I am modelling a Morris CDSW gun tractor and my reference photos show a prime example clearly marked as the 82nd Fd Bty with a WD number of H355194. I thought it a lovely example to model as is and was trying to identify the regiment it was assigned to. The Army lists for that period don't show an 82nd Bty with a Field Regiment but do show it as an Anti-tank Bty assigned to the 13th AT Regt and based at Aldershot but the date is not clear. Can anyone explain why it would show "82nd Fd Bty" when one didn't seem to exist at the time? I can of course model it for a different unit but my curiosity has been aroused. Thanks for any and all input. Cheers, Neil
Hello Neil, Perhaps the strap from the canvas side is obscuring the first digit. The top horizontal white line seems longer on the right-hand side. From The Royal Artillery 1939-45 182 Field Bty 182 Field Regt Jan 43 - Dec 44 Numbered from R Bty. Disbanded 282 Field Bty 71 Field Regt Nov 38 - Mar 46 From 71 Brigade. Suspended animation 382 Field Bty 96 Field Regt Nov 38 - Jan 47 From 96 Brigade. Suspended animation 482 Field Bty 117 Field Regt Jan 41 - Mar 46 Formed. Suspended animation Regards, Richard
Well, that's clear enough! Back to the drawing board. Again from The Royal Artillery 1939-45 82 Anti-Tank Bty, 13 Anti-Tank Regt, May 38 - Sep 44, Converted from 13 Field Brigade I've tried to find out more about 13 Fd Bde in the 1930s but without success. Richard
A picture from the Imperial War Museum shows a "Morris Commercial CDSW, 6 x 4, Artillery Tractor of 8th Field Battery, Royal Artillery, towing a 25 pounder field gun and limber". 13 Anti-Tank Regt had an 8 Anti-Tank Bty as well as the 82 Bty.
In May 1938, the RA's 'Blue List' (Annex 3 of Hughes's Between The Wars 1919-39), XIII Fd Bde (Mech) of 2 Div is made up of 2, 8 and44 Btys plus 82 How Bty. If I'm interpreting it correctly, they'd been at Lille Barracks, Aldershot since 1929.
In November 1922, 13 Fd Bde consisted of 2, 8, 44 & 104 Btys. 104 was the Howitzer Bty of the Brigade. 82 Bty joined 13 Fd Bde from 8 Bde RFA in March 1924. It absorbed 104 Bty. In May 1938 the Brigade was converted to 13 Anti-Tank Regt RA with 2, 8, 44 & 82 Anti-Tank Btys