In addition to the artillery pieces deployed by the Royal Artillery, every member of the Regiment has also carried personal weapons to defend themselves and their gun position, and our collection includes examples of most types used over the last 300 years. The firearms range from early matchlock muskets and pistols to modern self-loading rifles, while the bladed weapons include swords (which retain an important ceremonial role in the Regiment), knives, daggers, bayonets and polearms.
Alongside the personal weapons used by the Royal Artillery, there are many pieces from around the world that have been acquired as gifts or presentations to notable Gunners, or which have been captured in battle by the Regiment. Of particular interest are two muskets and a pistol deposited at the museum in 1822 by master gunmaker Ezekial Baker on behalf of the Duke of Wellington, and a number of exceptional swords collected by Field Marshall Alanbrooke.
