The Royal Artillery Cap Badge: History, Symbolism and Meaning

Introduction

The Royal Regiment of Artillery cap badge centres on a field gun, surmounted by the Royal Crown and accompanied by the mottos Ubique and Quo Fas et Gloria Ducunt. The design refers directly to the regiment's artillery role.

The Royal Artillery is one of the oldest and largest regiments in the British Army. Formally established in 1716, it has served in virtually every major conflict involving British forces — from the battlefields of Flanders and the plains of India to the deserts of North Africa, the jungles of Burma, and the mountains of Afghanistan. That extraordinary breadth of service is encoded in a single Latin word on the badge: Ubique — Everywhere.

Who Are the Royal Regiment of Artillery?

The Royal Regiment of Artillery — universally known as the Royal Artillery or simply the Gunners — is one of the oldest and largest formations in the British Army. Formally established by Royal Warrant on 26 May 1716, the regiment was created to provide the British Army with a permanent, professional artillery arm. From its earliest days, the Royal Artillery attracted men of technical skill and scientific knowledge, reflecting the increasingly complex demands of artillery warfare.

The Royal Horse, Field and Garrison Artillery

The Royal Horse Artillery (RHA) was formed in 1793 to provide mobile artillery support to cavalry. It developed a distinct identity within the Royal Artillery that it retains today.

In 1899, the Royal Artillery was divided into three arms: the Royal Horse Artillery (RHA), the Royal Field Artillery (RFA) and the Royal Garrison Artillery (RGA). The RFA provided the bulk of field artillery support, while the RGA manned heavy, siege and coastal guns. In 1924, the RFA and RGA were merged back into the Royal Artillery; the RHA remained part of the regiment while retaining its separate identity and traditions.

What Does the Royal Artillery Cap Badge Represent?

The field gun, Crown and two mottos provide a direct summary of Royal Artillery identity without relying on a territorial or animal device.

Origins of the Royal Artillery Cap Badge

The gun became established as a Royal Artillery badge device in the 1830s. Cap badges in the modern sense came later; early twentieth-century examples show the familiar arrangement of a muzzle-loading gun, Royal Crown and the two motto scrolls.

Unlike many regimental badges built around territorial or inherited heraldic devices, the Royal Artillery badge makes the regiment's function immediately recognisable through the gun itself. The field gun, Crown and motto scrolls have remained the central elements of the design through successive reigns.

Key Dates: A Timeline of the Royal Artillery

Year	Event
1716	Royal Regiment of Artillery established by Royal Warrant of King George I.
1793	Royal Horse Artillery formed to provide highly mobile artillery support to cavalry formations.
1832	Ubique granted by King William IV as a formal battle honour, replacing individual engagement honours.
c.1833	The gun-and-motto device became established in Royal Artillery insignia during this period, predating the later development of the modern cap badge.
1914–1918	First World War; artillery becomes central to operations on the Western Front, and the Royal Artillery expands enormously.
1924	Royal Garrison Artillery amalgamated back into the Royal Regiment of Artillery.
1939–1945	Second World War; Royal Artillery serves in every theatre from North Africa to north-west Europe.
1953–1954	St Edward's Crown replaces the Tudor Crown on post-Coronation insignia; Royal Artillery cap-badge sealed patterns are recorded in 1954.
2023	The Armed Forces unveil cap-badge designs for the new reign using the Tudor Crown where appropriate; the changeover is gradual.

The Royal Artillery Cap Badge: Design and Elements

The Field Gun

The field gun at the centre of the badge is the regiment's defining symbol. It is a direct reference to the regiment's specialist role as the British Army's principal fire support arm — the formation responsible for delivering artillery fire in support of ground operations. The gun depicted is a stylised representation of a historic field artillery piece, representative of the type of ordnance that defined the Royal Artillery's battlefield role from the eighteenth century onwards. Although modern Royal Artillery equipment has evolved far beyond the field gun, the historic gun has been deliberately retained as the regiment's enduring symbol, preserving a direct visual link to its origins.

The Royal Crown

The Royal Crown surmounts the gun. Its form follows the approved pattern for the reigning Sovereign and is useful for broad dating when considered with manufacture and fittings.

Badges produced during the reigns of King Edward VII, King George V, King George VI and King Charles III are universally known to collectors and veterans as the King's Crown. The heraldically correct name for this crown pattern is the Tudor Crown. Following the 1953 Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, Army insignia moved to St Edward's Crown; Royal Artillery sealed cap-badge patterns are recorded in 1954. For the reign of King Charles III, new Armed Forces cap-badge designs using the Tudor Crown were unveiled in 2023. As with other crown changes, issue and replacement are gradual rather than instantaneous.

Ubique

The motto Ubique — Latin for Everywhere — was granted by King William IV in 1832, confirmed by General Order in 1833, in recognition of the Royal Artillery's service in virtually every theatre in which the British Army had fought. Rather than listing individual battle honours, the Royal Artillery was granted a single word that acknowledged service everywhere. Because Ubique serves as the regiment's battle honour, the Royal Artillery does not display the long lists of named engagements that appear on most infantry regimental colours. The Royal Artillery shares this distinctive battle honour with the Corps of Royal Engineers.

Quo Fas et Gloria Ducunt

The second motto, Quo Fas et Gloria Ducunt, is rendered by the British Army as Whither Right and Glory Lead. It appears with Ubique as part of the established Royal Artillery badge design.

Operational Legacy: Three Centuries of Service

The Napoleonic Wars

During the Napoleonic Wars (1793–1815), the Royal Artillery served in Europe, Egypt, the Caribbean and other theatres, including Wellington's campaigns in the Iberian Peninsula and at Waterloo.

The First World War

The First World War (1914–1918) greatly expanded the scale and importance of artillery. Guns caused a very large proportion of battlefield casualties on the Western Front, and the Royal Artillery expanded enormously to meet the demands of industrial-scale warfare. By 1918, the Royal Artillery comprised hundreds of batteries serving across every theatre of the war, from Flanders to Mesopotamia. The sophistication of artillery tactics developed during this period — including predicted fire, counter-battery work and the creeping barrage — shaped military doctrine for generations.

The Second World War

In the Second World War (1939–1945), the Royal Artillery again served in every theatre of operations — from the Western Desert and Italy to north-west Europe and the Far East. Royal Artillery regiments provided the fire support that underpinned every major British offensive, from El Alamein to the Rhine crossing. The regiment also operated anti-aircraft and anti-tank guns, reflecting the increasingly diverse demands of modern warfare.

The Cold War and Beyond

During the Cold War, the Royal Artillery formed a key part of the British Army of the Rhine, providing the nuclear and conventional fire support that underpinned NATO's defence of Western Europe. In more recent decades, the regiment has served in the Gulf War (1991), Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq (2003–2009) and Afghanistan (2001–2014), adapting its capabilities to the demands of modern expeditionary warfare.

The Royal Artillery Today

Today, the Royal Artillery remains the British Army's principal fire support arm, equipped with a diverse range of modern systems including the L118 Light Gun, the Archer self-propelled howitzer, the GMLRS (Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System) and the Sky Sabre air defence system. Despite this technological transformation, the cap badge has remained largely unchanged — the historic field gun at its centre continuing to symbolise over three hundred years of artillery heritage.

Collecting the Royal Artillery Cap Badge

Royal Artillery badges survive across a long production period, from Victorian examples to the current Tudor Crown pattern. Differences in crown, material, maker and fittings provide the main basis for comparison.

King's Crown Badges (Tudor Crown)

Badges from the reigns of King Edward VII, King George V and King George VI use the crown form commonly called the King's Crown and more precisely the Tudor Crown. The Tudor Crown returned to Armed Forces cap-badge designs for the reign of King Charles III in 2023. Period manufacture, fittings and provenance are more reliable dating evidence than crown form alone.

St Edward's Crown Badges — Elizabeth II

St Edward's Crown Royal Artillery badges are the most commonly encountered post-war form. The pattern followed the 1953 Coronation, with Royal Artillery sealed cap-badge examples recorded in 1954. Construction varies across the long Elizabeth II period, including traditional metal badges and later anodised aluminium examples, so fittings and manufacture should be considered alongside the crown when dating a badge.

Victorian Badges

Victorian Royal Artillery badges represent an earlier stage in the development of the regiment's insignia and are less commonly encountered than twentieth-century examples. Precise identification depends on the form of the badge, construction, fittings and provenance rather than the crown alone.

Officers' Badges

Officers' Royal Artillery badges can differ from other-ranks' examples in material, finish and construction. Because patterns and orders of dress vary by period, identification should be based on the complete badge and its fittings rather than on finish alone.

Recognised Manufacturers and Maker's Marks

Royal Artillery badges are known from long-established military insignia makers including J.R. Gaunt & Son and Firmin & Sons. Maker's marks may appear on the reverse or on a fitting, but a mark on its own is not proof of date or authenticity. It should be assessed alongside die detail, material, construction and provenance.

Provenance and Authenticity

Documented provenance can add considerable historical value to an original badge. Maker's marks, reverse fittings and construction details should be compared with period examples rather than used individually as proof of date or authenticity.

Displaying the Royal Artillery Cap Badge

Original badges are best kept in a stable, dry environment away from direct sunlight and significant fluctuations in temperature or humidity. Display materials should be inert and non-abrasive, and period badges should be handled carefully to avoid unnecessary wear or surface contamination.

Many collectors choose to display their Royal Artillery badge alongside service medals, photographs and other memorabilia, creating a comprehensive tribute to an individual's military service. Precision Military Emblems produces dedicated Royal Artillery heritage display frames purpose-built to present the Royal Artillery emblem alongside medals and service photographs.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the elements of the Royal Artillery cap badge?

The Royal Artillery cap badge consists of three principal elements: a field gun at the centre, a Royal Crown surmounting the design, and two mottos — Ubique (Everywhere) and Quo Fas et Gloria Ducunt (Whither Right and Glory Lead). Together they identify the regiment through its artillery role, Royal association and established mottoes.

What does Ubique mean?

Ubique is a Latin word meaning Everywhere. It was granted to the Royal Artillery by King William IV in 1832 as a formal battle honour, in recognition of the regiment's service in virtually every theatre in which the British Army had fought. The Royal Artillery shares Ubique as a battle honour with the Corps of Royal Engineers.

What does Quo Fas et Gloria Ducunt mean?

Quo Fas et Gloria Ducunt is rendered by the British Army as Whither Right and Glory Lead. It is the Royal Artillery's regimental motto, reflecting the regiment's commitment to duty, honour and service.

When was the Royal Artillery established?

The Royal Regiment of Artillery was formally established by Royal Warrant on 26 May 1716. It has served continuously since that date, making it one of the oldest continuously serving artillery formations in the British Army.

What is the difference between the King's Crown and Queen's Crown versions?

The Tudor Crown is associated with the Edward VII, George V and George VI periods and has returned for the reign of King Charles III, with new Armed Forces cap-badge designs unveiled in 2023. St Edward's Crown is associated with the Elizabeth II period; Royal Artillery sealed cap-badge patterns using it are recorded in 1954. Crown changes were implemented over time, so manufacture and fittings should also be considered when dating an example.

Is the Royal Artillery cap badge rare?

Scarcity depends on the specific pattern, period, rank, material, condition and provenance. The long Elizabeth II issue period means St Edward's Crown examples are widely encountered, while some earlier or specialist patterns survive in smaller numbers. Crown form alone is not enough to determine rarity or value.

How can I tell if a Royal Artillery cap badge is genuine?

No single feature proves authenticity. Crown form, die detail, dimensions, material, construction, reverse fittings, maker's marks and provenance should be assessed together and compared with documented period examples. Wear, weight or a maker's name can support an attribution, but none is conclusive on its own.

The Badge in Continuing Service

The Royal Regiment of Artillery has served the British Army for more than three centuries, from its establishment in 1716 to operations in Afghanistan and beyond. Its cap badge brings together the field gun, Royal Crown and the regiment's two established mottoes. The Royal Artillery's use of Ubique as a battle honour is shared with the Corps of Royal Engineers.

The gun, Crown and two mottos have remained the central features of Royal Artillery insignia through successive reigns. Changes in crown form provide the clearest visual distinction between major periods of issue.

Further Reading

For those wishing to explore the history of the Royal Artillery and its cap badge in greater depth, the following authoritative sources provide reliable and detailed information.

• Royal Artillery — British Army — The official British Army page for the Royal Regiment of Artillery.
• The Gunners — Royal Artillery Association — The official website of the Royal Artillery Association, supporting Gunner veterans and preserving the regiment's heritage.
• Royal Artillery Museum — The official heritage organisation responsible for preserving the Royal Regiment of Artillery's history, collections and material culture.
• Royal Artillery Historical Society — Promotes the study of Royal Artillery history through lectures, publications and battlefield tours.
• National Army Museum — Authoritative collections and research resources covering the history of the British Army, including the Royal Artillery.
• Imperial War Museums — Comprehensive collections and research resources covering the First and Second World Wars.
• The National Archives — Primary source documents including war diaries and regimental papers relating to the Royal Artillery.

Officially Licensed Royal Artillery Emblems & Heritage Displays

Precision Military Emblems produces officially licensed Royal Artillery cap badges and heritage display frames under official MOD licence. The article covers both the Queen's Crown and King's Crown patterns, and the corresponding current products are:

• Royal Regiment of Artillery Queen's Crown Cap Badge
• Royal Regiment of Artillery King's Crown Cap Badge
• Royal Regiment of Artillery Queen's Crown Cap Badge Display Frame
• Royal Regiment of Artillery King's Crown Cap Badge Display Frame

These are modern commemorative display pieces rather than original service-issued insignia. Intellectual Property of the Secretary of State for Defence is used under licence.

About Precision Military Emblems

Precision Military Emblems produces officially MOD-licensed 3D-printed British military badge display pieces and framed heritage displays in Leicestershire. The Military Heritage series is researched from regimental, museum, government and institutional sources.