29th Commando Regiment Royal Artillery

Active from:

15 May 1962

Role:

Very high readiness forces

Specialism:

Army Commando

We hold a unique capability within the Royal Artillery. We are the Commando Gunners and we provide offensive support to 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines.  We are a regiment of Army Commandos held at Very High Readiness (VHR) and we specialise in amphibious operations, mountain, desert, jungle and arctic warfare.  Our skillsets include:

• Light Gun Detachments
• Fire Support Teams
• Naval Gunfire Forward Observers
• Joint Terminal Attack Controllers
• Communicator
• Logisticians
• Commandos
• Parachutists
• Coxswains

As part of 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines, we routinely deploy around the world and to a number of very different environments.

• Arctic (Norway)
• Temperate (UK and America)
• Desert (Oman
• Jungle (Brunei, Belize, Singapore)

Recent Operational Deployments:

• The Caribbean (2017)
• Afghanistan (2001, 2006, 2008 and 2011)
• Iraq (2003)
• Kosovo (2000)
• Sierra Leone (2000)
• Bosnia (1996)

The Royal Citadel, Plymouth

Looking out over the Plymouth Sound, the Royal Citadel is a dramatic 17th-century fortress built to defend the Plymouth coastline.  29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery is based at The Royal Citadel and it is the home of 8 (Alma) Commando Battery RA, 23 (Gibraltar) Commando HQ Battery RA, 79 (Kirkee) Commando Battery RA and 7 (Sphinx) Commando Battery RA.

RM Poole

RM Poole is the home of 148 (Meiktila) Commando Forward Observation Battery RA.  The Battery is a part of the Brigade’s early entry reconnaissance force and is prepared to deploy at very short notice at the vanguard of any operational deployment.

To become a Commando Gunner you must pass the All Arms Commando Course.

This arduous course is held at Commando Training Centre Royal Marines in Lympstone, Devon.  On completing the course, you will be awarded both the Commando Green Beret and ‘Army Commando’ shoulder flashes (badges).

At 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery we aim to set you up for success. We have the facilities required to train and prepare you to pass the All-Arms Commando Course. 

The 105mm Light Gun is the artillery gun used by the Regiment.

With a team of six gunners we can reach an average rate of fire of 6-8 rounds per minute with a max range of 17.2 Km.

Lightweight and versatile we can transport the guns by land, sea or air. We often use helicopters and landing craft to deploy the guns onto the battlefield.

As a six-person Light Gun detachment you will fire artillery ammunition in support of the operation. 

Without communications have no way of telling our guns and aircraft where, when or what to fire.

Communication is critical to us and our specialist communicators are key to maintaining the link with our forward observers.  No matter how hostile the environment or how difficult the terrain, our communicators will maintain our communications.

As an ACS operator you will establish and maintain communications and your role is essential to our operational success.

Logistics are crucial to facilitate the rapid response of artillery fire when deployed on operations.

We have our own artillery logistics specialists and they ensure that the Regiment is fully resourced with all essential supplies.

As an artillery logistician you will provide logistics from ammunition and vehicles to clothing and rations. This vital role is essential to sustaining the Regiment during an operational deployment.

The Fire Support Teams deploy far forward, often ahead of the infantry, and they identify the enemy and engage them early with artillery, mortars, attack helicopters, naval gunfire or close air support (CAS).  The FSTs are there to deal with the enemy before the infantry encounter with them. They deploy either within an infantry company or independently.

A Commando FST will carry a lot of heavy equipment. The FST will need to deploy with sufficient observation equipment, radios, ammunition and rations to last them for the duration of their mission; this could be many days. 

As a Fire Support Team member your job is to both find and strike the enemy. 

The Regiment has a battery of ‘Special Observers’  - 148 (Meiktila) Commando Forward Observation Battery Royal Artillery.  The Battery is specially trained to operate in the ‘Deep’ battlespace.  They will be some of the very first elements of the Brigade to deploy and they will operate a long way forward of the infantry units.  The Battery are part of the Surveillance Reconnaissance Squadron (SRS) and they are trained to infiltrate by helicopter, boat, parachute, vehicle, ski and foot. 

148 Cdo FO Bty RA are trained to deliver all forms of air and surface delivered fires and are the UK’s specialists in controlling naval gunfire support (NGS).

As a Special Observer you will be one of the very first to deploy and you will be tasked with the early identification and engagement of targets.