Home History of Seaham - Stories and remarkable and memorable events in the history of Seaham The 2nd Durham (Seaham) Artillery Volunteers Gunnery instruction and military training
The 2nd Durham (Seaham) Artillery Volunteers were raised in 1860 at Seaham Harbour. The brigade was formed mainly from pitmen, bottle workers and other men from the colliery districts of Seaham, Silksworth, Rainton and Old Durham and they displayed an abundance of spirit, pride and patriotism.
A favourite event with most artillery volunteers was the visit to the National Artillery Association competitions at Shoeburyness for gunnery instruction and military training. Located in South-East Essex at the mouth of the River Thames estuary Shoeburyness had a long association with the Royal Artillery. The Royal Arsenal artillery practice and experimental range and also the range at Woolwich Common had become inadequate in the 1840’s as new developments in guns and ballistics meant that the shells were reaching longer distances. In 1859 a School of Gunnery was established at Shoeburyness with a staff of qualified gunnery instructors and in 1863 the National Artillery Association was formed to advance and promote the science and practice of artillery through competitions.
The annual gunnery camp provided Volunteers with the opportunity of realistic training in a military setting and the benefit of fresh air and exercise away from the smoke and grime of the colliery districts.
17th Detachment of 2nd Durham (Seaham) Artillery Volunteers at Shoeburyness Camp in 1888
(Back Row: Gnr Brass, Gnr Preece, Gnr Symes, Cpl Hedley, Bbr Kelly, Sgt Major Lumsden,
Bbr Lund, Front Row: Sgt Major Hopper, Sgt Maguire and Sgt Noble)
(Courtesy of Michael Richardson)
For many of the younger men in particular it presented an opportunity of indulging in their military hobby and at the same time enjoying a holiday by the sea in circumstances they would not normally be able to afford. The 2nd Durham’s sent numerous detachments of men each year for gunnery and repository instruction and competitions. Occasionally the 2nd Durham’s also attended the Scottish National Artillery Association competitions held at Barry Links, near Dundee and in the later years they also attended Morecambe Bay and Scarborough gunnery camp.
Their proficiency with big guns, carbines and in repository won them many cups and prizes including the National Artillery Prize, two Queen’s Prizes, The Prince of Wales Prize, The Canadian Prize, The Challenge Cup of Scotland and many more.
Details of the attendance at these competitions together with comments on the highlights of the week and their performance can be seen at below: -
TABLE 4: Gunnery and Training Camp
Date |
Location |
Officer in charge |
Comments |
|
|
|
|
1875 4th Aug |
National Artillery Association, Shoeburyness |
Captain McKenzie |
Fifty men from 2nd Durham’s attended. Col Fisher (Commandant of School of Gunnery) commended them on the soldierly manner they handled the guns |
1876 8th Aug |
National Artillery Association, Shoeburyness |
Captain McKenzie |
Competed in 40-pdr Armstrong Gun and Repository drill competition. |
1877 3rd Aug |
National Artillery Association, Shoeburyness |
Captain McKenzie |
Five detachments of 9 men each from 2nd Durham’s. This is the third year returned from NAA without honours. |
1878 10th Aug |
National Artillery Association, Shoeburyness |
Captain Johnson |
Eight detachments attended one week camp. A large crowd assembled at Marlborough Street station to see them off. |
1879 9th Aug |
National Artillery Association, Shoeburyness |
Captain Johnson |
Eleven detachments of men from the Brigade attended one week camp for gunnery training. Sgt Trippet’s detachment won the Scotland Cup for highest score with 64-pdr gun. Sgt Triffit of Seaham Colliery also won the National Artillery Association Prize (value £20) |
1880 11th Aug |
National Artillery Association, Shoeburyness |
Major McKenzie |
200 men volunteered for camp but only 150 permitted to attend. The Queens Prize and 9 silver cups and badges of the NAA for highest aggregate score including prize money of £230 won by 9th detachment led by Corporal Thomas Hindson. |
1881 12th Aug |
National Artillery Association, Shoeburyness |
Major McKenzie |
100 men represented brigade. The Queens Prize won by Silksworth detachment (Sgt Cowley’s team) who also won the Lord’s Prize. Sgt Wheatman of Seaham detachment won 1st prize of £30 with 40-pdr breech loading Armstrong gun and also the Canadian prize. |
1882 1st Jul |
National Artillery Association, Shoeburyness |
Not known |
Fourteen detachments totalling 136 men attended for gunnery/repository training. The repository drill required a 64-pdr to be dismounted, sleigh constructed and gun taken through 7ft wide 30ft long passage and then parbuckling up the side of another garrison carriage. |
1883 11th Jul |
Scottish National Artillery Association, Irvine, near Glasgow |
Major McKenzie |
A detachment of 50 men and four officers attended camp. Sgt Watson’s team won 1st prize (£18) in the repository competition in 9 mins 1sec well within the 20 min time allowed. Both prizes were won in the tug-of-war and Bdr G Dobson won the 100 yards race. |
1883 4th Aug |
National Artillery Association, Shoeburyness |
Captain G Young |
200 volunteers from 2nd Durham’s attended camp. Altogether the meeting attracted 1,200 competitors. Half the marks in repository competition to be awarded to team performing in shortest time and half the marks in accurate observance of the method laid down in the Manual of Artillery Exercises. First prize in 64-pdr won by Sgt Carr’s team. NAA prize of £10 and the Cinque Ports Challenge Cup won by Sgt Rochester’s team. Canadian prize won by Sgt J Carss team. |
1884 16th Jul |
Scottish Camp of Instruction, Barry Links nr Dundee |
Major McKenzie |
Five detachments entered for big gun, carbine and repository competitions. The firing was conducted over a land range the extent of the Links being 13,000 acres. Major McKenzie complimented by other officers for the fine appearance and efficiency of the men. Prizes won amounted to £8 and Scotland’s Challenge Cup. |
1884 16th Aug |
National Artillery Association, Shoeburyness |
Major TC McKenzie |
60 men attended camp. Prizes won amounted to £40 and nine silver cups. |
1885 21st Jul |
Scottish Camp of Instruction, Barry Links nr Dundee |
Captain Dunn |
A detachment from Seaham, Silksworth and Old Durham comprising 3 officers and 36 NCO’s and men competed. First prize in hurdle race. |
1885 7th Aug |
National Artillery Association, Shoeburyness |
Captain Brydon |
Officers, NCO’s and men totalled 120. First prize in repository competition was Orderly Room Sgt Grieves |
1886 28th Jul |
Scottish Camp of Instruction, Barry Links nr Dundee |
Captain Dunn/ Lts McKenzie and Warham |
Four detachments of 9 men each competed. First prize of £15 awarded to Sgt Summerbell’s detachment for the parbuckling competition. |
1887 23rd Jul |
Scottish Camp of Instruction, Barry Links nr Dundee |
Lts. W French, McKenzie and Malcolm |
Five detachments of 9 men each were representing the 2nd Durham’s. |
1887 6th Aug |
National Artillery Association, Shoeburyness |
Major Hardcastle (Adjutant) |
Nine detachments from Seaham, One from Old Durham and two from Silksworth competed. They returned a week later but had not been as successful as previous visits to Shoeburyness. |
1888 19th Aug |
National Artillery Association, Shoeburyness |
Not known |
Largest force attending camp in the week for the Northern Division was the 18 detachments from 2nd Durham. Only success was a third and fourth prize in the 64-pdr muzzle loading competition. |
1889 20th Jul |
Scottish Camp of Instruction, Barry Links nr Dundee |
Not known |
Six detachments from 2nd Durham at Camp. First prize of £30 for repository drill won by Sgt Maj Weatherall. |
1889 6th Aug |
National Artillery Association, Shoeburyness |
Not known |
First prize repository (£25 and NAA badges) and City of London Gold Challenge Cup won by Sgt Maj Watson’s team. Prince of Wales Cup for 64-pdr and 40-pdr gunnery won by Sgt Smith’s team. |
1890 16th Aug |
National Artillery Association, Shoeburyness |
Captain McKenzie |
Seven detachments from 2nd Durham’s competed. Winners of Scotland Cup for highest score in shell competition were the Rainton detachment. |
1891 8th Aug |
National Artillery Association, Shoeburyness |
Lt. French |
Detachments of 159 men attended Camp. Shooting of 64-pdr Palliser rifled muzzle loading gun on the Monday morning and repository competition on afternoon. On Tuesday the 2nd Durham’s took honours in the 40-pdr Armstrong gun competition. |
1892 23rd Jul |
Scottish Camp of Instruction, Barry Links nr Dundee |
Captain McKenzie |
Six detachments attended one week camp. |
1892 3rd Aug |
National Artillery Association, Shoeburyness |
Not known |
Eleven detachments attended one week camp. 2nd Durham’s winner and second in the 40-pdr RBL Armstrong gun winning the NAA Prize. Winner of The Sec. of State for War Prize and the Lt. Colonel McKenzie’s Prize. |
1893 5th Aug |
National Artillery Association, Shoeburyness |
Captain McKenzie |
Twenty detachments of 180 men attended one week camp. |
1894 4th Aug |
National Artillery Association, Shoeburyness |
Lt. RWarham |
11 detachments (106 all ranks) attended Camp. 64-pdr gun competition (£30) won by 2nd Durham’s. |
1895 24th Jul |
Scottish Camp of Instruction, Barry Links nr Dundee |
Captain FJ McKenzie |
90 men attended Camp to compete for £570 in prizes awarded by The Scottish Artillery Association. |
1896 25th Jul |
Scottish Camp of Instruction, Barry Links nr Dundee |
Captain FJ McKenzie |
First and second prizes won in repository competition. Highest score in drill and gun-laying for position batteries (Sgt Sheraton and Gnr Hall). First in bomb firing (Lt Dawson’s team). Total prize money won £117. |
1899 26th Jul |
Scottish National Artillery Association, Buddon |
Not known |
20 detachments of 221 all ranks attended. |
1900 23rd Jun |
Bare Lane Camp, Morecambe Bay |
Major McKenzie |
140 members of the position battery attended Camp. The men attended church parade on Sunday morning at Morecambe. Officers and sergeants underwent a course of sword exercise under Sgt Bond. The health, discipline and conduct of men reported as excellent. |
1901 20th Jul |
National Scottish Artillery Assoc., Buddon Camp nr Dundee |
Not known |
Sixteen detachments selected from the 12 batteries attended Camp. Awarded prize for gun-laying competition for position batteries. |
1902 21st Jun |
Bare Lane Camp, Morecambe Bay |
Major McKenzie |
100 Officers, NCO’s and men arrived for a week under canvas. |
1902 10th Aug |
Castle Hill, Scarborough |
Not known |
300 Officers, NCO’s and men mustered for a week under canvas. |
1903 22nd Jun |
Bare Lane Camp, Morecambe Bay |
Lt. Colonel McKenzie |
First prize won by No. 2 Section (Captain Clazey). Sports were held each evening during the week and the band played each evening. |
1903 9th Aug |
Castle Hill, Scarborough |
Unknown |
Detachments from 2nd Durham’s camped for one week. |
1904 20th Jun |
Bare Lane Camp, Morecambe Bay |
Unknown |
Gun practice was good but firing had to be carried out over a hazy range. The detachments were complimented on the general appearance of their camp and equipment. |
1904 8th Aug |
Castle Hill, Scarborough |
Lt. Colonel McKenzie |
2nd Durham’s fired with 5 inch guns from the North Cliff Battery and one of the targets was completely smashed. Half the Corps was engaged in battalion drill whilst the other half was put through battalion movements. Colonel Davison expressed his satisfaction at performance. |
1907 4th Aug |
Castle Hill, Scarborough |
Lt. Colonel McKenzie |
400 men of the 2nd Durham’s attended for one week camp. |
Descendants of the old 2nd Durham's have a right to be proud of their record and achievements.
The above extract is from Chapter 13 of "The 2nd Durham (Seaham) Artillery Volunteers" by Fred Cooper. For more information visit ...... https://www.amazon.co.uk/2nd-Durham-Seaham-Artillery-Volunteers/dp/1370544839/ref=sr_1_10?dchild=1&keywords=fred+cooper&qid=1592205236&sr=8-10
< Prev | Next > |
---|