Country United Kingdom Size Regiment then Battery Equipment L118 light gun | Branch British Army peacetime HQ Bristol | |
Active 22 November 1859–Present | ||
266 (Gloucestershire Volunteer Artillery) Battery Royal Artillery is a British Territorial Army Royal Artillery battery.
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Volunteer Artillery 1859-1908
On 22 November 1859 the Gloucestershire Volunteer Artillery was formed, making its headquarters at the Artillery Ground, Whiteladies Rd. Clifton, Bristol.
By 1880 the batteries were consolidated as the 1st Gloucestershire (Gloucester and Somerset) Volunteer Artillery, with headquarters in Bristol and batteries as follows:
By 1908 a total of twelve batteries had been raised.
On the formation of the Territorial Force in 1908 it became the 1st (South Midland) Brigade RFA (TF).
World War I
1st (South Midland) Brigade RFA (TF) was renamed in 1915 to the 240th Brigade RFA (TF), under which it served throughout the First World War.
Inter War Years
The brigade was reconstituted on 7 February 1920 as 1st South Midland Brigade, RFA. It incorporated the Berkshire Royal Horse Artillery as one of its batteries. Later, it was redesignated as 66th (South Midland) Brigade, RFA (TF) and renamed in 1924 as the 66th (South Midland) Field Regiment RA (TA).
World War II
The unit was again renamed in 1938 as the 76th (Gloucestershire) AA Regiment, RA (TA) which it served during the Second World War.
Post-war
The unit was reformed in 1947 as 266 (Gloucestershire Volunteer Artillery) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment RA (TA).
In more recent times the battery has served as a reinforcement unit for BAOR supplying observation post teams, as the Territorial Army battery supporting 7 Para RHA and as the Territorial Army battery supporting 29 Commando Regiment. It was one of the batteries of 100th (Yeomanry) Regiment Royal Artillery.
Under Army 2020 plans, 266th Battery re-roled to Mini Unmanned Air Systems was assigned to 104th Regiment Royal Artillery.