Formation The regiment was formed as
5th Brigade Royal Horse Artillery in March 1901 and was renamed
1st Brigade Royal Horse Artillery in October 1906. It served in Iraq in 1920, returned to the UK in 1923 and served in Egypt in 1931, before returning to the UK again in 1936. 1 RHA was stationed in Palestine after the
Second World War, during the period of terrorist activity that led to the creation of the State of
Israel. The regiment then deployed to
Northern Ireland on
Operation Banner three more times, Sep 72 - Jan 73 in
Long Kesh, Mar - Jul 74 in
Belfast (City Central), and Mar - Jun 76
Belfast (Grand Central/City Centre). In September 1976, the regiment was equipped with the new
Cymbeline radar, and the batteries re-equipped with the
FV433 Abbot SPG, and E Bty subsequently became an independent abbot bty. In March 1977 the regiment moved to
Alanbrooke Barracks, Topcliffe and E bty remained for one year until joining the regiment again in March 1978. In 1979 the regiment was re-equipped with the new
FH70 155mm Field Howizer and joined the
24th Airportable Brigade. from 1RHA was awarded the
Conspicuous Gallantry Cross for his actions during an incident on 9 August 2004. On 28 September 2004, a convoy of 1 RHA vehicles was ambushed, resulting in the loss of Cpl Marc Taylor REME and Gunner David Lawrence in an improvised explosive device attack. In 2007, 1 RHA re-deployed to Basra, Iraq on Operation Telic (Operation TELIC 10). In September 2009 1 RHA deployed for approximately 7 months to Helmand province, Afghanistan on
Operation HERRICK 11 supporting
11 Light Brigade. 1 RHA deployed to
Afghanistan for a second time, on
Operation Herrick 16, in 2013. Under
Army 2020, and its successor,
Army 2020 Refine, the regiment is now part of the re-organised
1st Artillery Brigade and provides armoured artillery support to the
20th Armoured Infantry Brigade. Under the
Future Soldier Programme, the regiment will re-subordinate to the new
3rd Deep Reconnaissance Strike Brigade (a merger of
1st Armoured Infantry Brigade and
1st Artillery Brigade) in 2022. The regiment's role will remain the same, but will gain
L (Nery) battery equipped with the
General Dynamics Ajax as a "tactical group" charged with reconnaissance from
3rd Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery. ==Batteries==