Hi Can anyone tell me how many and what weapons a mixed heavy anti aircraft battery RA on home defence would have been equipped with from 1941 to 1944? I believe that it would have been the 3.7" gun, would that be correct? Thank you Mike
Anti Aircraft Command info, with downloadable documents Docs – United Kingdom 1939 - 1940 – Anti-Aircraft Command 1939 - British Military History In July 1940, it was assessed that the command required 3,744 heavy anti-aircraft guns, 4,410 light anti-aircraft guns, 8,000 rocket launchers and 8,500 searchlights. By February 1941, only 1,486 heavy anti-aircraft guns (a shortfall of 60%), 929 light anti-aircraft guns (a shortfall of 78%), 6,369 rocket launchers and 4,519 searchlights had been delivered to the command. The majority of heavy anti-aircraft guns were on static mountings, and due to the shortage of the 40 mm Bofors guns, over three-thousand light machine guns were is use with the light anti-aircraft regiments. Info on Anti Aircraft Command in the London Gazette http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/UN/UK/LondonGazette/38149.pdf
The word "mixed" implies more than one gun type. "Mixed batteries" were an exception not a rule. See if you can find mention of one in the documents Temujin links to.
My understanding was that 'Mixed' referred to the fact the Regt/Battery comprised male (RA) and female (ATS) gunners. The ATS manning the predictors, range finders etc and the RA manning the guns. Tim
have a look at this thread with this info MIXED HEAVY ANTI AIRCRAFT BATTERY, RA (3.7” STATIC, OVERSEAS) War Establishment III/333/1. November 1944 The battery had a headquarters and two gun sites. Headquarters Personnel Major 2 X Captain Battery Serjeant Major battery quartermaster serjeant Trades clerk for general duties bombardier clerk for pay duties 2 X driver mechanic equipment repairer 3 X gun fitter (one may be an artificer RA) vehicle mechanic Non tradesmen 4 X batman driver driver IC 3 X motorcyclist 4 X general dutyman (one trained in water duties) ATS Junior Commander Company Serjeant Major Trades 4 X operator fore control (listed as casualties ie spare) 2 X cook (casualties) 4 X clerk for general duties 2 X clerk for pay duties 2 X officers mess cooks serjeant cook 3 X cook hairdresser Non trades 6 X instrument numbers (casualties) telephonist (casualties) general dutywoman (casualty) 3 X mess orderly 2 X storewoman 3 X telephonist Heavy anti aircraft artillery 183rd Heavy Anti Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery
There is quite a few 'Mixed' in this members web site - Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiments - The Royal Artillery 1939-45 TD
Oh that mixed! Forgot about that one. There was a few of that type of mixed. Not all were 3.7-inch and numbers of guns and numbers of personnel depended on which type of gun it was.
While the 3.7" was the main gun used some sites had 4.5" and late war a number of sites with 5.25" guns became operational. Also, due to initial shortages of the newer guns, some 3" 20cwt were used. In the main sites had four guns, sometime upgraded to six. Early war a number of two gun sites were constructed and there were some sites with eight guns such as Chadwell Heath https://www.lbbd.gov.uk/sites/defau...raft-Gun-Site-Conservation-Area-Appraisal.pdf There is a film showing some of the activities on a 3.7" mixed site at Hunshelf here HUNSHELF GUN SITE
