This comprises of the following 4 sections:-

Association History

Tynemouth Volunteer Artillery History (Short Version)

Tynemouth Volunteer Artillery History (Long Version)

HQ (TVA) Battery RA (V) Battery History

Association History

The Tynemouth Volunteer Artillery Association was first founded on Armistice Day 1959, by serving members of 439 Regt and ex members of 404 (Coast Artillery) Regt and 64 (HAA) Regt to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the formation of the first volunteer artillery unit in the British Army. When in 1956 the Coast Artillery was disbanded the Tynemouth gunners then became ‘Q’ (Tynemouth) Battery, 439 (Tyne) LAA Regt RA TA and in 1967 came the last change when the Territorial Army was re-organised and the local units were taken into the fold of :-

101 (Northumbrian) Regiment Royal Artillery (Volunteers).

In 1992 the then Commanding Officer of the Regiment and now President of the Association, Lt Col W. A. McCracken was instrumental in getting the title T.V.A. back on the Army List. Today H.Q. (TVA) Battery wears the insignia with pride. Sadly, the Gunners no longer serve at Tynemouth, but in order to perpetuate the name, the Tynemouth Gunners still meet once a month with that same pride and enthusiasm that in 1959 generated the formation of what is still today:

THE FIRST VOLUNTEER ARTILLERY

(TYNEMOUTH) ASSOCIATION

Tynemouth Volunteer Artillery History (Short Version)

2 May 1859	Mr W. F. Pilter called a meeting at the Assembly Rooms, Tynemouth at which a movement started for a Volunteer Corps to be raised. On 2 August 1859 official blessing was given to the reconstitution of the 1st Northumberland Volunteer Artillery and Mr Addison Potter was appointed to command. This event marked the formation of the first such unit in the British Army Order of Battle. Their descendants today are Headquarters Battery (The Tynemouth Volunteer Artillery). Similarly a public meeting was held in South Shields Town Hall on 28 November 1859. As a result on 23 December 1859 the 3rd Durham Volunteer Artillery was formed and Mr James Cochran Stevenson was appointed to command. Over the next years further batteries were raised on both sides of the Tyne.
1891	The Duke of Northumberland was appointed Honorary Colonel North of the River. South of the River Major W J Dawson succeeded Colonel J C Stevenson and remained in command of the 3rd Durham's until 1891. These are the predecessors of 205 Battery today.
1900	At the start of the campaign against Kruger in South Africa in 1900 the War Office decided that Volunteer Artillery should not be sent. However, Lady Meux, the wife of one of the directors of Armstrong Whitworth, had 6 twelve pounder field guns made by the company ordnance works at Elswick. These were presented to Field Marshal Lord Roberts, who directed they should equip the "Elswick Battery" and be manned by the men who built them. These are the origins of the present 203 Battery.
1947	204 Battery trace their origins to the actions of the 4 Battalions of Tyneside Scottish at the Somme during World War 1, where their reputation was gained. The Tyneside Scottish re-roled as Artillery (Territorial Army) in 1947. To this day 204 (Tyneside Scottish) Battery retain their Pipes and Drums and wear the Tam 'O' Shanter.
1967	After distinguished efforts in both World Wars, amalgamation took place on several occasions and on 1 April 1967 the remaining Artillery Regiments in the area, 272nd and 274th Field Regiments, 439 and 463 Light Air Defence Regiments and 324 Heavy Air Defence Regiment, were formed into 101st (Northumbrian) Medium Regiment equipped with the ubiquitous 5.5 inch gun.
1980	The Regiment was subsequently re-named 101st (Northumbrian) Field Regiment on re-equipping with the Light Gun in 1980. In October of the same year the Regiment was honoured by the City of Newcastle upon Tyne when it was granted the Freedom of the City at a parade which took place within one month of the Regiment's return from participation in its first major exercise in Germany, "Crusader 1980".
1992	The 1st Volunteer Artillery (Tynemouth) is incorporated into the 101 Regiment HQ (TVA) Battery RA (V).
2006	101 Regiment HQ (TVA) Battery RA (V) is disbanded, with the TVA name passing on to Radar (TVA) Troop, 204 (Tyneside Scottish) Battery RA (V).

Tynemouth Volunteer Artillery History (Long Version)

 The beginning of the Volunteer Artillery came in 1858, when the Secretary of State for War, Sidney Herbert, in response to French re-armament, acted under the Volunteer Act of 1804 and sent a circular to the Lord Lieutenant of each county authorising them to accept the services of any companies of volunteers. The following month the War Department issued the regulation under which the volunteers would serve.

  There had by this time already been great agitation on Tyneside for some form of defence of the area. The guns at Tynemouth Castle for instance, were obsolete and of little practical use against the new iron-clad ships being developed by France.

  Visiting the Tyne at this time was Captain Bodford Pim RN and in an address to the population of North Shields, pointed out that an enemy gun-boat could cause untold damage to the town without the loss of a single man, due to the poor state of the defences.

  This led to certain prominent citizens of the town forming a committee to raise a volunteer corps for local defence and they appointed as Hon. Secretary Mr. W. F. Pilter. On the 7th of May, 1859 a meeting was held for those interested and 30 persons present put down their names for membership, a requisition, signed by the Mayor, asking him to convene a public meeting to consider the formation of a Volunteer Rifle and Artillery Corps, to be formed on a similar lines to the Honourable Artillery Company of London.

  This meeting was duly held in the Town Hall on the 17th of May, 1859, officers were elected including Mr. F.W. Pilter who became 2nd Lieutenant.

  On the 25th of May the first drill was held at the George Tavern and 120 prospective members attended and on the same date the formal application for enrolment under the title TYNEMOUTH RIFLE AND ARTILLERY CORPS was made.

  The uniform selected was a grey tunic, black braided grey trousers and black stripes, black belts with bronze furniture embellishments. The officers wore sliver furniture, whistles and chains and a grey Shako.

  However, the War Office objected to them bearing two arms, therefore two separate corps were sanctioned, one of rifles and one of artillery to be raised in the town and neighbouring Tynemouth. The formal enrolment began on the 2nd of August, 1859.

Making the now 1st NORTHUMBERLAND ARTILLERY, the senior unit of its kind in the country. The strength of the unit was to be, at first, 3 officers and 80 men.

  On the 18th November the unit underwent it's first official inspection, when a Capt. Carpenter R.A. was sent from Manchester to Tynemouth to hold the first major gun practice. This was carried out on two 70 year old, 17 pounders, long smooth bore guns, and took place at the north battery of the castle. Fortunately the guns held and good practice was had and a favourable impression was made.

  The corps continued to grow and in December, 1860, a second company was raised at Tynemouth with a further unit at Howdon and two more at Newcastle.

  At this time the volunteers did not specifically serve on the coastal guns, which was to become their main role in the future, as their original function was to provide Field Artillery units. However, coast artillery was to go through major changes over the next 25 years and gradually the volunteers role changed. In the early stages the unit did have close links with Tynemouth Castle, as it was a major artillery depot and had the guns for the volunteers to practice with, it was from this liaison that the change to coastal gunnery developed.

  In the same year the War Office decided to consolidate the 1st Northumberland (Tynemouth) Artillery Volunteers with that of a much later formed and less numerous body at Newcastle, which would lead to the Tynemouth Brigade disappearing, but due to the great public interest and enthusiasm shown, petitions were sent to the Secretary of State for War, to His Royal Highness the Commander in Chief, to the Officer Commanding the district and to all M.P.'s for the borough and county. This succeeded in halting the amalgamation, but on the new army list the Tynemouth Volunteers stood at only 3rd place, behind the 3rd Northumberland and 1st Durham, an injustice again opposed by the local population, who were justly proud of their "Senior" title. Due to this pressure and the fact that the unit was at Brigade strength it was again placed No. I on the; army list, at the same time regaining it's original title THE Tynemouth Volunteer Artillery.

  In 1889 the government increased the grants to the volunteer units all over the country and the Northumberland and Durham Volunteers received 20 and 40-pounder guns in 4-gun batteries. This shows that the main role of the volunteers was still seen as mobile field rather than as static coastal gunners. This did not effect the popularity of the local units, for one year later the roll stood at an amazing 656 enrolled men.

  In January of that year No. I and No. 2 Batteries were re-designed 1st and 2nd Position Batteries respectively. This is the first time the Tynemouth Volunteers were linked to a static role at the castle, later in the month they were again re-designated as 1st Position Batteries Left and Right Half.. This would have reflected the position of the new guns at the left and right angles of the castle peninsular. (One of the emplacements for these guns still exists at the northern cone of the peninsular, though now caved in the plaque can still clearly be seen).

  In the Brigade Orders published weekly in the local press, training for the new guns is listed for some time before their installation had been completed in 1893, this reflects the eagerness of the volunteers to keep up their good reputation, as they were most proficient in their use before the guns came into service.

HQ (TVA) Battery RA (V)

Battery History