46 (Talavera) Battery

The Battery was formed in 1801 from the disbanded Royal Irish Artillery. Major HB Lane was Battery Captain of 6 Company, 7th Battalion Royal Artillery (now 46 Talavera Bty) at the battle of Talavera, and thus an eye witness of the exploits of the Battery during the battle. The Battery Commander was Capt CD Sillery and after the custom of the time the Battery was called “Sillery’s Battery”. The following is an extract of Maj Lane’s private letter where he describes the detail of the Battle of Talavera:

The Battery was firing on the evening of 27th July 1809 at Talavera La Renya, covering the withdrawal of the Army position. (This withdrawal was caused by the disobedience of orders by the Spanish contingence of the right flank that evening). The following day the Battery was posted to the North of Talavera and began engaging in Counter-Battery fire and very quickly silenced the enemy guns on the right flank that evening..."
The following day, the Battery began engaging fourteen 8 pounder and six 8 inch Howitzers from 6am till about noon. In his letter to a friend of Sir John May, Maj Lane speaks of the Battle thus:

“...Sir John will no doubt recollect why I allude to the retreat and state whether the 7th Battalion (46 Battery) men did their duty or not as he was with our guns when most hotly engaged. I was wounded slightly about 1am (28 July). A French shell burst directly under the gun, killed No 7 and 8, took a leg off Nog, and knocked me backwards. I sustained a contusion of the head, a graze to the sinews of the left thigh and another of the left foot. Before this having being obliged to serve the sponge for some time, inserviceable between the guns and limbers when, Lt Gen Sir John Shearbrooke, perceiving my situation dismounted from his horse and poured the contents of a small phial of brandy down my throat which brought me to my recollection and I was enabled, by the cessation of all firing about this time to stand to the guns again in the afternoon. The loss in men and horses was severe

The next day, the Battery was especially thanked by the Divisional Commander, Lt Gen Sir John Shearbrooke, for their "extremely steady and effective fire, which had contributed considerably to the final victory at Talavera.”

During the First World War (1914 - 1918) 46 Battery under 39 Brigade 1st Division fought in many long campaigns including the Battle of Mons.

In 1939 10 Regiment RA was formed in September 1939 with two Batteries 30/46 and 51/54

Date Division Posting Weapons

03/09/1939 2 Inf. Div. Deepcut.UK 3.7 inch Hows

24/09/1939 2 Inf. Div. France 3.7 inch Hows

June 1940 2 Inf. Div. UK 3.7 inch Hows

June 1942 46 Bty now independant 2 Inf. Div. India 3.7 inch Hows

April 1943 36 Indian Div. India 3.7 inch Hows

September 1943 2 Inf. Div. India LAA

April 1944 2 Inf. Div. Kohima, Burma 105 mm SP Priest

April 1945 2 Inf. Div. Chittagong, India 105 mm SP Priest

June 1945 2 Inf. Div. Secunderabad, India 105 mm SP Priest

1994 46 Bty returned to 32 Regiment from the disbanded 2 Regt as Headquarter Battery.