War Diaries for 69 Anti Tank Regiment

Discussion in 'Royal Artillery' started by charge, Aug 29, 2016.

  1. charge

    charge Junior Member

    Before ordering war diaries I’d like help deciphering a Regimental title, can anybody assist?

    War diaries for 69th Anti Tank Regiment, between 25/8/1941 and 22/9/1943, are a little thin on the ground. Those I’ve found are:

    WO 166/1641
    ROYAL ARTILLERY: ANTI-TANK REGIMENTS: 69 Anti-Tank Regiment. 1939 Aug.-1941 Dec.

    WO 166/7098
    ROYAL ARTILLERY: ANTI-TANK REGIMENTS: 69 Regiment. 1942 Jan., Feb.

    WO 172/2275
    Anti-Tank Regiments: 69 A.A. A.Tk. Regt. 1943 Jan-Sept

    Question: Is the last one, with the extra A.A., the same regiment as the other two with Anti Aircraft added to its target?

    Cheers, Kevin
     
  2. PsyWar.Org

    PsyWar.Org Archive monkey

    Kevin, I'm sure it is the correct diary but you can double check the CO matches the previous diary to be sure, for instance.

    You're missing WO 172/711 which covers the rest of 1942.

    Lee
     
    dbf likes this.
  3. dryan67

    dryan67 Senior Member

    This may help:


    69th Anti-Tank Regiment, R.A. (T.A.)

    HQ, 273rd-276th Btys: Gosport


    The regiment served under 45th Infantry Division from the outbreak of war until 11 February 1942 in the United Kingdom. It was mobilized near Petersfield and Havant. On 21 May, 275th Battery was sent to Boulogne where it fought from 22-23 May under 20th (Guards) Brigade. 273rd Battery left on 23 July 1941 and 276th Battery left on 22 September 1941. On 12 October 1941, 285th Battery was added along with 292nd Battery, which was formed at Kirkee Barracks, Colchester on 28 July 1941. The title (Duke of Connaught’s-Hampshire) was added on 17 February 1942.

    It was then sent to India and arrived on 23 May 1942. It immediately moved to Bangalore and joined 19th Indian Infantry Division. 285th Battery was attached to 98th Indian Infantry Brigade, 274th to 62nd Indian Infantry Brigade, and 275th to 64th Indian Infantry Brigade. 292nd Battery remained with the RHQ under the division.

    The regiment was redesignated 69th Light AA/Anti-Tank Regiment on 15 July 1943 with 285th and 292nd Anti-Tank Batteries and 132nd and 523rd Light AA Batteries. It then came under command of 70th Infantry Division at Bangalore with this organization on 6 August 1943. The regiment disbanded on 30 September 1943 and was formed into an infantry group.

    On 18 October 1943 it was amalgamated with 51st Field Regiment to form 51st/69th Regiment, RA (TA) which formed 51 and 69 Columns of 16th Infantry Brigade. The regiment moved into Burma with the brigade on 27 January 1944 and returned to India on 7 May 1944.

    It stayed with the brigade until 28 October 1944. The units lapsed into suspended animation on 14 October 1944 and became a RA regiment at the same time.
     
  4. charge

    charge Junior Member

    Thanks Lee,
    Of course, just match up the CO another diary, so simple when you know how.

    And thanks again for finding the missing diary, you must have tried a few search combinations as I've no idea what I was doing wrong.

    Kevin
     
  5. charge

    charge Junior Member


    Thank you so much dryan67,

    You've filled in quite a few gaps in my Dad's Army record. He died in June this year, aged 97 and was unable to remember much details of his soldiering years.

    e.g. He could never remember the title of his battery. I asked him many times over the years but he just couldn't find that much detail. If I can pinpoint his battery I'll know where he was throughout the war.

    Where did you find so much information? If you have a book about the regiment I may be able to source a copy.

    Kevin
     
  6. Enigma1003

    Enigma1003 Member

    Kevin.
    Do you know if your Dad signed up initially with the 6th Hampshire Regiment ?
    My F-in-L was also in the 69th A/T when they converted. They probably trained together.
    If you know it, post his service number and we can see if its a Hampshire or an RA. However, 'Dad' then moved to the 59th and then the 80th so ended up in Singapore, so they would not have seen action together.

    (Was it the 69th who were known as the Black Cats ?)

    Mike

    Added:
    Kevin, I can see the answer to this after reading through your post "Honouring an old soldier" .. God Bless him.
    I can see the answer is that he was always a Gunner.
    Mike
     
    Last edited: Aug 30, 2016
  7. PsyWar.Org

    PsyWar.Org Archive monkey

    My search was "69 artillery" using my online war diary search engine. This search will also bring up the LAA, HAA diaries as well.

    I guess you included "tank" in your search? The missed diary description has 'tank' abbreviated to "tk" in Discovery and also in my search engine. I will update mine to change 'tk' to 'tank'.
     
  8. charge

    charge Junior Member

    As you discovered Mike, no my Father didn't join the 6th Hampshires and, although they were both with the 69th A/T, their paths never crossed.
    Kevin
     
  9. oldbaldy

    oldbaldy Junior Member

    My late father in law was with 51/69 from Oct 1943 but he was attached 2DWR, part of 23 Brigade.
     

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