Gun salutes ring out across Britain to celebrate King's coronation: Artillery ... trends now

The first anniversary of King Charles III and Queen Camilla's Coronation was today marked across Britain with a series of gun salutes.

The salutes were heard in London at noon with 41 volleys fired from Green Park by the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery, accompanied by the Band of the Irish Guards.

Three miles away and one hour later at 1pm, the Honourable Artillery Company will fire a 62-gun salute from Tower Wharf - an extra 21 for the City of London.

Salutes also took place at Cardiff Castle, Edinburgh Castle and Hillsborough Castle today as the country remembered the big day at Westminster Abbey on May 6, 2023.

And in York, a 21-gun royal salute was fired by a 4th Regiment Royal Artillery saluting troop of three light guns with music from the Band of the Royal Yorkshire Regiment.

One year ago, the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery and the Honourable Artillery Company fired the guns to signal the exact moment the St Edward's Crown was lowered onto the King's head by the Archbishop of Canterbury during the ceremony.

Today at Green Park, the soldiers, horses and guns of the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery rode out from their forward mounting base to position their guns for the salute.

The gunners wore full a distinctive dress uniform including gold braided jackets and busby hats. The guns are the Regiment's Colours - equivalent of an infantry regiment's ceremonial flag with battle honours.

Shortly before midday, 71 horses pulling six First World War era 13-pounder Field Guns over the grass quickly placed the guns into position for the Royal Salute beside the six pre-positioned ammunition boxes.

The guns were quickly detached, the horses escorted to a safe area, and, on the word of command, each of the six guns fired blank artillery rounds at ten-second intervals until 41 shots had been fired, each sending a puff of white smoke into the air.

The horses and riders then collected the guns and escorted them back through London to their temporary barracks. The Band of the Irish Guards provided musical accompaniment throughout around the salute.

The King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery is a British Army mounted ceremonial unit that fires Royal Salutes on royal anniversaries and state occasions, such as state visits and royal birthdays.

The unit also provides a gun carriage and a team of black horses for state and military funerals.

Permanently based at Woolwich in South East London, soldiers from the King's Troop also serve operationally throughout their careers in the Royal Artillery and in support of UK military operations.

The King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery was formed in 1947 and named by the King's grandfather, King George VI.

Shortly after midday, three 105mm Light Artillery Guns will be drawn by the Honourable Artillery Company (HAC) Regiment's liveried Pinzgauer vehicles through the City of London.

They will travel from Armoury House in Artillery Gardens - which has been the Regiment's home since 1641 - to the Tower of London.

The Guns will be placed into position on Tower Wharf facing the River Thames by Army Reserve soldiers from the HAC.

At precisely 1pm, on the word of command, a 62-gun Royal Salute will be fired, each round firing from one of the three Guns in turn, at ten second intervals, filling the wharf with white smoke and the sound reverberating from the Tower battlements.

Once 62 rounds have been fired, the regiment will then recover the guns and

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