Artillerymen Celebrate the Second of May

Artillery units wore full dress throughout Spain to celebrate their holiday: the Second of May, which commemorates the heroic defence of Monteleón Park by Captain Luis Daoíz and Captain Pedro Velarde, at the beginning of the Spanish War of Independence.  To this end, commemorative events were held at all those sites having this Fundamental Speciality’s units.

In the case of Spain’s capital, the events coincided with the Madrid Autonomous Community’s holiday, which also commemorates the popular uprising by Madrid residents against Napoleon’s troops.  The Puerta del Sol square was the venue for a civic-military parade, presided over by the 71st Anti-aircraft Artillery Regiment’s Colour.  As well as personnel from this unit, the Army Base Department Band participated.

The president of the Madrid Autonomous Community, Ms. Esperanza Aguirre, and the capital’s mayor, Mr. Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón, placed a laurel wreath before the plaque that commemorates all those who, on that bloody day, gave their lives for Spain.  The director of the Army Base Department, General Álvarez-Espejo, was also in attendance.  Another similar wreath was placed in memory of the victims of the 11th March 2004 terrorist attacks.  The ceremony concluded with a parade, in which three 71st Anti-aircraft Artillery Regiment vehicles took part, two of them equipped with Mistral missiles. In the afternoon a military retreat was carried out, with the intervention of the King’s Immemorial 1st Infantry Regiment, the Paratroops Brigade and the 22nd Signals Regiment.

Other Celebrations

Numerous commemorative events were undertaken in other parts of Spain, such as those led by the other regiments making up the Anti-aircraft Artillery Command.  These events took place in cities such as Zaragoza (72nd Anti-aircraft Artillery Regiment), Cartagena (73rd Anti-aircraft Artillery Regiment), Seville (74th Anti-aircraft Artillery Regiment) and Valencia (81st Anti-aircraft Artillery Regiment). The Artillery Academy also commemorated the event, in Segovia, and the 93rd Field Artillery Regiment, in La Laguna (Santa Cruz de Tenerife), as well as the artillery units in Ceuta –birthplace of Lieutenant Jacinto Ruiz, another of the heroes of that day- and Melilla.

In turn, the Field Artillery Command carried out its own tribute to Captain Daoíz and Captain Velarde on Base "Conde de Gazola", in Ferral del Bernesga (León). The celebration was presided over by the commander of the 63rd Field Artillery Command, Colonel Francisco J. Farfán, and during this there was special remembrance of Staff Sergeant Enrique Veigas, who lost his life in an accident which took place in Bosnia-Herzegovina in 1996. To be precise, the plaque commemorating his death has been repatriated from the Balkans and installed on the base. The ceremony was attended by his widow and the Staff Sergeant’s son.  Also celebrating the Second of May were the 62nd Rocket Launcher Field Artillery Regiment in Astorga (León), and the 11th Field Artillery Regiment, in Castrillo del Val (Burgos).