Unknown Units/Regiments in LAA Royal Artillery

Discussion in 'Royal Artillery' started by Rob Purser, May 5, 2019.

  1. Rob Purser

    Rob Purser Member

    Hi everyone. I hope I am in the right place to get some help with my queries.

    I am researching my grandfather's time in the LAA RA in WW2 and have attached the records I received from the MoD. He was Robert George Purser.

    As far as I can make out from his service records he enlisted in the Territorial Army on 16 January 1941 and was posted to 224 LAA Trg Rgt RA as a gunner at Aberystwyth.

    After that his postings are shown as follows:

    11 April 1941 – 9th LAA ( I am unable to read what follows this but it is something like p?ae camp posted)

    12 December 1941 – Y List

    18 February 1942 – 9th LAA

    December 1942 – 95 Rgt C Bty Depot 3

    7 January 1943 – embarked for North Africa

    17 January 1943 – disembarked X List IV

    4 May 1944 – 33/11 LAA R

    6 August 1945 – 65 Unit attached to transit camp

    25 September 1945 – Ceased to be attached to 65 group on expiration of leave

    8 December 1945 – Release Y List (E)

    10 December 1945 – 10 March 1946 – leave granted

    11 March 1946 – Released to class Z(T)

    Class A release


    I wrote to the Royal Artillery Museum who were not able to identify a couple of units/regiments listed in the attached. They did not have anything about a 9 LAA (11 April 1941 - 18 February 1942), did not recognise the C Bty, 95 Regt RA, Depot 3 (December 1942) and did not recognise 65 Unit (August 1945).

    I am hoping that someone may be able to shed some light on these gaps.

    I also notice that when he landed in North Africa in January 1943 he was on an X list IV and there is no more detail until 4 May 1944 when he joined 33/11. I am wondering why the gap?

    I look forward to hearing from anyone.

    Regards,

    Rob
     

    Attached Files:

  2. Buteman

    Buteman 336/102 LAA Regiment (7 Lincolns), RA

    Can you post a copy of every single sheet? There should be more and might help. He was obviously fully fit when demobbed in March 1946. (Same date and classification as my Dad.)
     
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  3. Rob Purser

    Rob Purser Member

    Hi Ramacal,

    I tried to upload the full set but at 13 Mb I wasn't able to. I need to try and see how to compress the file.

    I might have to do it over several posts if I can't do it in one go.

    Rob
     
  4. hutt

    hutt Member

    For 33 Bty, 11 LAA you need WO170/1255 from the National Archives Kew. I would hazard a guess that in May 44 they would have been on Adriatic side of Italy. I have the diary of 1532 LAA Rgt Platoon, RASC for that period and it records they were supplying 31 Bty 11th LAA (among other) at the beginning of the year. They were based at Fossacessia.
     
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  5. dryan67

    dryan67 Senior Member

    There was no 9th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RA in WWII but there was a 9th Light Anti-Aircraft Battery, RA. 10th Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RA was raised in Gibraltar on December 30, 1939 with 9th and 10th Heavy AA Batteries and 3rd Searchlight Battery. The regiment was disbanded on Gibraltar on November 12, 1940 and reformed in Malta on the same date with the same batteries. 9th Heavy Anti-Aircraft Battery was converted to 9th Light Anti-Aircraft Battery on March 10, 1941 and left the regiment on May 25, 1941 for 13th Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RA, which was located back on Gibraltar. The regiment was disbanded there on December 10, 1942.

    It appears unlikely that this is the 9th LAA referred to in the service record. He was first posted to 224th Light Anti-Aircraft Training Regiment, RA, which was based at Aberystwyth. After that to 9th LAA P/Camp. I am not sure what P/Camp is but it may be a Practice Camp before being posted to an active unit. After 9th LAA P/Camp, he is posted to 95th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RA, which was based in Inverness. This was followed by a Depot (C Battery) posting until he was sent to North Africa January 7, 1943 to join 11th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RA, which was the Corps LAA regiment attached to V Corps.
     
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  6. dryan67

    dryan67 Senior Member

    I am most certain now that it was 9th Light Anti-Aircraft Practice Camp (also the abbreviation for mentioned is probably "prac"). I am not sure where it was located but I have identified No. 16 AA Practice Camp at Clacton-on-Sea in 1943. More than likely 9th LAA Practice Camp would also be situated by the sea or in some remote area where shell-fall would not present a problem as the newly training gunners practiced for the first time.
     
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  7. timuk

    timuk Well-Known Member

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  8. hutt

    hutt Member

    I have the 11 LAA diary for 43 plus other diaries for 22 AA Brigade that mention them. I can see a number of references to 33 Battery.
     
  9. Rob Purser

    Rob Purser Member

    Thank you for that Dryan67. The Royal Artillery museum said he probably embarked to NA from Clyde so that would all make sense. That also explains the “prac” entry.
     
  10. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

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  11. Rob Purser

    Rob Purser Member

    Thanks Dryan67. Excuse my ignorance but what is the Corps LAA Rgt and the V Corps.
     
  12. dryan67

    dryan67 Senior Member

    Each division had its own Light AA Regiment. In addition each Corps (a collection of divisions) had a Light AA Regiment assigned for protection of Corps assets.
     
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  13. dryan67

    dryan67 Senior Member

    Tim:

    Thanks for the clarification on 9th LAA Practice Camp. I often forget the great resource that exists in Royal Artillery 1939-45 website. My automated response is to grab for Frederick's lineage books and Practice Camps are not listed there.
     
  14. hutt

    hutt Member

    11 LAA certainly went from the Clyde in late November 42 having been in Scotland as part of the Dryshod exercises. They were at Linlathen House, Broughty Ferry in August 42. Telephone Number (if you need to call them) Broughty Ferry 7763. :bye:. However, although your Grandfather seems to have followed a little later, sailing from the Clyde is a distinct possibility. It should be possible to match the dates in his record with convoy sailings that would confirm or refute this.
     
  15. SteveDee

    SteveDee Well-Known Member

    Although these convoys left for North Africa from the Clyde, your grandfather may have boarded in Liverpool, then sailed up to Scotland to join the other ships, before heading out west into the Atlantic; Sergeant ACK-ACK: Operation Torch convoys
     
  16. bofors

    bofors Senior Member

    HI

    Post the service records singly, then people can reply to each one as needed.

    regards

    Robert
     
  17. dryan67

    dryan67 Senior Member

    Rob:

    In further response regarding a Corps Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, I have attached an Order of Battle for V Corps on December 11, 1943 showing 11th Light AA Regiment.
     

    Attached Files:

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  18. Rob Purser

    Rob Purser Member

    This page 1 of 10 pages of my grandfather's military records.
     

    Attached Files:

  19. Rob Purser

    Rob Purser Member

    The rest of the pages are not loading as they are still too big singularly. Will look at doing it a different way if I can.
     
  20. timuk

    timuk Well-Known Member

    Minor point. It is not to Depot 3 - 3 is part of the date ie: 3.12.42. As Dryan67 has pointed out it is a posting to C Battery Depot.

    Tim
     

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