Honourable Artillery Company

The Honourable Artillery Company is the oldest Regiment in the British Army but, paradoxically, the second most senior unit of the Territorial Army. In 1537, the Overseers of the Fraternity or Guild of St George received a Charter of Incorporation from King Henry VIII. According to the Charter, the Guild was intended for The better increase of the Defence of this our Realm and maintenance of the Science and Feat of shooting Long Bows, Cross Bows and Hand Guns. The Guild became known as The Gentlemen of the Artillery Garden, after its practice ground in Spitalfields, then simply as The Artillery Company. The word artillery was used at that time to describe archery and other missile weapons, while guns were known as great artillery. The courtesy prefix Honourable was first used in 1685 and officially confirmed by Queen Victoria in 1860.

Honourable Artillery Company