Parade in Hartlepool to mark artillery's tercentenary

Members of The Royal Artillery Association Credit: ITV

A ceremony to mark the 300th anniversary of the Royal Artillery Association has taken place in Hartlepool.

Veterans and members of the 5th Regiment The Royal Artillery, based at Catterick Garrison, were at the event at Heugh Gun Battery. The Mayor of Hartlepool, Councillor Mary Fleet, also took part.

The Mayor was handed the Captain General's baton which is on a journey circumnavigating the globe. The baton will head to Sunderland and Newcastle as it makes its journey south, where it will end with a Royal Review later this month.

Her Majesty The Queen will be presented with the baton, which contains a message of loyal greeting.

Hartlepool was chosen as the location of the ceremony due to Heugh Gun Battery - a World War One gun position manned by the Territorial Force Gunners of the Durham Royal Garrison during the bombardment of Hartlepool on December 16, 1914.

The baton will now be passed on to 3rd Regiment Royal Horse Artillery, based at Albermarle Barracks, in Newcastle and 101 Regt RA The Geordie and West Riding Gunners who are based at Napier Armoury in Gateshead before being handed to 4th Regt RA The North East Gunners based at Alanbrooke Barracks in Topcliffe, North Yorkshire.

The Regiment will then take the baton to Salisbury Cathedral on the morning of May 19.

Veterans were at the ceremony, as well as the Mayor of Hartlepool, Councillor Mary Fleet Credit: ITV