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The Royal Irish Artillery drilling, c1794
On 1 April 1756, the Train of Artillery in Ireland was expanded to a company and further increased in 1760 to four companies and designated the Royal Irish Regiment of Artillery, with the Earl of Kildare as its first Colonel in Chief. By 1800 the Royal Irish Artillery reached its high point of twenty Marching Companies and an Invalid Company with a total strength of 2,132 men. After the Act of Union in 1801 the regiment was absorbed into the Royal Regiment of Artillery, as ten Companies of a new 7th Battalion. The Invalid Company was transferred to the Invalid Battalion RA.
During its forty years as an independent regiment the Royal Irish Artillery saw its fair share of action, either as companies or in supplying volunteers to the Royal Artillery units overseas. Volunteers fought in RA batteries during the American War of Independence; the Royal Irish Artillery did not serve in North America as a distinct unit, but as drafts for the British Royal Artillery during Lt. General John Burgoyne’s New York campaign of 1777. They were in action in Flanders in 1794 and in the West Indies in 1795 when yellow fever almost destroyed them: out of 11 officers and 288 other ranks only 4 officers and 43 men survived. Back home, they were engaged in several engagements in the Irish Rebellion of 1798.
14 Companies of the Royal Irish Artillery were disbanded on 1st April 1801. Of the personnel, some were sent overseas as drafts, some were discharged, some transferred to Companies of the Royal Artillery and the remainder was formed into four Companies of the new 7th Battalion, Royal Artillery (those of Captains E. Pritchard, L. O’Brien, J. Gilbert and J. Viney). Four Companies of the Royal Irish Artillery serving in the West Indies, and two Companies serving in Ireland, were transferred directly to 7th Battalion RA.
Commissioned by 46 (Talavera) Battery RA
Medium: Oil on Canvas
Printed image size(s): B2 only (58 x 38 cm)
Owner: 46 (Talavera) HQ Battery Royal Artillery
Price(s): £70
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