The Artillery School conducted Test and Acceptance Live Firing Practices on 12, 13 and 14 November, deploying I05 Guns and 120mm Mortars in Glen Imaal.  Personnel were drawn from both the Permanent Defence Force and the Army Reserve, from the Artillery School, 1 Artillery Regiment and 2 Artillery Regiment.  Key appointments were held by students on a Train the Trainers Course.

The School Commandant, Lieutenant-Colonel Dermot Hanifin extended an invitation to the Artillery Club to visit the Firing Practices on Wednesday, 13 November.

Assembling at Fentons, members of the Artillery Club participating in the Field Trip were formally welcomed by the Chief Instructor, Commandant Bernard Behan, and visited the 120mm Mortars deployment in Brennan’s Farm.  The Fire Support Teams were deployed in Stranahely.

Captain Sarah Donnelly provided a comprehensive brief on the Test and Acceptance programme, which was focussed on the Combat Next Generation (NG) Fire Control System, and the inaugural usage of wide band radio (Harris) for such systems.  Fire Support Teams, the Fire Control Centre and the Detachment Commanders tested the equipment.

The Club’s guests included the Galway historian Mr William Henry, Commandant Eamonn O’Regan (Retd) 25 Infantry Battalion (FCA), and Mr Jan Vanderpuit.

Photographs provided by Paul Pakenham (apologies for the quality of some photographs due to rain on the lens), and Padraic McDunphy

To view slide show, please click on any photograph.