Motion to be moved by The Right Worshipful The Lord Mayor and seconded by the Leader of the Council –

 

That the Council hereby records its view that the powers entrusted to it by law of recognising distinctive and eminent service would be properly exercised by conferring the Honorary Freedom of the City of Manchester upon Battery 209 (The Manchester Artillery).

 

209 Battery, together with its predecessors, has served at home and abroad as a valuable Artillery Corps for some 216 years.

 

It was established in 1804 as a local volunteer militia force raised across the Manchester area in response to the Napoleonic threat. It was then re-established in 1859 as the United Kingdom moved to establish a standing volunteer army. From 1860 it was garrisoned at Ardwick Green and in 1881 officially awarded the honoury title 'The Manchester Artillery'. It has since enjoyed a close and continuing association with the city as a regular army unit, a territorial unit and now as part of the UK’s expanding professional military reserve, based in Gorton.

 

Over the subsequent one hundred and forty years, the Manchester Artillery has seen active duty in the Boer War and the First World War served at Gallipoli, Sinai and the Western Front.

 

The Unit served extensively overseas during the Second World as part of the initial expeditionary force and following extensive fighting in defence of France during which five officers were killed was evacuated from the Dunkirk beaches. Members of the unit subsequently served in the middle east, in the Italian campaign and the subsequent D day landings, moving into Belgium and Holland where they took part in Operation MARKET GARDEN.

 

Following the restoration of peace the Manchester Artillery returned to its territorial and subsequent army reserve role. In 1947 a recruiting campaign was launched, and many old Dunkirk veterans filled the ranks. Recruit 'Number One' was ex-Sgt Fred Bowker MM, who won his Military Medal at Dunkirk as the 205 Battery Signaller, Manchester Artillery.

 

The current 209 Battery which now carries the courtesy title has continued to recruit and train Manchester citizens in readiness for the defence of this country at home and abroad. In 2004 members of the battery were deployed to Iraq on Operation TELIC 4 and again in Iraq in 2007 where Sgt Crowley (209 Battery) became the first soldier from the Manchester Artillery to command and fire an artillery gun in action since 1945.

Motion made and seconded

 

That the Council hereby records its view that the powers entrusted to it by law of recognising distinctive and eminent service would be properly exercised by conferring the Honorary Freedom of the City of Manchester upon Battery 209 (The

Manchester Artillery).

 

209 Battery, together with its predecessors, served at home

and abroad as a valuable Artillery Corps for some 216 years.

 

It was established in 1804 as a local volunteer militia force raised

across the Manchester area in response to the Napoleonic threat.

It was then re-established in 1859 as the United Kingdom moved

to establish a standing volunteer army. From 1860 it was

garrisoned at Ardwick Green and in 1881 officially awarded the

honorary title 'The Manchester Artillery'. It has since enjoyed a

close and continuing association with the city as a regular army

unit, a territorial unit and now as part of the UK’s expanding,

professional military reserve based in Gorton.

 

Over the subsequent one hundred and forty years, the

Manchester Artillery has seen active duty in the Boer War and the

First World War served at Gallipoli, Sinai and the Western Front.

The Unit served extensively overseas during the Second World

as part of the initial expeditionary force and following extensive

fighting in defence of France during which five officers were killed

was evacuated from the Dunkirk beaches. Members of the unit

subsequently served in the middle east, in the Italian campaign

and the subsequent D day landings, moving into Belgium and

Holland where they took part in Operation Market Garden.

 

Following the restoration of peace, the Manchester Artillery

returned to its territorial and subsequent army reserve role. In

1947 a recruiting campaign was launched, and many old Dunkirk

veterans filled the ranks. Recruit 'Number One' was ex-Sgt Fred

Bowker MM, who won his Military Medal at Dunkirk as the 205

Battery Signaller, Manchester Artillery.

 

The current 209 Battery which now carries the courtesy title has

continued to recruit and train Manchester citizens in readiness for

the defence of this country at home and abroad. In 2004

members of the battery were deployed to Iraq on Operation

TELIC 4 and again in Iraq in 2007 where Sgt Crowley (209

Battery) became the first soldier from the Manchester Artillery to

command and fire an artillery gun in action since 1945.

 

Resolution

 

The motion, having been put and voted on, the Lord Mayor declared that it was

CARRIED.

 

Decision

 

That the Council hereby records its view that the powers entrusted to it by law of recognising distinctive and eminent service would be properly exercised by conferring the Honorary Freedom of the City of Manchester upon Battery 209 (The

Manchester Artillery).

 

209 Battery, together with its predecessors, served at home

and abroad as a valuable Artillery Corps for some 216 years.

 

It was established in 1804 as a local volunteer militia force raised

across the Manchester area in response to the Napoleonic threat.

It was then re-established in 1859 as the United Kingdom moved

to establish a standing volunteer army. From 1860 it was

garrisoned at Ardwick Green and in 1881 officially awarded the

honorary title 'The Manchester Artillery'. It has since enjoyed a

close and continuing association with the city as a regular army

unit, a territorial unit and now as part of the UK’s expanding,

professional military reserve based in Gorton.

 

Over the subsequent one hundred and forty years, the

Manchester Artillery has seen active duty in the Boer War and the

First World War served at Gallipoli, Sinai and the Western Front.

The Unit served extensively overseas during the Second World

as part of the initial expeditionary force and following extensive

fighting in defence of France during which five officers were killed

was evacuated from the Dunkirk beaches. Members of the unit

subsequently served in the middle east, in the Italian campaign

and the subsequent D day landings, moving into Belgium and

Holland where they took part in Operation Market Garden.

 

Following the restoration of peace, the Manchester Artillery

returned to its territorial and subsequent army reserve role. In

1947 a recruiting campaign was launched, and many old Dunkirk

veterans filled the ranks. Recruit 'Number One' was ex-Sgt Fred

Bowker MM, who won his Military Medal at Dunkirk as the 205

Battery Signaller, Manchester Artillery.

 

The current 209 Battery which now carries the courtesy title has

continued to recruit and train Manchester citizens in readiness for

the defence of this country at home and abroad. In 2004

members of the battery were deployed to Iraq on Operation

TELIC 4 and again in Iraq in 2007 where Sgt Crowley (209

Battery) became the first soldier from the Manchester Artillery to

command and fire an artillery gun in action since 1945.