Hi, Can someone explain in "simple" terms what the combination of Bty. & Regt. numbers mean. I have seen some notes of "The chaotic unit numbering....." noted in various books but just confining the answer to the units noted below would be a great help. Dad enlisted 11/01/33 and was posted to 6/2nd Training Brigade 17/01/33, then posted to 12 Medium Battery. 2 Medium Regt. 16/05/33. Then in the BEF he is in one of the following 'units' 4/7 or 8/12, 2 Med. Regt. RA. Later NAfrica-NWEurope-etc. 301/127 Fd. Regt. RA I know the latter 301 Battery & 127 Field Regt. RA but what does 4/7 2 Medium Regt. & 8/12 2 Medium Regt. mean? Neil
Neil Don't even try to understand these anomalies ! My own unit , the 49th Light Anti Aircraft Rgt. R.A. consisted of 3 batteries and RHQ. They were named 84 Bty., 90 Bty., and 280 Bty. Why these particular numbers ? Lord knows ! Ron
Thanks Rob, I think. Quick look at Nigel's site WoW I am going to lay down now in a darkened room with some brown medicine, probably lots. As usual I can always rely on this place to assist. Neil
3mileSnipper Both 4/7 and 8/12 were, what is commonly known as linked batteries, as explained below: In 1938 a number of Batteries within the RA and RHA were combined, they retained their Battery numbers/letters in a combined title, thus A Battery RHA was linked with E Battery RHA to become A/E Battery RHA. Such batteries were known as Linked Batteries. Most Linked Batteries remained so until the reorganisation/renumbering of the Regiment in 1947, although some, such as 35/87 Field Battery RA were unlinked in January 1941. Hope that is of some help in explaining this, as you say, chaotic system Phil
Yes it does I understood the 301/127 Fd. Regt. RA of later period but the combination of 8/12 2 Med, Regt. RA through me thanks again for the insight.
