A new 4th Hampshire AVC was formed at Bournemouth on 29 November 1866 (a 5th (Dockyard) Hampshire AVC may have been formed on 18 August 1860, but had quickly been disbanded). The Dorsetshire AVCs rejoined the 1st Hampshire Admin Bde  from January 1873, by which time the 5th and 6th Dorsetshire AVCs had been formed, although the 3rd Dorsetshire was disbanded in 1876.


1st Hampshire Artillery Volunteers, Volunteer Force
The Volunteers were consolidated in March 1880, with the Admin Brigade becoming the 1st Hampshire (Hants & Dorset) AVC of 18 batteries, with HQ at Portsmouth:


1st Hampshire Artillery Volunteers, Volunteer Force
In 1882 all the artillery volunteers were affiliated to one or other of the territorial garrison divisions of the Royal Artillery (RA) and the 1st Hampshire AVC became the 1st Volunteer (Hampshire) Brigade of the Southern Division, with HQ moving to Southsea. In 1886 the Dorset companies were separated to form an independent 1st Dorsetshire AVC as the 2nd Volunteer Brigade of the Southern Division, and on 25 April 1888 the Southampton companies were withdrawn to form the 3rd Volunteer (Hampshire) Brigade, Southern Division.


1st Hampshire Artillery Volunteers, Volunteer Force
Finally, the Hampshire brigades were renumbered in December 1889, the 3rd (descended from the original 1st AVC) becoming the 1st Hampshire AVC at Southampton and the 1st (from the original 2nd and 3rd) becoming the 2nd Hampshire AVC at Portsmouth. The 1st Hampshire AVC opened its drill hall in St Mary's Road, Southampton, in 1889. By 1893 the War Office Mobilisation Scheme had allocated the 1st Hampshire Artillery Volunteers to the Portsmouth fixed defences.


1st Hampshire Artillery Volunteers, Volunteer Force
In 1899 the RA was divided into separate field and garrison branches, and the artillery volunteers were all assigned to the Royal Garrison Artillery (RGA). In 1902 the divisional structure was abolished and the unit titles were changed, the 1st Hampshire AVC becoming the 1st Hampshire Royal Garrison Artillery (Volunteers), with its HQ at St Mary's Road.


1st Hampshire Artillery Volunteers, Territorial Force
When the Territorial Force (TF) was created from the old Volunteer Force under the Haldane Reforms of 1908, the 1st Hampshire RGA (V) was to join with the Dorsetshire RGA (V) once again to become the Hants & Dorset RGA, but this was changed back to separate Dorset and Hampshire units in 1910. The Hampshire RGA had the following organisation:


1st Hampshire Artillery Volunteers, Territorial Force
It was designated as a Defended Ports Unit in Southern Coast Defences, which was based at Portsmouth. There were a large number of forts and batteries around Spithead and the Solent, controlling access to Portsmouth Harbour and Southampton Water, which in time of war would be manned by four Regular RGA companies and the companies of the Hampshire RGA, while the heavy battery was mobile and responsible for the landward defences (TF heavy batteries were usually armed with obsolescent 4.7-inch guns).


1st Hampshire Artillery Volunteers, World War I, Mobilisation
On the outbreak of war the Hampshire RGA mobilised under the command of Lt-Col J.E. Dawe, TD, in Nos 6–9 Fire Commands. Shortly afterwards TF units were invited to volunteer for Overseas Service and on 15 August 1914, the War Office (WO) issued instructions to separate those men who had signed up for Home Service only, and form these into reserve units. On 31 August, the formation of a reserve or 2nd Line unit was authorised for each 1st Line unit where 60 per cent or more of the men had volunteered for Overseas Service. The titles of these 2nd Line units would be the same as the original, but distinguished by a '2/' prefix. In this way duplicate companies and batteries were created, releasing the 1st Line units to be sent overseas.


1st Hampshire Artillery Volunteers, World War I, Mobilisation
By October 1914, the campaign on the Western Front was bogging down into Trench warfare and there was an urgent need for batteries of Siege artillery to be sent to France. The WO decided that the TF coastal gunners were well enough trained to take over many of the duties in the coastal defences, releasing Regular RGA gunners for service in the field, and 1st line RGA companies had been authorised to increase their strength by 50 per cent.


1st Hampshire Artillery Volunteers, World War I, Mobilisation
Although complete TF defended ports units never left the UK, they did supply drafts of trained gunners to RGA units serving overseas. These included providing cadres as the basis on which to form complete new units for front line service. 47th Siege Battery, RGA, was formed on 28 July 1915 at Portsmouth with a nucleus from the Hampshire RGA and regular RGA gunners returned from Mauritius and Hong Kong. Equipped with 8-inch howitzers it went out to the Western Front in November 1915 and served there for the rest of the war, latterly in 5th Brigade, RGA, supporting Third Army.


1st Hampshire Artillery Volunteers, World War I, Mobilisation
147th Siege Battery (see below) was formed at Portsmouth on 22 May 1916 based on a cadre of four officers and 78 other ranks from the Hampshire RGA (probably drawn in the main from 1/1st Heavy Bty, which disappeared from the order of battle by April 1917). A large number of other siege batteries were formed in the Portsmouth defences in 1915–16, which may also have included trained men from the Hampshire RGA among the recruits, although the Army Council Instructions did not specifically order this. For example, 27 members of No 4 Company died on active service during the war, even though its 1st and 2nd Line never left the UK.


1st Hampshire Artillery Volunteers, World War I, Home Defence
After the beginning of air attacks on Britain the RGA also became responsible for manning anti-aircraft (AA) guns both at home and overseas. A number of AA batteries were stationed round Portsmouth, probably including men drawn from the Hampshire RGA, and Southern Command was also responsible for the AA defence of Coventry and Birmingham, where some Hampshire RGA companies were stationed. Under Army Council Instruction 686 of April 1917, the coastal defence companies of the RGA (TF) were reorganised. The 12 remaining Hampshire RGA companies serving in the Portsmouth garrison and the Coventry and Birmingham AA command (1/2nd, 1/3rd, 1/4th, 1/5th, 1/6th, 1/7th, 1/8th, 2/3rd, 2/4th, 2/5th, 2/6th, 2/7th) were reduced to two companies, which were to be kept up to strength with non-TF recruits.


1st Hampshire Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 147th Siege Battery, RGA
I47th Siege Battery went out to the Western Front on 21 August 1916, equipped with four 6-inch howitzers. On 25 August it joined 33rd Heavy Artillery Group (HAG) serving with Fourth Army, which was engaged in the Somme offensive. The battery moved to 49th HAG on 29 October as the offensive ground to a conclusion and then to others within Fourth Army (77th HAG on 20 December, 28th HAG on 10 February) during the winter of 1916–17.


1st Hampshire Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 147th Siege Battery, RGA, Vimy Ridge
On 22 March 1917 the battery transferred to 18th HAG with First Army, which was preparing for the Battle of Vimy Ridge. 18th HAG was positioned just behind Arras, firing in support of Canadian Corps. The artillery plan for the heavy guns emphasised counter-battery (CB) fire. At Zero hour, while the field guns laid down a Creeping barrage to protect the advancing infantry, the heavy howitzers fired 450 yards (410 m) further ahead to hit the rear areas on the reverse slope of the ridge, especially known gun positions. The attack went in on 9 April with the Canadian and I Corps successfully capturing Vimy Ridge.


1st Hampshire Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 147th Siege Battery, RGA, Vimy Ridge
Fighting south of Vimy (the Battle of Arras) continued into May, with 147th Siege Bty joining 83rd HAG with Third Army on 25 May. It was back to 18th HAG in First Army on 16 June, at rest and training 8–24 August, and then joined 78th HAG on 3 September. Later that month the battery was reorganised, a section from the newly-arrived 446th Siege Bty joining on 22 September, bringing 147th up to a strength of six howitzers.


1st Hampshire Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 147th Siege Battery, RGA, Vimy Ridge
On 16 December the battery was reduced to four guns once more, with a section leaving to help reform 190th Siege Bty, and joined 43rd HAG with Fourth Army the following day. The battery was at rest from 23 December to 9 January 1918. By now HAG allocations were becoming more fixed, and on 1 February 1918 they were converted into permanent RGA brigades. 43rd Brigade was composed of units with a variety of different calibre howitzers. 147th Siege Bty remained with this brigade until the Armistice.


1st Hampshire Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 147th Siege Battery, RGA, Fifth Ypres
In April the battery was once more made up to a strength of six howitzers when a new third section joined. 43rd Brigade RGA transferred from Fourth to Second Army on 1 May 1918 and remained with it until the Armistice, fighting through the Allied Hundred Days Offensive. For example, at the Fifth Battle of Ypres starting on 28 September, 43rd Bde's batteries directly supported the assault of 29th Division, having remained hidden and silent until Zero hour. When the infantry attacked at 05.30 they quickly took their intermediate objectives (06.30) and first objectives (08.30–08.45).


1st Hampshire Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 147th Siege Battery, RGA, Fifth Ypres
The second wave then passed through to continue the advance towards the village of Kruiseecke, but had to halt until 12.15, because the heavy artillery barrage was still falling on the village. Such rapid progress could not be kept up, and German reinforcements halted further advances, but 29th Division had crossed the Ypres Ridge, the objective of so many failed assaults in 1917. After that Second Army continued to advance through October until it reached the River Dendre by the time the Armistice came in to force.


1st Hampshire Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 147th Siege Battery, RGA, Fifth Ypres
In the interim order of battle for the postwar army the battery was supposed to form D Bty in LXXV Brigade, RGA, but this was rescinded after the signing of the Treaty of Versailles, and the remaining cadre of the battery was disbanded in 1919.


1st Hampshire Artillery Volunteers, Interwar
The Hampshire RGA was placed in suspended animation after demobilisation in 1919. When the TF was reconstituted on 7 February 1920, the unit was reformed, still under the command of Brevet Colonel J.E. Dawe, with HQ at Southampton, one battery from 1 Hvy Bty and Nos, 2, 5, 6, and 7 Cos, a second battery from Nos 3 and 8 Cs, and a third battery from No 4 Co. The TF was reorganised as the Territorial Army the following year, when the unit was redesignated the Hampshire Coast Brigade, RGA and the batteries were numbered 153–6. The RGA was subsumed into the RA on 1 June 1924, when the unit became the Hampshire Heavy Brigade, RA. It formed part of the coast defence troops in 43rd (Wessex) Divisional Area and had the following organisation:


1st Hampshire Artillery Volunteers, Interwar
In 1927 it was decided that the coast defences of the UK would be manned by the TA alone. A 1927 report on coastal defences by the Committee of Imperial Defence made recommendations for defence schemes at 15 'Class A' home ports, including Portsmouth and Southampton (Scheme 2), but little was done to modernise them before the outbreak of World War II.


1st Hampshire Artillery Volunteers, Interwar
The unit was redesignated the Hampshire Heavy Regiment, RA on 1 November 1938 when the RA adopted the term 'regiment' instead of 'brigade' for a lieutenant-colonel's command.


1st Hampshire Artillery Volunteers, World War II, Mobilisation
On the outbreak of war the regiment and its three batteries mobilised in the Portsmouth Defences. Together with Princess Beatrice's (Isle of Wight Rifles) Heavy Rgt, it was responsible for manning 6 x 9.2-inch, 16 x 6-inch and 8 x 12-pounder guns.


1st Hampshire Artillery Volunteers, World War II, Mobilisation
With the danger of invasion after the British Expeditionary Force was evacuated from Dunkirk, the coastal artillery regiments underwent a major reorganisation in the summer of 1940. On 9 September the Hampshire Heavy Rgt expanded to form three new regiments:


1st Hampshire Artillery Volunteers, World War II, Home Defence
By their height in September 1941 the Portsmouth and Southampton defences manned by the Hampshire and Isle of Wight coast regiments contained the following guns:


1st Hampshire Artillery Volunteers, World War II, Home Defence
In the spring of 1942 the coast regiments round the Solent came under the command of a new V Corps Coast Artillery (CA) HQ, which was joined in the summer by 3rd CA Plotting Room (later 3rd Army Plotting Room) in Portsmouth. When V Corps HQ went to North Africa as part of Operation Torch in late 1942, the CA HQ and plotting room came under Hampshire & Dorset District of Southern Command.


1st Hampshire Artillery Volunteers, World War II, Mid War
By 1942 the threat from German attack had diminished, the coast defences were seen as absorbing excessive manpower and there was demand for trained gunners for the fighting fronts. A process of reducing the manpower in the coast defences began. 528th Coast Rgt was disbanded on 7 December 1942, the remaining batteries transferring to 527th, leaving the following organisation:


1st Hampshire Artillery Volunteers, World War II, Late war
The manpower requirements for the forthcoming Allied invasion of Normandy (Operation Overlord) led to further reductions in coast defences in April 1944. By this stage of the war many of the coast battery positions were manned by Home Guard detachments or were in the hands of care and maintenance parties. On 1 April 529th Coast Rgt was placed in suspended animation, the batteries joining 527th, which had the following organisation until the end of the war.


1st Hampshire Artillery Volunteers, World War II, Late war
Then, on 1 June 1945, after VE Day, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 121, 122, 134 and 165 Btys began entering suspended animation (completing on 22 June),  while 183, 209, 239, 387 and 441 Btys were disbanded. Next, on 15 December 1945, 118 and 125 Btys commenced suspended animation (completing on 17 January 1946. Finally, Regimental HQ and the remaining batteries (119, 120, 121, 123 and 124) began entering suspended animation at Southsea Castle on 10 January 1946, completing the process on 17 January, when the remaining personnel joined 566th (Devon & Cornwall) Coast Rgt.


1st Hampshire Artillery Volunteers, Postwar
When the TA was reconstituted on 1 January 1947, 529th Coast Rgt was formally disbanded, and 527th was reformed as 406th (Hampshire) Coast Rgt in 102 Coast Brigade.


1st Hampshire Artillery Volunteers, Postwar
The coast artillery branch of the RA was abolished during 1956, the regiment being officially disbanded on 15 September, but on 31 October it was instead converted to the Royal Engineers as 581 Construction Squadron, RE. It was assigned to 115 Construction Rgt which reorganised as 115 (Hampshire Fortress) Corps Engineer Rgt in 1961. The squadron was disbanded on 1 April 1967 when the TA was reduced into the Territorial and Army Volunteer Reserve (TAVR), and the remaining personnel joined D (Hampshire Fortress Engineers) Sqn in the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Territorials.


1st Hampshire Artillery Volunteers, Memorial
After World War I, No 4 Company of the Hampshire RGA erected a memorial tablet in the Royal Garrison Church in Old Portsmouth, adjacent to the Company's drill hall at Governor's Green. The plaque lists 27 men who died on active service. Although the church was bombed out during World War II the memorial is still visible in the ruined nave.


1st Hampshire Engineers
The 1st Hampshire Engineer Volunteer Corps was first formed in 1862 and then reformed in 1891 with special responsibility for the port defences of the South Coast of England. It carried out this role during World War I, as well as forming field units that served on the Western Front and at Salonika. Before the outbreak of World War II it formed an air defence regiment that saw service during The Blitz and field companies that fought in the Western Desert and Italy, The unit continued in the postwar Territorial Army before finally disbanding in 1967.


1st Hampshire Engineers, Early history
The enthusiasm for the Volunteer movement following an invasion scare in 1859 saw the creation of many local Rifle, Artillery and Engineer Volunteer units composed of part-time soldiers eager to supplement the Regular British Army in time of need. One of these was the 1st Hampshire Engineer Volunteer Corps (1st Hants EVC) based at Southampton. The first officers' commissions for the unit were issued on 25 January 1862. As a small, single company corps, it was attached for convenience to the 2nd Hampshire Rifle Volunteer Corps (RVC) in 1863, and both came under the 4th Administrative Battalion of Hampshire Rifle Volunteers in 1865.


1st Hampshire Engineers, Early history
In 1870, the unit was attached to the 2nd Tower Hamlets EVC in London rather than the local rifle units. Under the mobilisation scheme in force in 1880, the 1st Hants EVC formed part of the Garrison Army, assigned to defence of the important naval base of Portsmouth, along with detachments from EVCs as far away as Yorkshire, Lancashire and Northamptonshire. However, the 1st Hants EVC was disbanded in 1881 and the volunteers absorbed by the 2nd Hampshire RVC.


1st Hampshire Engineers, Reformed unit
A new 1st Hampshire Engineer Volunteers was formed at Portsmouth on 1 April 1891. This was a much larger unit, 481 men (mainly from Portsmouth Dockyard) volunteering for a unit with an official establishment of two companies totaling 100. The new unit included a cadet company at Weymouth until 1902, and the 1st Sussex Engineer Volunteers was attached to it for administrative purposes in 1892–95. The new corps rented and renovated the old drill hall of the 3rd Hampshire RVC, laid a parade ground, and practised digging field fortifications on Southsea Common. Non -Commissioned Officers from the corps took special courses on fortress engineering at the Royal Engineers' depot at Chatham.


1st Hampshire Engineers, Reformed unit
The 1st Hampshire Royal Engineers (Volunteers) (as the unit was officially titled from 1896) sent a detachment of one officer and 25 other ranks to assist the regular REs during the Second Boer War in 1900, and a second section the following year.


1st Hampshire Engineers, Territorial Force
When the Volunteer Force was subsumed into the new Territorial Force (TF) under the Haldane Reforms in 1908, the 1st Hampshire RE (V) became the Hampshire (Fortresss) RE (TF), forming part of Southern Coast Defences. By the outbreak of war in August 1914, the unit had the following organisation:


1st Hampshire Engineers, Territorial Force
Together with the Regular No 4 Company, RE, at Haslar Barracks in Gosport, the unit was responsible for the coastal defence searchlights in the Portsmouth area, including the Isle of Wight and the three sea forts at Spithead (Spitbank Fort, No Man's Land Fort and Horse Sand Fort).


1st Hampshire Engineers, World War I, Coast and Anti-Aircraft defence
On the outbreak of war, the Hampshire (Fortress) RE had a serious deficiency of personnel. On 5 August, it was supplemented by No 4 Company of the Tyne Electrical Engineers (TEE), which took over several of the coast defence searchlight stations around Portsmouth. Two other companies of the TEE moved into Haslar Barracks in Gosport and later took over from No 4 Co RE the running of the electric light training school. As the war progressed, the requirement for anti-aircraft searchlights (AA/SLs), as well as coast defence lights became vital, and the school at Haslar trained a large number of AA detachments for Home Defence and for service on the Western Front and other theatres of the war.


1st Hampshire Engineers, World War I, Coast and Anti-Aircraft defence
By November 1915, the Hampshire unit's strength had grown to 39 officers and 604 other ranks, and it took back responsibility for the three sea forts, and then, in May 1916, it took over from the TEE two new searchlight stations, Egypt Point and Stone Point, at the entrance to the Solent. On 25 September 1916, the only air attack on Portsmouth during World War I occurred when Kapitänleutnant Heinrich Mathy commanding the Zeppelin L31 hovered over the harbour in the searchlight beams, without actually dropping any bombs. Shortly after this raid the Hampshire (Fortress) RE took over all the AA searchlights in Portsmouth Garrison, forming No 48 AA Company. In May 1918, the Portsmouth AA defences were included in the London Air Defence Area.


1st Hampshire Engineers, World War I, Expansion
Shortly after the outbreak of war, TF units were invited to volunteer for Overseas Service. On 15 August 1914, the War Office issued instructions to separate those men who had signed up for Home Service only, and form these into reserve units. On 31 August, the formation of a reserve or 2nd Line unit was authorised for each 1st Line unit where 60 per cent or more of the men had volunteered for Overseas Service. The titles of these 2nd Line units would be the same as the original, but distinguished by a '2/' prefix. In this way duplicate companies were created, as well as additional 1st Line companies from the volunteers pouring into the recruiting stations. Despite the initial manpower shortages of the Hampshire (Fortress) RE, these are known to have been numbered as high as 1/8th Hampshire EL Company.


1st Hampshire Engineers, World War I, Expansion
The Hampshire (Fortress) RE also formed a number of 'Army Troops' and 'Works' companies for service with the armies at home and overseas:


1st Hampshire Engineers, World War I, Expansion
The Hampshire (Fortress) RE also formed one field engineer company, from 1/7th Hampshire Army Troops Company.


1st Hampshire Engineers, World War I, Salonika campaign
The 1/7th Hampshire Field Company, (numbered 506th (Hampshire) Field Company in February 1917), embarked for France on 19 October 1915 and joined the 28th Division on 25 October as the division was embarking at Marseilles. The division arrived in Egypt by 22 November, and then re-embarked for the Macedonian front, completing disembarkation at Salonika by 4 January 1916.


1st Hampshire Engineers, World War I, Salonika campaign
Among the first tasks the newly arrived division had to carry out was construction of fieldworks across rough country, in winter, against the possibility of immediate Bulgarian attack: 'In the face of rain, snow, and the biting wind the infantry and engineers stuck to their task'. Offensive operations were rare on the Macedonian front, but work to improve defences and roads was continuous, and the 28th Division in the Struma Valley suffered badly from malaria. The largest operation in the Struma Valley was the capture by 28th Division of Karajakoi Bala, Karajakoi Zir and Yenikoi in October 1916. Defences of these villages then had to be consolidated. The outpost line consisted of a chain of these villages, trenched and wired, and garrisoned by infantry, machine gun teams and RE detachments.


1st Hampshire Engineers, World War I, Salonika campaign
28th Division took part in two further offensive operations in May and October 1917. Eventually, it participated in the Second Battle of Doiran beginning on 18 September 1918, which failed to break through the Bulgarian lines. However, the Bulgarians had been defeated elsewhere, and some days later the British realised that the entrenchments in front of them were empty. 28th Division then took part in the pursuit to the Strumica Valley (22–28 September).


1st Hampshire Engineers, World War I, Salonika campaign
After the Armistice with Bulgaria came into effect on 30 September, British forces, including 28th Division, advanced across the country towards Turkey. With no troops to defend Constantinople from this direction, the Ottoman Empire also signed an Armistice on 30 October. 28th Division was sent to occupy the Dardanelles Forts. 506th (Hampshire) Field Company was still in Turkey in April 1919, but after that the TF units were progressively replaced by Regular and Indian Army units and the Territorials were demobilised and returned home.


1st Hampshire Engineers, Interwar
After the war, the Hampshire (Fortress) RE reformed in the Territorial Army (TA) with at least five companies. Once again it was assigned to defence of the South Coast of England, in 43rd Divisional Area. In 1922–23 the barracks at East Cowes on the Isle of Wight was converted into a headquarters for No 5 (EL) Company and part of '3rd (Hampshire) Field Company' (ie the 3rd (Wessex) Field Company raised in Portsmouth for the 43rd (Wessex) Divisional Engineers in 1914, which became 206th (Hampshire) Fd Co in the reformed TA). However, by 1927, No 5 Company had disappeared and the unit had the following organisation:


1st Hampshire Engineers, Interwar
In 1937, three companies were converted into a searchlight unit, 48th (Hampshire) Anti - Aircraft Battalion, RE (TA), with the following organisation:


1st Hampshire Engineers, Interwar
The following year, the battalion came under the command of 35th AA Brigade, based at Fareham, which formed part of 5th AA Division.


1st Hampshire Engineers, Interwar
The remainder of the Hampshire Fortress RE continued as a single Electric Light and Works company in the Portsmouth Coast Defences. In 1938, it was joined by 206th (Hampshire) Field Company from 43rd (Wessex) Divisional Engineers, which became No 2 (206th) (Electric Light and Works) Company.


1st Hampshire Engineers, World War II, Hampshire Fortress Engineers
In the early months of the war the unit was engaged in installing and testing anti-shipping and anti-aircraft searchlights, generating gear and general defensive works. Its average strength at this time was 27 officers and 440–460 other ranks.


1st Hampshire Engineers, World War II, Hampshire Fortress Engineers
At the end of April 1940 the unit was ordered to hand over its responsibilities to units of the Royal Artillery (RA) and reorganise as a corps engineer unit as follows:


1st Hampshire Engineers, World War II, Hampshire Fortress Engineers
By the end of 1940, Hampshire CTRE had been redesignated as IV CTRE, assigned to IV Corps. The Corps sailed for the Middle East in November 1941 and was established in Iraq by 1 February 1942. 579th Company was left in the UK and transferred to VIII CTRE in December 1941. On arrival in Iraq, IV CTRE was detached from Corps HQ and sent to Egypt to join Eighth Army (IV Corps later went on to India).


1st Hampshire Engineers, World War II, XIII Corps Troops RE, Western Desert
In Egypt, the unit became XIII CTRE, assigned to XIII Corps in the Western Desert. In early 1941 all of XIII Corps' engineers were busy constructing the Gazala Line in an attempt to halt General Rommel's expected offensive. The attack came on 26 May and by 14 June XIII Corps' infantry divisions had been forced out of the Gazala Line. Tobruk fell soon afterwards and with Eighth Army in headlong retreat the engineers had to destroy or salvage all the water supply, port and railway equipment to deny them to the enemy. From 27 June all the corps' engineers were engaged in preparing a new defensive position at El Alamein.


1st Hampshire Engineers, World War II, XIII Corps Troops RE, Western Desert
Rommel was successfully held at Alamein and on 23/24 October Eighth Army went over to the offensive under General Montgomery at the Second Battle of El Alamein. For this offensive 577th Company was temporarily attached to 44th (Home Counties) Division. After the battle, XIII Corps was given the job of securing prisoners and clearing the battlefield, where the engineers had 'the unenviable task of sorting out the maze of minefields, lifting some and marking others'. XIII Corps was mainly left in the rear areas for the rest of the North African Campaign.


1st Hampshire Engineers, World War II, XIII Corps Troops RE, Sicily and Calabria
XIII was given an assault role in the Allied invasion of Sicily (Operation Husky), sailing from Egypt and landing in the south east of the island on 10 July 1943. For this operation XIII CTRE was joined by 56th Field Company, a Regular RE unit that had been serving with Tenth Army in Palestine; it remained with the unit for the rest of the war. The troops advanced steadily, supported by the engineers building numerous bridges and repairing damaged supply routes through rugged country, and the island was in Allied hands by 17 August.


1st Hampshire Engineers, World War II, XIII Corps Troops RE, Sicily and Calabria
XIII was also entrusted with the assault landing in the 'toe' of mainland Italy on 2/3 September, Operation Baytown. This was almost unopposed, but there was considerable work for the engineers in repairing the port of Reggio and replacing the usual demolished bridges.


1st Hampshire Engineers, World War II, XIII Corps Troops RE, Operation Diadem
Eighth Army steadily advanced up Italy until it was held at the Germans' Winter Line and stalemate set it. The following Spring, XIII Corps participated in the fourth Battle of Monte Cassino (Operation Diadem) with an assault crossing of the Rapido River on the night of 11 May 1944. The subsequent advance was dependent upon bridges being quickly established across this river, and 577 Field Co was made responsible for building a Class 40 Bailey bridge codenamed 'London' at San Angelo on the front of 8th Indian Division.


1st Hampshire Engineers, World War II, XIII Corps Troops RE, Operation Diadem
A camouflaged track (also codenamed 'London') was prepared to bring the bridging material close to the river by night. The bridging operation began after the Indian troops had seized their bridgehead, and went on under cover of a smokescreen, while 8th Indian Division cleared San Angelo. 'London' was completed by 577 Fd Co at 10.30 on 14 May, and two additional Class 40 bridges into 8th Indian Division's bridgehead ('Edenbridge' and 'Tonbridge') were completed by 56 Fd Co at 17.00 and 22.00 respectively. 78th Division, which had been waiting for 'London' to open, crossed the river on 14 May to join in the attack the following day. The Official History gives much of the credit for the success of 'Diadem' to the British and Indian engineers.


1st Hampshire Engineers, World War II, XIII Corps Troops RE, Operation Diadem
This success was followed by a breakthrough of the Hitler Line, and an advance to Florence, where the Germans had destroyed the historic bridges. By late August 8 Indian Division had the task of crossing the River Arno where no peacetime road existed. During the nights of 25–27 August the divisional engineers constructed improvised crossings under fire, after which XIII CTRE completed a low-level Bailey bridge by the morning of 28 August. The advance then continued to the Gothic Line.


1st Hampshire Engineers, World War II, XIII Corps Troops RE, Roadbuilding
The autumn's fighting involved a huge amount of bridgebuilding and road improvement in rough terrain. Along Highway 67 from Florence to Forli, a section from Dicomano 'twisted and turned for six miles through a narrow cleft in the mountains, rising gently to San Godingo, whence it climbed nearly 3,000 feet in five miles to the Muraglione Pass'. The estimated time for re-opening this section was a month, but the sappers and gunners of 6th Armoured Division got it open in 13 days, after which XIII CTRE followed up and converted it into a two-way Class 40 road in 19 days.


1st Hampshire Engineers, World War II, XIII Corps Troops RE, Roadbuilding
The most difficult sections were two demolitions of 260 feet (79 m) and 230 feet (70 m) respectively, which were widened, blasting away the rock face on one side and building up the other side on cribbing. The Corps engineers were assisted by 10th Mechanical Equipment Platoon, RE, a detachment of 1st Drilling Company, Royal Canadian Engineers, an anti-tank battery of the Royal Artillery, three-and-a-half companies of the Pioneer Corps, three general transport (GT) companies and two tipper platoons of the Royal Army Service Corps, and 70 Italian wood-cutters. Wood cut by the gunners and the Italians was turned into 'cribs' and 'dogs' by 576 Corps Field Park Co, which were then filled with rock quarried at Dicomano and rubble from ruined buildings.


1st Hampshire Engineers, World War II, XIII Corps Troops RE, Roadbuilding
Once through the Gothic Line, XIII Corps took over part of the front from US forces, whose engineers had opened a track ('Ace') from San Pietro on Highway 65, over the Apennine Mountains into the valley of the Santerno. This involved steep diversions that caused great difficulties for British transport. On the evening of 4 October, 56 Fd Co was summoned from work on Highway 67 to eliminate one of these diversions by building a 480 feet (150 m) Bailey bridge over a demolished six-arch brick bridge at San Andrea.


1st Hampshire Engineers, World War II, XIII Corps Troops RE, Roadbuilding
The company was given about 500 British and Italian Pioneers to assist. The accessible piers were rebuilt, those that were inaccessible were reached by cantilevering Bailey sections across to them. The tallest inaccessible pier had the top 20 feet (6.1 m) blown off by using 6-pounder and 17-pounder anti-tank guns. The whole procedure was delayed by heavy rain and some shelling, but the company completed the job by midday on 15 October.


1st Hampshire Engineers, World War II, XIII Corps Troops RE, Roadbuilding
Maintaining routes such as 'Ace' during the winter months was a huge task, and XIII CTRE and 78th Division's RE had to be reinforced by US engineers when one section collapsed into mud.


1st Hampshire Engineers, World War II, XIII Corps Troops RE, Advance to the Po
XIII Corps spent the late winter of 1944–45 in the mountains above Bologna. Before the Allied Spring Offensive began, it was moved down to prepare to cross the River Po. 56 and 578 Field Companies were left behind to deal with the stocks of engineer equipment left in the mountains: they used it to build four Bailey bridges to repair the routes to bring stores down into the plain. They then rejoined XIII CTRE on 16 April. The whole weight of the corps' engineers was thrown into supporting the advance of 2nd New Zealand Division.


1st Hampshire Engineers, World War II, XIII Corps Troops RE, Advance to the Po
XIII CTRE under its Commander, RE, (CRE) Lt-Col R.F. Hawker, was reinforced by two tipper platoons, two GT platoons and a composite platoon transporting rafts and assault boats, with three and a half Pioneer companies doing the loading and unloading. Two sets of Bailey equipment were delivered each day to 576 Fd Park Co, which kept two equipment dumps open, leapfrogging forward as the advance proceeded. The New Zealanders crossed the Sillaro on 14 April, and by dawn on 16 April three low-level Bailey bridges across it were completed. Between 16 and 20 April a number of canals were crossed, then on the night of 20/21st the New Zealanders made an assault crossing of the Idice. The following day XIII CTRE put over a 110 feet (34 m) high-level Bailey bridge, and the Po was reached on 23 April.


1st Hampshire Engineers, World War II, XIII Corps Troops RE, Advance to the Po
Bridging the wide Po was a major operation, but XIII Corps had made such good progress that it was allotted material for its own pontoon Bailey bridge in a rushed operation. The site selected from aerial photographs was found to be unsuitable due to Allied bomb craters, and the alternative meant bridging a 1,100 feet (340 m) gap and all available Bailey material and transport had to be collected from other formations. 2nd


1st Hampshire Engineers, World War II, XIII Corps Troops RE, Advance to the Po
New Zealand Division began its assault crossing on the night of 24/25 April, and the convoy of bridging equipment began to move forward at dawn, arriving on site at 17.00. The first lorries crossed by a light Folding Boat Equipment (FBE) bridge erected by the New Zealand RE, heavier equipment going over by the New Zealanders' Class 40 ferry. This meant that both ends of the pontoon bridge could be started together and despite communication problems it was completed by 17.00 on 27 April.


1st Hampshire Engineers, World War II, XIII Corps Troops RE, Advance to the Po
Two hours later it was damaged by an underwater explosion – whether by a floating mine or sabotage by frogmen was never ascertained – but was quickly repaired by dismantling and incorporating one of the New Zealanders' ferries. This was completed by 02.00 on 28 April - the longest floating Bailey bridge built in the longest Italian campaign.


1st Hampshire Engineers, World War II, XIII Corps Troops RE, Advance to the Po
The Po crossing was followed by a rapid advance to the Adige: bridging and supply were now the factors limiting the speed of advance. Engineer equipment was short but top priority was given to XIII Corps (the corps' chief engineer had a section of Military Police to escort his equipment through the traffic jams). This enabled XIII CTRE to throw a pontoon Bailey bridge across the fast-flowing Adige at Piacenza, which presented greater difficulties than the wide Po.


1st Hampshire Engineers, World War II, XIII Corps Troops RE, Advance to the Po
Material arrived on site at 08.00 on 29 April and the 370 feet (110 m) bridge was completed by 22.00 on the same day, although work on the approaches prevented it being opened to traffic until next morning. XIII Corps now pursued the defeated Germans across the Venetian Plain to the Piave, which was reached on 29 April. The bridge had been wrecked by Allied bombers months before, but XIII CTRE arrived on 1 May with equipment to build a floating Bailey bridge. The German forces in Italy surrendered (the Surrender of Caserta) the following day, but XIII Corps continued advancing to Trieste as the war ended.


1st Hampshire Engineers, World War II, 48th (Hampshire) Searchlight Regiment, RA
The TA's AA units were mobilised on 23 September 1938 during the Munich Crisis, with units manning their emergency positions within 24 hours, even though many did not yet have their full complement of men or equipment. The emergency lasted three weeks, and they were stood down on 13 October. In February 1939, the existing AA defences came under the control of a new Anti- Aircraft Command.


1st Hampshire Engineers, World War II, 48th (Hampshire) Searchlight Regiment, RA
In June, a partial mobilisation of TA units was begun in a process known as 'couverture', whereby each AA unit did a month's tour of duty in rotation to man selected AA and searchlight positions. On 24 August, ahead of the declaration of war, AA Command was fully mobilised at its war stations.


1st Hampshire Engineers, World War II, 48th (Hampshire) Searchlight Regiment, RA
The AA Battalions of the RE were transferred to the Royal Artillery (RA) on 1 August 1940, so the unit was redesignated 48th (Hampshire) Searchlight Regiment, RA,(TA).


1st Hampshire Engineers, World War II, 48th (Hampshire) Searchlight Regiment, RA
By the end of 1944, the German Luftwaffe was suffering from such shortages of pilots, aircraft and fuel that serious aerial attacks on the UK could be discounted. At the same time 21st Army Group fighting in North West Europe was suffering a severe manpower shortage, particularly among the infantry. In January 1945 the War Office began to reorganise surplus anti-aircraft and coastal artillery regiments in the UK into infantry battalions, primarily for line of communication and occupation duties, thereby releasing trained infantry for frontline service. In January 1945, 48th S/L Regiment became 636 (Hampshire) Infantry Regiment, RA. After infantry training, the battalion landed on the Continent on 7 May 1945 (the day before VE Day, and was assigned to Line of Communication duties with 21st Army Group.


1st Hampshire Engineers, Postwar, 115 Construction Regiment
When the TA was reconstituted in 1947, the Hampshire Fortress RE was reformed as 115 Construction Regiment, RE, with its HQ at Fareham and the following organisation:


1st Hampshire Engineers, Postwar, 115 Construction Regiment
In 1961, the regiment was reorganised as 115 (Hampshire Fortress) Corps Engineer Regiment, when 577, 578 and 581 Squadrons became field squadrons, 576 Corps Field Park Squadron became independent, and 127 Squadron was disbanded.


1st Hampshire Engineers, Postwar, 115 Construction Regiment
The regiment was disbanded when the TA was reformed as the TAVR in 1967, but its personnel became D Company (Hampshire Fortress Royal Engineers) in the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Territorials until that unit was reduced to cadre in 1969.


1st Hanoi International Film Festival
The 1st Hanoi International Film Festival, originally known as 1st Vietnam International Film Festival, opened on October 17 and closed on October 21, 2010 at Vietnam National Convention Center, with the slogan "All together make dreams come true" (Vietnamese: "Tất cả cùng nhau biến ước mơ thành hiện thực").


1st Hanoi International Film Festival
From more than 90 films submitted, the Organizing Committee selected 67 films from 23 countries to attend with a full range of film genres such as: socio-psychological films, action comedies, animated films, historical films and documentaries.


1st Hanoi International Film Festival
This is one of the activities to celebrate the 1000 Years of Thăng Long - Hanoi. The festival aims to honor Asian cinema, promote cultural exchanges and foster further development cooperation between regional and international filmmakers through the showcase of the latest films by talented directors, especially the ones from Southeast Asian countries.


1st Hanoi International Film Festival, Programs
The following programs were held within the framework of the 1st Vietnam International Film Festival:


1st Hanoi International Film Festival, Programs
Professional activities at the Hanoi Opera House, Hoàn Kiếm District:


1st Hanoi International Film Festival, Juries & Advisors
There are 3 jury panels established for this film festival along with an honorary advisory board.


1st Hanoi International Film Festival, Official Selection - In Competition, Feature film
These 10 films were selected to compete for the official awards in Feature Film category:


1st Hanoi International Film Festival, Official Selection - In Competition, Documentary & Short film
These 12 documentary and short films were selected to compete for official awards in Documentary and Short Film category:


1st Hanoi International Film Festival, Awards
The official awards were awarded at the closing ceremony of the festival, on the evening of October 21. The independent awards such as NETPAC and Technicolor were awarded after in the closing press conference.


1st Heavy Artillery Battery (Australia)
1st Heavy Artillery Battery was an Australian artillery unit during World War I. Formed at Gallipoli on 14 July 1915 the battery formed part of the 1st Division artillery. The battery was originally equipped with 2 old 6 inch 30 cwt howitzers and one even older 4.7 inch naval gun. The battery was disbanded in Egypt during February 1916 to provide personnel for howitzer batteries.


1st Heavy Artillery Regiment
The Polish 1st Heavy Artillery Regiment (1 Pułk Artylerii Najcięższej) was formed in mid-1920 and saw limited combat at the end of the Polish-Soviet War in 1920. At the time, the unit was equipped with 210 millimetres (21 cm) mortars and 149.1 millimetres (14.91 cm) cannons. By 1921 the regiment was motorized and 155 millimetres (15.5 cm) howitzers were added. In 1934, the unit was moved to Gora Kalwaria.


1st Heavy Artillery Regiment, World War II
In 1938, the 155 millimetres (15.5 cm) howitzers were handed down to the heavy artillery regiments. During the Invasion of Poland in 1939, one out of three battalions was assigned to Armia Modlin, and two battalions to the 38th Infantry Division (Poland).


1st Helicopter Brigade
The 1st Helicopter Brigade (Japanese: 第１ヘリコプター団, Dai-ichi Herikoputa-Dan) is based at JGSDF Camp Kisarazu in Kisarazu, in Chiba Prefecture. Formerly an independent brigade, it was attached to the Central Readiness Force on March 28, 2007. Like most JGSDF units, the brigade's aircraft are deployed to conduct exercises from their Kisarazu base annually during the New Year period.


1st Helicopter Brigade
The brigade operates under the Ground Component Command (Japanese: 陸上総隊), formerly with the Central Readiness Force, as a supporting unit for the Central Readiness Regiment (CRR), 1st Airborne Brigade and the Japanese Special Forces Group (SFGp) if deployed into a combat zone.


1st Helicopter Brigade
Prior to the brigade's integration into the CRF, it had been actively involved in civil disaster operations in response to natural disasters such as forest fires and earthquakes.


1st Helicopter Brigade, History
The 1st Helicopter Brigade was first established on March 20, 1959, by the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force Aviation School at JGSDF Camp Kasumigaura in Kasumigaura, Ibaraki. After the brigade was established, two helicopter companies were created on March 1, 1968, during a period of reorganization.


1st Helicopter Brigade, History
The 1st Helicopter Company was stationed at JGSDF Camp Kisarazu on March 22, 1968, with the 2nd Helicopter Company arriving on June 1, 1968. A special transport squad was established in the brigade on December 19, 1986. Another period of reorganization began on March 27, 2006, when a communications and reconnaissance squad was added to the unit. On March 28, 2007, the 1st Helicopter Brigade was formally incorporated into the Central Readiness Force.


1st Helicopter Brigade, History
The brigade was deployed by the Central Readiness Force on its first operation to subdue wildfires in the forests of the Yamanashi Prefecture on April 29, 2007. They have been also deployed on humanitarian operations, specifically in the aftermath of the March 2011 earthquake.


1st Helicopter Brigade, History
On March 26, 2020, the 1HB has established an aviation corp to manage V-22 Ospreys for the ARDB. The Ospreys are due to be deployed to Kisarazu with plans to be deployed at Saga Airport in the future. One CH-47J helicopter squadron is to be at JGSDF Vice Camp Takayubaru.


1st Helicopter Brigade, Aircraft in service
The 1st Helicopter Brigade currently utilize the following aircraft for the Ground Component Command:


1st Helicopter Squadron
The 1st Helicopter Squadron is a United States Air Force unit based at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland reporting to the 316th Operations Group,administratively controlled by Air Force District of Washington.


1st Helicopter Squadron, Mission
The 1st Helicopter Squadron's primary mission is to be prepared to evacuate high-ranking personnel from the Capital area in the event of a national emergency. It also supports Washington D.C. area airlift for high-ranking Executive Branch, dignitaries, military leaders and other VIPs. The squadron also supports search and rescue missions.


1st Helicopter Squadron, History, World War II
The squadron was first activated in February 1944 as the 1st Fighter Reconnaissance Squadron and equipped with a mix of P-51 fighter and F-6 reconnaissance Mustangs. It trained for operations with Third Air Force and trained at the Army Air Force School of Applied Tactics. Moved to India, September–November 1944 assigned to Tenth Air Force. Combat in CBI, 14 February-9 May 1945. After May 1945 in training. Returned to the US during October— November 1945.


1st Helicopter Squadron, History, World War II
The 1st flew combat missions in the China Burma India Theater from 14 February to 9 May 1945 as a fighter unit.


1st Helicopter Squadron, History, World War II
The squadron was consolidated with the 1st Helicopter Squadron in September 1985.


1st Helicopter Squadron, History, Capital area helicopter airlift, Background
The Air Force's use of helicopters to transport 'distinguished persons' in the Capital area go back to August 1955, when Military Air Transport Service organized the 1401st Helicopter Flight at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland. In July 1957, a helicopter from the 1401st landed on the lawn of the White House to transport President Eisenhower, marking the unit's first presidential airlift flight. In October 1957, the flight was transferred to Headquarters Command, which required renumbering it as the 1001st Helicopter Flight. The flight moved to Bolling Air Force Base in 1963. Expanding demands for helicopter airlift resulted in the flight expanding to the 1001st Helicopter Squadron. On 7 September 1968 the 1001st returned its operations to Andrews.


1st Helicopter Squadron, History, Capital area helicopter airlift, Background
The squadron received the Air Force's flying safety award in 1963. In 1966, it dropped supplies to snowbound civilians following a blizzard.


1st Helicopter Squadron, History, Capital area helicopter airlift, Background
In 1969 Headquarters Command replaced the 1001st, which was a MAJCON (four-digit) unit and could not continue its history, with a unit controlled by Headquarters, USAF, which could continue its history. The conversion was one of unit category and number only and the new squadron would continue the mission and assume the manning and resources of the discontinuing 1001st. The new squadron was entitled to all the awards earned by the 1001st, but not its lineage.


1st Helicopter Squadron, History, Capital area helicopter airlift, New squadron assumes helicopter airlift mission
Since activation in 1969 the 1st Helicopter Squadron has provided local airlift for the Executive Department, high-ranking dignitaries, and distinguished visitors, as well as support for emergency evacuation of key government officials, search and rescue, and emergency medical evacuation. The squadron maintains a helicopter on alert for short notice mission assignments.


1st Helicopter Squadron, History, Capital area helicopter airlift, New squadron assumes helicopter airlift mission
In January 1983 Air Florida Flight 90 crashed into the 14th Street bridge during a blizzard. The squadron participated in the following relief efforts despite the unfavourable weather conditions at the time.


1st Helicopter Squadron, History, Capital area helicopter airlift, New squadron assumes helicopter airlift mission
Currently the squadron operates Bell UH-1N Twin Huey helicopters acquired in the early 1970s. Air Force Space Command also operates the UH-1N and has proposed the Common Vertical Lift Support Platform (CVLSP) program to seek a replacement to their UH-1Ns. On 24 September 2018, the United States Air Force announced that the MH-139 had won a competition to replace the Air Force's Vietnam-era UH-1Ns.


1st Helicopter Squadron, Attribution
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website .


1st Helpmann Awards
The 1st Helpmann Awards ceremony was presented by the Australian Entertainment Industry Association (AEIA) (currently known by its trade name, Live Performance Australia), for achievements in disciplines of Australia's live performance sectors. The ceremony took place on 25 March 2001 at the Lyric Theatre, Sydney and was hosted by Simon Burke. During the ceremony, the AEIA handed out awards in twelve categories for achievements in theatre, musicals, opera, ballet, dance and concerts.


1st Helpmann Awards
Australian works The Boy from Oz (musical), The Eighth Wonder (opera), Life After George (theatre) and the opening ceremony of the 2000 Olympics in Sydney were major award recipients.


1st Helpmann Awards, Winners and nominees
In the following tables, winners are listed first and highlighted in boldface.


1st Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards
The Inaugural Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards, presented by the Hollywood Critics Association, was originally supposed to be held at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel in Los Angeles on August 22, 2021. But was ultimately delayed a week and broadcast through a virtual ceremony. The awards did not have a host. Mckenna Grace and Brooklynn Prince announced the complete list of nominees for the  awards via a live stream on Thursday, July 8, 2021, on the organization's official YouTube Channel. Ted Lasso lead series nominations with 8 nominations, followed by The Handmaid's Tale and WandaVision with 7 each. HBO and NBC lead network and platform nominations with 29 nominations each, followed by Netflix with 28.


1st Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards
The HCA TV Awards became the first organization to separate streaming programs from broadcast/cable shows, electing to give the streaming platforms their own separate category in drama and comedy, with the exception of the limited series/TV movie field,  which isn't divided by platform.


1st Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards
Ted Lasso won the most awards of the night with four total, followed by The Crown with three.


1st Home Guard Battalion Pula
The 1st Home Guard Battalion Pula (HV) (Croatian: 1. domobranska bojna Pula), nicknamed Nonići, Suri, Strile, and Zogaduri was a Croatian Army guards brigade composed of conscripts from Pula and nearby towns. It was formed on  on April 30, 1992 by order of Croatian President Franjo Tuđman. The unit was the first Home Guard unit from Istria to be formed, and to take part in the Croatian War of Independence.


1st Home Guard Battalion Pula
The unit is noted for the impeccable conduct of its soldiers. Its behaviour is said to have been an example to other units on the battlefield. It was the oldest unit of the Croatian Army.


1st Home Guard Battalion Pula, History
The unit was established in the building of the former Office of Defense, in the Forum of Pula in the premises of the former TO. It consisted mainly of conscripts from the former municipality of Pula (Pula, Ližnjan, Medulin, Vodnjan, Marčana, Barban), as well as from Rovinj, Pazin, Labin and Lupoglav.


1st Home Guard Battalion Pula, History
The first task of the unit was to intervene in the event of an attack on Pula and its surroundings, to fight against sabotage and terrorist groups and to defend vital facilities of interest to Pula and the Republic of Croatia.


1st Home Guard Battalion Pula, War time
Pursuant to the Order of the Deputy Commander of the Gospić Military District, and to the Plan for the Engagement of Home Guard Units (class: 817-07 / 93-01-06, registration number: 1043-04-93-27 of 9 October 1993), 1st Home Guard Battalion Pula, as the first Home Guard unit from the Istria County, moved to the front line and on October 17, 1993, took over the 1st Company's defense over part of the defensive line of the village of Ramljani, Croatia (near Otočac), and was later joined by the 2nd the 3rd and the 4th companies. Used to the mild Istrian winters, the soldiers had to get used quickly to the harsh winters of Lika, but adapted quickly, also supplying the local population and helping them to prepare firewood.


1st Home Guard Battalion Pula, War time
The unit was exposed to almost daily enemy fire from infantry weapons, while the 2nd Company was exposed to artillery fire for fifteen days. The task of the company was to defend the village of Ramljani. In addition to monitoring the movements of enemy troops and reporting them to the Headquarters, the battalion made shelters for observation and combat operations, and prepared in the event of heavy artillery or mortar fire.


1st Home Guard Battalion Pula, War time
Thanks to "good organization, military discipline, as well as pre-built and prepared shelters and dugouts", the unit was able to stay without victims throughout the continuous fire of March 1993.


1st Home Guard Battalion Pula, War time
The battalion was located mainly in the Ramljani barracks, where there was also an Independent Home Guard Company composed of refugee home guards from Korenica, so in the beginning positions were shared with them. The battalion also developed a war surgical reception clinic for the wounded, and a small pharmacy with medicines. The battalion commander was Lieutenant Boris Ružić, his deputies: Vladimir Rojnić and Anton Borina, lieutenants Nevio Šetić and Boris Ušić. It successfully defended the village of Ramljani, which was entrusted to them.


1st Home Guard Battalion Pula, War time
The unit was demobilized on May 2, 1994. An order followed to form an intervention company from the battalion for a speedy dispatch to the front line and to stay ready for combat, which was carried out. Due to its good organization and cooperation with the trucking company, the unit could be used before the ordered deadline. The unit was shut down on July 13, 1999 due to the reorganization of the HV. During the war, the unit was also visited by media representatives, and published articles in newspapers.


1st Home Guard Battalion Pula, War time
The unit is noted for the conduct of its soldiers, who were always ready to take action but never willing to  "retaliate against the provocations of the enemy." Its behaviour is said to have been an example to other units on the battlefield. The unit was also praised for its medical staff and its organizarion, taking care of the health of the company members but also of the wounded among the local population.


1st Home Guard Battalion Pula, War time
The 1st company self-nicknamed themselves Nonići, the 2nd Suri, Strile and the 3rd Zogaduri, all from the local Pula dialect. Nonići means "oldsters", "grandpas", probably referring to the advanced age of the unit. Suri means "gray", and makes the same allusion. Strile means arrows, referring to the unit's quickness, while zogaduri is a word  in the jergon of the game of briscola, popular in Croatia, especially in Istria.


1st Home Guard Battalion Pula, War time
Just like the city of Pula, the composition of the brigade was multiethnic, with 13 Serbs and four Slovenes, and also one Czech and one Hungarian.


1st Hong Kong Film Awards
The 1st Hong Kong Awards ceremony, honoured the best films of 1981 and took place on 9 March 1982, at the Hong Kong Arts Centre Shouson Theatre in Wan Chai, Hong Kong. The ceremony was hosted by Eric Ng and Zhan Xiaoping, during the ceremony awards are presented in 5 categories. The ceremony was sponsored by RTHK and City Entertainment Magazine.


1st Hong Kong Film Awards, Awards
Winners are listed first, highlighted in boldface, and indicated with a double dagger ().


1st Honinbo
The 1st Honinbo was the first ever professional Go tournament. Eight players competed for the title. The tournament utilized a makeshift league system where players would play four knockout rounds. At the end of each round, the winning player would receive six points. The runner-up would receive five, and the losing semi-finalists would have a playoff to decide who finished in third (four points) and fourth (three points). Players knocked out in the first round received one point.


1st Honinbo
White received 4.5 komi during the knockout rounds and players had 13 hours thinking time. Tamejiro Suzuki, however, was granted 16 hours thinking time because of his disdain for time limits. At the conclusion of the fourth knockout round, the two top players in the standings, Riichi Sekiyama and Shin Kato, played a six-game series to decide the winner. The initial series finished even at three games, but Sekiyama was given the title for having accumulated more points in the knockout rounds.


1st Horse (Skinner's Horse)
The 1st Horse (Skinner's Horse) is a regiment of the Armoured Corps of the Indian Army. It traces its origins as a cavalry regiment from the times of the East India Company, followed by its service in the British Indian Army and finally, after independence as the fourth oldest and one of the senior cavalry regiments of the Armoured Corps of the Indian Army.


1st Horse (Skinner's Horse), Formation
After the Anglo-Maratha War of 1803, James Skinner ("Sikander Sahib") was dismissed from service by Daulat Rao Sindhia and was recruited by Lord Lake, who asked him to raise a regiment of ‘Irregular Cavalry’. On February 23, 1803 the regiment was raised at Hansi, Haryana in the service of the East India Company. The initial contingent consisted of 800 men of Perron’s Horse, who were under service of the Scindia.


1st Horse (Skinner's Horse), Formation
A second regiment of Indian Cavalry was raised by Colonel James Skinner in 1814, which became the 3rd Skinner's Horse. On the reduction of the Indian Army in 1922, 1st and 3rd Regiments were amalgamated and became Skinner's Horse (1st Duke of York's Own Cavalry) and later the 1st Duke of York's Own Lancers (Skinner's Horse) until 1950, following which the regiment took its present designation.


1st Horse (Skinner's Horse), Lineage
Like many regiments of the Indian Army, the 1st Horse (Skinner's Horse) underwent a series of name changes in their history-


1st Horse (Skinner's Horse), Lineage
The 3rd Skinner’s Horse also went through similar changes prior to its amalgamation with 1st Horse.


1st Horse (Skinner's Horse), Early history
After its formation in 1803, the regiment was involved in a number of the campaigns on the Asian sub-continent, notably the Siege of Bharatpur, the First Afghan War, the Second Afghan War, the First Sikh War and the Second Sikh War. In 1842, a detachment of the regiment lost 108 men out of 180 engaged in a clash at Kandahar. The 1st Skinner's Horse remained loyal during the Indian Mutiny of 1857, seeing service in the Ravi River district and distinguishing itself at Chichawatni.


1st Horse (Skinner's Horse), Early history
It was the first Indian Army regiment sent overseas during the Boxer Rebellion and participated in the Battle of Peking. During this campaign the regiment clashed with Tartar cavalry and served alongside United States units – the first occasion where British Indian and US troops served together.


1st Horse (Skinner's Horse), World War I
The 1st regiment remained throughout the war in the North-West Frontier. The 3rd regiment was at Meerut when the First World War broke out. The regiment was a part of the 7th (Meerut) Cavalry Brigade, 2nd Indian Cavalry Division. The brigade received orders to mobilise on 24 October 1914. It sailed from Bombay and reached Marseilles port in France by 15 December 1914.


1st Horse (Skinner's Horse), World War I
The regiment was in France till August 1916. It saw extensive action in many parts of France. It was awarded the battle honours France and Flanders for its fine performance. It was sent to Mesopotamia as a part of the 7th Meerut Cavalry Brigade Headquarters. The regiment was then ordered back to India where it concentrated in Rawalpindi in August 1916 for operations in Afghanistan. A detachment of the regiment was tasked to guard the post at Gumboz and held against the attack by the Marris on 17 February 1918.


1st Horse (Skinner's Horse), Interwar period
After World War I, the cavalry of the British Indian Army was reduced from thirty-nine regiments to twenty-one. On 18 May 1921, the two regiments of Skinner's Horse were amalgamated at Sialkot with the new title of the 1st Duke of York's Own Skinner's Horse. Formerly The 1st Duke of York's Own Lancers had been a class regiment made up entirely of Hindustani Mussalman (Muslim) troopers, while the 3rd Skinner's Horse had consisted of one squadron each of Jat Sikhs, Jats, Rajputs and Ranghars (Muslim Rajputs). After the amalgamation, the new regiment would only consist of only three Squadrons: Rajputs, Rangars and Jats. The Jat Sikh Squadron, which had been part of the 3rd Skinner's Horse for 72 years, was disbanded.


1st Horse (Skinner's Horse), Interwar period
Each of the squadrons was equipped with one Hotchkiss gun and with .303 Short Magazine Lee–Enfield rifles. The machine gun troops of the Headquarters Squadron were equipped with the .303 Vickers machine gun. The traditional sillidar-system of most of the cavalry was abolished shortly after World War I and Indian troopers were now provided with government horses rather than having to provide the animals themselves in return for a higher rate of pay. The Skinner's Horse accordingly acquired the status of a fully regular regiment of the British Indian Army and received standard government-issue equipment for all purposes.


1st Horse (Skinner's Horse), World War II
At the beginning of World War II the regiment was still mounted, but was quickly converted to act as a mechanised reconnaissance regiment and was attached to the 5th Indian Division and when the division was sent to the Sudan, formed part of Gazelle Force.


1st Horse (Skinner's Horse), World War II
During the rest of the war the regiment was attached variously to the 4th Indian Infantry Division; the British 10th Armoured Division, the 3rd Indian Motor Brigade and the 10th Indian Infantry Division. The regiment fought in East Africa, North Africa and Italy and was awarded battle honours for Agordat, Keren, Amba-Alagi, Abyssinia, Senio Flood Bank and Italy. The senior Pakistani politician Sardar Shaukat Hayat Khan (1915–1998), who served with Skinner's Horse in Sudan/Africa during the Second World War, has written a brief but memorable account of the regiment's service there, in his memoirs, "The Nation that Lost its Soul" (Lahore: Jang Pubs, 1995).


1st Horse (Skinner's Horse), Post War
The regiment was switched to tanks in 1946, receiving the Stuart tank, and a year later Churchills. In 1947 with the Indian independence, the regiment became part of the Indian Army Armoured Corps. The first Indian commander was Lieutenant Colonel RM Bilimoria, and the regiment was stationed at Ahmednagar. Post partition, the Hindustani Muslim and Ranghar squadrons of the Skinner’s Horse were transferred to the Pakistani Armoured Corps in exchange of a Sikh Squadron from 19th King George V's Own Lancers. The present regimental composition is of Jats, Rajputs  and Sikhs.


1st Horse (Skinner's Horse), Post War
The regiment took part in the annexation of Hyderabad in 1948, following which it stopped the use of Stuart tanks. The Churchill tank remained in use until 1957, after which the regiment was equipped with Sherman Mk IV's.


1st Horse (Skinner's Horse), Post War
In 1965, equipped with Sherman tanks, the unit’s B Squadron supported  50th Parachute Brigade near Dograi and 2 troops helped 3 Jat in the epic battle of Dograi.


1st Horse (Skinner's Horse), Post War
Eight years later, in 1965 the regiment converted to the T-54 and then to the T-55.


1st Horse (Skinner's Horse), Post War
The regiment with its T-55 tanks was part of the 2 Independent Armoured Brigade under 39 Infantry Division. It took part in operations initially in Samba and then in Shakargarh sector. It helped 1 Dogra in capturing Harar Kalan.


1st Horse (Skinner's Horse), Post War
In 1979, the regiment converted to the T-72 tanks. In 2003, a special service was held at the St. James' Church, Delhi, which was built by James Skinner, to commemorate the bicentenary of the regiment.


1st Horse (Skinner's Horse), Uniforms
The old 1st Lancers wore yellow uniforms (uniquely in the British Empire) and the old 3rd wore dark blue. The "yellow" was actually close to mustard in shade but led to the regiment being nicknamed  "Canaries" or "Yellow Boys" from its formation. Each regiment had the full-dress (mounted) long 'Kurta' worn with a turban and cummerbund for all ranks, also a full-dress (dismounted) or levee, dress for British officers only. These were not in general use after 1914 but could still be worn by officers on special assignments (e.g. as an aide-de-camp) or while attending court functions.


1st Horse (Skinner's Horse), Uniforms
The merged Skinner's Horse was assigned a dark blue full dress with yellow facings in 1922 but by 1931 the historic yellow and black had been restored. The yellow mess jacket and black waistcoat of the old 1st Bengal Lancers was adopted by the 1922 regiment of Skinner's Horse and was the cold weather mess dress until 1939. All six of these various uniforms are in the collection of the National Army Museum.


1st Horse (Skinner's Horse), Uniforms
The cap badge of the regiment prior to independence consisted of a central rose over crossed lances, with a crown between the lance-heads. A scroll below bears the inscription, 'Himmat-I-Mardan Madad-I-Khuda'. The present cap badge replaced the crown by a horse mounted by a cavalryman.


1st Horse (Skinner's Horse), Battle and Theatre Honours
Bhurtpore, Ghuznee 1839, Khelat, Afghanistan 1839, Candhahar 1842, Maharajpore, Moodkee, Ferozeshah, Aliwal, Kandahar 1880, Afghanistan 1879-1880, Punjab Frontier, Pekin 1900, France and Flanders 1914-16, North West Frontier India 1915, Baluchistan 1918, Afghanistan 1919, Agordat, Keren, Amba Alagai, Abyssinia 1940-41, Senio Floodbank, Italy 1943-46, Harar Kalan, Punjab 1971.


1st Horse (Skinner's Horse), Battle and Theatre Honours
The regiment was awarded with the 'Guidon' on 31 March 1971 at Babina by the then President V. V. Giri.


1st Hull Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery
The 1st Hull Heavy Battery was a unit of the British Army in World War I recruited from Kingston upon Hull in the East Riding of Yorkshire. It was the first unit of the Royal Garrison Artillery raised for 'Kitchener's Army' and it went on to serve as a howitzer battery in the East African Campaign and as a siege battery on the Western Front.


1st Hull Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery, Recruitment
On 6 August 1914, less than 48 hours after Britain's declaration of war, Parliament sanctioned an increase of 500,000 men for the Regular Army, and on 11 August the newly appointed Secretary of State for War, Earl Kitchener of Khartoum issued his famous call to arms: 'Your King and Country Need You', urging the first 100,000 volunteers to come forward. This group of six divisions with supporting arms became known as Kitchener's First New Army, or 'K1'.


1st Hull Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery, Recruitment
The establishment for each of these divisions included a heavy battery of the Royal Garrison Artillery (RGA). For the 11th (Northern) Division this was the 1st Hull Heavy Battery, together with its ammunition column, raised by Charles Wilson, 2nd Baron Nunburnholme, as Lord-Lieutenant of the East Riding of Yorkshire and President of the East Riding Territorial Association. This was unusual because most of the county Territorial Associations were fully engaged with recruiting and equipping their existing Territorial Force (TF) units and had no time for the early New Army units, which were mainly formed at Regular Army depots.


1st Hull Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery, Recruitment
By contrast, Lord Nunburnholme and the East Riding TA were simultaneously raising the 'Hull Pals' Brigade (10th–13th Service Battalions of the East Yorkshire Regiment), and in 1915 also raised the 124th (2nd Hull) and 146th (3rd Hull) Heavy Batteries and the 31st (Hull) Divisional Ammunition Column. Lord Nunburnholme borrowed Hull City Hall and opened it on 6 September as the Central Hull Recruiting Office for all the units being raised in the city. Douglas Boyd, a Hull Corporation employee, was commissioned as Lieutenant and appointed recruiting officer.


1st Hull Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery, Recruitment
Authority for the new battery – the first heavy artillery formed for Kitchener's Army – was given by the War Office on 7 September 1914. It was to be administered by the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command, who was responsible for all the units that would form the 11th (Northern) Division, but for the first few months the battery was left largely to the resources and initiative of Lord Nunburnholme and the civic authorities in Hull.


1st Hull Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery, Recruitment
John Claybourn Williams, a ship's captain in Lord Nunburnhome's family shipping line (Thomas Wilson Sons & Co.) and an officer in the Royal Naval Reserve (RNR), was appointed as the battery's temporary Commanding Officer (CO). By 15 September, 80 men had been enrolled for the battery, many drawn from the shipbuilding and engineering firms in Hull, while drivers came from the rural villages of the East Riding. It reached its full war establishment by mid-December, when it was authorised to recruit an additional depot section to supply reinforcements.


1st Hull Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery, Training
The recruits began training at East Hull Barracks on Holderness Road, performing drill in nearby East Park. The men lived at home, and until uniforms arrived the men of 1st Hull Bty were distinguished form the other East Riding recruits by wearing a red and blue armband on their civilian clothes. The battery's guns, four Boer War-era 4.7-inch guns, arrived at Kingston Street Station in late October, and the men dragged them through the streets of Hull, first to Wenlock Barracks, then on to East Hull Barracks.


1st Hull Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery, Training
On 5 November, Captain Williams handed over command and reverted to the RNR (he commanded armed merchant vessels later in the war). The new CO was Temporary Captain John McCracken, who had been an RGA Battery Serjeant-Major with 23 years' experience at the outbreak of war.


1st Hull Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery, Training
As part of 11th Division, the battery was formally designated 11th (Hull) Heavy Battery on 1 May 1915, when it established its headquarters outside the city at the former Hedon Racecourse. Here the horse teams were lodged in the racing stables and the battery began serious training. Meanwhile, the infantry of 11th Division were already considered adequately trained, and when the division embarked for the Gallipoli Campaign on 30 June, 11th Heavy Bty remained behind.


1st Hull Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery, Training
Captain McCracken left on 25 May 1915 to become adjutant of the Humber Garrison and was replaced as CO by Lieutenant-Colonel H.M. Slater, RGA, who commanded the training brigade at Hedon. Slater in turn was replaced due to ill-health by T/Capt Basil Floyd, who took over as CO on 9 September. Floyd had already seen action with the RGA on the Western Front; he remained CO of the Hull Battery for the rest of the war.


1st Hull Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery, Training
The battery was formally taken over by the military authorities on 12 August 1915. On 28 October it moved by rail to Charlton Park, near the Royal Artillery's main depot at Woolwich. The decision was then made to convert the battery into a howitzer siege battery for service in East Africa. This meant handing in the battery's draught horses, because motor traction would be used. On 18 January 1916 the battery moved from Woolwich to Denham, Buckinghamshire. Here the battery, its ammunition column and depot section were reorganised into a complete brigade (XXXVIII or 38th Bde, RGA) of two batteries under Major Piercy Reade:


1st Hull Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery, Training
The guns were eight obsolete 5-inch breechloading howitzers transferred from 4th Home Counties Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, a TF unit that was re-equipping before returning to France. Napier and US-made Four Wheel Drive Auto Company (FWD) lorries and additional mechanical transport (MT) drivers were provided by specially-formed 625 Company of the Army Service Corps (ASC). Some horse drivers were transferred to other mounted units, while others were re-trained as signallers.


1st Hull Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery, East Africa
XXXVIII Brigade embarked some of its lorries and stores aboard SS Anselma da Larrinaga at Avonmouth Docks and the rest of men, lorries and guns aboard HM Transport Huntsgreen (formerly the German Norddeutscher Lloyd shipping line's Derfflinger) at Devonport Dockyard on 7–8 February. It disembarked at Mombasa on 14 March 1916. The brigade arrived in the rainy season, and suffered a great deal of sickness in its tented camp outside Mombasa. It was not until 3 May that 11th (Hull) Bty entrained for Voi and then went by road to Mbuyuni, arriving on 5 May, followed two days later by 158th Bty. At Mbyuni the batteries practised observation and field firing.


1st Hull Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery, East Africa
Before resuming the offensive after the rains, the commander of the British Empire forces, Lieutenant-General Jan Smuts, reorganised his forces into three divisions. 38th Brigade was split up into subunits distributed to different formations, and given new local designations. Left Section (2 guns) of 11th (Hull) Bty became 11th Howitzer Bty attached to Major-General Jacob van Deventer's 2nd Division in the south-west and Right Section became 13th Howitzer Bty attached to 1st Division in the east; 158th (Hull) Bty became 14th Howitzer Bty in reserve with Army Troops.


1st Hull Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery, East Africa, Kondoa Irangi
Smuts's advance began on 21 May and the Hull batteries were sent up to join the offensive. 11th (H) Bty reinforced 2nd Division at Kondoa Irangi on 3 June after a long march through rough country, crossing the Pienaar Heights and several rivers where motor vehicles had to be towed through the water.


1st Hull Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery, East Africa, Kondoa Irangi
At Kondoa Irangi the battery was grouped with 10th Heavy Bty, consisting of  guns taken from HMS Pegasus and manned by Royal Navy personnel, and 12th (H) Bty, a mule-drawn unit manned by RGA personnel from Cape Town, which had just lost one of its howitzers to a premature burst. 11th (H) Bty went straight into action alongside 12th (H) Bty on 'Battery Hill' to protect Deventer's left flank from German incursions. 12th (H) Battery's mules were employed to get the guns into position silently at night, under shellfire


1st Hull Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery, East Africa, Kondoa Irangi
The battery began exchanging fire with German gun positions and observation posts (OPs) on 'Black Rock'. From 6 June the fire was directed by newly arrived Voisin aircraft from No 7 Squadron Royal Naval Air Service. This firing continued until 25 June, when an infantry attack took Black Rock. The German then retired from the area and the British troops followed them down to the Central Railway. 11th (H) Battery left Kondoa Irangi on 20 July and reached Dodoma on the railway on 6 August. The battery had deployed for action at Meia Meia waterhole on 27 July, but had no targets during the short action.


1st Hull Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery, East Africa, Kondoa Irangi
Deventer continued the advance from the railway on 10 August, the artillery heading eastward on a congested single-track road. The single mule-drawn gun of 12th Bty, reinforced with gunners from 11th Bty, pushed on with the infantry who fought their way into Mpwapwa on 12 August. The rest of 11th (H) Bty  reached Mpwapwa on 18 August, but was held up there by lack of petrol and the damage done to its vehicles by the bad roads. The force fought its way through Kidete Station to Kilosa by 1 September.


1st Hull Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery, East Africa, Wami River
Meanwhile, in the eastern sector, 13th (H) Bty did not move up from Mbuyuni until mid-June, escorted by 7th South African Light Horse. The two guns were towed by FWD lorries, but the ammunition column was drawn by oxen and manned by 134th (Cornwall) Heavy Bty. The column crossed the Pangani River, reached Handeni on 6 July after its capture, and then crossed the Lukiguri after the bridge had been seized. Here the battery camped until 5 August, where it was joined by 134th (Cornwall) Bty.


1st Hull Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery, East Africa, Wami River
Another forward thrust began in August. For this operation, 13th (H) Bty was attached to 3rd Division, which was cooperating with 1st Division, while 14th (H) Bty remained with Army Troops. However, 13th (H) Bty found the route impassable and had to return to the Lukiguri. It then followed 1st Division down the main road and supported an attack along the Wami River on 17 August. The battery went onto action at a range of 2,500 yards (2,300 m), where the howitzers' heavy Lyddite shells proved decisive, causing the German Askaris to break and flee.


1st Hull Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery, East Africa, Wami River
The force then took Morogoro on the Central Railway, where 13th (H) Bty went into camp on 28 August, while Smuts attempted to surround the enemy by pushing down both sides of the Uluguru Mountains with 1st and 3rd Divisions. 13th (H) Battery moved out on 7 September, following a newly-cut road to the Ruvu River crossing where it camped again.


1st Hull Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery, East Africa, Wami River
The offensive was halted by rain, exhaustion and German defences in mid-September. 11th (H) Battery remained in camp at Kilosa throughout October, while 13th (H) Bty was finally able to cross the Ruvu on 11 October and join the front line at the Mgeta River on 14 October, where for the next few weeks it exchanged occasional shots with the enemy.


1st Hull Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery, East Africa, Kilwa
Meanwhile, Kilwa on the coast had been captured in September, and on 14 October, 14th (H) Bty was landed there to take part in the advance inland. However, the advance bogged down into static fighting at Kibata Fort, where the infantry took heavy casualties from shellfire until the two howitzers could finally be got forward on 1 January 1917.


1st Hull Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery, East Africa, Kilwa
The campaign having been halted, reorganisation took place. A serious shortage of howitzers for training in the UK led to four of 38th Bde's eight guns being repatriated by sea. Sickness had also reduced the number of men available. 12th (H) Battery was reduced to just four men and was amalgamated into 11th (H) Bty, which returned from Kilosa to Dodoma and joined the remaining men of 13th (H) Bty, which had left one howitzer and stores, guarded by three men, in case they were needed on the Rufiji River. Captain Floyd successfully argued for the batteries to be recombined, and in April 1917 11th (Hull) Heavy Bty consisting of four howitzers was reformed, the temporary titles and those of 38th Bde and 158th Heavy Bty being discontinued.