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Thales sponsors the Captain-General's Baton at the Royal Review

The Royal Regiment of Artillery continued its 300th Year Anniversary today with the Captain-General's Tercentenary review at Larkhill in Wiltshire.

Lined up on Salisbury Plain, an impressive show of some of the products in service with the Royal Artillery took place. Watchkeeper Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS), the High Velocity Missile (HVM) Air Defence System on both Stormer vehicles and a Lightweight Multiple Launchers were just two of the esteemed capabilities on display.

 

Invited guests from the Royal Artillery, Armed Forces and Ministry of Defence, watched Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the Captain-General of the Royal Regiment of Artillery, arrive at the event by helicopter. Upon arrival, Her Majesty conducted a mounted review of the Regiment before taking the dais to witness a regimental drive past.

After a gun salute, the Captain-General’s Baton was given a guard of honour, performed by the 1st Regiment Royal Horse Artillery. During the address by the Master Gunner of St James’s Park, General Sir Timothy Granville-Chapman, the Baton was presented to the Queen by the Royal Regiment of Artillery’s youngest serving Gunner.

Following a reply from the Captain-General, the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery led a regimental drive past.

 

Philip McBride, General Manager ADW, Thales UK and two apprentices from Thales’s site in Belfast, David Charles and Alistair Browne, were invited guests at this remarkably prestigious event. The apprentices were involved with the manufacture the Captain-General’s Baton, twelve months ago.

“It was a great honour to be involved in this project when it started over a year ago and we have followed the Baton on its circumnavigation around the world”, commented apprentice David Charles. “I am delighted to have witnessed the Baton being presented to Her Majesty.”

Thales’s sponsorship of the event is testament to the long and unique relationship with the Royal Artillery, and as a company we are extremely proud to have had the honour of helping to mark its 300th anniversary.