Royal Artillery on Exercise!

BELOW: "Make Ready"! Gunner's from Bree's Battery prepare to fire.

DATE: 8 June 1746:
LOCATION: Royal Training Grounds, Puckapunyal.
From the top of Mount Pukapunyal, as the early morning fog slowly lifts, the King and General Zillmann observe a hive of activity on the Gun Line.
A fine mist formed around the Generals mouth as he spoke:
"The Lads of Bree's battery seem to have a real spring in their step this morning your Highness. They must have had a hearty breakfast. I hear the Battery Captain bagged a huge Boomer* yesterday,..".
The King Lowered his telescope:
"Probably more to do with the Troop of gunners from ADMA than anything else. Nothing like some competitivness between Gun Lines to bring out the best in the Artillerymen".
BOOM! The First shots of the day rang out across the valley.
"First honours to the lads from Bree's Battery" observerd the General.
"Indeed, but shooting is not even half of the evaluation. The real test is how well they can manouver their guns"
The King had been conducting "Head Of Regiment Evaluations, (or HRE's) for some time. He was a 'true believer' in the Artillery arm.
"How well they can work in support of the Infantry and cavalry is the real test however,.."

After five rounds from each gun, Infantry from the Yarra Militia suddenly apeared from the tree line behind the guns and advanced on about 100 'dummys' two hundred yards in front of the Guns. Within a few minutes the skirmishers opened up a brisk fire upon them.

"Well Sire, it appears the Battery Captain and Captain Penmann from the militia have a good working relationship"
The King walked to his horse.

"Yes General, it would appear so,.."

Before the King could mount his horse however, a messenger arrived:

"Your Highness, I come bearing bad news, Your Brother the Grand Duke has been shot,..."!

BELOW: Skirmishers from the Yarra Militia dash down the road and begin a brisk fire of their own. In the foregrond, Gunners from the Adfaburg Duntroon Military Academy

To Be Continued,..

* Note: Boomer = A large male Kangaroo

Bree's Battery Gunners, and the ADMA Staff Cadets

ABOVE: "So Gunner, how goes the war"?
Hi All
I've finished basing my BREE's BATTERY Gunners and ADMA Staff Cadets.
I'll have the actual Guns completed by tomorrow. The miniatures are from EUREKA MINIATURES "Age Of Reason" range.
All painted by FERNANDO ENTERPRISE. and based by me.
Enjoy.

ABOVE: Bree Battery Gunners. More photos of these gunners to follow shortly, with their Guns.

BELOW: Adfaburg Duntroon Military Acadamy Staff Cadets based and ready for action.

Feel free to leave a comment.

Cheers

Adfaburg Duntroon Military Academy

The next unit we will look at is the Adfaburg Duntroon Military Academy.

NAME: Adfaburg Duntroon Military Academy, (ADMA)
Date Raised: 13 Jan 1709
MOTTO: "Knowledge Dispels Fear "
Unofficial Motto: "We know Better"
Nicknames: "The Silver Tails", "The Little Caesars" "Treasure's Assasins"
Battle Honours: "Defence Of Adfaburg, 1715", "The Hostile Wars"
Brief History:
Soon after the arrival of the Mormoans in New Wales, they realized that the defence of the colony could not be left in the hands of the Militia. A Parliamentary decree called for the establishment of "A school where the a comprehensive education inclusive of the military Art and associated sciences could be taught". The officer candidates, (called "Staff Cadets" or simply "Cadets" if in their first year) were to be between the ages of 15 and 21 upon entry into the Academy. Prerequisites for entry were "Candidates for the Academy Duntroon must be fit, good horsemen, and of exceptional character".
The Staff Cadets formed four Classes. The senior or 1st Class Staff Cadets formed what was known as "Legion HQ" or "Corp HQ" and held command appointments over the remainder of the "Corp Of Staff Cadets". 2nd Class formed "The Wallaby Troop", (a small half battery of 6 Pounders) and a Light Dragoon Squadron called "McKenzies Squadron". 3rd Class Staff Cadets formed the Light Infantry, and the "Fourthies" formed the Company of Foot, and were called "Cadets". The First Commandant of ADMA was a particularly brutal fellow by the name of LtCol Douglas Treasure. When ADMA was "called out" to defend Adfaburg in 1715 from an attack from a combined force consisting of a mercenary New Southland Battalion in French pay and hostile natives of the Jindabyn tribe, it is said LtCol Treasure was shot in the back by his own Staff Cadets. The fact he was shot as he address the Corp Of Staff Cadets on the Academy parade ground prior to marching out to confront the enemy seems to have gone un-noticed. By all accounts no-one seemed to care.
Academy anecdotes and traditions:
Whenever the Corps Of Staff Cadets (often refered to as "The Legion"), is call out to campaign, they must remove the flints from their firearms prior to the Commandant's address. Flints are only returned after they depart the Academy grounds.
On the 13th of January every year the Corp Of Staff Cadets have a new intake. On that day the Staff Cadets of Legion HQ take the newly arrived "Fourthies" on a brutal forced march. This is called "Fouthies Day". Any Staff Cadet that falls out, (either 1st class or 4th class), is immediatly dismissed from the Academy. Approximately 10% of the 4th class fall out and are sent home. A 1st Class cadet has never failed the march.
Every year on 25 April all the Staff Cadets gather at LtCol Douglas Treasure's grave on Mount Unpleasant and toast the "Academy Duntroon and the Corp Of Staff Cadets"! (and get rolling drunk). It's the only day of the year where the Staff Cadets may drink. "Fourthies" are not permitted to attend.
NOTE: Female Officer Cadets (for The King's Maiden Guard), are trained by selected 1st Class Staff Cadets and Lecturers at the "Point Cooke Lady's Officer Academy". Lessons include, (to name but a few), Bayonet Fighting, the Principles of Artillery Fire, Military History and Needle Craft.