West Riding Artillery
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 1st Yorkshire (West Riding) Artillery Volunteer Corps was raised at Leeds on 2 August and the 2nd Yorkshire (West Riding) Artillery Volunteer Corps at Bradford on 10 October. They began as Coastal Artillery with 32 pounder guns. In 1886, they became Position Artillery with 40 pounder RBL guns. 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 Bradford Brigade became the 2nd Yorkshire (West Riding) Artillery Volunteers.
Various reforms from 1889 resulted in the units being renamed as 1st and 2nd West Riding of Yorkshire Artillery Volunteers, then the 1st and 2nd West Riding of Yorkshire Volunteer Artillery. In 1898, they became the 1st and 2nd West Riding of Yorkshire Royal Garrison Artillery (Volunteers) and were equipped with 4.7-inch QF Guns guns drawn by steam tractors.
Read more about West Riding Artillery: Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907, First World War, Inter-war Period, Second World War, Post-war, TAVR III, 269 (West Riding) Battery RA(V), Strategic Defence Review, Future Army Structure
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