Guys, I have a lot of confusion over the make up of this unit in North Africa during 1941 & 1942. Can you confirm any Battery and equipment details? Thanks, David.
14th (West Lothian Royal Scots) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, R.A. (T.A.) HQ, 39th (Linlithgow) Bty: Linlithgow 40th (Bathgate) Bty: Bathgate 58th Bty: Edinburgh 57th Bty: South Queensferry The regiment mobilized at Linlithgow and served under 51st Anti-Aircraft Brigade at the start of the war. 58th Battery left on 10 July 1940. The regiment arrived in Egypt on 3 March 1941 with 39th, 40th, and 57th Batteries. It was immediately sent to Tobruk and served under the Tobruk Garrison in 4th Anti-Aircraft Brigade from April 1941 until August 1941, less one battery. In May 1941 it was organized with 40th, 57th, and 8th Australian Light AA Batteries. 5th Light AA Battery replaced 8th Australian Light AA Battery in September. While in Tobruk the RHQ commanded 38th/13th, 39th, and 57th Batteries along with 8th Australian and 1st Light AA Batteries in August. It returned to the Nile Delta in February 1942 from the Western Desert. It formed part of 12th AA Brigade at Alamein in October 1942 and remained with the brigade under 8th Army until the end of the campaign. The regiment landed at Salerno under 12th AA Brigade and served with the brigade until January 1945, when it returned to the United Kingdom.
Tom: I am not aware of a history that only covers the 14th Light AA Regiment, RA, but I hope that I can be stood corrected. The regimental history of the Royal Scots has some mention of the regiment but briefly. Muir, Augustus. The First of Foot: The History of the Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment). Edinburgh: The Royal Scots History Committee, 1961. Other details can be gleaned from two volumes of the History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery: Farndale, Sir Martin. History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery: Volume V: The Years of Defeat 1939-41.London: Brassey’s, 1996. (D.Ryan) Routledge, Brig. N.W. History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery: Volume IV: Anti-Aircraft Artillery, 1914-55.London: Brassey’s, 1994. (D. Ryan)
Hi For equipment, am I right in saying they only used 40mm Bofors? I have not come across any history for them either (my Dad served in them). War diaries are the only things I know of. regards Robert
At Tobruk in April 1941, all LAA batteries manned a mixture of 20mm Bredas and 40mm Bofors. This gradually gave way to all Bofors. By January 1943 the regiment had 36 Bofors. This was the standard for the rest of the war.