205 ( 3rd Durham Volunteer Artillery ) Battery Royal Artillery ( Volunteers ) 205 ( 3rd Durham Volunteer Artillery ) is part of the 101st ( Northumbrian ) Regiment Royal Artillery ( Volunteers ) and is equipped with the M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System . It is based in South Shields , United Kingdom . The Battery can trace its history back to the formation of the 3rd Durham Volunteer Artillery in 1860 . Its history exemplifies the single Battle Honour of the Royal Artillery - " Ubique " ( Everywhere ) , serving in the major battles of both world wars . In more recent times Battery members have seen active service in Bosnia , Kosovo , Iraq and Afghanistan . Artillery Volunteers . In 1859 the Volunteer Force was created as a result of rising tensions on the European continent . An appeal was made to citizens to form Artillery Corps and Companies in maritime towns . In the County of Durham this appeal resulted in the formation of five Corps located at Sunderland ( 1st ) , Seaham ( 2nd ) , South Shields ( 3rd ) , West Hartlepool ( 4th ) and Rainton ( 5th ) in 1860 . Some of the batteries within the 1st and 2nd Corps were part of the Northumberland Artillery Volunteers . In 1899 , the unit became the 3rd Durham Royal Garrison Artillery ( Volunteers ) . Territorial Army . On the formation of the Territorial Force in 1908 , the 3rd Durham RGA re - roled as Royal Field Artillery and provided the 4th Durham ( Howitzer ) Battery and 4th Northumbrian Ammunition Column of the 4th Northumbrian ( County of Durham ) Howitzer Brigade RFA ( T ) . First World War . The Brigade mobilised in August 1914 and deployed to France in April 1915 . In early May , the Brigade were the first Territorial field gunners to engage in the Ypres fighting in the Second Battle of Ypres . A reorganisation of Field brigades in 1916 saw the 4th Durham Battery transferred to 250 ( Northumbrian Brigade ) as D / 250 Battery , the 5th Durhams going to 251 Brigade , D / 251 Battery . These units would go on to take part in the Battles of the Somme , Arras and Passchendaele , before the final battles of 1918 . Inter - War . On the re - forming of the Territorial Army in 1921 , the brigade became the 3rd ( Northumbrian ) Field Brigade RA ( TA ) , which was then re - designated as the 74th Field Brigade RA ( TA ) . A re - organisation of Artillery Field Brigades in 1938 resulted in the formation of the 74th ( Northumbrian ) Field Regiment RA ( TA ) together with a duplicate unit , 125th ( Northumbrian ) Field Regiment RA ( TA ) . Second World War . The 74th Regiment mobilised as divisional Artillery within the 50th ( Northumbrian ) Infantry Division , supporting 151st Infantry Brigade ( United Kingdom ) , The Durham Light Infantry Brigade , with whom it served from 1939 to 1944 . The Regiment deployed to France in 1940 as part of the British Expeditionary Force ( BEF ) . It returned to the UK in the Dunkirk evacuation In 1941 it embarked with the 8th Army for the Mediterranean and Middle East Theatre . Initially the Regiment took part in the Jock column actions to harass the enemy . Supporting 151 ( DLI ) Brigade , it was engaged in the Battle of Gazala , breaking out through Mersa Matruh to avoid capture , ( although suffering many casualties ) . Following re - fitting and re - equipment , the Regiment was engaged in the Second Battle of El Alamein , followed by the assault on the Mareth Line . Joining the Italian Campaign , it landed in the Allied invasion of Sicily where it was engaged in the battle of Primosole Bridge ( Operation " Fustian " ) and the barrage across the Straits of Messina as part of the invasion of Italy . The Regiments ' next major action was D - Day and the Invasion of Normandy , landing on Gold Beach with the 50th Northumbrian ( Infantry ) Division . It was subsequently involved in the breakout from Normandy in Operation Perch . Later service through Northwest Europe saw the Regiment involved in the liberation of Brussels and the battle of the Gheil bridgehead on the Albert Canal . In September 1944 it formed part of Operation " Market Garden " . When the rest of the 50th Division returned to England in November , 74 Regiment was attached to 49th ( West Riding ) Infantry Division , being engaged on the Grebbe line . Following the German surrender in May 1945 , the Regiment remained in the Army of Occupation , returning to South Shields in 1946 . 74 ( Northumbrian ) Field Regiment fought with distinction in some of the most decisive battles of the Second World War , winning three DSO s , seven MC s and eight MM s . 125 ( Northumbrian ) Field Regiment re - roled as 125 Anti - Tank Regiment in 1940 . It deployed to the Far East and was captured in 1942 . Many of the Regiment became Prisoners of War . 1947 - 1967 . In 1947 the Territorial Army was reconstituted , 74 Regiment was re - formed as 274 ( Northumbrian ) Field Regiment RA ( TA ) , with 125 Regiment formed as 325 ( Durham ) LAA ( Light Anti - Aircraft ) Regiment RA ( TA ) . Following subsequent amalgamations , 325 Regiment became 463 ( Durham Light Infantry ) Light Air Defence Regiment RA ( TA ) . On the disbandment of Anti - Aircraft Command in 1955 , 274 Regiment absorbed 487 HAA ( Heavy Anti - Aircraft ) Regiment RA ( Durham ) ( TA ) and 377 ( Durham ) Observation Regiment RA ( TA ) . 101 ( Northumbrian ) Regiment RA ( V ) . In 1967 the TA became the Territorial Army and Volunteer Reserve ( TAVR ) . As part of this re - structuring , 101 ( Northumbrian ) Medium Regiment RA ( V ) was formed . 205 Medium Battery was constituted from 274 Field and 463 LAA Regiments . In 1974 the honour title 3rd Durham Volunteer Artillery was adopted by the Battery . Initially equipped with the 5 . 5 inch gun , the Battery converted to the 105mm Light Gun in 1980 and to FH - 70 in 1991 . The Battery was the last to fire 101 Regiment ' s guns during the prestigious Queens Cup which it won for the second year running . The Battery therefore concluded 137 years service on the guns of the Royal Artillery as the second best Gun Battery in the Territorial Army , 203 ( Elswick ) Battery being the best . The following year , in 1997 , 205 Battery converted to a missile Battery equipped with M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System and became the first TA Battery to fire that weapon system . External links . CADETS