[MR] Wikipedia: Honorable Artillery Company Founded 1537

[Garth Groff and Sally Sanford]

Noble Friends,

Today in 1537, Henry VIII granted a royal charter to the "Fraternity or
Guild of Longbows, Crossbows and Handgonnes". Since then the regiment has
gone through many name changes, but remains in service as the oldest
surviving unit of the British Army. Today it is a reserve unit drawing its
members primarily from the London area. In addition to its soldiers seeing
active duty, the regiment provides the personnel and modern L119 Light Guns
for salutes at the Tower of London.

While most of the article is post-SCA, the history of the Honorable
Artillery Company can be read here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honourable_Artillery_Company .

Veteran members of the Honorable Artillery Company may enroll in the
strictly-ceremonial company of Pikemen and Musketeers, forming the honor
guard for the Lord Mayor of the City of London. They wear really cool
uniforms and carry pointy sticks in parades:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Company_of_Pikemen_and_Musketeers .

Sadly, the Honorable Artillery Company no longer carries bows. That's left
to the Scots: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Company_of_Archers . The
Royal Company of Archers provides the ceremonial bodyguard for the
Sovereign in Scotland, but they do shoot their longbows, at their own
archery range.

Nobody does tradition and ceremony like the Brits!

Yours Aye,


Lord Mungo Napier, Laird of Mallard Lodge  🦆