The King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery, with Two Gun Teams.
Recruiting stand and information at Row C, stand no 15.

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2012 is an extraordinarily busy year for the ceremonial elements of our Armed Forces with HM the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, the Olympics and the Paralympics. With these commitments, The King’s Troop cannot perform the Musical Drive around the country in the normal way through the summer and in order to keep in the public eye as much as possible will be deploying an enhanced Recruiting Team, incorporating two Gun Teams and up to 28 soldiers to conduct a very small number of displays. Chatsworth is the only event of its type that they are doing in 2012, so we are honoured! Exact numbers of horses and soldiers may vary but it is likely to be around 20 horses and 28 soldiers. Whilst not pretending to be a full performance of the Musical Drive, they will be nevertheless interesting and exciting displays.

The 13-Pounder guns used by the Troop date back to 1904, and they all saw service in WW1. They weigh almost 1.5 tonnes, and with the horses, each team is almost 60 feet long … and there are no brakes! The display will include a march past and a salute, with the Guns then brought into action and firing a three-round burst.

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The Royal Regiment of Artillery moved in February this year to its new home at Woolwich having been based at St John’s Wood Barracks in London for over 200 years - since 1804, when the site was first used by the Corps of Gunner Drivers. Since then, numerous Royal Horse Artillery Batteries occupied the site, undertaking ceremonial duties in London for two years at a time. Following an absence of a saluting Battery at the Wood during the Second World War, HM King George VI decreed in 1946 that it was to be re-established as the Riding Troop Royal Horse Artillery. On inspecting the Troop on 24th October 1947, HM The King was so impressed with what he saw, that he gave directions for it to be renamed as his own, and henceforth The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery was born.

Today, as then, the Troop gallops into action on Hyde Park to fire gun salutes on Royal anniversaries, and participates in the great ceremonies of State. It takes part in the Queen’s Birthday Parade, the State Opening of Parliament, State Visits, the Cenotaph Parade and the Lord Mayor’s Show. In addition, the Troop performs the duties of Queen’s Life Guard for three weeks each year at Horse Guards and also undertakes dismounted Public Duties at Windsor Castle.

When on parade with its Guns, the Troop has the distinction of being ‘right of the line’, taking precedence over all other organisations in the Army.

As well as being highly skilled horsemen, soldiers from The King’s Troop take part in military operations. Members of the Troop have seen active duty in Iraq, Afghanistan, Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Kosovo and Cyprus, and they also take part regularly in overseas exercises and expeditions.

The Troop is always looking for new recruits. If you would like more information, please visit the RHA Recruiting stand at C15 on the showground, or visit the Troop’s website.

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