The origins of the field gun competition lie in the Second Boer War in South Africa. The limber is lifted, its wheels and drag ropes are shipped and it is run forward. This is why it will always remain in the bodies and souls of all field gunners. It was at this point that the Royal Navy was called into action. It will be replaced next year by a one-off event at Horse Guards Parade in central London - The Royal Military Tattoo 2000 - which will form part of the UK's millennium celebrations. It seems obvious that the Naval contribution to an event organised by the Army would include their famous guns. 1940 to 1946 - 2nd World War, therefore no Tournament, which recommenced in 1947. Gridiron March and Half-Batteries brought into action. At the evening performances, The Royal Navy Field Battery Display was carried out as follows: The Evening performance saw the choreographed display replaced by more competition runs sometime before 1928, possibly when the two other trophies were introduced. However, instead of checking on the collapsing sheer legs and passing on the outside of them he went through the middle. In the Royal Navy, nothing beats winning the Field Gun.'. The officers and men of Powerful were soon invited to a number of military and civic receptions culminating in a Royal audience with Queen Victoria where she personally thanked. 1936 - No Competition at the Royal Tournament. Result (The procedure adopted in the event of damage to the gun wheels). In the final stage, the "Run Home", men, guns and limbers passed back through the hole in the home wall and then the teams "hook up and pull for home". 4 years ago. The Royal Navy's Field Gun run is a very unique affair. Perhaps, if they can drag themselves away from their taxpayer-funded plasma screens and patio heaters and get down to Windsor, our lords and masters might learn a valuable lesson in teamwork, public service - and downright courage. The guns and limbers were then dismantled and carried to the top of a ramp on the home side of a 28-foot (8.5m) chasm. The field gun competition was contested by teams from the Royal Naval commands of Portsmouth, Devonport and the Fleet Air Arm (although teams from Chatham and the Royal Marines have also competed). There was never a shortage of volunteers - up to 300 for each crew. The Boer Army Artillery was far superior to that of the British, and on 25th October 1899 the General Officer Commanding at Ladysmith Sir George White, the British Army Headquarters in Natal, signalled the Admiral Commanding the Cape Squadron in Simonstown to ask for assistance in the form of long range Naval Guns. Two gun crews of eighteen men from the commands of Portsmouth, Devonport and Chatham took part in the first competition. The last night was also a moment Ill never forget. 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Leaving Ladysmith on the 7th March 1900 the sailors of Powerful and Terrible were soon back on board. Seaman from HMS Victory (RN Barracks, Portsmouth) introduced a further obstacle in the form of a bridge, too narrow for the guns to be hauled over in the usual manner.The following year, the Tournament was relocated to Olympia in West London. Play it now! Two crews competed at each afternoon performance. A spin-off, the Junior Leaders Field Gun Competition, using the Brickwoods format, was held for the 1st time in 2007 and is still held today. . On their return home, the sailors from the Naval Brigade paraded their guns through London and appeared at the Royal Naval and Military Tournament at the Agricultural Hall, Islington. This is the whole idea of Field Gun: to try and reconstruct as near to the truth as possible what happened a century ago during the relief of Ladysmith. The names of the winners of the trophy are engraved on small shields up to and including 1961 and plates for winners since 1962. In a combined display, Seamen from HMS Excellent and HMS Victory took their guns over two walls and two bridges. It was obvious that no one wanted it to end, however, it was too late. Displays of Field Gun drill continued in subsequent years. Only two crews run during each performance. In 1907, the Royal Navy staged the first Inter Command Field Gun Competition at the Tournament. \r\rThe third section is called the run home. The 1914-1918 war stopped all such events for its duration but the competition returned with the new Royal Tournament of peacetime. Being a charity, it's been a real challenge, and a great triumph that we've got through to the millennium. Less than 24 hours later at 6 p.m. on the 26th October, the mountings were built and the guns dispatched together with four 12-pounders in HMS POWERFUL to Durban. The Royal Military Tournament of 1900 was held in Islington Agricultural Hall and featured men from HMS Powerful parading one of their 4.7-inch naval guns called Joe Chamberlain. Articles incorporating text from Wikipedia, http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/server/show/nav.6943, http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/server/show/nav.5911, http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/server/show/nav.7122, COMMAND100 - Centenary of Inter Command Field Gun, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, 2001 HMS Collingwood - the current record holders with a time of 1 min 18.88 secs. The youngest member of the team, Leading Physical Trainer, Matt Short, 27, is also in charge of team fitness. In the company of 18 men with old-fashioned nicknames (Shorty, Nobby) and old-fashioned attitudes ('if you get hurt, you moan about it later'), I am reminded what makes the Forces tick. The Naval Brigade transported guns over difficult terrain and brought them into action against the Boers. The Royal Tournament relocated for the final time in 1950 when it moved to the larger venue of Earls Court. Currently only Wellington College and Portsmouth Action Field Gun Crews run the 'command' style of Field Gun Run. The larger arena allowed the display to be scaled up. The record for the fastest run at the Royal Tournament was set by Devonport in 1999, the competition's final year, with 80.86 seconds for the "Run Out", 58.65 seconds for the "Run Back" and 20.92 seconds for the "Run Home", an aggregate of 2 minutes, 40.43 seconds.[4]. In 1978 with HMS Fisgard's win the trophy left Portsmouth Command and HMS Gannet's win in 1997 took it north of the border for the first time. ), (having been presented at the British Trade Fair, Copenhagen the previous year), 1993 - Royal Tournament cut from 3 to 2 weeks, hence. In 1903, a party from HMS Excellent introduced an obstacle into their display. The second part of the competition (the Run Back) involved the crews taking all their equipment back over the 5-foot (1.5m) enemy wall and then back across the chasm. The legendary story tells of the siege of the British garrison in Ladysmith in 1899. These penalties are turned into seconds and these are added onto the final time. Farm Heroes Saga, the #4 Game on iTunes. The course was changed in 1908 with a chasm replacing the plank obstacle. By the later stages of World War II the majority of artillery in use was either in the form of howitzers of 105mm to 155mm, or in form of hybrid anti-tank/field guns that had high enough muzzle velocity to be used in both roles. To the reader - this is Command Field Gun, not Brickwoods Field Gun. Aggregate Time and Fastest Time Cups were introduced in 1924. ", Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies. The "Command" format, negotiating walls and a chasm, was held annually at the Royal Tournament in London solely as a public display and as recruitment purposes from 1907 until 1999, apart from the periods during the World Wars. The U.S. Army tried the long-range gun again from the early 1960s to the late 1970s with the M107 175 mm gun. Charging flat out with a ton of gun and turning it on a sixpence while simultaneously taking off the wheels is still a feat of titanic choreography. Some members of the crew just sat and stared at their lynch pins, crying. Last year, the organisers of the Royal Windsor Horse Show decided to use their spectacular arena beneath Windsor Castle to stage the first Windsor Castle Royal Tattoo. A precursor to the competition lay in the presentation of Field Gun 'Evolutions' including one performed by Miss Westons Naval Boys Brigade from Portsmouth at the Royal Albert Hall on 21 October 1905 as part of the Centenary Commemoration of the Battle of Trafalgar. There are 38 possible contraventions defined that carry a time penalty ranging from 1 to 6 seconds. The track length is also fractionally shorter due to the size of the arena. It's just another reason why the Field Gun is still revered as the ultimate. duration, just to share an atmosphere that can not be found anywhere else in the world. This was exceeded in seven subsequent years and eventually in 1938 HMS Excellent achieved 1 min 13.4 secs. The gun is brought to the back of the limber and connected, then both are run forward. The wheels are quick disconnect as well as the barrel. Brickwood maintained a close interest in the competition over the years. the ships company for their part in the saving of Ladysmith. In a matter of seconds the wheels are on, pins are in, and the gun crews race flat-out to the finishing line.\r\rThe average time for the run out is one minute twenty-five seconds; for the run back one minute and for the run home twenty-one seconds. The chasm returned in 1913 and was extended to a distance of 30ft.