Converted units: WW2

Infantry to Searchlight, RA

4th Battalion The Queens Royal Regiment = 63rd Searchlight Regiment Royal Artillery

 

Infantry to R.A.C.

5th Battalion Kings Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster) = 107th Regiment R.A.C. (Kings Own)
1/5th Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers = 108th Regiment R.A.C. (Lancashire Fusiliers)
1/6th Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers = 109th Regiment R.A.C. (Lancashire Fusiliers)
5th Battalion Border Regiment = 110th Regiment R.A.C. (Border Regiment
5th Battalion Manchester Regiment = 111th Regiment R.A.C. (Manchester Regiment)
9th Battalion Sherwood Foresters = 112th Regiment R.A.C. (Foresters)
2/5th Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment = 113th Regiment R.A.C.
2/6th Battalion Duke of Wellington Regiment = 114th Regiment R.A.C.
2/7th Battalion Duke of Wellington Regiment = 115th Regiment R.A.C.
9th Battalion Gordon Highlanders = 116th Regiment R.A.C.
7th Battalion Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment) = 141st Regiment R.A.C.
7th Battalion Suffolk Regiment = 142nd (Suffolk) Regiment R.A.C.
9th Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers = 143rd Regiment R.A.C. (Lancashire Fusiliers)
8th Battalion East Lancashire Regiment = 144th Regiment R.A.C.
8th Battalion Duke of Wellington Regiment = 145th Regiment R.A.C. (8DWR)
9th Battalion Duke of Wellington Regiment = 146th Regiment R.A.C.
10th Battalion Hampshire Regiment = 147th Regiment R.A.C.
9th Battalion Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire) = 148th Regiment R.A.C.
7th Battalion Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry = 149th Regiment R.A.C.
10th Battalion York and Lancaster Regiment = 150th Regiment R.A.C.
10th Battalion Kings Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster) 151st Regiment R.A.C.
11th Battalion Lings Regiment (Liverpool) = 152nd Regiment R.A.C.
8th Battalion Essex Regiment = 153rd Regiment R.A.C.
9th Battalion North Staffordshire Regiment = 154th Regiment R.A.C.
15th battalion Durham Light Infantry = 155th Regiment R.A.C.
11th Battalion Highland Light Infantry = 156th Regiment R.A.C.
9th Battalion Hampshire Regiment = 157th Regiment R.A.C.
6th Battalion South Wales Borderers = 158th Regiment R.A.C.
10th Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment = 159th Regiment R.A.C.
9th Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment = 160th Regiment R.A.C.
12th Battalion Green Howards = 161st Regiment R.A.C.
9th Battalion Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment = 162nd Regiment R.A.C.
13th Battalion Sherwood Foresters = 163rd Regiment R.A.C.

 

The attached PDF file shows the state of the Territorial Army in 1922 after its reorganization following WWI and indicates all units that were converted to other arms between 1922 and 1939.

 

Here is a related document showing changes in the Territorial Army from 1914 to 1939.

 

Although both files do not truly fall into the WWII period, they indicate that conversion of arms was a continuous process even in the inter-war period, where armour and anti-aircraft defence became essential.

 

6th Battalion King's Shropshire Light Infantry - 181st Field Regiment Royal Artllery (March 1942)

7th Battalion King's Shropshire Light Infantry - 99th Anti-Tank Regiment Royal Artillery (Nov. 1942 - Dec.1943)

 

Regarding the SRY , Sgt Frank Hopewell 545597 , Palestine 30/1/40 then attached 17th Heavy Batty R.A. Then seems to end up on Special Duties away from the SRY in Ethiopia , where he dies of Malaria in 1944.

 

TA Infantry to Anti-Tank Regiment R.A.

4th Kings Own Royal Regiment - 56th Anti-Tank Regiment R.A. (Nov 1938)
4th Kings Own Royal Regiment - 66th Anti-Tank Regiment R.A. (June 1939)
5th East Surrey Regiment - 57th Anti-Tank Regiment R.A. (Nov 1938)
5th East Surrey Regiment - 67th Anti-Tank Regiment R.A. (June 1939)
4th Duke of Wellington Regiment - 58th Anti-Tank Regiment R.A. (Nov 1938)
4th Duke of Wellington Regiment - 68th Anti-Tank Regiment R.A. (June 1939)
6th Hampshire Regiment – 59th Anti-Tank Regiment R.A. (Nov 1938)
6th Hampshire Regiment – 69th Anti-Tank Regiment R.A. (June 1939)
5th Devonshire Regiment – 86th Anti-Tank Regiment R.A. (Nov 1941)
7th Devonshire Regiment – 87th Anti-Tank Regiment R.A. (Nov 1941)
2/9th Manchester Regiment - 88th Anti-Tank Regiment R.A. (Nov 1941)
2nd Liverpool Scottish - 89th Anti-Tank Regiment R.A. (Nov 1942)
5th Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders – 91st Anti-Tank Regiment R.A. (Nov 1941)
4th Gordon Highlanders – 92nd Anti-Tank Regiment R.A. (Nov 1941)
6th Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders – 93rd Anti-Tank Regiment R.A. (Nov 1941)
8th Gordon Highlanders – 100th Anti-Tank Regiment R.A. (Nov 1941)

T.A. Infantry to Light Anti-Aircraft R.A.

5th Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry – 53rd Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment R.A. (Nov 1938)
5th Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry – 57th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment R.A. (June 1939)
9th Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders – 54th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment R.A. (Nov 1938)
9th Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders - 58th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment R.A. (June 1939)

T.A. Infantry to Searchlight Regiment R.A.

4/5th Royal Scots - 52 Searchlight Regiment R.A. (Aug 1940)
5th Royal Northumberland Fusiliers - 53 Searchlight Regiment R.A. (Aug 1940)
1/5th Durham Light Infantry - 54 Searchlight Regiment R.A. (Aug 1940)
2/5th Durham Light Infantry - 55 Searchlight Regiment R.A. (Aug 1940)
5/8th Cameronians & City of Glasgow Regiment (H.L.I.) – 56 Searchlight Regiment R.A.
5/8th Cameronians & City of Glasgow Regiment (H.L.I.) – 57 Searchlight Regiment R.A.
9th Middlesex Regiment - 60 Searchlight Regiment R.A (Aug 1940)
5th South Lancashire Regiment - 61 Searchlight Regiment R.A (Nov 1938)
4th Loyal Regiment - 62 Searchlight Regiment R.A (Nov 1938)
4/5th Queens Royal Regiment – 63 Searchlight Regiment R.A (Aug 1940)
1/6th Essex Regiment - 64 Searchlight Regiment R.A (Aug 1940)
2/6th Essex Regiment - 65 Searchlight Regiment R.A (Aug 1940)
4th Gloucestershire Regiment - 66 Searchlight Regiment R.A (Aug 1940)
6th Welch Regiment - 67 Searchlight Regiment R.A (Aug 1940)
1st Monmouthshire Regiment – 68 Searchlight Regiment R.A (Aug 1940)

T.A. Infantry to Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment R.A.
7th Highland Light Infantry – 83rd Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment R.A. (Nov 1938)

 

Does anyone have any information regarding the conversion of 264nd Battallion, 66th Anti-Tank Regiment to Infantry? (I believe it may have been to 2/5 Leicester Regiment).

Thanks,

Vitellino

 

is this only British Army units? I have an example of two, if not three South African Air Force units converting from Light AA to Infantry etc in 1944.

 

The 66th Anti-Tank Regiment, RA was formed just before the start of the war in 1939, when the Territorial Army was doubled. It was formed from the 56th (King's Own) Anti-Tank Regiment, RA, which had been formed from the 4th King's Own Royal Regiment, TA in November 1938. The 66th had the 261st to 264th Anti-Tank Batteries. In recognition to its connection to the King's Own, it added the title (King's Own) on February 17th, 1942. There is no indication that 264th Battery ever left the regiment.

 

I don't think this is correct.

I can't find them in the Royal Regiment's "Between the Inter Wars" volume. The SRY's own website and wikipedia entry both say they remained horsed cavalry until 1941 when they became RAC.

The Sherwood Rangers are not the same as the South Notts Hussars, a famed Gunner Yeomanry unit,

 

Lots of infantry and Yeomanry were converted to Gunners between 1918 and 1945. There is a lot more detail on the RA 1939-45 Website

Some Yeomanry Regiments retained the Horse designation as Regiments of the RHA - ball buttons, and assumptions of technical superiority etc - presumably on the base of seniority within the Yeomanry.

104 Royal Horse Artillery (Essex Yeomanry) (TA) was converted from 104 (Essex Yeomanry) Field Brigade RA (TA) in November 1938
106 Royal Horse Artillery (Lancashire Yeomanry) (TA) was converted from 106 (Lancashire Yeomanry) Field Brigade RA (TA) in November 1938
107 Royal Horse Artillery (South Nottinghamshire Hussars Yeomanry) (TA) was converted from 107 (South Nottinghamshire Hussars Yeomanry) Field Brigade RA (TA) in November 1938
The following were initilaly regarded as RHA - but unhorsed as Field mid war.
147 RHA (Essex Yeomanry) (TA)
149 RHA (Lancashire Yeomanry) (TA)
150 RHA (South Nottinghamshire Hussars Yeomanry) (TA)

A bunch of Yeomanry became Field Regiments in the 1920s - i.e. the Royal Ordinary Artillery, possibly the junior Yeomanry.
86 (East Anglian)(Herts Yeomanry) Field Regiment RA (TA)
94 (Queens Own Dorset Yeomanry) Field Regiment RA (TA)
96 (Royal Devon Yeomanry) Field Regiment RA (TA)
97 (Kent Yeomanry) Field Regiment RA (TA)
98 (Surrey & Sussex Yeomanry, Queen Mary’s) Field Regiment RA (TA)
99 (Royal Bucks Yeomanry) Field Regiment RA (TA)
102 (Pembroke & Cardiganshire) Field Regiment RA (TA)
105 (Bedfordshire Yeomanry) Field Regiment RA (TA)
135 (East Anglian)(Herts Yeomanry) Field Regiment RA (TA) (duplicate of 86 Fd)
141 (Queen’s Own Dorset Yeomanry) Field Regiment RA (TA) (duplicate of 94 Fd)
142 (Royal Devon Yeomanry) Field Regiment RA (TA)(duplicate of 96 Fd)
143 (Kent Yeomanry) Field Regiment RA (TA)(duplicate of 97 Fd)
144 (Surrey & Sussex Yeomanry, Queen Mary’s) Field Regiment RA (TA) (duplicate of 98 Fd)
145 (Berkshire Yeomanry) Field Regiment RA (TA) (duplicate of 99 Fd)
146 (Pembroke & Cardiganshire) Field Regiment RA (TA)(duplicate of 102 Fd)

More Yeomanry became field Gunners in 1939-41
147 (Essex Yeomanry) Field Regiment RA (TA)
148 (Bedfordshire Yeomanry) Field Regiment RA (TA)
149 (Lancashire Yeomanry) Field Regiment RA (TA)
150 (South Nottinghamshire Hussars Yeomanry) Field Regiment RA (TA)
151 (Ayrshire Yeomanry) Field Regiment RA (TA)
152 (Ayrshire Yeomanry) Field Regiment RA (TA)
153 (Leicestershire Yeomanry) Field Regiment RA (TA)
154 (Leicestershire Yeomanry) Field Regiment RA (TA)
155 (Lanarkshire Yeomanry) Field Regiment RA (TA)
156 (Lanarkshire Yeomanry) Field Regiment RA (TA)

A bunch of infantry battalions were converted into field artillery mid war
180 Field Regiment RA was formed mainly from 8 Battalion The North Staffordshire Regiment in March 1942
181 Field Regiment RA was formed mainly from 6 Battalion King’s Shropshire Light Infantry in March 1942
182 Field Regiment RA was formed from Other Ranks of 12 Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment in February 1942
184 Field Regiment RA was formed mainly from 14 Battalion The King’s Regiment (Liverpool) in March 1942.
191 (Hertfordshire & Essex Yeomanry) Field Regiment RA was formed from personnel in 86 & 147 Field Regiments in December 1942

Lots more detail on Units - The Royal Artillery 1939-45Units - The Royal Artillery 1939-45

 

The Sherwood Rangers did indeed serve as artillery. The regiment went to the Middle East as horse cavalry but was reassigned to the artillery role and manned coastal guns during the battle of Crete (contributing two batteries which served under 15th Coast Regiment) and the first siege of Tobruk. The unit only converted to armor later. Unlike other yeomanry units which served as gunners the regiment never seems to have received an official RA designation. Some Tobruk orders of battle list the Sherwood Rangers as "Notts Yeomanry," thus leading to confusion with the South Notts Hussars (107th RHA).

 

This looks like a temporary campaign expedient. There were plenty of occasions that artillery or armour served as infantry,