LAA Regt disembarked on sword beach.

Discussion in 'Royal Artillery' started by 4th wilts, Oct 15, 2007.

  1. 4th wilts

    4th wilts Discharged

    hello all.i would be very gateful if anyone could tell i what royal arty l.a.a regts landed on d+6 on sword beach area. thankyou.lee
     
  2. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    I'm wondering if it could be 89 LAA Regt who was with 49th (West Riding) Division.
    Elements of that Division started to land on 12th June, ie D+6.

    Just a wild stab in the dark.
    Seems like alot of other units they disembarked in the Gold/Juno area.

    Just read that 15th Scottish Div disembarked on the eastern beaches,around that date, that would mean Sword.
    Is so then that would be 119 LAA Regt.

    As you can tell I haven't a clue , really.
    Might not even be a LAA unit attched to a Division. Could be a unit attatched to a Higher Formation.
     
  3. Compo

    Compo Member

    hello all.i would be very gateful if anyone could tell i what royal arty l.a.a regts landed on d+6 on sword beach area. thankyou.lee

    The 3rd British Infantry division OOB for D-day shows 92 LAA (318 Btty) for Sword beach. They are not in the initial assault list so may have landed later but I do not know of this was on d+6. They are listed under Divisional artillery. I wonder if they were in action from a seagoing craft on the day. Sword was the only beach, as far as I know, that experienced attack by German aircraft on d-day.
    Regards
     
  4. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Compo, cheers for that but 92 LAA were ashore on D-Day.
    I've a photo of one of their Crusader mounted Bofors in one of my books.
    They had shot down 17 German planes in the days after D-Day, mainly in the Benouville area.
     
  5. Bodston

    Bodston Little Willy

    Right then, I probably have just the book for you. 'History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery, Anti-Aircraft Artillery 1914-55' by Brigadier N.W. Routledge, OBE, TD. All of the following tables and quotes are taken from that mighty tome.
    After picking through the relevant chapter it would seem that on D-Day Juno and Sword was assigned to 80th AA Brigade. Several other Brigades were to follow ashore in the next few days. "Close behind the two leading brigades [76th AA Brig. was on Gold] was 106th AA Brigade intended for airfield defence. Then 100th AA Brigade should land to support Second Army, followed by 74th and 107th AA Brigades for First Canadian Army. For Caen, as soon as it was captured, with its bridges, 75th AA Brigade was earmarked."

    So of that lot landing on Sword in the days following would have been just 80 and 106 brigades with the rest landing on Juno. The 106th began landing on D+4
    But by D+6 some of the Divisional and Corps LAA detachments would also be landing.

    The AA Order of Battle for 21st Army group for 25th June 1944 reads:

    Second (British) Army

    Corps Regiments: 27, 102, 112, 121 LAA
    Divisional Regiments: 15, 25, 40, 58, 92, 110, 116, 119 LAA

    76 AA Bde
    HAA 99, 112, 113, 146 Regts
    LAA 120, 125, 127 Regts, 320/93, 62/20 Btys
    SL(searchlight) 356 Bty

    80 AA Bde
    HAA 86, 106 Regts
    LAA 73, 113(less bty), 114, 139 Regts, 321/93, 63/20, 405/123, 409/123 Btys
    SL 474 Bty

    106 AA Bde
    HAA 60, 108, 165 Regts
    LAA 71, 109 Regts

    Lee, was there a specific reason for asking?
     
  6. Bodston

    Bodston Little Willy

    Cross referencing with another book 'The British Soldier from D-Day to VE Day Volume 2' by Jean Bouchery. I can assign the Corps and Divisional LAA regiments in 2nd Army.

    Corps
    I Corps - 102nd LAA Regt
    VIII Corps - 121st LAA Regt
    XII Corps - 112th LAA Regt
    XXX Corps - 27th LAA Regt

    Infantry Divisions
    3rd Infantry Div - 92nd LAA Regt (landed 6th June, D-Day)
    15th (Scottish) Inf Div - 119th LAA Regt (landed D+8)
    43rd (Wessex) Inf Div - 110th LAA Regt (landed D+18)
    49th (West Riding) Inf Div - 89th LAA Regt (landed D+6)
    50th (Northumbrian) Inf Div - 25th LAA Regt (landed D-Day)
    51st (Highland) Inf Div - 40th LAA Regt (landed D+1)
    53rd (Welch) Inf Div - 116th LAA Regt (landed D+21)
    59th (Staffordshire) Inf Div - 68th LAA Regt (landed D+21)

    Armoured Divisions
    7th Armoured Division - 15th LAA Regt (landed D+2)
    11th Arm Div - 58th LAA Regt (landed D+7)
    Guards Arm Div - 94th LAA Regt (landed D+22)
     
  7. 4th wilts

    4th wilts Discharged

    thankyou bodston.my grandad was a bofors gunner,he trained near brough in yorkshire,was attached to a div but i dont know what one,landed on d+6 at sword.he was also attached to the canadian army.he said that his main memory was seeing buffalos taking to the rhine,full of infantrymen,while his gun was firing like mad aross there,with all the rest.i was trying to pin down his unit.
     
  8. Bodston

    Bodston Little Willy

    thankyou bodston.my grandad was a bofors gunner,he trained near brough in yorkshire,was attached to a div but i dont know what one,landed on d+6 at sword.he was also attached to the canadian army.he said that his main memory was seeing buffalos taking to the rhine,full of infantrymen,while his gun was firing like mad aross there,with all the rest.i was trying to pin down his unit.

    Looks like 89th LAA attached to 49th (West Riding) Inf Div then. Does anyone know if they put down on Sword?
     
  9. Bodston

    Bodston Little Willy

    A couple of excerpts from the 'History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery, Anti-Aircraft Artillery, 1914-55' by Brig N W Routledge, OBE, TD
    Both involving 89th LAA Regt RA.
    Here, in support of 1st Corps under First Canadian Army "89th LAA Regiment, of 49th Division, also figured in the ground role, being alotted four areas of observation in the early attack phase to engage enemy positions when they were disclosed. Le Havre fell by nightfall on 11th September." and again. "Operations in First Canadian Army called for great versatility", "In October, when the Canadians were being held near Turnhout, 1st Corps formed a group known as 'Bobforce' to hold 7,000 yards of front. The force was led by 89th LAA Regiment and contained, in addition, armoured cars, anti-tank guns, two machine-gun companies and a Belgian infantry battalion. It was later joined by the Corps Regiment, 102 LAA acting as infantry. Not only did this force hold the front successfully for 17 days but, at the end, advanced under 40mm covering fire and drove the enemy rearguard back three miles."
     
  10. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Lee, any photos of Grandad in uniform?
    Any sign of a Polar Bear Div sign in any items your Grandad had?
     
  11. Bodston

    Bodston Little Willy

    From the IWM collection.
    The British army in NWE 1944-45
    Mobile Bofors gun of 89th LAA Regt at Elst in Holland, 15 December 1944[​IMG]
     
  12. 4th wilts

    4th wilts Discharged

    thanks bodston.i only have 2 pics.one is of him sitting in a 109 with the battery jack russel,unfortunately i cannot see any i.d.cheers lee.
     
  13. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Just read in Patrick Delaforce's book The Polar bears that 89 LAA were formed from The Buffs.
    can't find anything on the net to substansiate that though.
     
  14. 4th wilts

    4th wilts Discharged

    new info.my nan said his regt narrowly missed being shipped out to singapore just in time to surrender.yours.lee.p.s does anyone have dates for this .
     
  15. 4th wilts

    4th wilts Discharged

    please see above post.i have also found out that my grandad was sent back to hospital for a few weeks because of chickenpox,not pox or std.he also served for about 1yr after v.e day.my nan has a bit of oldtimers so its tough getting info.yours very sincerely,lee
     
  16. JCFLAFF

    JCFLAFF Member

    Just read in Patrick Delaforce's book The Polar bears that 89 LAA were formed from The Buffs.
    can't find anything on the net to substansiate that though.

    Hello
    I'm trying to find out more about my grandad who was in the 89th LAA. I'm starting to go through his paperwork and have found a letter/invitation to an officers reunion from 1953. It's titled "89th L.A.A. Regt. R.A. (The Buffs)".

    This is all abit new for me so please excuse me if I sound daft!
     
  17. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    Welcome to the forum
     
  18. JCFLAFF

    JCFLAFF Member

    Thank You
     
  19. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    If you could post photos or any docs you
    im sure a forum member could add more info
     
  20. Buteman

    Buteman 336/102 LAA Regiment (7 Lincolns), RA

    I am looking at 89 LAA War diaries for 1944 next week for myself. I will see what I can find.

    89 LAA were formed fron 11th Battalion, the Buffs.
     

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