15 Anti Aircraft Brigade RA, 125 (Cameronians) Light Anti Aircraft Regiment RA

Discussion in 'Royal Artillery' started by Bluebell Minor, Jan 14, 2013.

  1. Bluebell Minor

    Bluebell Minor Junior Member

    Help please

    Historical Steve and I appear to have hit a brick wall regarding information on these two units

    I believe the Brigade was in the Friesland area of North West Germany in Summer/Autumn 1946 but can find virtually no authorative information on the Brigade history or the Gunner units under command

    Similarly there is virtually nothing on 125 LAA Regt RA

    I know that it was formed in Glasgow in 1938 by the reroling of the TA Infantry 5/8 CAMERONIANS to form 56 (Cameronians) Searchlight Regiment RA and it was reroled, reorganised to form 125 (Cameronians) Light Anti Aircraft Regiment RA in February 1942. It could have been part of 15 Artillery? Anti Aircraft? Brigade in 1946

    Again there appears to be virtually nothing on the internet regarding its subsequent wartime operational role and deployment other than it might have been part of an immediately post war BAOR based Artillery Brigade

    I hope to visit Kew in the near future and obviously need to do some basic homework prior to this. I would be most grateful for any further info, however small, to aid my detailed studies.
     
  2. dryan67

    dryan67 Senior Member

    5th Battalion, The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)(56th Searchlight Regiment) (T.A.)

    52nd Anti-Aircraft Brigade – 3 September 1939 to 1 August 1940
    The battalion was located at Glasgow at the outbreak of war with the 417th to 419th Companies. It became the 56th (Glasgow) Searchlight Regiment, Royal Artillery on August 1st, 1940.

    Service as Royal Artillery
    The regiment was still under the command of the 52nd AA Brigade in February 1941. The 535th Battery served under command from February 11th, 1941 until January 23rd, 1942. The 357th Battery joined on January 23rd, 1942. On February 18th, 1942 the regiment was converted to the 125th Light AA Regiment, R.A. (Cameronians) (T.A.) with the 414th and the 417th to 419th Batteries. The 414th Battery left on October 3rd, 1942. The regiment was serving in the Gold Beach area by June 25th, 1944 under the 76th AA Brigade. On September 4th, the 1944 it moved to the Seine River crossing under 80th AA Brigade and then returned to the 76th AA Brigade in the Amiens/Somme area on September 22nd, 1944. It moved to Boulogne with the brigade on September 23rd and then to Dunkirk under the 107th AA Brigade on October 19th. It was withdrawn from there on November 1st and moved to Scheldt North under the 76th AA Brigade. It remained there until the end of the war.
     
  3. Bluebell Minor

    Bluebell Minor Junior Member

    dryan 67

    Thank you very much for this very informative reply, very helpful and a useful start to my quest at Kew.
     
  4. dryan67

    dryan67 Senior Member

    Good luck.
     
  5. stewarty076

    stewarty076 Member

    OMGG!!! I have recently posted up on here about my G Granddad being infront of a door with the R.A isignia on it with SUB SEC 3-417 BATTERY, the story goes that he was too old to go off to war so was part of home guard and that he had been part of the search lighters on the forth.... can you get any other nfo on this please, I'd love to b able to show my dad and my uncles anything that you can share. I have tried to find out info on him and the unit he was with but to no avail..

    Kindest Regards
    Gillian
     
  6. clark136

    clark136 Junior Member

    Sorry to jump somewhat on this post (and tell me to clear off and start my own by all means :)) but i have just received my grandfathers' service record and would like some help please!

    He joined and was posted to Colchester infantry training centre on 20th august 1942. In december 1942 he was posted ot 125th LAA rgt RA/ 418 Bty. (Hence me putting this on this thread... although i have a horrible feeling it should be in service records... sorry!)

    There are a few things on his record that i don't quite understand and would be grateful if anyone could help clear them up!
    • in July 1943, he was posted to Home Detail in Crewe - "surplus to w/e"... what is w/e?
    • March 1944 he was posted to "c" bty (LAA), Depot RA. does this mean at this stage he was no longer part of 418 Bty?
    • In march 1944 he was posted to No. 70 P.A. Centre... i can't find any reference to what the P A centre was. Again - I presume this completely seperate to 418 bty (?) as in the "unit" column, its is stamped "DEPOT R.A". during the period where the unit was listed as 70 PAC, he was at the 75th Gen Hosp FAP (if that helps?)
    • on 19th July 1944 he "embarked UK for LCI.178" heading for north west Europe... could/could LCI178 be Landing Craft Infantry No. 178?
    • the unit for this embarkation is marked simply as "x(vii)", and the disembarkation in NWE (the next day) is "x(i)"... is there any way of know what these units are?
    I know im asking a lot, but if any one can help me out with the above, or point me in the direction of more information it would be greatly appreciated.

    many thanks
    Chris Clark
     
    Last edited: Sep 17, 2016
  7. bofors

    bofors Senior Member

    Hi Chris
    It is probably better to start your own thread, less confusing and those who are able to help will see it clearer. Also post copies of the relevant pages will help'
    In this case I think w/e means war effort, but it could mean with effect (from a date) record would make it clearer.

    regards
    Robert
     
  8. Historic Steve

    Historic Steve Researching 21 Army Group/BAOR post VE day

    It has been some time since the first post and ongoing research now shows…delete 15 insert 76…thanks to the tip from dryan67 have been able to track the brigade post in Germany

    6 Jun 45 – 76th Anti-Aircraft Brigade RA from 1st Canadian Corps command now HQRA 49th (West Riding) Infantry Division
    Brigade Headquarters: Dortmund-West
    20 Jun 45 – to Reckinghausen less two regiments to 3rd Infantry Division relieving 9th Infantry Brigade
    22 Jun 45 – to Laer north-west of Münster relieving part of the 34th Armoured Brigade responsibility
    10 Jul 45 – to 19th Base Sub Area
    26 Sep 45 – to 52nd (Lowland) Infantry Division
    1 Oct 45 – Brigade Headquarters to Schloss Steinfurt Burgsteinfurt
    2 May 46 – disbanded

    125th (Cameronians) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment RA
    Regimental Headquarters: unknown – to Nordwalde north of Münster by 10 Sep 45
    417 Battery – Nordwalde
    418 Battery – Nottuin
    419 Battery – Havixbeck
    6 Jun 46 – to 56th Infantry Brigade of 49th (West Riding) Infantry Division
    Regimental Headquarters: Soest
    Oct 46 – disbanded

    Sources: War Dairies/Historical Records 1st Corps District and 76th Anti-Aircraft Brigade RA (only available from 1 Aug 45 to 31 Dec 45)
     
  9. clark136

    clark136 Junior Member

    hi all, many thanks for getting back to me - much aprpeciated :)

    thanks robert - i will start my own and include a few screenshots

    Chris :)
     
  10. Historic Steve

    Historic Steve Researching 21 Army Group/BAOR post VE day

    With ongoing research have solved this puzzle from 2013!

    6 Jun 46 – to 56th Infantry Brigade of 49th (West Riding) Infantry Division
    Regimental Headquarters: Soest should read 6 Jun 45!

    When 76th Anti-Aircraft Brigade RA arrived in Dortmund the unit was attached to 56th Infantry Brigade until the 22 Jun 45, then returned and moved to Nordwalde north of Münster and was disbanded 21 Mar 46, well deleted from the order of battle for 52nd (Lowland) Infantry Division, the brigade responsibilities went to 156th (Lowland) Infantry Brigade of 52nd (Lowland) Infantry Division on 24 Mar 46 but not this regiment!
     

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