Behind the Bang!
A matross’s reflection on legacy and camaraderie
by Monika Tkocz-Huck
Monika fires a Parliamentarian cannon at Much Marcle in 2024. Photo by Archie Wilde
The weekend’s over, the last major event of the year, and I’m still hearing the echo of it — not just the boom of the guns but the hum of memory, laughter and shared purpose. Our old girl, Lady Ann, has been restored to her former glory. After 14 years of silence, she fired again, manned by a new crew, she issued smoke rings like she had never stopped.I wasn’t working on her this time — previous commitments had me elsewhere — but I was there. I saw her fire. I heard the “huzzah”. And I felt the significance.
Lady Ann isn’t just a gun, she’s the one I first fired back in 2005 during my initial artillery training under two great captains, who taught me the art of gunnery with patience and precision.
The refurnished Lady Ann with her crew: (L-R) Kevin, John, Gun Captain Scott, Amanda, Dave, and Rachel
She is named after the late Ann Tomlinson, wife of the late Mike Tomlinson — a long-serving gun captain who introduced me to this world. They raised their children in the Sealed Knot’s extended family and they now, in their turn, serve the society with their experience and hard work. It was Mike who passed the bug to me, and I’ve been passing it on ever since.
Watching Scott, our newly qualified gun captain, take the helm was special. He said that after years of trying different arms and roles the gun crew made him feel whole. That hit home and many were nodding in agreement. It’s a feeling many gunners know — that sense of being part of something bigger, something grounded and real.
For many years my SK card simply read “civilian” but when it was changed to “artillery” I was overjoyed. That allocation gave me a sense of belonging to the group more than anything before. It allowed me to say I am part of something I recognise as part of me; the part of the SK I enjoy.
@english.civil.war In a very emotional moment, our regiment’s cannon – The Lady Ann – returned to the battlefield for the first time in 14 years. Named after the much missed wife of our former gun captain and CO, Mick Tomlinson, who sadly passed away this year, she has been brought back into use by a dedicated crew, returning our regiment to its full three arms – musket, pike, and cannon. It was a joy to see her blazing away in the heat at @Bennetts Willow Barn Worcester as we recreated the Sieges of Worcester! #history #reenactment #englishcivilwar #battle #HistoryTok
I wasn’t raised in any meaningful awareness of British history or had any awareness of the Sealed Knot. I am Polish. To me the important battles had happened on Polish soil, even when we consider the 17th Century. Poland was engaged in multiple conflicts with Sweden, Russia, the Ottoman Empire, as well as internal uprisings.
It was the SK that helped me appreciate the impact of British mercenaries across Europe at this time, especially Scots and English Royalists looking for employment after the Civil War, using their knowledge of siege warfare, cavalry tactics, and musketry.
Artillery work in the Sealed Knot is its own world. We’re often tucked away from the public, behind battle lines, away from the main body of the army. It’s not neglect — it’s necessity. We need time to position, set up, and sometimes honour late friends. Its during those designated pre-battle displays that ashes of departed Knotters are fired from the guns, fulfilling last wishes and celebrating lifelong commitment. Assisting with that is a privilege. It’s not just ceremony — it’s legacy.
That separation from the crowd fosters a kind of camaraderie you don’t find elsewhere. We support each other fiercely — checking safety, sharing jokes, and raising glasses after the battle in quiet appreciation. There’s a rhythm to it. A trust. A shared language of nods, estures, and the occasional muttered bloody wind’s shifted again”.
Being a gunner means hastily eating lunch next to the battlefield, getting dirty from the gunpowder and blowback, and singed skin on your face from the heat. It means always having dirty clothes. It also means the satisfaction of a job well done, the “oohs” and “ohs” from the crowd, and the twinkle in the eye of all the gunners when we celebrate another gun captain getting their licence.
Working on the gun gives another benefit. From our position we see the whole battle, we see the regiments move, how they change positions, how they transition from one side of the field to the other, we watch cavalry move dynamically across the field, and we watch for an opening in the space in front of us to ensure we can fire safely.
Photo by Ruth Lochrie
Many say watching events unfurl from our perspective helps with better understanding of the energy of the battle and that can be used in design ng the scripts for future battles. We often feel that all officers should work on the gun at least once. It can be so helpful to develop further skills, building additional awareness for challenges on the battlefield.
Working a gun is more than muscle. It demands attention to detail, sharp observation, clear communication, and flexibility. Each person on the crew has a role to play and the responsibilities are carefully shared out among the team. There are several tools used to work the gun, keeping it going and avoiding any misfires or hung-fires. You need to read the moment, adapt, and keep everyone safe — crew and public alike. And when it all comes together, when the ram’s done well, the touch hole flares, and the barrel erupts in fire and smoke … it’s magic. The noise, the heat, the smoke rings — they’re not just for show. They’re the punctuation marks of our craft.
Lady Ann’s return is more than a technical achievement. It’s a reminder of who we are, where we’ve come from, and why we keep showing up. For the bang, yes, but also for the bond. As the end of another season fast approaches, we had another chance to work together on Lady Ann in September, which was a fantastic culmination. Chance for the new crew to build a good habit to last us until the new season begins.
For us, Manchester’s Foot, this means waiting until January, when we gather for a training weekend and blow off some cobwebs, refresh techniques and start a new tradition built on decades of examples and heroes.
This article originally appeared in Orders of the Day, the official magazine of the Sealed Knot, in December 2025 and is reproduced with kind permission of Monika Tkocz-Huck