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Should Britain Bring Back the Royal Tournament and Field Gun Competition?

Phil Campion Unfiltered

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Should Britain Bring Back the Royal Tournament and Field Gun Competition?

For more than a century, the Royal Tournament and its iconic Field Gun Competition stood as one of Britain’s greatest military traditions. It wasn’t just a show, it was raw graft, teamwork, discipline and identity on full display in front of tens of thousands at Earls Court. Then, in 1999, one decision wiped it out. Budgets were cut, priorities shifted and 120 years of history disappeared overnight.

In this Tactical Truth episode, SAS veteran Big Phil Campion breaks down exactly what the Royal Tournament meant to the Forces and why its loss still hits a nerve today. He digs into how the event bonded units, inspired recruits, energised morale and showcased the true spirit of British military culture. From the brutal precision of the Field Gun runs to the inter-service rivalry that drove standards higher every year, Phil explains why nothing has ever replaced it, not in scale, not in spirit and not in impact.

We explore why it was cancelled, what the Forces lost when it ended and whether Britain in 2026 should seriously consider bringing it back. Phil looks at how a revived Royal Tournament could lift morale, boost recruitment, restore tradition, rebuild public engagement and put Army, Navy, RAF and Marines shoulder-to-shoulder in a way the country hasn’t seen for decades. He also tackles the challenges, the cost, the logistics, the risk and asks whether those obstacles are reasons to avoid it or reasons to rebuild it better.

This is Tactical Truth, where we cut through nostalgia, noise and politics and focus on what really matters: identity, culture and the future of the Forces. If you served, competed or remember the roar of Earls Court, jump into the comments and share your photos and stories. Let’s see how many people want this back.

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00:00 Introduction
01:00 Reaction
08:52 Summary

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20 Comments

@mikel6517 9 months ago

100 % yes if it’s done exactly the same

@DevilbyMoonlight 9 months ago

It should never have been stopped!

@jimrussell9012 9 months ago

The Royal Tournament at Earl’s Court was bloody awesome, travelling to & from on the tubes as a kid was an adventure in itself

@daveleah777 9 months ago

After finishing a year as a junior soldier and just before being sent to battalion (2RGJ) I did Arena party 1985, 4 weeks of hard work!

@Faithforcefrontlines 9 months ago

Me,me old man used to love watching it us both having served

@peckelhaze6934 9 months ago

I can imagine them dressed in hi-vis jackets and hard hats with H&S on the side lines.

@Axispaw1 9 months ago

It was precisely these kinds of events and competitions that helped distinguish and elevate British forces above their counterparts worldwide. It should unquestionably be brought back.

@Cam-r4i7f 9 months ago

I went to the Royal Tournament as a kid. Sadly that Great Britain has gone.

@frames_on_tour 9 months ago (edited)

As an ex Matelot i must say the Royal Tornament was a great showcase and moral builder to not only those serving and those who had served but also an great advert to those who wished to apply to the forces. It was simply the British Military show at its best....

Gives me goose bumps just watching it after all these years..

@ednigma6526 9 months ago

In a word, yes. Not an updated version, not a version for a 'modern audience', just the blood, sweat and grit of the original.

@yan24to 9 months ago (edited)

I went to the Royal tournament in 1974 with my father, brilliant watching the field gun teams in action.

@LowtherPm6 9 months ago

63 years old now. My father took me to the tournament when I was about 10. I loved it and will never forget the excitement I had, and the the whole crowd. Fully engaging for every minute. It was REAL. The blood from injuries, the sweat and sheer exhaustion spoke volumes of how those men put their all into lumping those bloody big guns and full kit from a to b. The marching and sounds of the band, everything. A feeling of enormous pride weld inside me, AS A 10 YEAR OLD. We need this back again, for the public and the services.

@thelairdmc 9 months ago

I would love the tough guys on the street try this, today. I am truly proud of RM.

@GeoffreyBlaber 3 months ago

The Royal tournament was something that inspired me to join the TA back in the day and for all the reasons you have stated it should absolutely be brought back.
It represented a unique shop window for public to engage with the armed forces and ask questions as well as providing a public platform where people can openly show appreciation for our armed forces face to face.

@lindsayheyes925 9 months ago

Watching this was an annual event in my family - and my sister-in-law's husband competed in it. Coupled with the history of its origin, it is exemplary of the grit of our armed forces, and illustrated that the Royal Navy was expected to get to the fight on land as well as at sea - with cutlass in teeth. It was a great recruiter.

@bnchand1 9 months ago

I used to love watching the as a kid. One year I remember this guy split his head open, seconds later the doc runs on staples his head shut and the race continues. I was in awe of these guys and how tough they are!

@crabbymedic1 9 months ago

Never forget my Dad waking my brother & I up to go & watch it on the TV. Then went to see it live. Was amazing. Bring it back!!

@Guy-ns1hk 9 months ago

My Dad used to call for us boys to watch it when it came on the TV. You could the feel the skill, history, and pride of the British military. Stopped under Tony Blair, tells you everything.