157th Field Regiment R.A

Did the 157th Field first arrive in North Africa during May 1942?

 

Sorry I have nothing at unit level, but as part of 10th Indian Division, they spent the last 2 weeks of May travelling from Iran. The Division started to form up at Halfaya Pass in early June. The Division was split up and thrown into the battle with pretty disastrous results all round.

I take it they were disbanded as a result of going into the bag?

 

According to jolsen they arrived in Egypt 30.5.42 with 10 indian infantry div.
Disbanded 11.8.42.

 

Thanks guys.

 

I see from Joslen that 164 Field was disbanded at about the same time. Was it also mauled?

 

David,

I noticed this at the NA, WO361/1053 157th Field Regt. Missing personnel. Might be of interest to you.

With regards to the 164th I notice very few casualties for June 1942 in comparison with other Field and A-T Regts. Maybe they were disbanded simply to keep the more senior units up to strength.

Bob

 

157th Field Regiment, R.A.
RHQ, 64th, 421st
Raised: 1 December 1940 in India

The regiment added 515th Battery on 14 January 1941, but it left on 2 May 1942. It was mobilized in April 1941 under 10th Indian Infantry Division. It left India with the division on 30 April 1941 and arrived in Iraq on 8 May 1941. It moved to Persia with the division on 25 June 1941 and returned to Iraq on 10 August 1941. It moved to Egypt with the division on 30 May 1942. It left the division for GHQ MEF on 21 June 1942. Due to heavy casualities, the regiment was disbanded in the Middle East on 11 August 1942 with 64th Battery going into suspended animation and 421st Battery disbanded in India on 10 September 1942.

 

79th Anti-Tank Regiment, R.A. (later 164th Field Regiment)
RHQ, 103rd, 104th, 105th
Raised: 15 October 1941 in India

The regiment embarked for Iraq from Karachi on 22 March 1942 and arrived at Basra on 28 March, coming under command of 10th Army.
The RHQ was redesignated RHQ ‘X’ Field Regiment, R.A. on 4 May 1942 and was numbered 164th Field Regiment on 2 June 1942. 470th and 515th Batteries joined from 97th (Kent Yeomanry) Field Regiment and 157th Field Regiment. 3rd Indian Anti-Tank Battery was attached for a time. The regiment came under command of 25th Indian Infantry Brigade of 10th Indian Infantry Division on 25 May 1942 and arrived in Egypt with the brigade on 4 June 1942. The RHQ and 515th Batteries were disbanded in the Middle East on 1 August 1942. 470th Battery was placed into suspended animation.
The RHQ of 79th Anti-Tank Regiment was reformed in the Middle East under 8th Army on 27 June 1942 and took over the same batteries. 291st Battery joined from 81st Anti-Tank Regiment on 8 September 1942. The regiment then came under command of 31st Indian Armoured Division in Persia on 10 September 1942. It moved to Iraq with the division. It arrived in Egypt with the division on 4 November 1943. It left for Jericho, Palestine with the division on 25 February 1944. It moved to Syria with he division on 29 May 1944 and remained there until the end of the war.

 

Thank you kindly.
Interesting to note the transformation from and again to an anti tank regiment.

 

Would the anti tank batteries have been 12x or 16x 6 Pdrs each?

Any idea what time period the 3rd Indian Battery were attached for?

 

Sorry, that is all I have regarding equipment and the 3rd Indian Anti-Tank Battery.