I'm trying to identify the location and composition of this unit on 7 Dec 41. On the British Military History website there are conflicting dates for its raising. Under the notes for the the 1st Indian AA Brigade it says it was raised on 1 Jun 41. But, under the notes for the the 2nd Indian AA Brigade it says it was raised on 1 Feb 42. Could one be the date the unit was raised, and the other the date it was mobilized? Both agree that the regiment consisted of the 5th, 6th & 11th HAA Batteries. But information I have from other sources only give it the 5th & 6th HAA Batteries, and say the 10th & 11th HAA Batteries belonged to the 4th HAAR. Any information on this would be much appreciated.
Hi Bev, Hard data on the Indian A.A. artillery between 1940 and early 1942 is very hard to find and there are many gaps. The Headquarters, 1st Indian A.A. Brigade was not formed until 12th February 1942 and was at first responsible for a huge area, being the A.A. defences of Calcutta and the industrial areas to the west. That of the 2nd Indian A.A. Brigade was formed on 15th May 1942 and took over command of A.A. units to the west of Calcutta. The 1st Brigade now focussed on the defence of Calcutta area. The 3rd H.A.A. Regiment, I.A. was formed as a static regiment (i.e. with minimal transport) on 1st June 1941 at Drigh Road Camp, Karachi, under the control of The Anti-Aircraft Training Centre, which had moved to Karachi in April 1941. The regimented batteries upon formation were the 5th, 6th and 10th Heavy Anti-Aircraft Batteries, I.A. Also regimented at this time was the 4th Light Anti-Aircraft Battery, I.A. The light battery had been raised as an independent battery but was regimented as part of the then current plan to include a light anti-aircraft battery within the establishment of each heavy anti-aircraft regiment. However, by May 1942 the 4th Battery had left the Regiment. The Regiment went to war stations in early 1942, first to Tatanagar/Jamshedpur, Bihar, and Asansol, Bengal with the 5th and 6th Batteries. Having served briefly under the 1st Indian A.A. Brigade, the Regiment moved to Jamshedpur in May 1942 where in July it came under command of the 2nd Indian A.A. Brigade, still with only the 5th and 6th Batteries under command. It appears that the 11th H.A.A. Battery became regimented at around this time or shortly after. The 10th H.A.A. Battery appears to have left the Regiment by November 1942 and became an independent unit for a time under the 13th A.A. Brigade. If you would like to know more, why not contact me offline by starting a "conversation"? Rothy
Hi Rothy, First off, THANKS! I would definitely like to know more. As you said, hard data on Indian artillery in general isn't easy to find (at least in the US), and as an outsider at times I still struggle with understanding how the "British" system of military organization & administration worked (don't get me started on the RN's "stone frigates.") I will contact you shortly, but right now my "honey do" list is calling, and my wife's patience with me playing on my computer is running low...
