Posted: 19th September, 2025
HeliOperations welcomed personnel from Royal Navy Air Station Yeovilton, representing the HMS Heron Field Gun team that HeliOperations is delighted to sponsor. HeliOperations’ COO, Mark Deaney received a framed team shirt from the Field Gun representative which will be displayed proudly at the Company’s Portland site.
The Field Gun Team Competition
The Field Gun Competition is an annual event dating back to 1907 in which crews compete for the Brickwoods trophy. Initially only open to crews from the Portsmouth area. The competition is now open to crews from all three services around the world to compete in. The competition was designed to simulate the drill which would have been undertaken to bring a naval field gun into action.
The tradition stems from the Boer War in South Africa where in 1899, the Royal Navy moved naval guns to help relieve the Army during the epic 119-day siege of the British garrison at Ladysmith. Command field gun simulated moving a gun through difficult terrain and obstacles. However, this is no longer competed for. The modern version of the competition is competed over flat ground and involves numerous elements of drill. This includes the build and collapse of the ammunition carriage, swapping all four wheels and, lifting both the gun and ammunition carriage simultaneously before launching it forward.
All of this will be conducted along an 85-yard track with six crews to run out back and home in about 1min 18secs (if you are a good crew). HMS Heron are a highly competitive crew and have placed in the top three for the last four years. In 2025 the crew was comprised of Royal Navy and Army personnel additionally a large proportion of the crew were competing in field gun for the first time. Despite this, the crew finished third against some tough competition; this is testament to the drive and commitment of everyone involved
HeliOperations is delighted to sponsor HMS Heron for the Field Gun competition, representing the very best of team-work and tenacity in the Naval Service.