The attached letter written in September 1941 setting up the site for a Ack-Ack site at Eastrop near Highworth. Can anyone tell me what unit was being formed and any history ?
on the map no unit though Map of Heavy Anti-Aircraft gun sites in England, Scotland and Wales your thread here HAA Anti Aircraft Batterys at HIGHWORTH & BLUNSDON regards Clive
During the autumn of 1942, 143rd (M) HAA Rgt and its two remaining batteries (494 and 495) were the only units in 67 AA Bde. The South Coast was under attack from 'hit-and-run' raids by fighter-bombers and brigade HQ was transferred on 8 November command LAA reinforcements being sent to the area. 143rd (M) HAA Regiment and the Gloucester–Cheltenham Gun Defence Area (GDA) then came under the command of 46 AA Bde at Bristol. The commanding officer (CO) of 143rd undertook the duties of AA Defence Commander (AADC) for the GDA from his RHQ at Badgeworth Court between Gloucester and Cheltenham, with a Gun Operations Room (GOR) at Gloucester. The regiment was joined by 589 (M) HAA Bty, formed at 205th HAA Training Rgt, Arborfield, on 19 August and regimented on 9 November; this battery took over gunsites at Swindon. 143rd (Mixed) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery - Wikipedia
This looks like a copy record of letters/messages sent regarding the takeover of gun sites and provision of accommodation for the gunners and Troop HQ. I am somewhat confused by the thread title and subsequent comments on HAA when the letters clearly refer to A Troop of B Battery of a LAA Regiment. They may have been deployed in support of HAA but there is no indication that this is the case. My inclination for a way forward would be to try and establish which LAA Regiment had it's HQ or B Battery HQ at (what looks like) Beckett House, Shrivenham in Sep 41. If the Regiment can be found then the War Diary or RA Data sheet should provide the answer to the questions. Tim
I'm not 100% sure which AA Division would have covered Swindon but would probably start with 8AA Div and the diary WO166/ 2190. That may detail the move this letter refers to or it would record the A Brigades under it's command and they could well have the detail that would then narrow this down to a regiment and batteries and hopefully they will have a diary that would give a tie up to the letter.
Good evening Bala. Eastrop farm at Highworth still has a bunker in one of their fields and I remember a old guy telling me that search lights where placed on a high ridge a couple of fields away ,when the lockdown is over I will go and ask the farmer about it as it’s been in the same hands from the time of the war .It also had Italian POWs
That’s all very interesting about Highworth will as my Mother about it all but she was only bout four at the time , there was 6foot stockade type fencing not that long ago next to Wickstead farm on Eastdrop farm land, the search lights were on a ridge along fresden lane as kids we found broken radios in the hedgerows up there, will let you know what ever I find out
Thank you Brian. Very interesting. Could you mark possibly mark up a map to indicate where the searchlights and fences were located? Best wishes
