97th (London Scottish) Heavy Anti Aircraft Regiment (R.A)

Discussion in 'Royal Artillery' started by DavidW, Mar 26, 2013.

  1. DavidW

    DavidW Well-Known Member

    Usual question please (nearly at the end now!)
    Batteries and movements for the 97th (London Scottish) Heavy Anti Aircraft Regiment (R.A) during 1940 - 1942.
     
  2. dryan67

    dryan67 Senior Member

    97th Anti-Aircraft Regiment, R.A. (T.A.)
    HQ, 298th, 299th Btys: Westminster, London

    The regiment served under 48th AA Brigade at the outbreak of war and in February 1941. Aftger posting to the 48th AA Brigade the regiment moved to Catford with batteries at Eltham, St. Paul’s Cary, Brockley, Hayes and Beckham. It shared gunsites with 60th (City of London) Heavy AA Regiment. 319th Battery was added on 1 April 1940 and 376th Battery on 10 January 1941. The regiment then went through three changes of title: 97th AA Regiment, R.A. (The London Scottish) T.A. on 1 December 1941, 97th HAA Regiment, R.A. (The London Scottish) T.A. on 1 January 1942 and 97th HAA Regiment, R.A. (London Scottish) T.A. on 3 March 1942. 376th Battery left on 10 July 1942.
    The regiment embarked from England on December 15th, 1942 and arrived at Port Tewfik, Egypt on April 15th, 1943.
    The regiment served in Sicily from 19 July 1943 under 73rd AA Brigade at Augusta. It then moved across the Straits of Messina under command of 2nd AA Brigade on 3 September, except for 298th Battery used in the bombardment from Sicily. On 2 October the regiment joined 62nd AA Brigade in the Bari area, but then came under command of 12th AA Brigade in November, serving with it until it was reorganized as ‘J’ Garrison Regiment, R.A. (T.A.) on 6 November 1944. It was soon retitled 97th Garrison Regiment, R.A. (T.A.). It was converted to infantry as 610th Regiment, R.A. (The London Scottish) T.A. with ‘A’ to ‘E’ Batteries on 13 February 1945. It remained in Italy until the end of the war.
     
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  3. Combover

    Combover Guest

    December 1942.

    C.O. - Lt. Col A. O. Maclean

    298 Battery - Major J. Somerville
    299 Battery - Major M. J. Goslett
    319 Battery - Major W. C. Clark

    I can give you a transcript of where they went from formation until leaving Britain for Italy but it would involve lots of cross-location as the regiment wasn't entirely 'whole' for that period. Initially, they shared their gunpits with other HAA regiments and had to be positioned where they were most useful, which meant ANYWHERE.

    Let me know if you need it and i'll see what I can do, but as Dryan has pointed out, it's a lot easier to chart their locations once they actually leave the UK. In the meantime, I hope this helps. :)
     
  4. DavidW

    DavidW Well-Known Member

    Thanks to you both.
     
  5. Gray 8th

    Gray 8th Member

    The regiment embarked from England on December 15th, 1942 and arrived at Port Tewfik, Egypt on April 15th, 1943.
    The regiment served in Sicily from 19 July 1943 under 73rd AA Brigade at Augusta. It then moved across the Straits of Messina under command of 2nd AA Brigade on 3 September, except for 298th Battery used in the bombardment from Sicily. On 2 October the regiment joined 62nd AA Brigade in the Bari area, but then came under command of 12th AA Brigade in November, serving with it until it was reorganized as ‘J’ Garrison Regiment, R.A. (T.A.) on 6 November 1944. It was soon retitled 97th Garrison Regiment, R.A. (T.A.). It was converted to infantry as 610th Regiment, R.A. (The London Scottish) T.A. with ‘A’ to ‘E’ Batteries on 13 February 1945. It remained in Italy until the end of the war.[/QUOTE]

    Hi

    I read the above with interest
    My Fathers service record (REME) documents him being attached to 97th Inf AA Reg W/Shops and he is stated as leaving the UK on 14/12/42 . I wonder if he would be part of the above deployment

    Regards

    Graham
     
  6. hutt

    hutt Member

    If the original question regarding whereabouts and movements of the regiment and its batteries up to December 41 is still outstanding then the diary of the 48th AA Brigade gives a lot of detail.Happy to share if interested.
     
  7. aboode

    aboode Member

    Graham,
    Was the London Scottish part of the Royal Artillery as follows:
    1941-1942 : 97th (London Scottish) Anti-Aircraft Regiment, R.A.
    1942-1944 : 97th (London Scottish) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, R.A.
    1945-1947 : 610th (London Scottish) Regiment, R.A.
    My specific interest is Pipe Majors and at the moment I have John H.M Speirs listed as P/M of the 3rd Bn London Scottish from 1942 to 1946, so I assume that he was P/M of the R.A. regiments mentioned above.
    But what happened from 1944 to 1945 when the regiment was 97th Garrison Regiment, R.A.; would it have retained the Pipe Band with Speirs as P/M?
    Hope you, or someone else reading this, can help me.
    Thanks
    Aad
     
  8. PVW

    PVW New Member

    I have been researching my father's war record, he was with the London Scottish 3rd Battalion, 319 Battery F Troop and injured at Reggio Calabria in September 1943. From the book "The London Scottish in the Second World War" (published 1952) there are a few references to Pipe Major Speirs.

    Jan 1943; en route to Africa and Egypt, organising ship board entertainment.
    Sept 1943; played the lament when 9 members of 319 battery were killed near Reggio Calabria and 8 badly wounded. My father was one of those 8 wounded.
    Dec 1943; Bari Garrison, piping in the Christmas mess diners, organising a broadcast from the Bari studios.
    Dec 1944; Bari Garrison, referenced still at Bari.
    Dec 1945; Last "Retreat" sounded and the 3rd Battalion disbanded, the Regimental Flag was presented to Pipe Major Speirs by the Colonel, it appears most members of the Pipe Band were transferred elsewhere after this or repatriated.
     

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