Deacon

Does anyone know when the Deacon actually started to be manufactured? Was it used in battle before The (Second) Battle of El Alamein in October 1942?

By which I mean this 'chap', a purpose-built portee vehicle with a little armour.

 

Chris
wiki states Dec 1942
and how much do i know about WW2 didnt even know about this

 

Hi CL1,

Well, they do not get much mention in the history books!

Unfortunately wikipedia has to be wrong about that date. Maybe December 1941? But they were as far as I know used at El Alamein.

After being withdrawn from service, a number of Deacons had their turret removed and they were converted into armoured ammunition carriers, and used by field artillery in Northwest Europe.

Photo nicked from the missing-lynx model forum:

 

Like the way there were made to look like a standard lorry
Deacon (artillery) - Wikipedia

 

Couple of other Deacon threads on here:
AEC Mk1 Gun Carrier - Deacon
76th Anti-Tank Regiment Deacon use at El Hamma March 1943

 

The earliest I've seen them detailed in WEs is Mar/Apr 1943, for Middle East specific units. They get a brief mention in "The development of Artillery Tactics and Equipment", which says the Deacon "was issued on the scale of one battery to each regiment", but offers no dates.

There's one place I need to look in, if the Deacon gets a shout I'll add it here.

Gary

 

Yes, absolutely. I want to include a small section in my book on mechanisation of the RA, mentioning the 'Birch Gun', portees, Deacon, Bishop, etc.

 

Figures I have are:

Output 1942

Apr 0
May 30
Jun 44
Jul 40
Aug 0
Sep 0
Oct 25
Nov 1
Dec 0

Output 1943

Feb 10

Total 150

After this the 6 pdr AEC Armoured Car Mk.II comes in during Feb '43. There were reputedly 175 Deacons built, but I don't have figures prior to April, so it may be that there were 25 built before then.

The Germans certainly captured at least one, because when it was used against the British, they became aware of just how big its silhouette was.

 

That's excellent information, thank you!

 

Hi. The earliest I can find is 15/08/42. 8x Deacons for 213 Bty of 84th Anti Tank Regiment.

Then 16x Deacons on 08/09/42 for 76th Anti Tank Regiment.

Then 12x Deacons before 23/10/42 for 149th Anti tank Regiment.

Kind regards,
David.

 

That's amazing! Thank you all very much!

Hm. Wikipedia says that 84th Anti-Tank Regiment didn't join 10th Armoured Division until September 1942. True? Wonder if they were sent out with their Deacons from the UK...

And, 76th Anti-Tank Regiment, in 1st Armoured Division from 22 September 1942?

 

I did find a few bits so will chip in with them.

WO169/3858

Under the heading 'Proposed allotment of A.Tk guns to following formations by 15 Sep (1942); 10 Armd Div, 8 Armd Div, 2 NZ Div, 1 Armd Div'

Guns available -
2-prs x 82
6-prs x 226
Deacons x 16

76 Atk Regt is on the list for 1 Armd Div, but does not appear to have any Deacons reported. 84 Atk Regt in 10 Armd Div has its holdings of 6-prs split into two lines, 32 and 16, with a capital 'D' against the latter, so presumably these were Deacons.

Same WO ref, 'Artillery Equipment situation in ME on 31 Aug 1942'

6-pr AEC/SP - distribution;

84 Atk Regt x 16
Ordnance Depots x 16

At sea x 32

Total in and for ME x 64

Same WO ref, 'Anti-tank programme for 10 Oct to 27 Oct 1942'

84 Atk Regt; complete to 100% 6-prs (48 x 6-prs, 16 Deacons)

73 Atk Regt; same as 84 Atk Regt

WO169/8355

Under the heading 'Artillery Equipment situation in ME on 31 Mar 1943'

6-pr AEC SP - 73 and 76 Atk Regts, each 16
Coast defence - 6
Reserve - 7
Total - 45

Hope that helps some,

Gary

 

Fantastic! It's amazing what you guys know and can dig up

 

76th A/T Reg had been in N. Africa quite a while before that date of joining 1st Armoured.
And 84th A/T Reg also arrived a bit before joining 10th Armoured.
So both probably arrived without Deacons I would say.

 

Thank you David!

 

In Alamein (a pretty good book), C.E. Lucas-Phillips reports that ZZ Battery of 76th Anti-Tank had Deacons in time for the battle, using them with particular effect against Axis strongpoint "Aberdeen."

 

Well, now purely out of curiosity - where was Aberdeen?

(I liked Phillips' book on St Nazareth)

 

Things you find out on this forum an armoured car that's same as my surname cool

Cheers Mike.