87th Heavy anti-aircraft regiment RA in Italian campaign.

Discussion in 'Italy' started by mac657, May 28, 2019.

  1. mac657

    mac657 Junior Member

    Hello all, i’m trying to establish the deployments of 87th Heavy anti-aircraft regiment RA during the Italian campaign but i’m going round in circles a bit ! I’m particularly looking at any involvement in the Battle of Monte Cassino.

    Dryan67 kindly supplied me with the below previously;

    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.
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    My understanding is that 62nd AA Brigade would have been part of X Br corps, US 5th Army ? And would 8th AA brigade been part of British 8th Army as I think they transferred back at some point ?

    Any help is appreciated.

    Mac.
     
  2. bofors

    bofors Senior Member

  3. minden1759

    minden1759 Senior Member

    Mac.

    If 62 AA Brigade were serving under X (BR) Corps - and they would certainly have been if they landed at Salerno and crossed the Volturno with that Corps, then they would have been at the First Battle of Cassino on 17 Jan 44 - the X (BR) Corps crossing of the Lower Garigliano.

    Sounds like they were with X (BR) Corps from Sep 43-Mar 44 - which would coincide with the presence of that Corps in Italy at the time.

    Regards

    Frank
     
  4. mac657

    mac657 Junior Member

    Thanks for your help Frank,

    I’ve since found a printout which may relate to a previous query on this site (although I cannot find the post).

    The answer may have come from Bodston and it states that 87 HAA regt was on the ORBAT for the Op Avalanche landings at Salerno under Brig. Mortimer Wheeler’s 12th AA bde and as reinforcements from 62nd AA bde at Brindisi in March 1944.

    Mac.
     
  5. minden1759

    minden1759 Senior Member

    Mac.

    I will be running a battlefield study to Salerno in Apr 20 if you are interested.

    Exact dates will be confirmed once the budget airlines have released their Apr 20 dates.

    Regards

    Frank
     
  6. mac657

    mac657 Junior Member

    Yes Frank, I would be.

    Our family have a military connection to Salerno, hence the question , so other relatives may be as well.
     

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