P Battery is one of three equipment Batteries within 5th regt RA. The role of the Battery is to provide Surveillance and Target Acquisition (STA) support to whatever formation the Battery is working to. This means utilising a suite of equipments (see below) to provide real time information on the location and classification of enemy Artillery assets, facilitating further effects, such as strike.
History
At the request of the Madras Government and East India Company, The Rocket Troop Madras Horse Artillery was formed in 1805. The Troop served with distinction in the Pindari and Mahratta Wars 1817-19, and was redesignated C Troop Madras Horse Artillery 1825.
In 1840 C Troop was sent to China as part of an expeditionary force to fight in the Opium Wars. The British forces quickly captured the Island of Hong Kong, which was then used as a secure Naval base for future operations.
In 1841, with intense artillery support, a combined land and sea force assaulted the formidable line of forts guarding the mouth of the Siakiang River, clearing the way for an attack on Canton. The expedition was halted briefly by a diplomatic effort, but this failed and the coastal towns of Amoy, Tinghai, Chenhai and Ningpo were taken in rapid succession.
In 1842 the international port of Shanghai and the strategic city of Chinkiang were captured; the expeditionary force was now at the junction of the Yangtse-Kiang River and the Grand Canal, just 45 miles from Nanking, the ancient capital of China and heart of the Empire. The appearance of the British Fleet opposite Nanking finally brought the Emperor to reason and hostilities were ceased. C Troop was conferred the Honour title 'Dragon', and given permission to include the China Dragon and the years '1840-1842' in its insignia.
The Troop served in the second Burma War 1853-55, and following several changes in title, arose as P Battery Royal Horse Artillery in 1889. The Battery subsequently served in the Boer War 1900-02, as a training Battery during the First World War, in the Western Desert during the Second World War, in Palestine, Libya and the Central Zone until 1951 and become P Field Battery Royal Artillery in 1958.
P Battery (The Dragon Troop) Royal Artillery has been a locating Battery within 5 Regiment Royal Artillery since 1993. Having recently conducted operations in Cyprus, Macedonia, Kosovo and Northern Ireland. The Dragons have recently completed their second tour of Iraq.
 
Troops
 |
M Troop is one of the Battery's two equipment troops. This troop specialises in the use of the Advanced Sound-Ranging Programme (ASP) equipment (see below) and the Lightweight Counter Mortar Radar (LCMR), which is the newest addition to the suite of STA equipments used in the Battery. |
 |
P Troop is the second of the Battery's two equipment troops. This troop specialises in the use of the Counter Battery Radar (COBRA) and the Mobile Artillery Monitoring the Battlefield Radar (MAMBA). |
 |
X Troop is the Battery's echelon force. This troop provides the core support departments, which include the Motor Transport section (MT), the Battery Quartermaster Sergeant section(BQMS), the Signal section, the Battery Fitter Section from the REME, and the Command Element. |
Equipment
|
STA Equipment used :-
|
|
ASP
Advanced Sound -Ranging Programme
|
|
|
MAMBA
Mobile Artillery Monitering the BAttlefield
|
|
|
COBRA
COunter Battery RAdar
|
|
|
LCMR
Lightweight Counter Mortar Radar
|
|
|
Vehicles used :-
|
| 432 |
|
| BV206 |
|
| COBRA LSV |
|
| LANDROVER |
|
| RB44 |
|
Pics
|
Exercises
|
Tours
|
| Ex Iron Storm (Jun 06) |
Op Telic 5 |
|
|
| Inf Ex Sennybridge (Wales) |
Op Telic 9 |
|
Adventure Training
|
Miscalanous
|
| Lake District |
St Baberas Day 07 |
|
|
| Caple Curick (Wales) |
Race Day 07 (Catterick) |
Tours
Links
|
