West Riding Artillery
| West Riding Artillery | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1860–1967 |
| Country |
 United Kingdom
|
| Branch |
 Territorial Army
|
| Type | Artillery Regiment |
| Role | Garrison Artillery Coastal Artillery Field Artillery |
The West Riding Artillery was originally formed as a volunteer unit of the British Army in 1860. It served in the First World War and the Second World War.
In 1860, as the British government feared invasion from the continent, the Secretary at War recommended the formation of Volunteer Artillery Corps to bolster Britain's coastal defences. The following Corps were raised prior to 1880:
They began as Coastal Artillery with 32 pounder guns. In 1868 the 5th Corps won the Queen's Prize at the annual National Artillery Association competition held at Shoeburyness. The following year the 7th Corps won the competition, with the 4th Corps winning it in 1872. By 1871, the 1st had grown to eight batteries and the 2nd had become the 1st Admin Brigade, Yorkshire (West Riding) Artillery Volunteers, containing five Yorkshire (West Riding) Artillery Volunteer Corps, numbered the 2nd, 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th. By 1880, a number of these Corps had been disbanded or absorbed and the batteries were distributed as follows:
Various reforms from 1889 resulted all the corps being classed as 'Position Artillery' and armed with 40 pounder RBL guns. In 1892 the Corps were organised as part of the Western Division Royal Artillery and were titled 1st, 2nd and 4th West Riding of Yorkshire Volunteer Artillery, with headquarters at Leeds, Bradford and Sheffield respectively.
After 1902, they became the 1st, 2nd and 4th West Riding of Yorkshire Royal Garrison Artillery (Volunteers) and were re-equipped with 4.7-inch QF Guns drawn by steam tractors.
After the end of the Boer War in 1902, a review of the Army took place and a Royal Commission reported on the Militia and Volunteers. The War Office was concerned over the different standards of efficiency, but had to concede that this was in the hands of individual commanding officers. Secretary for War, Haldane, in the Liberal Government of 1905, was given the task of preparing legislation for reform. His Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907 brought together volunteer units to form the Territorial Force (to become the Territorial Army in 1921) giving them the same role as before, but, in addition, giving them the capability of acting as backup to the Regular Army if the need arose. In addition, the Act set up County Associations to help co-ordinate the work of the War Office and the new Territorial Force, and to recruit, house and administer the units. As a result units were configured as follows:
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