Hello, Can someone please tell me if the regiment was evacuated from Dunkirk? I know that in May 1940 it was part of the British Expeditionary Force. The War Diary for 1 January - 31 May does not appear to be in the National Archives though the one for June-December is. (WO 169/302) Thank you
Here is what I have on the regiment for that period. It was fragmented and evacuated after Dunkirk: 2nd Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RA Station: Lichfield Batteries: 4th, 5th, 6th AA Batteries; 2nd Light AA Battery The regiment mobilized as part of 3rd AA Brigade at Lichfield with 4th, 5th, 6th AA Batteries and 2nd Light AA Battery. It moved to France on 12 September 1939. 2nd Light AA Battery was detached and officially removed from the regiment on 28 May 1940. On arrival in France, the regiment moved to the Nantes area. It moved to Boulogne on 9 December 1939 and transferred to 2nd AA Brigade. It was there until the start of the campaign in May 1940. 5th Battery moved to Sogny-aux-Moulins in May 1940 served under 12th Anti-Aircraft Brigade defending the Allied Air Force Strike Force fields. 6th Battery served in the defence of Calais while 4th Battery fought in the defence of Boulogne. The regiment was evacuated after the fall of France. It was retitled a Heavy AA Regiment on 1 June 1940. On return to England, it reformed at Aperporth with 4th, 5th and 6th AA Batteries equipped with 3.7” AA guns. Before it was sent to the Middle East, the regiment gave up 4th-6th AA Batteries. 4th Heavy AA Battery was sent to Iceland in December 1940 with 49th Division. 5th and 6th Heavy AA Batteries went to 4th Heavy AA Regiment and moved eventually to Malta in 1941. It gained 16th Battery originally part of 4th Heavy AA Regiment and lately of 1st Heavy AA Regiment and 27th Heavy AA Battery also from 4th Heavy AA Regiment.
The War Diary is WO 167/613 and there is no diary entries for May just Field Returns. I'm going to work in a hour or so and don't have time to dig further. If someone moves this to the 1940 section I'll catch up with it on my days off. A
