Tomorrow is the day that I Para Bty (Bulls Troop) will celebrate Drivers day by getting the most junior soldier serving to recite the following during a formal dinner.
NORMAN RAMSAY’S GUNS AT FUENTES D’ONOR, 05 MAY 1811
At the battle of Fuentes d’Onor, fought on May 5th 1811. I Battery (Bull’s Troop), Royal Horse Artillery, greatly distinguished itself.
On the morning of the battle, 2nd Captain Norman Ramsay was on picket with two guns of his troop, when, by a rapid advance of the French Cavalry, over 4000 in number, they were cut off and surrounded. It was supposed that the guns were lost.
Suddenly, however, a great commotion was observed among the French squadrons, and, to quote from Napier’s History of the Peninsular War.
“Men and horses were seen to close with confusion and tumult towards one point, where a thick dust and loud cries, and the sparkling of blades, and flashing of pistols, indicated some extraordinary occurrence. Suddenly the multitude became violently agitated, an English shout pealed high and clear, the mass was rent asunder, and Norman Ramsay burst forth sword in hand at the head of his battery, his horses, breathing fire, stretched like greyhounds along the plain, the guns bounded behind them like things of no weight, and the mounted gunners followed close, with heads bent low and pointed weapons, in desperate career.”
Terrific cheers from the whole of the British Army greeted the success of Norman Ramsay’s brilliant action in thus saving his guns, and his name became a bye-word in the Peninsular Army as the personification of all that was dashing and brilliant.
He was buried at Inveresk, near Edinburgh, in the burial place of his family.
His memory is still guarded with pride by the Royal Regiment of Artillery and the officers and soldiers of 7th Parachute Regiment Royal Horse Artillery.
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