The Artillery Corps @100: 1923 – 2023
The Artillery Club salutes gunners of all ranks who have served Ireland with distinction, both at home and overseas, whilst maintaining exceptional operational readiness, unique legacy and solidarity, distinctive customs and traditions, valuable friendship, and the bond of camaraderie, since the establishment of the Artillery Corps on 23 March, 1923 in Islandbridge, Dublin.
On 01 June 2023, a Defence Forces ceremony took place in Collins Barracks, Cork, marking the centenary of the formal establishment of the Artillery Corps.
To view photographs of the ceremony, please click here: http://artilleryclub.ie/centenary-parade-collins-barracks-cork-01-jun-23/
As part of the celebrations, a publication titled “The Artillery Corps 1923 – 2023”, compiled by Lieutenant-Colonel Shane Bradley, assisted by Command Lar Joye (AR) was provided to all attendees.
To view the publication please click here: The Artillery Corps 1923 to 2023 (01 Jun 23)
In parallel, marking the 50th Anniversary of its establishment, the Artillery Club published a history of the Club. To view the history, please click here: History of the Artillery Club 1973 to 2023 (10 May 23)
In the Forward of “The Artillery Corps 1923 – 2023”, the Chief of Staff, Lieutenant-General Seán Clancy, stated:
“I am delighted as Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces, to be associated with the centenary celebrations of the Artillery Corps. The Irish Free State first saw the deployment of artillery in June 1922 with the siege of the Four Courts and later formalised this with the establishment an Artillery Corps on the 23rd of March 1923 at Islandbridge Barracks (now Clancy Bks) Dublin, with a strength of 11 Officers and 62 Enlisted Personnel. This was further expanded on the 10th July 1923 with the establishment of the 1st Field Artillery Battery in 1924 with a strength of 116 Officers, NCO’s and Gunners equipped with four 18 pounder guns.
From the beginning, the Artillery Corps provided Fire Support to the National Army’s operations and continues to do so today, organised along conventional lines with habitual direct support batteries for the manoeuvre elements. It later expanded its responsibilities to include an air defence capability providing point defence for vital installations and security for visiting dignitaries including American Presidents and the Queen of the UK. To this day, the Artillery Corps continues to fulfil an ever expanding and important role in the Defence Forces. Then, as now, its performance was distinguished by loyalty, pride, and professionalism.
From its origins, and over the last one hundred years, the Artillery Corps has continuously represented all that is best in military service. The Corps has provided Indirect Fire Support to numerous Peace Support Operations since its inception most notable in action during the Congo and more recently in UNIFIL with the provision of illumination & battle damage assessments on numerous occasions in the designated area of operations. Artillery expertise has also been provided to UN operations, in particular the production of battle damage assessments in support of various inquiries and reports for the UNIFIL and UNTSO missions, and more recently the Corps has provided of UAV advisors to the Force Commander in MONUSCO, Congo and STA expertise in the UNDOF mission Golan Heights.
The Artillery Corps has consistently embraced modern tactics, techniques, procedures (TTP’s) and technologies more recently in the areas of Surveillance and Target Acquisition (STA), Fire Control and Simulation. Its capabilities now extend to the deployment of unmanned aerial systems, ground surveillance radar and thermal imaging systems to support the production of clearer operational picture. These TTP’s are honed through the use of modern simulation systems refining skills prior to deployments. These capabilities have been integrated into several EU Battlegroups and ongoing Peace Support Operations. More recently, the Corps successfully completed a NATO Operational Capability Concept (OCC) Assessment achieving a much-coveted interoperable status, further demonstrating the professionalism central to the Corps ethic.
To this day, the Artillery Corps continues to fulfil an important role in the Defence Forces. Then, as now, its performance remains distinguished by loyalty, pride and professionalism. From its origins, and over the last 100 years, the Artillery Corps has continuously represented all that is best in military service.
In the future, whatever complex challenges lie ahead, at home or abroad, I am confident that the Artillery Corps will continue to forge ahead, exhibiting in the process its characteristic traits of initiative, resilience, and loyalty. Your predecessors have bequeathed to you, the present standard bearers, a legacy of loyalty, professionalism, and distinguished service. You can be justifiably proud of the traditions you have inherited, and I am honoured to join with you to celebrate this historic centenary commemoration.”
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