16th Field Battery, Royal Australian Artillery

The 16th Field Battery, Royal Australian Artillery, was an Australian Army Reserve artillery unit based in Tasmania, with depots at Paterson Barracks in Launceston and Derwent Barracks in Hobart. It was the longest continually serving reserve artillery unit in the Australian Army. In 2013 the unit was reduced in size to a troop and amalgamated with its Adelaide-based sister battery, 48 Field Battery, to form the 6th/13th Light Battery. The unit traces its history to the Launceston Volunteer Artillery Corps, a volunteer formation raised by the citizens of Launceston on 6 June 1860 under the Tasmanian Colonial government. Following Federation it was handed over to the newly formed Commonwealth and became part of the Citizen's Military Force. Despite numerous increases, reductions and name changes over the years, the Launceston detachment has remained in operation continuously from its formation right through to the present day, and has inhabited the historically significant Paterson Barracks for that entire time. The unit hosted the artillery range at Stony Head, Tasmania. 16 Troop, along with 48 Troop (based in Adelaide), together constitute the 6th/13th Light Battery, which is now a subunit of the 9th Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery as of 2018; the soldiers continue to wear the RAA hat badge and white lanyard. Like fellow Tasmanian unit 12/40th Battalion Royal Tasmania Regiment (12/40 RTR) it is part of the Adelaide-based 9 Brigade. Like the rest of 9 Brigade, the unit's force generation cycle is now aligned with that of the Australian Regular Army's 1st Brigade (based in Darwin). In 2010, the then 16 Field Battery converted from the 105mm M2A2 to F2 81mm Mortars, and this weapon system was inherited by 6/13 Light Battery, which it employs to provide offensive support to 9 Brigade, and in support of 1 Brigade.

The 16th Field Battery traces its history to the Launceston Volunteer Artillery Corps, a volunteer formation raised by the citizens of Launceston on 6 June 1860 under the Tasmanian Colonial government. Following Federation it was handed over to the newly formed Commonwealth and became part of the Citizen's Military Force. Despite numerous increases, reductions and name changes over the years, the Launceston detachment has remained in operation continuously from its formation right through to the present day, and has inhabited the historically significant Paterson Barracks for that entire time. The unit was an Australian Army Reserve unit based in Tasmania with depots at Paterson Barracks in Launceston and Derwent Barracks in Hobart. It hosted the artillery range at Stony Head, Tasmania. In 2010, the then 16 Field Battery converted from the 105mm M2A2 to F2 81mm Mortars. In 2013, the unit was reduced in size to a troop and amalgamated with its Adelaide-based sister battery, 48 Field Battery, to form the 6th/13th Light Battery. 16 Troop, along with 48 Troop (based in Adelaide), together constitute the 6th/13th Light Battery, which is now a subunit of the 9th Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery as of 2018; the soldiers continue to wear the RAA hat badge and white lanyard. Like fellow Tasmanian unit 12/40th Battalion Royal Tasmania Regiment (12/40 RTR) it is part of the Adelaide-based 9 Brigade. Like the rest of 9 Brigade, the unit's force generation cycle is now aligned with that of the Australian Regular Army's 1st Brigade (based in Darwin). The F2 81mm Mortar system was inherited by 6/13 Light Battery, which it employs to provide offensive support to 9 Brigade, and in support of 1 Brigade.

• 2018

  6th/13th Light Battery became a subunit of the 9th Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery.

• 2013

  Reduced in size to a troop and amalgamated with 48 Field Battery to form the 6th/13th Light Battery.

• 2010

  16 Field Battery converted from the 105mm M2A2 to F2 81mm Mortars.

• 1860

  Launceston Volunteer Artillery Corps raised by the citizens of Launceston on 6 June 1860 under the Tasmanian Colonial government.

• Following Federation, the unit was handed over to the newly formed Commonwealth and became part of the Citizen's Military Force.

Australian Army Reserve artillery unit providing offensive support, with a continuous Tasmanian heritage dating to 1860.

• F2 81mm Mortar

  Weapon system adopted by 16 Field Battery in 2010 and inherited by 6/13 Light Battery for offensive support.

• 105mm M2A2 Howitzer

  Previous weapon system used by 16 Field Battery before the 2010 conversion.

1. 116th Field Battery, Royal Australian Artillery - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
2. 216th Field Battery, Royal Australian Artillery - Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 316th Field Battery, Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery - Australian Armyarmy.gov.au