Anti-tank regiment that left India in April 1946?

Hi all,

Someone on Bluesky found these images amongst those he'd stashed on his hard drive. Apparently they were from a scrapbook auctioned on ebay in 2016. Obviously they are interesting to me as there are Archers! But also Sextons and for some reason a Sherman.

I would be interested to know what regiment they might have belonged to. Does anyone know what battalion in India left for the Middle East on the date indicated? I see no markings that would help identify the unit.

One speculative thought is 56th (King's Own) Anti-Tank Regiment (TA) as they were apparently converted to a self-propelled unit in June 1945. According to the ra39-45 site though, in April 1946 they were placed in suspended animation. I suppose the personnel or some of them might have been sent to the Middle East, but again, I have no documentation, that's pure speculation.

56 (King’s Own) Anti-Tank Regiment RA (TA) - The Royal Artillery 1939-45

But I'm not sure who else were out there at the time. 122nd (Royal Warwickshire Regiment) Anti_Tank Regiment RA existed at one point but were they still there in 1946? Apparently placed in suspended animation in September 1946.

 

Only two anti-tank units, not the 56th, were left in India by May 1947 namely: 100 Anti-Tank Regiment and 122 Anti-Tank Regiment. From Posts 8 & 12 in: Which British units were left in India before and at the time of Partition?

From: King's Own Royal Regiment Museum

List of those sent back to UK January 1946: King's Own Royal Regiment Museum and their photos by battery! Incredible: King's Own Royal Regiment Museum

Alas undated sentence:

From: https://martinharrisonsmedalresearch.weebly.com/uploads/8/7/8/2/8782416/56th_at_ra.pdf

Reference works id'd, held in England though. See: BBC - WW2 People's War - Army: 56th Anti-Tank Regiment Royal Artillery (The King's Own)

 

Thank you David, that's a very stimulating response!

A couple of random thoughts:
- I'm perplexed that in the document posted in the thread you linked, ORBAT at the time of partition, there is a list of units in India in Dec '45 and yet the 56th aren't listed as having been there and then left.
- I don't actually see a 12 Anti-Tank Regiment. It looks like possibly an error in transcription of 122?

According to the King's Own website you linked, the 56th were originally the 4th Battalion and they give a list of locations/states, which ends with:

January 1946 Suspended Animation

So maybe that's somehow why they weren't listed in the document purporting to give the regiments in Dec '45?? I'm not sure I understand why you say the list above is "those sent back" ... wouldn't a (partial) roll indicate those still there?

But this is all quibbling. In regards to the photos, it seems plausible that some men of the 56th only left in April. I should have access to the regimental history at the giant local reference library so I can see if there is anything there.

 

PS I note that ra39-45 actually has April as disbandment date so... January or April? That's a bit confusing.

 

Chris,

Yes, it was 122 Anti-tank, correction made on original post and in today's post.

I expect the unit list JPG3 onwards refer to 'Major Units in India December 1945-February 1948' and if the 56th was in suspended animation etc perhaps they were not included?

I was astonished to see a list of those 'sent back' and that photos existed. Alas no Roll of those who remained in India.

 

Hi David,

I don't think I can get to the reference library today, but I'll try to go next weekend and look at the regimental histories. In practice, the converted anti-tank regiments tend to get short shrift in regimental histories, and the postwar period even more so, but maybe there will be some crumbs of information there.