65th Battery LAA. RA.

I have a photograph entitled

'B Troop, 65 LAA Bty MEF 1943.'

I know my twin uncles were in this battery in Africa, then in Italy.

Could anyone give me any information on this Battery please, where they were and approximately when ?
Or point me in the right direction.

Thank you.

Jeremy

 

Welcome to the forum mate.

You could try the Royal Artillery Museum called the Retunda at Woolwich Aresenal. Theres a chap there that seems to know quite a lot about units etc etc.

Hope that helps.

Andy

 

Welcome to the forum Jeremy take a look at this site it
gives you all their movements and dates very informative.

The link Royal Artillery 1939-45
65th Light Anti Aircraft RA RA 1939-45 65 LAA

Regards

Kieron

 

Norfolknun,

Welcome to the forum.

Tom

 

Thank you to everyone so far......for help and welcome.

As usual I wait until they have both passed away until I take an interest.

I know that they did some of their training at Weybourne (about six miles from me).

I know they were in Africa......and I can probably find out when and roughly where they were in Italy. Otherwise, I guess a long slog.

Jeremy

 

Will get scanner set up.
It is purely a battery personnel picture and there are no badges or unit signs show.

 

Will be interesting to see nevertheless.

 

Hello and welcome Jeremy.
From Brig. Routledge's excellent 'History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery, Anti-Aircraft Artillery, 1914-55' your uncles were in 65 Light Anti-Aircraft Battery.
This was part of 34 LAA Regiment RA as Divisional LAA for 50th Infantry Division in Eighth Army from October 1942 at Alamein. The other two batteries in the Regt. were the 92nd and the 246th.

They next appear in an Order of Battle dated January 1943 as part of 17 AA Brigade, still in 34 LAA Regt. in and about the Tobruk, El Adem, Gambut area. Where they were equipped with 12 X 40mm Bofors guns.

May 1943, 34 LAA Regt. were in 12th AA Bde. 8th Army. From where they transferred to 22nd AA Bde. to Sousse and Sfax airfields in Tunisia for the final phase of Operation Torch.

They landed in Italy in late December 1943 now under command of 25th AA Brigade. The 65/34 Bty LAA were assigned to air defence of the port of Barletta with 18 X 40mm.

By December 1944 25th AA Bde was relieved of all tasks in south-east Italy and was moved to Salerno where it was disbanded in February 1945.

I hope that helps.
Cheers,
Bod

 

Hi Jeremy

Firstly, welcome aboard and good hunting in your quest for more info on your twin uncles.

I'm afraid I can't add anything to your files but something that Bod mentioned
By December 1944 25th AA Bde was relieved of all tasks in south-east Italy and was moved to Salerno where it was disbanded in February 1945.

rang bells with me.

If you note the date that 25th Brigade was "relieved of all tasks" this was mirrored in my own experience when my mob, the 49th LAA Rgt. was given the "chop", it being considered at that time that the Luftwaffe posed no further serious threat in Italy and that the personnel involved would be better employed elsewhere.

A page from my diary and the last entry in the Regimental Diary says it all

Tuesday 12th December 1944
Left Foligno after lunch in the 3 tonner. Arrived at R.A.C T.D. (Royal Armoured Corps Training Depot) just before dark. In No.2 Sqdrn

On 8 Dec all MT was despatched to Foligno and Prato. The personnel rear party moved to Cericola on 8 Dec and the regt was effectively disbanded on 18 Dec

Cheers

Ron

 

Bod that is brilliant...thank you so much.

I will see Dad today and check about Italy because when he was stationed in Naples (Casserta RN) the uncles came to visit him.

Thanks so much again everyone......and Ron for your addition

I will get the scanner wired up and post the pics I have.

Doing the happy dance now.

Jeremy

 

Hoping that the Battery photo is attached

 

You see Owen, after years of studying things Naval.....I don't know what to look for. LOL

Jeremy

 

Owen -
not too sure about the "8th Army " shield on the epaullettes of the LAA mob pictured - can't enlarge it too well but I thought is was that of the 5th Div - The Globetrotters - with the white "V"
Cheers

 

my father was in this unit during the war ,

 

i would like some more information on this publication , has anyone else got it

 

Hi Steven, did you have any luck with finding this publication??
Jeremy