Guys, Did any of the following Heavy Anti Aircraft Regiments serve in North Africa? And in time for the Oct/Nov Alamein battles of '42? 57th 81st 87th 96th Thanks in advance, David.
Looking through Routledge's Anti-Aircraft Artillery 1914-1955 the following information was found: 57th HAA: first reference is on an OOB for the Middle East dated Jan 1943 serving in the 12th AA Brigade. 81st HAA: two references: OOB for May 1943 21st AA Brigade Suez Canal, Cairo, Suez serving in 21st AA Brigade; Reduced OOB for June 1944 Middle East: 21st AA Brigade in concentration pending disbandment in Egypt 87th HAA: October 1942 Alamein OOB footnote: Allocated to Eighth Army but held in reserve until after the breakthrough and advance into Libya: HQ 17th AA Brigade consisting of 61st and 87th HAA and 37th LAA Regiments 96th HAA: one reference from OOB Middle East 1943: 21st AA Brigade Suez Canal, Cairo, Suez There is a table in the book on page 161 detailing AA Support for Eighth Army - Alamein, October 1942 if you're interested in any more information. Cheers Mark
81st Anti-Aircraft Regiment, R.A. (T.A.) HQ, 253rd, 254th (Cheshire) Btys: Stockport 255th (Cheshire) Bty: Stalybridge The regiment started the war under 33rd AA Brigade. In February 1941 it was serving in the Orkneys and Shetlands under OSDEF. 416th Battery served under command from 10 April 1941 to 10 July 1942. The regiment served in the Middle East from late 1942. In January 1943 the regiment was under command of 21st AA Brigade at Port Said/Cairo/Suez. The regiment remained in Egypt with the brigade until it and its batteries were placed on suspended animation on 30 August 1944.
87th Anti-Aircraft Regiment, R.A. (T.A.) HQ, 278th-280th Btys: Hebburn-on-Tyne The regiment served under 30th AA Brigade at the outbreak of war. The regiment arrived in Iraq in January 1942 under 17th AA Brigade. It left Iraq in March 1942 with the brigade for Egypt. It then moved to 20th AA Brigade in Syria/Lebanon in August 1942, to Egypt and 17th AA Brigade in October 1942. By January 1943 it was sent with the brigade to the Tobruk area and was still there in May 1943. The regiment landed at Salerno, Italy on 9 September 1943 under 12th AA Brigade with 279th Battery under No. 3 Beach Group and 280th Battery under No. 4 Beach Group. 12th AA Brigade then moved to Naples. The regiment fought under the brigade in the Volturno Crossing in December 1943. In January 1944 it was serving under 62nd AA Brigade and in March 1944 the regiment reinforced 8th AA Brigade in the Brindisi area airfields. The regiment and batteries were placed into suspended animation on 7 November 1944.
96th Anti-Aircraft Regiment, R.A. (T.A.) HQ, 294th Bty: Castleford 295th, 296th Btys: Halifax 287th Bty: Pontefract 186th Bty: Oulton The regiment served under 31st AA Brigade at the outbreak. It was under command of 62nd AA B rigade in the Leeds/Sheffield area in February 1941. 447th replaced 287th Battery on 19 September 1941. 296th Battery left on 10 February 1942. 447th Battery was reduced to cadre and sent to Oswestry on 2 April 1942. The regiment was sent to Egypt in late 1942. It served in the Suez area under 21st AA Brigade until the regiment and batteries were placed into suspended animation on 20 June 1944.
